Timing of spousal sponsorship: apply sooner rather than later?

[DBHC]

I'm a British citizen living in the US with my Canadian wife who plans to apply for permanent residency through Family (Spousal) Sponsorship. We intend to move next July and, given how long things take, I wanted to get the ball rolling with regards to immigration paperwork. The problem is with the documents that will prove we plan to move back. This far ahead (~10 months) my wife – a nurse – cannot get a job offer and we cannot sign a lease if we don't know if our application will be approved.

• Am I better off waiting until just 2-3 months before we plan to move (i.e., the processing time to complete the Assessment of Sponsor) to submit the paperwork?
• Am I right in thinking that after this initial assessment we can move to Canada and I can get an indefinite work permit while I wait for them to complete the Assessment of Person Being Sponsored?
• If so, do I get this work permit upon entry to Canada or do I enter and then apply from within?
• My wife is currently staying at home to look after our child while I work. The roles will be reversed when we move to Canada. How do I get this across convincingly in the application? As it stands, from the application it looks like she can't support us since she is currently unemployed. Do they accept (i.e., take notice of) cover letters explaining the situation?
• Has anyone been in a similar situation as us? If so, I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

• Apply now.
  
• No, you aren't right. You will not qualify for a work permit with an outland app. You can come to Canada as a visitor to wait out the rest of the process.
  
• No work permit.
  
• There is no financial requirement. You just have to show that you can support yourselves without welfare. This can be through any combination of both of your incomes, income potential, savings, family assistance etc.

 

[DBHC]

Thanks for the reply, canuck_in_uk.

How do I prove we will move to Canada if I'm unable to provide a lease, job offer, etc.? Presumably, this is a fairly common problem.

I saw a post on the government website (unfortunately, I'm unable to post links) for "Issuance of open work permits to applicants for permanent residence under the spouse or common-law partner in Canada class". Is that not applicable? It's unclear to me who they mean by "certain" applicants.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

How do I prove we will move to Canada if I'm unable to provide a lease, job offer, etc.? Presumably, this is a fairly common problem.

I saw a post on the government website (unfortunately, I'm unable to post links) for "Issuance of open work permits to applicants for permanent residence under the spouse or common-law partner in Canada class". Is that not applicable? It's unclear to me who they mean by "certain" applicants.

There's lots of stuff:

- letters from family and friends confirming your return (notarized letters are really good)
- any emails/messages/etc. with family or friends about returning to Canada
- if you have kids, proof that you've looked into schools
- contact with real estate agents
- proof of transferring money/assets to Canada or pricing out shipping your stuff
- and so on

The OWP is only available to inland applicants, hence the "spouse or common-law partner IN CANADA class". Outland applicants don't qualify.

 

[DBHC]

Does this mean it's worthwhile to apply inland? I remember people discouraging it previously.

 

[mikeymyke]

I think most people should apply outland, and then apply for a visitor visa to wait out the processing time.

 

[Aquakitty]

Does this mean it's worthwhile to apply inland? I remember people discouraging it previously.

I think London averages about a year for British Citizens, whereas inland can take up to 2.5 years.

 

[DBHC]

But because I'm in the US isn't my application processed by CPC-Ottawa?

 

[Abuelita]

But because I'm in the US isn't my application processed by CPC-Ottawa?

Yes, Ottawa Visa Office if you are a permanent resident in the US.

 

[DBHC]

No, I'm not a permanent resident, but have lived here for almost 4 years.

 

[DanSlh]

No, I'm not a permanent resident, but have lived here for almost 4 years.

Cic can choose the VO based on your country of residency or citizenship.
Lately they are choosing the second option even if you are living in USA for the last 4 years.

 

[DBHC]

If I selected CPC-Ottawa when submitting my application, would they inform me if they switched it to London?

 

[DanSlh]

If I selected CPC-Ottawa when submitting my application, would they inform me if they switched it to London?

It's not possible to choose.
They will say which VO they picked up to handle your case on SA letter.

 

[DBHC]

Ah, okay. Thanks for the info! I was confused because it says,

For all other applications you must select the visa office that serves your country of nationality or the country where you have been legally admitted for at least one year

so I assumed that when I submitted it would give me options. That's a shame, as it's the difference between 17 and 28 months. Urgh.

 

[DanSlh]

Ah, okay. Thanks for the info! I was confused because it says, so I assumed that when I submitted it would give me options. That's a shame, as it's the difference between 17 and 28 months. Urgh.

The time is not average.
It's the time that takes to process 80% of the total. It means that 79% of all applications are processed faster than that.
For USA is taking 8-10 months and for UK is taking 10-12 months.
The 28 months is because they are doing the Pakistani application as well.

In time: untill the end of last year, we were able to choose, on a forma, the VO. But there was an update that they took off this option.