open work permit/ sponsorship approval

[Twix]

Is it possible to apply for an open work permit while my husband applies  for sponsorship for my PR application? I have a current work permit, although it has a condition that I could only work for my current employer. I would like to do relief work with other employers as well. Would I have to apply for an open WP separately?

[Leon]

If you are making an inland application, that is application processed entirely in Canada, you can send with your sponsorship application and application for an open work permit.  If all goes well, you will get it at your first stage approval in about 6 months.

If you are making an outland application, if you have it processed in the US since you are legally in Canada, you would have PR in 5-10 months but no open work permit.  If you go through your home country, you would get PR in whatever time it says here: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/international/05-fc-spouses.asp

[Twix]

I'll probably go through Buffalo then since it's faster. Thanks Leon.

[rich_m0nd]

Leon,
 
i'm confused about that. you can have your application processed in US if you have a legal status in canada? what if i'm not from US? just have the application process there anyway so it's faster?

[Leon]

Yes, this is confusing.  Basically you are asking for your case to be processed in Canada as a country where you have legal status but since CIC does not process outland applications in Canada, they send them to the US.  You can see at http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/offices/apply-where.asp#c that Buffalo is the visa office responsible for people with legal status in Canada.  Buffalo considers you to have legal status in Canada if you have been admitted to Canada with a 1 year or longer visa (work permit or student visa).  It does not matter how long you have been in Canada.  You do not have to have been in Canada for a year to apply through Buffalo. 

The forms you need are here: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/fc.asp and in the form at http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/kits/forms/IMM1344EA.pdf you have in section C question 6, you can pick your address in Canada but for 6b answer yes and for 6c answer yes.  You do not send your application to Buffalo though, you send it to Mississauga like it says and they will send it to Buffalo once they approve the sponsor.

[rich_m0nd]

Oh i should've known this before. my application would've been done by now if i did this process. why don't you suggest this application to the rest of the people here who hasn't done it yet and planning to do inland application? what if there's a neeed for intervie? let's say i need interview and i don't have a visa to the states. so it's not gonna work like that right?

[Leon]

Oh i should've known this before. my application would've been done by now if i did this process. why don't you suggest this application to the rest of the people here who hasn't done it yet and planning to do inland application? what if there's a neeed for intervie? let's say i need interview and i don't have a visa to the states. so it's not gonna work like that right?

It's up to each person to do their own research on what they are applying for before the apply.  If they are not sure, they can ask on this forum or many other forums that have to do with Canada immigration.  For some people, inland is the way to go.

Doing outland through the US is only an option if you are already in Canada or the US as a student or a worker.  If you are in Canada on a visit visa, it's not an option.  For somebody who is in that situation and comes from a country where it's expensive to travel to if they are called for an interview and where the processing takes a long time and doesn't see the immediate need to leave Canada for the next 1-2 years, inland might be perfect.

Doing outland through the US, if you don't have a visa to the US might not be a good idea though.  If you are called for an interview in the US and can't go there, that would be a problem.