where to apply from for work permit for quick processing??

[Yumz]

Hi Guys,

new on this forum. need advice. I have a valid job offer in Canada. i'm a citizen of Pakistan but living and working in Dubai. Can you please advise where I should apply for my temporary work permit - Pakistan or UAE?

I was told the processing time in UAE is longer these days (which came as a surprise!)

Please share your experience if you applied from either of these 2 countries - how long did the entire process take?

If its not too much trouble can you also share the list of documents required with submission?

Thanks!!!

 

[Lammawitch]

Here are the processing times:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/temp/workers.asp

Is the job LMIA exempt or not?

Depending on the answer to the above, follow the links on this page to find out what is needed for your application:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/hire/worker.asp

 

[ButterflyChemist]

Hi Guys,

new on this forum. need advice. I have a valid job offer in Canada. i'm a citizen of Pakistan but living and working in Dubai. Can you please advise where I should apply for my temporary work permit - Pakistan or UAE?

I was told the processing time in UAE is longer these days (which came as a surprise!)

Please share your experience if you applied from either of these 2 countries - how long did the entire process take?


If its not too much trouble can you also share the list of documents required with submission?

Thanks!!!

If you are living and working in Dubai then you must submit your application there.

 

[PMM]

Hi

If you are living and working in Dubai then you must submit your application there.

No, the OP has a choice, he can submit to either Islamabad (country of citizenship) or Abu Dhabi, where he is resident. 8 weeks AD and 12 weeks Isbad

 

[fkl]

8 weeks AD and 12 weeks Isbad

It's 7 MONTHS from isb and 10 from abu dhabi.

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/temp/workers.asp

If the OP has a good skilled job and profile in home country and intends to come to Canada for the same profession (assuming either he is LMIA exempt or have received an LMIA), then processing time from Pakistan can be much better too.

I know at least 4-5 people from Pakistan (all highly skilled profiles and very clear cut case) who got work permit processed in less than 3 months, though occasionally there could be other factors causing delay. I don't know if Abu Dhabi has better output for stronger profiles. However, there is no guarantee. If there are glitches with the profile it could actually take even longer.

Update:
However, if you apply from Pakistan without being there physically, i am not quite sure how would the bio metrics, medicals and sending original passport for stamping would work out. Obviously there is a way, but most likely that could affect processing time.

 

[Yumz]

Thank you all! yes the job is LMIA exempt, as its an intra-company transfer.

The immigration lawyer that my company has appointed asked me where I would like to apply from and i'm clueless. I'm aware of the quoted time on the official CIC website i.e. 7 months from Islamabad and 10 months from Abu Dhabi but that's so long! I don't think it would apply in case of an intra-company transfer right?

So based on this, should I do it from Abu Dhabi or from Islamabad?

 

[Yumz]

i'm expected to join in June so i'm really concerned about the timing...

 

[fkl]

Expectation to join in 3 months from now is already at risk. Specially this is now peak time of year for study visa applications for sept (which have preference over work permits).

I would say the same, Pakistan is better probably IF YOU KNOW for sure how to handle the case of biometric and sending passport over across country. I have no idea how that is done.

 

[ferda]

I believe that processing in Pakistan could be a better option but that you need to be there in person in order for the system to work. I had friends who tried to do the processing from abroad and it was much more time consuming - if you can't get back to Pakistan then I would make life easier and get the processing done in AD. Will probably be less stressful than having to send things through the mail etc.

 

[Yumz]

Thanks for the help guys! I don't have an issue with flying to Islamabad for biometrics etc. By the way I have submitted all my docs to the lawyer, he says it will be an online application..

 

[fkl]

Thanks for the help guys! I don't have an issue with flying to Islamabad for biometrics etc. By the way I have submitted all my docs to the lawyer, he says it will be an online application..

Being online doesn't mean it would be not be processed by CIC islamabad. So the processing time of CIC islamabad would apply. Also you would still have to send passport latter for visa stamping any way.

 

[Yumz]

Hi All!

Thanks for your help previously. The update is my application has been submitted online (13th May) and I was called in to submit biometrics at the Dubai VFS center (went and submitted on 18th May).

Can anybody help me with the expected timeline? Super anxious now.

 

[hamletdz]

Just let you know about my case. I applied for a work permit LMIA excempt from UAE online on 28 sept 2014. I went for biometrics 2 weeks after. Till today, my application status is still open (under process).

 

[Yumz]

Oh dear!! did you apply for an open work permit? or you applied with a valid job offer?

Please let me know.

 

[hamletdz]

Applied with a work contract. details sent in a pm.