US outland applicants' thread :)

[computergeek]

One question, how hard is it to get a work permit?
My husband's been getting lots of informal offers for jobs, but I don't know how willing they would be to get an LMO

If it's a NAFTA qualified job, it is quite easy, as it does not require an LMO. If it requires an LMO then it may take 4 months to obtain the LMO - this is something the employer must get. The work permit itself - in either case - can be picked up at a POE with immigration services. You just need the paperwork, pictures, fee, passport and you get your work permit in about 20 minutes.

 

[cgagnon]

If it's a NAFTA qualified job, it is quite easy, as it does not require an LMO. If it requires an LMO then it may take 4 months to obtain the LMO - this is something the employer must get. The work permit itself - in either case - can be picked up at a POE with immigration services. You just need the paperwork, pictures, fee, passport and you get your work permit in about 20 minutes.

I'd like to inform all of you that they are giving out open work permits without LMO it is up to the agents...the CBSA told me that with the CSQ we could get one and we chose not to as we got PPR and i know 2 other people who went down to the border and applied outland and got one, i will not be naming names as it is up to them to share there story. It is worth the try to call down at the border with the sponsorship application approval and medical results received some have gotten it and this is accurate information. What they tell us and what they do are two different things.

 

[Occasita]

Wow... surprisingly easy. We are crossing the border to visit his parents in December, I will make sure to ask.

 

[computergeek]

I'd like to inform all of you that they are giving out open work permits without LMO it is up to the agents...the CBSA told me that with the CSQ we could get one and we chose not to as we got PPR and i know 2 other people who went down to the border and applied outland and got one, i will not be naming names as it is up to them to share there story. It is worth the try to call down at the border with the sponsorship application approval and medical results received some have gotten it and this is accurate information. What they tell us and what they do are two different things.

I suspect, but do not know, that they are doing this within their discretionary power - there is something I recall reading about giving the spouse of a returning Canadian resident an open work permit, but I couldn't point you at that provision right now if my life depended upon it, because there is just so much of this material and information.

There is definitely no harm in asking. If you get a BSO on a good day and she or he knows that it is within his or her power to give you an open work permit, you've just won the lottery.

 

[OhCanadiana]

I suspect, but do not know, that they are doing this within their discretionary power - there is something I recall reading about giving the spouse of a returning Canadian resident an open work permit, but I couldn't point you at that provision right now if my life depended upon it, because there is just so much of this material and information.

There is definitely no harm in asking. If you get a BSO on a good day and she or he knows that it is within his or her power to give you an open work permit, you've just won the lottery.

Are you thinking of the 'Pilot Project for Foreign Spouses and Dependent Children of High-Skilled Canadians or Permanent Residents Returning to Work in Ontario' (http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/bulletins/2012/ob229A.asp)? It's the pilot for spouses and dependent children of returning citizens or PRs who have been approved for step 1 by CPC-M. The citizen/PR must work in health care or academic field (NOCs listed in the Bulletin).

Wow... surprisingly easy. We are crossing the border to visit his parents in December, I will make sure to ask.

There are certain professions that don't require work permits (http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/work/apply-who-nopermit.asp) and others that can get work permits on arrival without LMOs (e.g., NAFTA). The quick reference guide is at http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/fw/fw02-eng.pdf and the detailed guidelines are at http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/fw/fw01-eng.pdf.

I'm not aware of OWPs specifically for outland applicants. While I certainly understand that it would be a very attractive option if it does exist, you may want to take a look at the last post on page 40 of this thread for one person's first-hand experience before you take your decision (I'm getting an error posting with the link included). You may be lucky and just get told you aren't eligible for a WP as an outland applicant (unless your husband's profession is listed in one of the links in my prior post) but you may also get someone who takes your husband's expressed intent to work much more seriously and renders him inadmissible.

 

[computergeek]

Are you thinking of the 'Pilot Project for Foreign Spouses and Dependent Children of High-Skilled Canadians or Permanent Residents Returning to Work in Ontario' (http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/bulletins/2012/ob229A.asp)? It's the pilot for spouses and dependent children of returning citizens or PRs who have been approved for step 1 by CPC-M. The citizen/PR must work in health care or academic field (NOCs listed in the Bulletin).

