What the heck is going on with the PNP and PGWP and FSWP? What to do?

[KevvyGP]

Hey there if I sound like I need help and answers, I absolutely do and am looking for good, solid advice (or advice as to where to get it!)

My wife, 3 yo daughter and I came from SA almost 3 years ago to Vancouver on my study permit. I was a successful PM but wanted a career change for myself and safer prospects for my family. I studied at BCIT and graduated with many honours and recognition, while also working for the school part time and full time summer work on an off campus permit. Meanwhile my wife pretty much also landed work immediately as the is a financial professional (Snr bookkeeper). My qualification gave me a 3 year Post grad work permit (PGWP) and my plan was to work a solid year after BCIT and apply under CEC. This was no problem as I got full time work straight out of BCIT. I did subsequently change jobs to work at one of the best companies in Vancouver and my full time contract will be available next month. It's a full time, secure, specialized and in demand position in the Tech/marketing automation field. Meanwhile my wife and I had our 2nd daughter here in Vancouver 8 months ago too.

To sum up, we have been successful and contributed greatly to our new Canadian homeland. We love it here and want to keep doing so as valuable residents and one day, citizens.

However about 6 months ago drastic changes were made to the CEC. Limits to classes etc and other stuff. Some say I should go for PNP and the CEC application thereafter? Then there are conflicting reports about whether or not I need an LMO, because I have a PGWP which apparently negates the need for an LMO, true or false? However I do qualify under the NOC for a FSWP application but I only score the minimum 63 points. All the while, my wife and 1st daughter's VISAs will expire at the end of this year so I need to move ASAP. Plus their SA passports expire halfway through 2015 so I just want to get my app in soon because I don't know if that may also affect the application?

Is there anyone who can help advise me, given what I feel to be our unique and successful assimilation into Canadian life? We are both working full time, we live comfortably and give back and pay our taxes and have close friends here now. Our 2nd kid was born here... We want to do the right thing but need to also do the correct thing too! I have the year of work experience ( and then some). I will have my (2nd) full time work contract very soon. My PGWP is valid for another 2.5 years but my family's only another 7 months. What route should we take to ensure a smooth, swift, and most likely (and most importantly)approved application action process? Are applications viewed on a personal basis or purely on merit and numbers?

Please can someone with advice and solid answers help ensure our Canadian dream, which has gone so well thus far, does not slip away from us based on timing and technicalities! Thank you!

 

[shuki]

There were no significant changes on the provincial programs.
Since you have a full time job offer , u can mist likely qualify for BC PNP.

 

[canadavisa13]

most likely you are out of chance for FSW so your best path now will be a PNP if you qualify for it and later on once you have one year full time experience if you still meet the requirements for CEC you can apply for it if you don't see much progress on your PNP application(you can definitely have two applications at the same time).
as for PGWP once its expired you will need an LMO to get another work permit,without it your chances are ZERO.but you still have 2,5 years left on your PGWP and most likely you will get your PR by then.
your main concern right now should be on renewing your wife's and daughter's status in a due time.

 

[KevvyGP]

Thanks so far! It looks like PNP is the way forward then for us I guess. They claim a 14-16 week processing time for complete applications (I am extremely thorough so this should be the case!) - have members on this forum found this lead time to be accurate?

Once a successful PNP is received, it looks like I then apply under the Prov Nominee application, which can take around 17 months wow. This means that if I get my PNP approval in 3 months after application, it will already be September... then I apply straight away but can only expect some kind of response on my PR app by early 2016. So yes I had better investigate getting my wife and daughter sorted out asap. I was hoping it would be easier to get their VISAs extended once I had obtained a successful PNP and made the PR application, because there is a "bridging extension" of sorts when you have an application in processing, true? Or should I just go about getting their's extended based on my PGWP which expires near the end of 2016?

I know it sounds like I have no idea about what I am doing but I always had the idea of doing a CEC application in July, only to find out last week that the CEC class has been severely locked down... correct?

Thank you everyone.

