Apply CEC with 1 year Quebec Work Experience (PGWP from ON right now) THX!

[anton5000]

Hi guys! I'm new here in this forum. I have an important question about the Work permit and CEC.

I currently live in Toronto, ON and I have an off-campus work permit (just finished studying) and next month I'm going to apply for the Post-Graduation Work Permit (which will be one year only since my studies here were 10 months) which will entitle me to work for one more year in Canada.

My confusion is this: I was offered a job in Montreal, Quebec starting possibly next month. My question #1: Can I apply for the Post-Graduation Work Permit from Montreal? (given that it's Quebec and they have different laws) I mean, apply for the PGWP (Since I studied in Ontario) and the permit be sent to Montreal? Anyways, is the PGWP valid in whole Canada including QB?

Question #2:
I plan to apply for the Canadian Experience Class after I have worked one year here, and I read on the requirements that to be eligible I have to plan live outside Quebec, what they mean? By the time of application I should live already outside Quebec or give them proof that I'll be living somewhere else?

Still, let's say I worked 1 year in Montreal and after that I decide to relocate to another city outside QB, will my 12-month Canadian experience (in Montreal) be counted on the CEC application? After all, I worked in Canada...

Thank you very much for your replies in advance, I just want to know whether should I take this job (and probably change the direction of my life) or better find a job in Toronto, Vancouver or else in the Federal Canada?

 

[PMM]

Hi

Hi guys! I'm new here in this forum. I have an important question about the Work permit and CEC.

I currently live in Toronto, ON and I have an off-campus work permit (just finished studying) and next month I'm going to apply for the Post-Graduation Work Permit (which will be one year only since my studies here were 10 months) which will entitle me to work for one more year in Canada.

My confusion is this: I was offered a job in Montreal, Quebec starting possibly next month. My question #1: Can I apply for the Post-Graduation Work Permit from Montreal? (given that it's Quebec and they have different laws) I mean, apply for the PGWP (Since I studied in Ontario) and the permit be sent to Montreal? Anyways, is the PGWP valid in whole Canada including QB?

Question #2:
I plan to apply for the Canadian Experience Class after I have worked one year here, and I read on the requirements that to be eligible I have to plan live outside Quebec, what they mean? By the time of application I should live already outside Quebec or give them proof that I'll be living somewhere else?

Still, let's say I worked 1 year in Montreal and after that I decide to relocate to another city outside QB, will my 12-month Canadian experience (in Montreal) be counted on the CEC application? After all, I worked in Canada...

Thank you very much for your replies in advance, I just want to know whether should I take this job (and probably change the direction of my life) or better find a job in Toronto, Vancouver or else in the Federal Canada?

1. Well since your course was only 10 months you will only get a PGWP for 10 months, so that sort of shoots down CEC doesn't it.

 

[geeladys]

Hi


1. Well since your course was only 10 months you will only get a PGWP for 10 months, so that sort of shoots down CEC doesn't it.

Well that was kind of rude...& not all that helpful...

Anyway...
You can apply for your PGWP after you graduate of course (hopeffuly if you get one that lasts a year or more) and you can work in Montreal you may need additional documents. I had to apply for an additional CAQ on top of my study permit to study in Quebec, so just check with your potential employer and/or Immigration Canada. If you intend to apply for CEC then after you get the PR basically you're promising to live somewhere outside of Quebec since they have their own immigration system, that's basically what that means so it's important to show that you have ties somewhere else maybe and definitely indicate in your application that you intent to live anywhere but Quebec. Your work experience in Quebec will be counted towards CEC.

 

[anton5000]

Thanks Geeladys, yeah I'm sure I'll get a full year, a friend of mine studied for 10 months too and she got 1 year. Do you happen by chance know what kind of documents would be needed to work in Quebec? By the time of my CEC application, a cover letter would be enough to show that I plan to live outside?

Thank you again!

 

[xihy06]

Thanks Geeladys, yeah I'm sure I'll get a full year, a friend of mine studied for 10 months too and she got 1 year. Do you happen by chance know what kind of documents would be needed to work in Quebec? By the time of my CEC application, a cover letter would be enough to show that I plan to live outside?

Thank you again!

as long as you have a valid PGWP, you wont need any other documents to work in Quebec unless the company you are going to work for requires any (but it is rare).

If you are still staying in Quebec when you submit your CEC applicaiton, it is hard to convince the VO that you will live outside. I dont think an explanation letter is good enough. Thus it is better that after you have one year's work experience you move out of QC and then submit your CEC. You can provide them with your application your lease or new job contract in a province other than QC. Or, you submit your application when you are still in QC, but during the processing you have to move out and update CIC with your new address and job, etc. Otherwise they will feel unconvinced and ask you to provide proofs or just decline your app.

 

[Malko]

When it comes to PGWP: I studied for 8 months and got a PGWP of 12 months. Some friends of mine who were in the same course as I got their PGWP for 18 months. We do not know why the difference.
I am pretty sire you will get a PGWP of 12 months so no worries regarding that!

 

[jsm0085]

Actually proving that you intend to live outside Quebec for the purpose of CIC is almost impossible - unless you are already living elsewhere at the time when you apply. It's not good enough to "promise" or have "ties" outwith the province.

Getting your experience in Quebec is fine, but again if you apply from there you are pretty much guaranteed to get your application rejected.

