Coverting Work Permit to Permanent Residence within Canada

[faithur]

I (as well as my wife and two children) have recently received our canadian work permit for 3yrs sponsored by my employer. Is there any possibility of turning this to permanent resident status within Canada? Especially when my wife gets work in Canada? We are not yet in Canada, but need to know how possible is it to convert WP to PR. As a condition written in the WP letter, it states someone cannot apply for PR within Canada. Do you think this will be adhered to or just a discouraging condition by Canadian govt? It will be an impossible task to go outside Canada to apply for PR after expiration of our WP. Thanks for your for your help.

[ninaz24]

You can apply for PR when you are in Canada.  You can send your PR application to Buffalo.  There are many of us who are temporary foreign workers on a work permit and have applied for our PR while working in Canada.

[faithur]

Thanks ninaz24 for that reply. With that sorted, we will make our way down to Canada.

[faithur]

Hi ninaz24, how long do you have to stay on your WP b4 you can apply fo PR? Thanks a million.

[Leon]

If you have a 3 year WP, you must be a skilled worker.  You have the following options. 

1. If you have enough points for federal skilled worker, you can apply right away if your employer gives you an AEO (basically promised to continue your job after you are PR) or if your occupation is one of the 38 most wanted or after you are in Canada for 1 year.

2. Most provinces have a PNP that supports a skilled worker application.  You can apply for this with the support of your employer.  Usually there is no wait time from the PNP but possibly your employer will want you to complete your probation time first.  No points system usually but maybe some other requirements depending on the province.

3. You can apply through CEC after you are in Canada 2 years.  Requirements only that you are on a skilled WP for 2 years.

[faithur]

Thanks for all the replies. Please where can I find the list of the 38 most wanted occupation/skills in Canada.
I am an IT consultant, is this on the list? I am not sure of securing an AEO letter but if my occupation is
listed in the list I must make the points. Is the letter a MUST or if I have the necessary point I can apply anyway?

Reason is that, I got this WP bcos I will be making lots of consulting trips to Canada while still works in Europe
for the same company but I intend to relocate to Canada if I can get the PR on the back of my WP! My employer
does not actually looks for relocating me to Canada but to do business trips from Europe, so the letter is not something I think I can get now!

Thanks

[Leon]

You can find all your info here: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/index.asp