 

[KevvyGP]

There were no significant changes on the provincial programs.
Since you have a full time job offer , u can mist likely qualify for BC PNP.

Thanks, would I need an LMO? I am currently working on a PGWP.

 

[KevvyGP]

most likely you are out of chance for FSW so your best path now will be a PNP if you qualify for it and later on once you have one year full time experience if you still meet the requirements for CEC you can apply for it if you don't see much progress on your PNP application(you can definitely have two applications at the same time).
as for PGWP once its expired you will need an LMO to get another work permit,without it your chances are ZERO.but you still have 2,5 years left on your PGWP and most likely you will get your PR by then.
your main concern right now should be on renewing your wife's and daughter's status in a due time.

Thanks! Just a few questions please: I already have a year of full time work experience (will obviously be more by the time I apply/get approval) - do I need a year of experience AFTER the date that I get my PNP approved, or is that work i did from "June 2013-to-now" valid/applicable? If I apply for 2 classes and retract 1 of them, am I eligible for a refund on it? These things are expensive Lastly, you seem to indicate that as long as I do my applications while I have a valid PGWP, I don't need an LMO - correct?

Thank you so much!

 

[TheAwesomeMatt]

No, you don't need an LMO. You have a valid work permit, so you won't need to go through the hassle of your employer sponsoring you.

You can apply for PNP and CEC at the same time. The applications will be separate, each have their own fees, and non-refundable. People apply for both on the off chance that one may be rejected.

If you currently are eligible for the PNP route then I would imagine it's best to apply asap and give yourself into the immigration system (my knowledge of PNP is spotty at best but it seems pretty straightforward). I believe the length of the processing depends on what office it is sent to but you're best asking the Provincial Nominee Program section.

CEC hasn't been too 'locked down', but you need a year of work experience on a work permit. Any work you have on a study permit doesn't count.

 

[KevvyGP]

Thanks Matt. I will have a year of work experience on my PGWP soon as well - which is related to my field of study at BCIT, has all been full time and in professional environment, so I guess CEC is still an option? I just saw though that they really limited the amount of people they will accept through CIC per class/NOC code and it looked like that door slammed shut. Perhaps I should look into that again! Like I said I have plenty options but want to take the best route

 

[gopr]

If you have gained the 1 year experience after you got the PGWP then you are eligible to apply to CIC under CEC. They accept only 8000 apps & there is sub-cap for NOC B. Check the info & apply if ur NOC is from one of the eligible NOC's. Good Luck

Thanks Matt. I will have a year of work experience on my PGWP soon as well - which is related to my field of study at BCIT, has all been full time and in professional environment, so I guess CEC is still an option? I just saw though that they really limited the amount of people they will accept through CIC per class/NOC code and it looked like that door slammed shut. Perhaps I should look into that again! Like I said I have plenty options but want to take the best route

 

[jes_ON]

You have lots of options, perhaps too many, but that's a better problem than too few.

However about 6 months ago drastic changes were made to the CEC. Limits to classes etc and other stuff.
It's not clear when you will be eligible for CEC ( 1 year of skilled work in Canada), but the individual NOC caps were placed only on Skill Level B applications - not 100% sure what your NOC would be, but I"m guessing it's Skill Level A. You're worrying about something that is unlikely to be a problem.

Some say I should go for PNP and the CEC application thereafter?
You could. Pretty much the rule of thumb is, if you're eligible NOW for a program, apply NOW.

All the while, my wife and 1st daughter's VISAs will expire at the end of this year - My PGWP is valid for another 2.5 years but my family's only another 7 months.
No worries, they can be extended on the basis of your PGWP, they can be extended until your PGWP expires.

Meanwhile my wife pretty much also landed work immediately as the is a financial professional (Snr bookkeeper).
Note that if you needed even more options, your wife's occupation is also classified as skilled, and she might be eligible to apply under FSW and/or PNP programs as principal applicant. Unfortunately, at the moment, bookkeeping is one of the occupations closed in the CEC class, but that may change under the new "express entry" program opening next year.

