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What's your Plan B / Backup plan

shakashaka

Star Member
Feb 9, 2015
50
1
Just wondering what are some of your backup plans incase you do not get ITA soon especially for those with expiring work permits or on PGWP. For one PNP or LMIA takes a while and is not a guarantee.

For me I am thinking of doing the following to buy more time.

a)Apply for school (Masters program) - My hope is with going back to school when my PGWP expires I will get an off campus work permit once I start school and I can at least work 20hrs a week and fulltime during summer.
What am not 100% sure is can someone get a Off campus work permit again if he/she got this before, finished school and had a PGWP which has expired. I know PGWP is once in a lifetime so am not even thinking of getting that after school.

b)Apply for different PNP - the above option will cover my status while I am waiting for PNP if it ever comes.

c)Look for a job that I am likely to get LMIA - even it it means manual work. Not sure how the government will view someone with a degree applying for LMIA for a job not related to what they studied

d)Apply for visitors visa - Not sure if this is a good option i.e if let say you get a one year visa, that means spending on rent, food etc while waiting for an ITA that might not come.

e)Go home and wait for an ITA
With this option, I have one year to save up and hoping to save at minimum 30,000$ by the end of that one year.
 

BankingExpressE

Full Member
Feb 2, 2015
36
4
shakashaka said:
Just wondering what are some of your backup plans incase you do not get ITA soon especially for those with expiring work permits or on PGWP. For one PNP or LMIA takes a while and is not a guarantee.

For me I am thinking of doing the following to buy more time.

a)Apply for school (Masters program) - My hope is with going back to school when my PGWP expires I will get an off campus work permit once I start school and I can at least work 20hrs a week and fulltime during summer.
What am not 100% sure is can someone get a Off campus work permit again if he/she got this before, finished school and had a PGWP which has expired. I know PGWP is once in a lifetime so am not even thinking of getting that after school.

b)Apply for different PNP - the above option will cover my status while I am waiting for PNP if it ever comes.

c)Look for a job that I am likely to get LMIA - even it it means manual work. Not sure how the government will view someone with a degree applying for LMIA for a job not related to what they studied

d)Apply for visitors visa - Not sure if this is a good option i.e if let say you get a one year visa, that means spending on rent, food etc while waiting for an ITA that might not come.

e)Go home and wait for an ITA
With this option, I have one year to save up and hoping to save at minimum 30,000$ by the end of that one year.
Here is my situation and plan, which should work based on my research. However, feel free to shoot it down if you know something I don't.

My PGWP expires in late June and my score is 469. Although I'm hopeful that the scores will come down in time for me to apply for a BGWP, as a safety I will apply for a 12-month visa under the young professionals program when the IEC opens for my country of citizenship, Norway. Luckily, Norway is one of the countries that doesn't have a requirement stating that you need to be a resident of your country of citizenship at the time of your application, so in my mind, I should be able to apply from within Canada while working and have the 12 months as a buffer for EE to come through.
 

uxd

Hero Member
Feb 27, 2015
226
6
Ontario
Category........
Visa Office......
Ottawa
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
01-09-2015
AOR Received.
01-09-2015
Med's Done....
04-09-2015
Passport Req..
16-10-2015
VISA ISSUED...
6-11-2015 copr rcvd
My Canadian exp is in quebec. So i might go for quebec skilled worker route as a backup. I can easily get an offer letter bcoz my company has office there. I have an year to learn some french too. This process is risky and takes long time though. 449. Retaking language test to increase upto 469 by april end.
 

Marooned

Hero Member
Nov 14, 2014
250
5
Category........
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
uxd said:
My Canadian exp is in quebec. So i might go for quebec skilled worker route as a backup. I can easily get an offer letter bcoz my company has office there. I have an year to learn some french too. This process is risky and takes long time though. 449. Retaking language test to increase upto 469 by april end.
Doesn't have any problem if somebody has Express Entry application and Quebec Skilled Worker application at the same time?
 

uxd

Hero Member
Feb 27, 2015
226
6
Ontario
Category........
Visa Office......
Ottawa
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
01-09-2015
AOR Received.
01-09-2015
Med's Done....
04-09-2015
Passport Req..
16-10-2015
VISA ISSUED...
6-11-2015 copr rcvd
Marooned said:
Doesn't have any problem if somebody has Express Entry application and Quebec Skilled Worker application at the same time?
Thats a good point. Not 100% sure about that. Actually Quebec one is a paper application - haven't checked how they would link it to my EE profile. Maybe UCI or Passport number?
My best guess would be that if I get Quebec CSQ then I would have to withdraw my EE profile. And probably vice-versa.
That is if they allow both applications simultaneously.

