How to stay in Canada after Working Holiday visa?

[ruudphilippi]

Hey,

I was wondering if someone could help me on this forum.

I am from The Netherlands and got here september of last year on a Working Holiday Visa. I start working a week after I arrived and currently I am working my 2nd job. My current employer (big Canadian company all over Canada) is applying for a workpermit for me as a sales rep because they can't promote me to a management function because of the recession. He will add a letter to my LMO to state that I am in training for this position.

If I am not mistaken, a sales rep is not a semi-skilled or skilled worker position. So I do not know if they will approve me for a workpermit, which I will find out in about a month. Is there any way if I do not get my workpermit, to extend my stay in Canada with the ability to work? I know marriage is one, common spouse is one (if I can prove that I am living with my girlfriend for a year and wanna stay for her, not for the papers. I would have to extend my stay as visitor in order to reach the 1 year limit. And even then, immigration could refuse me).

I do not wanna leave Canada!

Any suggestions?

Thanks,





Ruud Philippi

[Leon]

If you get an LMO for a non-skilled position, it would be maximum 2 years and after that you would have to leave for 4 months.  It's better if it's skilled.  If you marry your girlfriend or live together for a year and apply for sponsorship, that would not give you the ability to work right away.  If you apply inland, you are looking at 6-7 months to get a work permit if you have a solid application and no problems.  If you applied outland, it would go through Berlin and take even longer, average 10 months but then you get PR right away instead of work permit.

[ruudphilippi]

Thanks for the fast respons Leon.

If I do get my workpermit for 2 years, that means I am here for 3 years and that makes me a candidate for PR. Or am I wrong? And as soon as my company that I work for has permission to raise wages, I will get my management position. Which means I am a semi-skilled worker and can apply for Alberta Immigration Nominee Program and get my PR.

If I don't get approved for my workpermit, does that really mean I have to leave the country and my girlfriend? Are there any exeptions on this?

[Leon]

If you get your work permit for 2 years and it's a low skill permit, you can only stay 2 more years.  You can not extend a low skill permit.  If the low skill position on your permit is included in the AB PNP semi-skilled program, you need to work in that position for 6 months and then your employer can apply for your PR.  Otherwise, if your employer can promote you to a skilled position within the 2 years, you would be able to apply for PNP with that.  To promote you, he would likely have to apply for a new LMO for the skilled NOC.

If your work permit right now is denied.  The only thing you can do is marry your girlfriend and apply for sponsorship.  If you stay in Canada and do an inland, you might get a work permit in 6-7 months.  If you can't afford that, your other option is apply outland, go back to the Netherlands and find a job there while you wait to be approved.