Working hol visa extension options?

[nic09]

Hi,

I would really appreciate any info as I'm completely baffled by the visa extension options!
I'm a CA from Ireland over in Vancouver on a 1yr working holiday visa. I want to extend my visa (it expires in July) and have been told to start looking into it now as processing could take some time. I gather my two options are PNP or LMO.

Is there a difference? Can I apply for both? Do I need to stay/work in the province I apply in?
Can I apply for an LMO without a job? My job is ending in Feb so I don't think my employer will apply on my behalf.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Leon]

Re: Working hol visa extension options

I assume that your working holiday visa is not extendable? Some of them, even though you can't extend, you can apply for the same visa again. Some you can't.

You can not apply for an LMO yourself. An employer has to do it on your behalf. If the LMO is approved, you can apply for a work permit.

PNP is a program to apply for permanent residency. You also need an employer for that. You either need and LMO and work permit first and then your employer can apply for your PNP with you or you can apply for PNP with a job offer (AEO).

If you apply for PNP with a job offer, you may have to leave Canada if your work permit has expired and you can't extend but once you get the PNP, you should at least come back to the province where you got it.

With an LMO and work permit, you are tied to one employer and if you want to quit, you need a new LMO from a new employer. If you are applying for PNP with a work permit and LMO, you need to stay with the same employer until your PR is through. If they hear that you have quit the employer who sponsored you, they may cancel your nomination.

You can find the BC PNP here: http://www.aved.gov.bc.ca/provincialnominee/welcome.htm and you can read a bit about LMO's and AEO's here: http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/eng/workplaceskills/foreign_workers/supperimm.shtml

You may also qualify to apply under the skilled worker program, see http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/skilled/apply-who.asp or if you get your LMO and work permit, you can after 2 years of work qualify to apply under CEC, see http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/cec/index.asp

 

[Karlshammar]

Re: Working hol visa extension options

This is good advice:

I assume that your working holiday visa is not extendable? Some of them, even though you can't extend, you can apply for the same visa again. Some you can't.

I had a working holiday visa which was for 1 year, not extensions allowed. However, you were allowed to apply for a second work permit under a different category of working holiday visa. I did and got approved.

This was with the Swedish-Canadian program, so yours may vary, but I'd definitely look into it.