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Open Work Permit Application Questions while waiting for PR Application to Process (Spouse or Common-Law in Canada Class)

canasian1798

Full Member
Nov 21, 2022
20
2
Hi All,

I have a few questions with how to apply for the Open Work Permit while we wait for our Spousal Sponsorship PR to go through.

1. Since everything is now done online, I understand that we have to wait for our AoR before we submit our Open Work Permit application. We are now in the process of paying fees for the PR Application and part of it is asking if we are planning to apply for an open work permit while we wait. We click yes and it includes the fees for the Open Work Permit application. Is this still the case if we are doing the Open Work Permit application separately and have to wait for the AoR first?

2. As per this link, it shows the steps on what we need to do to apply for the Open Work Permit, however the link to the portal does not work. Does anybody have another link for this or if this is the same portal where you would apply for visitor and work permits?? (this) We tried using this portal however we couldn't really get the same questionnaire as the one in the sample.

My main worry is if the work permit application is done in a separate portal, I am worried it will make us pay these fees again as I remember it has it's own page for paying fees such as in visitor extension applications. It did not let you proceed until you paid that fee in that portal.

Has anyone else gone through the all-online process of applying for PR and the work permit alongside it??

Thanks!
 

AnnaW

Member
Jan 16, 2023
13
3
Hi All,

I have a few questions with how to apply for the Open Work Permit while we wait for our Spousal Sponsorship PR to go through.

1. Since everything is now done online, I understand that we have to wait for our AoR before we submit our Open Work Permit application. We are now in the process of paying fees for the PR Application and part of it is asking if we are planning to apply for an open work permit while we wait. We click yes and it includes the fees for the Open Work Permit application. Is this still the case if we are doing the Open Work Permit application separately and have to wait for the AoR first?

2. As per this link, it shows the steps on what we need to do to apply for the Open Work Permit, however the link to the portal does not work. Does anybody have another link for this or if this is the same portal where you would apply for visitor and work permits?? (this) We tried using this portal however we couldn't really get the same questionnaire as the one in the sample.

My main worry is if the work permit application is done in a separate portal, I am worried it will make us pay these fees again as I remember it has it's own page for paying fees such as in visitor extension applications. It did not let you proceed until you paid that fee in that portal.

Has anyone else gone through the all-online process of applying for PR and the work permit alongside it??

Thanks!
Hi, we had the same issue and were advised(by a social worker, not IRCC) to include owp application together with the whole package and check in the document checklist that OWP application is included. We couldn't find anywhere to apply online, so included it as per document checklist with the application... But honestly, I have no idea if it was the right thing to do and what's gonna happen next
 

canasian1798

Full Member
Nov 21, 2022
20
2
Hi, we had the same issue and were advised(by a social worker, not IRCC) to include owp application together with the whole package and check in the document checklist that OWP application is included. We couldn't find anywhere to apply online, so included it as per document checklist with the application... But honestly, I have no idea if it was the right thing to do and what's gonna happen next
Did you apply for PR by mail still? What checklist includes anything about OWP? Ours didn't mention anything about it.

I'm doing our PR app online and it doesn't mention anything about including the receipt for the owp too so I thought the fees questionnaire is a bit outdated and geared towards the mailed applications still.
 
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AnnaW

Member
Jan 16, 2023
13
3
Did you apply for PR by mail still? What checklist includes anything about OWP? Ours didn't mention anything about it.

I'm doing our PR app online and it doesn't mention anything about including the receipt for the owp too so I thought the fees questionnaire is a bit outdated and geared towards the mailed applications still.
No, we applied online already, on 9 December, but the document checklist still had this checkbox under the point 5 - Class of application - "I also include my open work permit application". So we attached the whole package for the OWP with the PR application. We tried looking online where to apply, but the link they provide leads to the questionnaire which tells me that i am eligible for the spousal sponsorship and thats it. It does not give anywhere to actually apply for an OWP, so i didnt know what else to do and it was in the checklist.
 

canasian1798

Full Member
Nov 21, 2022
20
2
No, we applied online already, on 9 December, but the document checklist still had this checkbox under the point 5 - Class of application - "I also include my open work permit application". So we attached the whole package for the OWP with the PR application. We tried looking online where to apply, but the link they provide leads to the questionnaire which tells me that i am eligible for the spousal sponsorship and thats it. It does not give anywhere to actually apply for an OWP, so i didnt know what else to do and it was in the checklist.
Which IMM # is it for your checklist? We have the IMM 5589 for my common-law partner and the version was 09-2022. #5 - Class of Application only talks about whether we are applying for In Canada or the Family Class (outside of Canada)
 

