Im a Canadian citizen looking to sponsor my british husband, I was wondering if he came into canada on a temporary resident visa (visitor visa), if he could apply for the Canadian Spouse Sponsor Open Work Permit Pilot Program? We have been in a relationship for going on 5 years and will have been married for a year in August. Were not sure if applying for the visa would be a risk or not because it would mean that he would have to quit his job to come and apply. I also just got back from living with him in the UK for the past 6 months and haven't been working for over a year. I know that there is no financial requirement, but I'm wondering if me being pregnant will affect our results. He plans to come in September to apply and I will be giving birth in October. My mom is willing to let us live with her until one of us can get a job to support ourselves. I also plan to work soon after I give birth as my husband can take care of our child until or after he receives the Open Work Permit. Are our chances of getting this visa worth the risk? I really want my family to finally be together, I especially want my husband to be here when I give birth. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Need advice
- Thread starter Moogle
- Start date
British people are visa-exempt, so he can't get a TRV. He can come as a visitor and apply inland along with an OWP. It isn't a risk; the app will be approved unless you have some crazy red flags you haven't mentioned like bankruptcy or criminality.
You being pregnant has zero effect on the app. For finances, you can show his income, your income potential, your mother's support, savings/investments etc.
You have your terms confused. UK passport holders are visa-exempt to Canada, so there is no such thing as a TRV to apply for. He would just apply online for an eTA, then fly to Canada. Typically CBSA will give him 6-months visitor status upon entry (not a visa).
Once in Canada, you can then apply to sponsor your husband for PR using the inside Canada method. If you submit an OWP app along with the PR app, he would get the OWP in approx 3-4 months later, to use while PR app is processing.
However you could also consider applying to sponsor him for PR immediately using an outside Canada application. There is no work permit with this available, but if you applied now he may have full PR status quicker than he would get just the OWP using the inside Canada way. While waiting for an outside PR app to process, he can still come to Canada as a visitor.
On a side note, not sure what province you're in but make sure you'll stay qualified for provincial healthcare coverage for your pregnancy and delivery. If in Ontario, you'll be cutting it close if you just arrived now, and also need to make sure you don't leave for 30 days for any reason over the next 6 months.
okay! This makes me feel so much better, I can't help worrying about this stuff. We're probably going to go ahead and do it then. Thanks!!
Im currently living in Alberta, would public healthcare coverage not apply to me even if I'm a Canadian citizen? I figured since I was Canadian I'd always be covered.
Some provinces (like Ontario) have a 3-month wait to be covered by healthcare if you're a citizen returning from living outside Canada an extended time.
However Alberta offers healthcare immediately to returning citizens, so you should be fine.
I have a few more questions about the spousal open work permit. I was wondering if anyone knew realistically how long it took for the open work permit to be issued when applied for inland and that if it weren't issued before his visitor status expired, would he have to apply to extend it?
The OWP can take around 4 months, though many recent applicants have been receiving it in about 2 months. He would not need to apply to extend his visitor status.
Okay, it makes me feel better knowing we can both work to get our own place.
I was also wondering, since I haven't been working and he will be quitting, will me writing a letter stating I intend to work as soon as I've recovered from my pregnancy be enough? If I should have any complication during labour it may take several months to be physically able to work. Will they consider this and possibly deny me since I wouldn't be able to work to support him straight away?
I'm also wondering if mentioning that child benefits would cover the babys financial needs, would be bad or good? I know its not social assistance but I'm worried it would make me sound worse.
Sorry I ask so many questions! I'm just trying to figure this all out and I don't know where else to get advice
Just a letter from yourself is not really enough. Get a letter from your mother confirming you will be staying with her. Do you have savings/investments?
There is no point in mentioning child benefit.
My moms going to write a letter stating that we are all welcome to stay with her at her house and provide for our basic needs until we get on our feet. We won't have much savings, only around 4-5k, will that be enough to prove that we will be fine until one of us can work?
The support letter from your mother will be the important part. Show your savings, as well as a good plan of how yu will support yourselves. That should be fine.
I'm sorry I keep bugging you. I just keep thinking about meeting the basic needs requirement. Are our chances good? I'm going to try applying for a job to increase our chances but I'm not sure anyone will hire me at 6 months pregnant. If I get any rejection letters should I include them to show that I tried to get work?
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