Need more info on this guys!
 

beans on toast

Star Member
Feb 2, 2015
93
1
Category........
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
16-03-2015
AOR Received.
17-04-2015
Med's Done....
Sent With App
LANDED..........
16-08-2016
I'm applying for spousal sponsorship as my PGWP visa expires this month. Hoping to get OWP within 4 months.
I have score of 448, and dont have time to wait for when my lucky draw will arrive. I missed the CEC application at the end of October '14 by 10 days, and am sick of the unknown and fog that comes with CIC - at least this way i get to stay in Canada, work, know that PR will eventually come my way, and if i get drawn then i will apply for PR that way.
:)
 

shakashaka

Star Member
Feb 9, 2015
50
1
Does anyone know if
PGWP Expires and I go back to school fulltime, will I be able to get an off campus work permit? i.e. For two years corresponding to the two year program I will be taking.
 

kamae

Star Member
Sep 22, 2011
113
5
Ontario
Category........
NOC Code......
3233
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
AOR Received.
Jan 12, 2016
Passport Req..
April 20, 2016
I'm hoping I can still apply for a Nova Scotia express entry PNP. My occupation (Licensed Practical Nurse) is included in their in demand list. The only thing is that I'll need to wait till June this year to gain my 1 year work exp in that profession before I can qualify. I'm hoping my occupation will still be in the list till then. Anyone planning to apply at Nova Scotia?
 

tymix

Star Member
Feb 23, 2015
54
16
shakashaka said:
Does anyone know if
PGWP Expires and I go back to school fulltime, will I be able to get an off campus work permit? i.e. For two years corresponding to the two year program I will be taking.
The study permit automatically comes with the off-camps work permit as long as you're registered full time.
 

kateg

Hero Member
Aug 26, 2014
918
87
124
British Columbia
Category........
Visa Office......
CPC-O
NOC Code......
2174
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
01-05-2015
Nomination.....
N/A
AOR Received.
01-05-2015
IELTS Request
05-05-2015
File Transfer...
N/A
Med's Request
N/A
Med's Done....
16-04-2015
Interview........
N/A
VISA ISSUED...
N/A
LANDED..........
27-08-2015
Our plan:

1 ) My employer is going through another round of applying for a LMIA.
2 ) My wife has a Master's degree, and a good number of points for Express Entry.
3 ) I'm a student (and going to finish my degree even if I get P/R), and I have a year before graduation. After that, a degree (rather than diploma), then PGWP, CEC possibly.
4 ) Barring that, find someone who is willing to do an LMIA and move there after graduation.
5 ) Barring that, my wife qualifies for a NAFTA work permit. I can then get an OWP, and the two of us learn french to increase our points.
6 ) Barring that, one of the companies I own can transfer me up to Canada temporarily.
7 ) If that doesn't work, there's the start-up visa.
8 ) If that doesn't work, I switch over to a NAFTA career
9 ) Barring all that, I move across the border (Blaine, perhaps), and keep looking until I find a job in Canada that can do a LMIA. See if I can qualify for any of the PNPs.

Something's got to give. If they make LMIAs easier, I'll get one. If they make them impossible but drop scores, I'll be there. If they make more of an economic shift - if they require assets, or investment, or funding, I'll do it. And, if they tell me to go back, I'll do that too.
 

GARJ

Hero Member
Mar 13, 2015
239
17
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
If you are applying under the CEC stream, you meet the minimum requirements and your OWP is good for another year or so, I don't think you have to even think of a Plan B. Just be patient and you'll get your ITA. FSW and FST streams are a whole 'nother ball game though, I suggest anyone in the FSW stream without a LMIA or PNP to be proactive on maximizing your CRS score, specially if you are outside of Canada with no Canadian experience.
 

YOUCAN

Star Member
Apr 28, 2015
76
0
uxd said:
My Canadian exp is in quebec. So i might go for quebec skilled worker route as a backup. I can easily get an offer letter bcoz my company has office there. I have an year to learn some french too. This process is risky and takes long time though. 449. Retaking language test to increase upto 469 by april end.
Your plan is good, I suggest you to think one more option if situation permits and try all the possibilities and do not regret later.
 

uxd

Hero Member
Feb 27, 2015
226
6
Ontario
Category........
Visa Office......
Ottawa
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
01-09-2015
AOR Received.
01-09-2015
Med's Done....
04-09-2015
Passport Req..
16-10-2015
VISA ISSUED...
6-11-2015 copr rcvd
YOUCAN said:
Your plan is good, I suggest you to think one more option if situation permits and try all the possibilities and do not regret later.
Well sooner or later score will come down to 453 - the min cutoff IMO. So I am not that worried now.
 

limbo

Star Member
Feb 20, 2015
51
1
GARJ said:
If you are applying under the CEC stream, you meet the minimum requirements and your OWP is good for another year or so
Sorry - how does this work? Currently on PGWP..