AnnaW

Member
Jan 16, 2023
13
3
Which IMM # is it for your checklist? We have the IMM 5589 for my common-law partner and the version was 09-2022. #5 - Class of Application only talks about whether we are applying for In Canada or the Family Class (outside of Canada)
Ours is IMM5533 - Document checklist, Spouse (including dependent children), but i think i have an older version, because we were supposed to submit everything in September, so i generated my package and filled in all the forms before then. Ugh, great. Well, then i am out of options. I did submit a help request to the IRCC siting technical difficulty as the portal does not generate a proper link. May be they will reply, but it really sucks, because i would like to have my OWP asap. It used to be 4 months, i was told. Now we cant even figure out where to apply.
 

AnnaW

Member
Jan 16, 2023
13
3
I found how to get to the application. In the questionnaire you need to select that you want to work temporarily, longer than 6 months and then it gets you to other relevant questions and eventually tells you that you can apply for an open work permit and generates documents for your application. It is through the CGkey account
 

canasian1798

Full Member
Nov 21, 2022
20
2
I found how to get to the application. In the questionnaire you need to select that you want to work temporarily, longer than 6 months and then it gets you to other relevant questions and eventually tells you that you can apply for an open work permit and generates documents for your application. It is through the CGkey account
That's great news! Do you know if you have to pay for it again since it's in a different portal?
 

canasian1798

Full Member
Nov 21, 2022
20
2
Yes! I just submitted mine, at the end it gives you link and you have to pay CAD 255.
Were you able to to answer all the forms? I'm not sure what to expect as I haven't done it myself. I understand the guide was telling you to answer certain words when you encounter those questions. Were they relatively easy to go through?
 

AnnaW

Member
Jan 16, 2023
13
3
Were you able to to answer all the forms? I'm not sure what to expect as I haven't done it myself. I understand the guide was telling you to answer certain words when you encounter those questions. Were they relatively easy to go through?
Yeah, its a pretty straightforward application. Its almost identical to the visitors record, there are only two forms and the work permit application itself and easy. There is one question where you have to say indented job - this OWP pilot programme, but the rest is pretty simple, nothing unexpected and basic supporting document such as passport, photo, family information form, which we also already filled in for the PR, proof of status for the family member and thats it.
 
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canasian1798

Full Member
Nov 21, 2022
20
2
Yeah, its a pretty straightforward application. Its almost identical to the visitors record, there are only two forms and the work permit application itself and easy. There is one question where you have to say indented job - this OWP pilot programme, but the rest is pretty simple, nothing unexpected and basic supporting document such as passport, photo, family information form, which we also already filled in for the PR, proof of status for the family member and thats it.
That's really good to hear. Do you happen to remember what IMM form it was that you worked on? That way we know if we answered the questions correctly and went through the same process?
 

AnnaW

Member
Jan 16, 2023
13
3
That's really good to hear. Do you happen to remember what IMM form it was that you worked on? That way we know if we answered the questions correctly and went through the same process?
The forms i have are IMM5710 and IMM5707. System generates those for you, so i downloaded whatever was generated and filled them in.
 
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canasian1798

Full Member
Nov 21, 2022
20
2
The forms i have are IMM5710 and IMM5707. System generates those for you, so i downloaded whatever was generated and filled them in.
Ok I just tried it and it looks like I was able to get IMM5710 but not IMM5707. It looks like 5707 is just family info though. I'm assuming 5710 is the main form.

I did get IMM5257 as an optional document but I don't think that applies to my partner.
 

AnnaW

Member
Jan 16, 2023
13
3
Ok I just tried it and it looks like I was able to get IMM5710 but not IMM5707. It looks like 5707 is just family info though. I'm assuming 5710 is the main form.

I did get IMM5257 as an optional document but I don't think that applies to my partner.
Yeah, 5710 is the main one and 5707 is the family info. I also got IMM5257 as an optional one, but i didnt fill it in, because i dont think it applies, i already have my visitors record and dont need to apply for another temporary residence.