mikeandem said:
im from england, and yes i was going to submit one with my inland application for perminant residence. i take it i will have to apply to extend my visitors visa after i send of the application. just not too sure what to do about the work permit? is there a seperate application pack for a open work visa? thanks mike
If you still have valid temporary residence, documented by either a passport stamp or a Visitor Record that you received on your entry to Canada, you can include an extension to that status/change of conditions to an open work permit WITH the inland PR application and that protects your temporary status until the first stage of assessment on the inland PR application is completed. You don't need a job offer from an employer in order to submit the extension/change of conditions - but, please be aware that your inland PR application (and the change of condition application) will not even be looked at until 8-9 months after the application package is received by CPC-Vegreville. It's the general consensus around here that it's better to apply for PR via the outland process - even while you're visiting in Canada. The embassy in London can normally finalize straight-forward spousal PR applications in much less time than that and, of course, once you have PR, you can go to work.
Drawbacks to an outland case would be that, if an interview is required, you'd have to attend in London - but spousal cases usually see interviews waived as long as you submit sufficient evidence of your "genuine relationship" with the application. The drawbacks to the inland process are still: no right to appeal, no ability to leave Canada during processing of the PR ap due to the risk of forfeiture if you can't get back into Canada, and (in spite of the new processing timelines posted for outland cases) still a longer processing timeline overall.
Please make sure that inland is in your best interest before you submit that application - and please be aware that, if there are any complications to your case, or if you are not covered by still valid, documented temporary status right now, you could see the case transferred to a local office and then your processing timeline is indefinite. Don't just assume that because you're in Canada during processing, you have to apply inland.