Traveling experience to Canada from India on SOWP as travel restrictions are in place

[Rick2212]

Hi All

Just want to share traveling experience of my wife on SOWP(first time) as travel restrictions are in place.
She traveled on Aug 8 and did not face any issue at the border. She had authorization letter with her but nobody asked for it. There was another girl she met on flight who was also traveling first time on SOWP and did not have any authorization letter and she also cleared migration with out any problem.
I booked a ticket for her on charter flight from New Delhi.
As their is very less information available about the topic so i thought is useful to share. Please ask if you have any questions.

 

[harryDunn]

Thanks @Rick2212 for sharing this, I am waiting for authorization letter for my wife since July 14th and no updates yet.
Can i ask one question if you dont mind, Did they provide Work Permit on airport?
I saw in another thread someone posted that Border officer did not issued WP for her.

 

[Rick2212]

Thanks @Rick2212 for sharing this, I am waiting for authorization letter for my wife since July 14th and no updates yet.
Can i ask one question if you dont mind, Did they provide Work Permit on airport?
I saw in another thread someone posted that Border officer did not issued WP for her.

She got her WP on airport.

 

[SNP0201]

Hi All

Just want to share traveling experience of my wife on SOWP(first time) as travel restrictions are in place.
She traveled on Aug 8 and did not face any issue at the border. She had authorization letter with her but nobody asked for it. There was another girl she met on flight who was also traveling first time on SOWP and did not have any authorization letter and she also cleared migration with out any problem.
I booked a ticket for her on charter flight from New Delhi.
As their is very less information available about the topic so i thought is useful to share. Please ask if you have any questions.

Thanks for the update, Rick. May i know on which airport she landed and from which airlines she traveled?

 

[Rick2212]

Thanks for the update, Rick. May i know on which airport she landed and from which airlines she traveled?

Happy to help. She landed at Toronto Pearson.
I booked in charter flight of Hifly airlines(Delhi to Toronto). It can be booked only through a agent.
Just to add my wife do not qualify for air india VBM flights as she just have 1 month visa left. For VBM you should at least have 3 months visa

 

[mena1985]

@Rick2212 Thank you for sharing your experience, I am in the same situation. My wife got her SOWP but now I am outside Canada and not sure if we will be allowed to enter Canada together (I am a returning student). I have a valid study permit issued before March 18. Do you have any advice regarding that case?

 

[Rick2212]

@Rick2212 Thank you for sharing your experience, I am in the same situation. My wife got her SOWP but now I am outside Canada and not sure if we will be allowed to enter Canada together (I am a returning student). I have a valid study permit issued before March 18. Do you have any advice regarding that case?

As per the rules on the IRCC website you are allowed to board a flight if you have a letter from your college that you need to be present in canada to continue or finish your studies.
For your wife i will recommend the first you travel to Canada and then apply for her authorization letter under family reunification. As soon as she gets the letter she can also travel.

Thanks

 

[mena1985]

As per the rules on the IRCC website you are allowed to board a flight if you have a letter from your college that you need to be present in canada to continue or finish your studies.
For your wife i will recommend the first you travel to Canada and then apply for her authorization letter under family reunification. As soon as she gets the letter she can also travel.

Thanks

Thanks @Rick2212 for your reply!

 

[canuck78]

@Rick2212 Thank you for sharing your experience, I am in the same situation. My wife got her SOWP but now I am outside Canada and not sure if we will be allowed to enter Canada together (I am a returning student). I have a valid study permit issued before March 18. Do you have any advice regarding that case?

If you have proof that you need to return to Canada because of in person classes she can probably ask for special permission now in thr hopes to leave together. Maybe too late to organize this before school starts.

 

[Visha1995]

Hello @Rick2212 ...Congratulations for sowp visa...
I have some query...recently i have heard that they are not issuing work permit for sowp at canada airport...they just give status of visitor visa and ask for job offer letter...
Suppose if we have valid job offer letter then they will issue work permit at the time of immigration...
But obviously sowp applicants are not having job offer so they are just telling to apply for work permit again and issue visitor status..do you know anyone who just recently landed canada and have cleard his/her immigration?

 

[Rick2212]

Hello @Rick2212 ...Congratulations for sowp visa...
I have some query...recently i have heard that they are not issuing work permit for sowp at canada airport...they just give status of visitor visa and ask for job offer letter...
Suppose if we have valid job offer letter then they will issue work permit at the time of immigration...
But obviously sowp applicants are not having job offer so they are just telling to apply for work permit again and issue visitor status..do you know anyone who just recently landed canada and have cleard his/her immigration?

If you have valid spouse open work visa and authorization letter then should not face any issue getting work permit at the airport. I know 3 people including my wife who arrived in canada this month on sowp and got their work permit on airport. I don't think job offer letter matters for sowp. My wife just had 1 month work visa left when she arrived in canada but she still got work permit at the airport.

Thanks

 

[mena1985]

If you have proof that you need to return to Canada because of in person classes she can probably ask for special permission now in thr hopes to leave together. Maybe too late to organize this before school starts.

Thanks for your reply, but in case I don't have any in-person classes. Can I still enter Canada as a returning student based on the case that I already lived in Canada and I have some proving documents for that such as bills and bank account? I saw that as one of the situations that allow students to enter Canada.

 

[Walle_007]

Hi All

Just want to share traveling experience of my wife on SOWP(first time) as travel restrictions are in place.
She traveled on Aug 8 and did not face any issue at the border. She had authorization letter with her but nobody asked for it. There was another girl she met on flight who was also traveling first time on SOWP and did not have any authorization letter and she also cleared migration with out any problem.
I booked a ticket for her on charter flight from New Delhi.
As their is very less information available about the topic so i thought is useful to share. Please ask if you have any questions.

Are you a student and applied OWP for your spouse after getting visa or with your application? Actually my friend is applying for a student visa and she is confused that her spouse accompany might reduce visa chances and that She should apply for her SOWP after she gets approval for ger. What do you guys think? Please give your input. Thanks

 

[Rick2212]

Are you a student and applied OWP for your spouse after getting visa or with your application? Actually my friend is applying for a student visa and she is confused that her spouse accompany might reduce visa chances and that She should apply for her SOWP after she gets approval for ger. What do you guys think? Please give your input. Thanks

I am in Canada on PGWP. I think visa chances all depends on documents submitted with file if she decides to apply for SOWP being a student then it is recommended that apply after finishing 1-2 semester of her studies.

 

[Harsh89]

I have a LMIA exempt visa & job offer from an established company. Will I be allowed to take non-vbm flight?
I have booked lufthansa as no other air india flights were available.
Thanks in advance.