That may well be what I'm remembering. I'm certainly aware of the NAFTA rules, which is why I usually point people at them. This "give you an open work permit at the border" that is now being reported is new to me, however, so I'm not sure why they would be doing it. I think it's quite a reasonable thing to do, though.

Certainly, being able to work while waiting for Stage 2 would be a tremendous boon to someone otherwise sitting at home watching the bank balance dwindle as CIC rearranges files between Buffalo, Mississauga, Ottawa and LA.

 

[Occasita]

Thanks for the advice... We are half hoping PR will be mostly done by January, but I know that's a (very) long shot.
Took a look at NAFTA/NOC except, but I don't think "security guard" is listed =P

 

[Tullysgirl]

Certainly, being able to work while waiting for Stage 2 would be a tremendous boon to someone otherwise sitting at home watching the bank balance dwindle as CIC rearranges files between Buffalo, Mississauga, Ottawa and LA.

Agreed. Bummer that this is only for those working/living in Ontario.

 

[computergeek]

Agreed. So, would one have to leave Canada, then apply at the border?

If you are on an inland application, it's best to send the OWP application with the PR application; otherwise you can send it before AIP and ask them to "add" it to the existing application file. If you wait until AIP, you need to apply back to CPC-V for the inland permit (since you don't want to leave Canada).

If you have an LMO or NAFTA qualified job, you can just go to the border to pick up your work permit. CBSA issues them in about 20 minutes plus queue time. If you are not a US citizen or PR, you can tell them you are flag poling and they will stamp the date on a piece of paper that says "administrative refusal" - a polite way of saying "here's a date stamped piece of paper to make CBSA happy". If you are a US citizen or PR, you must get your passport stamped, as you can't be refused. But that way you still have a piece of paper (your passport) date stamped. In either case, it shows you are "entering" Canada and thus can apply at the POE.

 

[Tullysgirl]

If you are on an inland application, it's best to send the OWP application with the PR application; otherwise you can send it before AIP and ask them to "add" it to the existing application file. If you wait until AIP, you need to apply back to CPC-V for the inland permit (since you don't want to leave Canada).

If you have an LMO or NAFTA qualified job, you can just go to the border to pick up your work permit. CBSA issues them in about 20 minutes plus queue time. If you are not a US citizen or PR, you can tell them you are flag poling and they will stamp the date on a piece of paper that says "administrative refusal" - a polite way of saying "here's a date stamped piece of paper to make CBSA happy". If you are a US citizen or PR, you must get your passport stamped, as you can't be refused. But that way you still have a piece of paper (your passport) date stamped. In either case, it shows you are "entering" Canada and thus can apply at the POE.

What is the AIP? And isn't this just for Ontario residents/workers?

 

[computergeek]

What is the AIP? And isn't this just for Ontario residents/workers?

AIP = "Approval in Principle". That's first stage approval for an inland application.

OHIP = "Ontario Health Insurance Plan". That's specific to Ontario.

 

[dgm]

sponsoring children...

hi.... for those who have sponsored their children, how long did it take for the entire processing? did CIC really verify employment? had resigned from work while sponsorship is in process although i have provided T4 and provided bank statements. thanks for the reply in advance

 

[cgagnon]

It's official are lawyers received our COPR!! Thank you to everyone for your support!! We will be landing shortly!

 

[Isometry]

Congratulations, cgagnon!

Does anyone know if I can order gmcs notes even though I'm already landed? Just out of curiosity.

 

[computergeek]

Does anyone know if I can order gmcs notes even though I'm already landed? Just out of curiosity.

Absolutely. If you do, I'd recommend ordering a physical copy of your file, rather than just the electronic case notes. I find the marginalia to be insightful - the visa officers actually write on the applications and documents and with a physical copy you can see not only your electronic case notes but also the physical notes they made on your file and you get a nice scanned copy of everything that went into your file (well, except for anything they choose to redact, of course.)

It does take longer - in my experience a couple of months - but since you're done it won't slow down your application's processing time.