 

[jes_ON]

Then there are conflicting reports about whether or not I need an LMO, because I have a PGWP which apparently negates the need for an LMO, true or false? However I do qualify under the NOC for a FSWP application but I only score the minimum 63 points. All the while, my wife and 1st daughter's VISAs will expire at the end of this year so I need to move ASAP. Plus their SA passports expire halfway through 2015 so I just want to get my app in soon because I don't know if that may also affect the application?

Just a response to this - you don't need an LMO to work in Canada or apply for CEC, as long as your PGWP is valid. If you want to apply for FSWP under the arranged employment stream, you likely would need an LMO, but not for a work permit, just for the PR application -
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/bulletins/2014/ob576.asp

But if you are eligible for the CEC program, it is a much simpler application and more quickly processed, so, of the 3 choices you have (CEC, PNP, FSW), this would probably be the least attractive route...

 

[KevvyGP]

A huge thank you to everyone for your help. I am going to extend my family's stay and VISAs on my PGWP, and apply for PNP. That way I should at least clear the first hurdle (get the PNP approved) in just 2-43 months, which should (I believe so?) be an indication that my federal application under the PNP will be successful. I will have had well over a year of work experience on my PGWP by then, and all my family's Canadian VISAs will be valid for the application duration.

One last question - if/when I get the approved PNP, and i do the subsequent Federal Application, do my entire family's passports (our South African ones) need to have a certain amount of validity on them at the time of application? I've seen no clear answer here, and at the time of application, my wife and daughter's SA passports will be close (6 months away/early 2015) from expiring. I hope this is not a problem as I can only imagine the cost and hassle of trying to get a new SA passport while residing in Canada! ???

 

[jes_ON]

do my entire family's passports (our South African ones) need to have a certain amount of validity on them at the time of application? I've seen no clear answer here, and at the time of application, my wife and daughter's SA passports will be close (6 months away/early 2015) from expiring. I hope this is not a problem as I can only imagine the cost and hassle of trying to get a new SA passport while residing in Canada! ???

They just have to be valid when you apply, but they will likely expire before the application is processed. You will have to renew them before your application is finalized. This is not a problem for the application, you just need to send an update to CIC with photocopies of the new passports.

 

[KevvyGP]

Once again, thank you for all the advice!

I am going the PNP route as it seems to be the quicker, and also I seem to qualify beyond the minimum requirements. Also the shorter processing means we can get our Federal PNP application in (assuming Provincial success of course) and then apply for extensions of my wife's WP based on our submitted Federal PNP application).

I have reviewed, downloaded/printed/read all the forms, and will start gathering everything for submission. This will include my (and my wife's) resumes, our working history in BC (I am NOC 2174 (A) and she is NOC 1231 (N/A) ), and our latest (current employment) permanent job offers. I will include a brief opening page as they say they are reviewed case-by-case, which will outline our last 3 years of accomplishments in Canada as well as our future plans/intentions.

I have 1 (hopefully!) last question that maybe someone can assist with: nowhere on the PNP application guide or forms does it say that they documents I need to submit must be verified. Can I simply make colour copies of the documents I need to attach? This would be great, as I have copies ready on hand, but many of my originals have been used up, and certification is expensive, plus getting them mailed from South Africa takes months (if even possible).

This includes:

- Education transcripts (my main concern, as above)
- Copy of passport biographical page
- Immigration records (my landing student visa, work visa, PGWP etc I presume)
- Am I missing something? Please tell me!

I do have official transcripts from BCIT which I will include, but regarding my studies in South Africa I only have transcript copies. Perhaps this is OK? Any thoughts? It seems the PNP is a bit more "subjective" in what they receive to support applications and I am hoping that they evaluate my case on merit, not just processing formalities - hopefully!

Time to get 'r done!

BTW if this all works, I intend to write a nice mini-guide of how I went about our situation and post it to this forum to help others, as well as our documentation checklist, as it seems there are many who are established, doing well and intend to live in BC/Canada but have so many questions about "doing things right" - like me! I hope this will help others.