Still waiting for Open Work Permit

[cdo]

Hi, guys! We are still waiting for my spouse open work permit for almost 4 months now. Please we need advice on what to do. We tried to contact CIC call center twice. First we called after 2 months and the second call was after 3rd month. The agent who received the call just told us to wait. How long do we have to wait? Open work permit should have been process for 21 days as per written in the CIC website. Please guide us what is the best way to follow-up and get results. Help!

Timeline:
March 6, 2009 -Applied
March 30, 2009 - Received AOR
Informing us that the application been transferred to local office March 20
May 6, 2009 - Called CIC, been told to wait 6 to 8 weeks more
July 24, 2009 - Called to CIC, told to wait more weeks
Present - Waiting.....

What do you think happen to our aplication? Any inputs are welcome. Thanks

 

[saver]

hello good day to everyone,I just one to know what are the requirement to apply for an open work permit?how long in takes to issue one?can a temporary foreign worker change her work permit into a open work permit?Any input pls thanks

 

[Leon]

Open work permit is only granted to:

1) Spouses of temporary foreign workers who are doing a job of skill level A, B or 0
2) Spouses of foreign students
3) Spouses who have been sponsored for PR with an inland application and have gotten first stage approval
4) Live in caregivers who have done their 2 years and applied for PR (and open work permit).
5) Foreign students who have graduated in Canada and qualify for a post-grad permit.
6) maybe refugees, not sure?

If you are a temporary foreign worker, you don't qualify for an open work permit. If you have a spouse who has been on an open permit and has found an employer he likes but you are having a problem with yours, you could try a switch, so that your spouse tries to get an LMO and change his work permit to a closed permit and then you can be the spouse with the open permit.

As for the OP's question, I don't know why it's taking so long. Sometimes things get stuck in the system. You can go to Service Canada, talk to the MP of your district, call CIC again, send in another application (in case they lost the first one). I know a guy who applied for an LMO with a new employer. It was supposed to take 6 weeks. It's now a year and he never heard back from them but he gave up on waiting a long time ago and stayed in his old job.

 

[saver]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH LEON FOR THE INFO MORE POWER.

 

[third29]

leon,

i have sent you a PM. Pls check.. Thanks

 

[Leon]

leon,

i have sent you a PM. Pls check.. Thanks

I checked but I don't see your PM.

 

[cdo]

Thanks Leon for replying. My spouse had just received his open work permit yesterday. It was dated July 25. The process took almost 5 months.

Would it be possible for him to apply for PR after a year? Which is the best way and the fastest in processing to apply inside Canada? Is it Foreign Skilled Worker category, Provincial Nominee or Canadian experience class? Any inputs? Thanks...

 

[Leon]

It's hard to say what is faster. There is not really enough experience with the new skilled worker yet but in a year, you will have better access to information about the timelines. You also have to go with what you qualify for. If you are a student or a worker, you can apply for PR after you have 12 months in Canada under skilled worker category 3, that is if you have at least one year skilled work experience at some point and can make 67 points. Otherwise, your husband can apply under skilled worker if he has a skilled job and his employer can give him a letter stating that he will employ him after he gets PR. That is as good as an AEO and would qualify for category 2 or he could wait until he has a year on work permit and apply under category 3. That is based on him qualifying as a skilled worker.

To apply under PNP, his employer would have to sponsor him for PNP. I know some guys who are applying through AINP and they applied in August last year and are hoping for PR in April next year so almost 2 years. Some of the PNP's are not as busy as AINP so you have to talk to the PNP where you are to get their timelines.

To apply under CEC, your husband would have to have worked a skilled job in Canada for 2 years.

 

[cdo]

Thanks, Leon. You're the best!