LMO Processing Time Ontario

[Kat911s]

So I'm writing on behalf of my partner, from Belgium.  He's fluently bilingual so I imagine that would help in the process.  He had a 1 year open work permit (expired Dec.7th, 2011).  He found a job in his field (in Gatineau, Quebec) in November and applied for LMO/WP extension on Dec. 1st.

He received a letter from CIC (Citizen and Immigration) saying they need the LMO within 2 months or his application will be denied.
His employer sent a fax asking for the LMO to be processed quickly due to the time constraints...to no avail.  He called in to CIC and they made note of the LMO delays on his file and said they may put it to the side and wait a little longer.  THEY DIDN'T.

Feb 8th received a letter saying Work Permit was denied on Feb 1st  
Feb 9th employer received notification that the LMO was ACCEPTED and passed on to the Québec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ).  The CAQ said it should take a week (probably more reading some forums!)
ARGH!!!!!!!! They couldn't wait another week!!!!!? Now he is unable to work, unable to volunteer because it gives him experience, unable to get paid, and unable to leave the country...

NOW: We will wait for the CAQ to be processed, then apply for Restoration Status/WP extension.  Some forums say it can take up to 4 months, but CIC said the average waiting time now is 24 days.  So fingers crossed we'll have all this sorted in a month in a half!  Honestly, I have NO idea how some people could last 4 months without any income!

[Iva]

So I'm writing on behalf of my partner, from Belgium.  He's fluently bilingual so I imagine that would help in the process.  He had a 1 year open work permit (expired Dec.7th, 2011).  He found a job in his field (in Gatineau, Quebec) in November and applied for LMO/WP extension on Dec. 1st.

He received a letter from CIC (Citizen and Immigration) saying they need the LMO within 2 months or his application will be denied.
His employer sent a fax asking for the LMO to be processed quickly due to the time constraints...to no avail.  He called in to CIC and they made note of the LMO delays on his file and said they may put it to the side and wait a little longer.  THEY DIDN'T.

Feb 8th received a letter saying Work Permit was denied on Feb 1st  
Feb 9th employer received notification that the LMO was ACCEPTED and passed on to the Québec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ).  The CAQ said it should take a week (probably more reading some forums!)
ARGH!!!!!!!! They couldn't wait another week!!!!!? Now he is unable to work, unable to volunteer because it gives him experience, unable to get paid, and unable to leave the country...

NOW: We will wait for the CAQ to be processed, then apply for Restoration Status/WP extension.  Some forums say it can take up to 4 months, but CIC said the average waiting time now is 24 days.  So fingers crossed we'll have all this sorted in a month in a half!  Honestly, I have NO idea how some people could last 4 months without any income!

Hi Kat911s,

Did you inform CIC your LMO/CAQ file number? I didn't get your meaning "the LMO was ACCEPTED and passed on to the Québec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ).The CAQ said it should take a week", it should take a week to approve or send you the approval? in this case they are doing in 10 weeks.

Update for all:
My prospective employer faxed LMO application on Nov 9th, SC received on Nov 10th. Yesterday SC called my prospective employer and ask some questions and expressed they need some documents. SC told they will finalize the case next week.

[denkooo]

i'm same position last week i called cic to ask how long it take for Restoration Status/WP extension they say it may take another week extra not 4 months

[Kat911s]

Hi Kat911s,

Did you inform CIC your LMO/CAQ file number? I didn't get your meaning "the LMO was ACCEPTED and passed on to the Québec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ).The CAQ said it should take a week", it should take a week to approve or send you the approval? in this case they are doing in 10 weeks.

I don't believe so, because we did not hear about the positive LMO until yesterday as it was just processed (it took 10 weeks).  Because the LMO was positive, they sent it on to get approval for the Certificate to work in Quebec, and to get a seperate certificate to work in Quebec we were informed should take a week or two.  *hopefully*

[Iva]

I don't believe so, because we did not hear about the positive LMO until yesterday as it was just processed (it took 10 weeks).  Because the LMO was positive, they sent it on to get approval for the Certificate to work in Quebec, and to get a seperate certificate to work in Quebec we were informed should take a week or two.  *hopefully*

Thanks for reply. Did you inform CIC your LMO/CAQ file number before they refuse the work permit application? I heard if someone inform them the LMO/CAQ file # they don't refuse the application.

