Pros and Cons of applying Inside or outside of Canada

[microwave]

Hello,

I am applying to sponsor my wife (from japan) for Family Class Permanent Residence.  I've learned that her application can be processed either in Canada or in Manilla.  I've also been told that applying from Manilla will take less time to process.  However, supposedly applying from within Canada, once the sponsorship has been accepted, I am told that she "may" be eligible to apply for an Open Work Permit.

To me applying from within Canada seems better if in fact she can work after 1.5-2.5 months after we send in the sponsorship application.  However the "may" wording doesn't guarantee anything.  Also, once she is eligible to apply would she then have to wait months for her open work permit to be accepted?

To us, the most important thing (besides ultimately getting permanent residence) is for her to be able to work.  So I want to know which of the two options will most likely allow her to work sooner.  I am hoping some people will have had some real-life experience in this matter.  Thanks for any advice you can give.

[Zhu]

If you sponsor her from within Canada, she will get a work permit after a while. I'm pretty sure it's after 6 months but I can be wrong since I personally applied from outside Canada. She won't get anything if you have the application processed in Manilla. Also, consider the fact that if you apply in Manilla she will have to go there if she has an interview (50% of cases).

[microwave]

Wow, 50% of cases eh?  Well the cost of a plane ticket to get there counts for something for sure.  It looks like I will probably apply within Canada.  Like I said, I don't care so much how long it takes to get Permanent Residence so long as she can get an open work permit soon.  Thanks again.

[cmk2]

Not so fast again..  While I agree that it states that you can apply for a work permit while waiting for your permanent resident visa being processed while being in Canada, you tell me which company right now in Canada is going to go through all this additional hassle of hiring an employee and have to apply for a work permit on their behalf. My feeling is that the potential employer will prefer to employ the Canadian or the permanent resident employee first because it will be less of a hassle to hire that person unless your wife has qualifications that only her can do or outperform the rest. So, it might not be that easy...

[Zhu]

Not so fast again..  While I agree that it states that you can apply for a work permit while waiting for your permanent resident visa being processed while being in Canada, you tell me which company right now in Canada is going to go through all this additional hassle of hiring an employee and have to apply for a work permit on their behalf. My feeling is that the potential employer will prefer to employ the Canadian or the permanent resident employee first because it will be less of a hassle to hire that person unless your wife has qualifications that only her can do or outperform the rest. So, it might not be that easy...

THe work permit is issued by CIC. No need to have an employer to get this work permit, and it's not the employer who sponsors the immigrant. You're talking here of a different process.

Your wife will get a work permit if she applies for the sponsorship in Canada. Period. Getting a job after might or might not be difficult, but she will have the right to work in Canada until the application is processed.