Sponsoring my wife and getting her a work permit

[aero83]

Hi, I'm a Canadian citizen and I just married my wife who is from Colombia and is here as a student right now. We're both students, ages 24 and 23, and I plan on sponsoring my wife but we know the application takes some time and it's going to be hard for us economically. 
My question is, if she has a student visa can we apply to get a work permit for her? and if we did would this affect the application for sponsorship later on, or could she work while we wait for the sponsorship approval?  if we didn't apply for a work permit, how does the sponsorship work, ie.- when would she be able to start working?
Also, if there's anyone that's immigrated from Colombia, what is needed for the security police check?
Thanks so much beforehand to anyone that can help us with this.

[thaiguy]

Hi Aero83

Yes, your wife can study and apply for a work permit.  If she found work, she'd be limited to 20 hrs/week.  Here's the link:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/study/work.asp

Yes, your wife could work while waiting for permanent residence as long as she had a work permit.  If she didn't apply for a work permit, she'd need to wait until she received her permanent residence card.

Your wife can apply for a police clearance at the nearest Colombian embassy or consulate.  Here's the link:

http://www.canadavisa.com/canadian-immigration-police-clearance.html#C