[Kat911s]

Thanks for reply. Did you inform CIC your LMO/CAQ file number before they refuse the work permit application? I heard if someone inform them the LMO/CAQ file # they don't refuse the application.

I thought the LMO file number was given when the application was processed.  He didn't know his file number to my knowledge, nor his NOC number. He just told them the LMO is backed up.

I wouldn't trust them to put your file on the side if you give them your LMO#, they want the positive confirmation in 2 months.  The 2 systems seem so disjointed and don't communicate with eachother...  There's a newspaper article about it in the Toronto Star from Jan 26th, entitled "Foreign workers face being sent home over work permit snarl"

[Iva]

I thought the LMO file number was given when the application was processed.  He didn't know his file number to my knowledge, nor his NOC number. He just told them the LMO is backed up.

I wouldn't trust them to put your file on the side if you give them your LMO#, they want the positive confirmation in 2 months.  The 2 systems seem so disjointed and don't communicate with eachother...  There's a newspaper article about it in the Toronto Star from Jan 26th, entitled "Foreign workers face being sent home over work permit snarl"

Take a look on this (Skyrim sent that on Dec 27th, 2011):
"My LMO and WP were filed together in Sep last week. At least that's what I was told by the lwayer. I called up CIC hotline and found out that WP was approved just a few days back.  I am assuming WP approval implies positive LMO."

If CIC intended to refuse him, they suppose to refuse by the end of November but they held his application till late December then approved.

[bepositive]

Is having a PGWP an advantage while applying for LMO?

Thanks

[foruaks]

My company recently got a query from SC to submit some extra documentation for LMO approval which was applied on 8th November in Toronto. Can anyone tell me, approximately how long will it take after this to hear something from them?

[bepositive]

What kind of documents did they ask? I may only then would be able to know the nature of the query.

Thanks,

[gymbunny]

I thought the LMO file number was given when the application was processed.  He didn't know his file number to my knowledge, nor his NOC number. He just told them the LMO is backed up.

I wouldn't trust them to put your file on the side if you give them your LMO#, they want the positive confirmation in 2 months.  The 2 systems seem so disjointed and don't communicate with eachother...  There's a newspaper article about it in the Toronto Star from Jan 26th, entitled "Foreign workers face being sent home over work permit snarl"

Hi Kat911s,

Your partner should be able to just flagpole at the American border. When you are from Europe you can get a TWP at the port of entry so I don't think you have to wait for a month until they process the work permit. I got my work permit at the port of entry as well. I just took my passport and my letter of employment together with a copy of the positive LMO. It took 20 minutes only.

[artemka]

Is having a PGWP an advantage while applying for LMO?

Thanks

Kind of... An employer does not need to show recruitment efforts in this case. This is the only advantage i think.

[bepositive]

Thanks for the feedback. I have a PGWP and my employer showed the recruitment efforts (just to be on the safer side, you never know)

[Kat911s]

Hi Kat911s,

Your partner should be able to just flagpole at the American border. When you are from Europe you can get a TWP at the port of entry so I don't think you have to wait for a month until they process the work permit. I got my work permit at the port of entry as well. I just took my passport and my letter of employment together with a copy of the positive LMO. It took 20 minutes only.

Wow! That's interesting to hear.  I'd be nervous about that because his work permit was already denied, and they said he couldn't leave the country...so if it didn't work, it may make things more difficult...but then again, he doesn't have implied status anymore, so he's in a 'grace' period where technically he has no status..!?!?

Is there a minimum time you have to wait before applying for restoration of status?

[Iva]

Wow! That's interesting to hear.  I'd be nervous about that because his work permit was already denied, and they said he couldn't leave the country...so if it didn't work, it may make things more difficult...but then again, he doesn't have implied status anymore, so he's in a 'grace' period where technically he has no status..!?!?

Is there a minimum time you have to wait before applying for restoration of status?

No, there is no minimum time, just he need to apply for restoration within 90 days from expiry date of his work permit.