Work permit at the point of entry,.

[murlokk]

Hi All,

I am a US Citizen working and living in Canada, i have applied for permanent residency inland.

My current work permit will expire in April and is unlikley that i will have completed my application process for PR.

I live in Vancouver, so i plan to drive to the border just to obtain a new work permit. I know my job is LMO exempt (IT Working class).

I just would like to find out:

1. What i need to take to the border with me to apply.
2. when can i get a new permit? I know the current one expires in April 2010 but is it possible to do it sooner (not now but perhaps a month or 2 early?)

Thankyou!

 

[murlokk]

bump ;-)

 

[murlokk]

anyone?

 

[Leon]

You will need $150 for the new work permit, your passport, your job offer letter and I am not sure what else. Call CIC or the border services to find out if there is anything else and to find out if you can go early.

 

[RBC]

Can one (IT working class - LMO exempted) do the same that is to drive to the border and get a new work permit at the point of entry, for change of employer? Is that going to be faster than sending it to Vegreville?
Thanks.

 

[Leon]

As far as I know, you qualify to apply at the border if you are from a visa exempt country and you are LMO exempt or have an LMO already. It is faster than Vegreville because at the border, you get it right away. Vegreville, you have to wait for.

 

[RBC]

Yes, I am from a visa exempt country and LMO exempt.

Questions:
1). I will bring with me passport, the offer letter from new employer and fee. Have I left out any document?
2). My spouse who is currently on opened spousal work permit can get renewed at the same time as mine?
3). I am worried if we would get rejected for re-entry as the proper way to go is though Vegreville. What do you think?

Thanks.

 

[Leon]

1) Should be all you need
2) Yes and then you need to pay her fee too
3) You will not get rejected for re-entry since you are visa exempt and already have a work permit. If you get rejected for a new work permit for a new employer, you can still send to Vegreville. I know loads of people who have done this though. Just be aware that once you make this drive to the border and get your new permit, you are no longer allowed to work for the old employer.

 

[RBC]

Thanks Leon.

One more situation, what happen if I am still waiting for the reply from local CIC office for the extention plus change of conditions of my current work permit (the one with old employer) at the time I do the change-of-employer at the point of entry? And, my current work permit is expiring in weeks time but I have yet to hear from the local CIC about the entention of it. Complicated isn't it?

3). Even though I am visa exempt but my spouse requires Temporary Resident Visa though. Just a bit worry if they may reject my spouse' re-entry if we do the change of employer at the point of entry after the expiry of our current work permit but before receiving the extention one from the local CIC office. Please share your thought.
Hope I haven't confused you with my situation.

 

[Leon]

If your spouse is not visa exempt, then your spouse does not qualify to get a work permit at the border. You can go and get a work permit at the border and then your spouse can send a request to Vegreville to get a permit based on your permit.

 

[RBC]

One last situation:

Last month I had a job, submitted extension for work permit months ago and still in process.
Then I was laid off early this month but work permit expiring end of this month. If I get a new job after current work permit expires, but before receiving extension/renewal, can I still get the new work permit with the new employer at the port of entry? What will happen to the extension?
(Understand from your last message that my spouse cannot do the same as my spouse is not visa exempt.)

Thank you so much Leon.

 

[Leon]

I don't know if it's a problem if your current work permit is expired but I don't think so. You leave and are coming back on a brand new job offer, asking for a brand new permit. I think your extension would automatically be cancelled if you get a new permit but don't take my word for it. Call CIC or the border services and ask them. Maybe you should try it with the new permit at the border and if you get it, fax Vegreville right away and ask to cancel your extension since you have changed jobs and have a new permit.