Staying with spouse in foreign country until application accepted

[rotato]

Hello again!

My wife and I are considering to stay in Korea while her application is processed and go to Canada together or have me go a few months before her application would probably be accepted to prepare for her arrival. We were previously planning on having me go to Canada shortly after submitting the application and having her just come to visit. But I've recently been offered a decent job here and we're thinking about taking it so that we can avoid long distance and save up some more money.

Our concerns are this:

• 
  Proof of my intent to return to Canada with my wife
  We've read online of people getting ominous letters stating they have X days to provide more proof such as a job offer or apartment, etc. while others have gotten away with a letter explaining their plans, letters from family/friends, and Canadian bank statements, etc.
  
  I'll be working in Korea and so unable to seriously look for work, apartments, etc. I highly doubt an employer or housing provider would hold a spot for a year. What have been people's experiences in similar situations?
  
  
• 
  Is there any way to have an idea of how the application is progressing and when it might be granted?
  Can the CIC be contacted for information like this? I'd like to go to Canada ahead of my wife to look for a job early on and get a place to live ready. I don't want her to come to Canada and then also have to worry about how we'll survive.
  
  So I'd like to go ahead of her by 2 or 3 months to get settled. The problem is knowing when that might be. The CIC website says 17 months but I've read on this forum from people who've gone with the Manilla office, as we will be, about a year. So if I leave 8 months in to get a 2 month head start, we could end up being separated for almost a year anyways or if I follow the website we could have the application finished before I leave.
  
  
• 
  Average Entry Visa Expiry?
  I've read it's typically 1 year from the medical expiry date. My wife will need to give about a 1 month notice to quit her job so we're worried about the time from issuance to when she has to land in Canada. But since, according to the website, it will take 17 months for the application then what will happen? The medical will have expired before CIC even finishes processing? Does she have to re-submit a medical? Or is she just given an arbitrary date to enter?
  
  What have been people's experiences? How much time did you have to land in Canada from the time you got your application granted?
  

Thanks in advance for all the help! This forum has been a life saver.

 

[truesmile]

1. Proof of intent - this has been answered many times to your previous posts.
2. No, they will just tell you that your application is "in queue".
3. They may "extend" her medical, or they may "request" a re-medical. But also as stated in response to your previous posts, your application is not likely to take 17 months, and it was explained why.
3b). You have until your medical expires.