 

[krmmtl]

Actually proving that you intend to live outside Quebec for the purpose of CIC is almost impossible - unless you are already living elsewhere at the time when you apply. It's not good enough to "promise" or have "ties" outwith the province.

Getting your experience in Quebec is fine, but again if you apply from there you are pretty much guaranteed to get your application rejected.

Agreed, a letter of intent will not be enough to convince CIC.
If you gained your experience in Quebec or if you are living in Quebec at the time you submit your application it is fine, but at the time your application is being processed you have to be living in another province or you have to provide solid proofs that you will be living outside of Quebec.
(this could be a contract with a company out of Quebec, or a confirmation of Health Care registration out of Quebec etc.)

Below you will find a post regarding an email an applicant who lived in Quebec received from CIC, and another post showing the list of documents he provided to CIC to avoid refusal, but he never logged in after June 21st, which shows he most likely got refused.

So if you are not really intending to live out of Quebec do not apply under CEC, learn French during one year you will spend there and apply under the Quebec Experience Program

http://www.immigration-quebec.gouv.qc.ca/en/immigrate-settle/temporary-workers/stay-quebec/application-csq/workers-peq/

All the best.

As expected, received the below email from CIC today. Now it is almost certain that it will be rejected. Any suggestions/ways to prevent this?

--------------------------------------------------------------
This refers to your application for permanent residence in Canada. Please note that your file is in process and will continue to be processed at the Case Processing Pilot-Ottawa (“CPP-O”) office. I am writing you this letter to express my serious concern(s) regarding your application.

You have been working and residing in Montreal, Quebec since your arrival in Canada in May 2010. As per R87.1(1), the Canadian experience class is prescribed as a class of persons who may become permanent residents on the basis of their ability to become economically established in Canada, their experience in Canada, and their intention to reside in a province other than the Province of Quebec. You demonstrate strong ties to the Province of Quebec given your employment history. For this reason, I am not satisfied you intend to reside outside the Province of Quebec. Therefore, I am not satisfied your meet the requirements of the program.

Therefore I am asking you to submit any additional information and/or documentation that would allay my concern(s). You have 60 days from the date of this letter to submit the additional information and/ or documentation to the above address.

Please ensure that you quote the file number indicated at the top of this letter on any information you submit. If you choose not to respond with additional information and/or documentation, or if your submission does not allay these concern(s), your application may be refused.

We look forward to receiving the additional information and/or documentation within 60 days.

Yours truly,
--------------------------------------------------------------

InfoSeerker12 you have been very helpful indeed.

Spoke to a couple lawyers they confirmed that rejection is most likely but only after CIC provides an opportunity to show intention and if they are not convinced. Also they said provide the following supporting docs,

1 Company's transfer letter
2 Evidence of searching for a job outside Quebec
3 Evidence of application to job postings outside Quebec
4 Evidence of seeking residence from realtor
5 Apartment Lease and job offer outside QC

Basically anything and everything that shows this intention to move outside QC.

Yesterday night I sent an email to ottpilot-immigration with scanned copy

1) Letter Of Intent to reside outside QC
2) Along with evidence for point 2 and 3 above
3) company Canada offices web page print out with Ontario address
4) Reference letter from Canadian citizen settled in Ontario.

But concrete evidence, address proof etc. can only be provided after PR or during landing.

My company do have office in Ontario. So I mentioned that I plan to request my employer to transfer me to Ontario and simultaneously searching for Jobs there as well. Employer has no plan to provide a transfer letter.

Most likely it may not convince CIC. My only hope is if they consider my above docs as some sort of intention and allow the processing to proceed, I may be able to provide more evidence on Landing.

 

[xihy06]

Hi krmmtl,

I think the guy you mentioned (mkapadia) who submitted his CEC from QC has already got his passport requested as per the Aug 2012 spreadsheet. I never see him on this forum after his post on June 19 but he updated the spreadsheet.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AgYK9J79uze1dDEzcDNxTENtS3FCeFhLR0lOTjJXMXc#gid=0

So there is a chance to get PR even you submitted inside QC, as long as you have convinced CIC that you are going to reside out of QC.

Actually I would like the guy to share his experience...as i believe there are a number of ppl like me who are in the same situation. We are working in QC but we don't speak French. I submitted my CEC in August 2013 from QC but I am moving to ON this month when my contract here finishes. Once I get my AOR (hope soon next week) i will update CIC with my new address etc...

Let's do the best and wish all the best!!

 

[Mutenye]

Hi,

I am going to be in a similar situation soon. I came to Montreal on a one year IEC visa. I renewed it for a further 2 years. So in total I have lived in Montreal for 3 years. Not all my work experience qualifies but in October 2015 I will have definitely acquired enough experience to have had 1 year relevant experience in a skilled occupation within the last 3 years. (Unfortunately my experience is expiring from my first year here so if I went the Quebec route, by the time my visa expires I won't have 1 year within the last 2 which is the Quebec requirement but I will have 1 within the last 3 as per the CEC requirements).

As my current job is in Montreal and I need to stay in this job to accrue the requisite 12 months I am wondering what my best course of action is regarding trying to prove I wish to live outside of Quebec? Ideally I would like to stay here but my priority is remaining in Canada and I am willing to relocate to do so. If I apply under CEC with 12 months experience and attain a bridging permit while awaiting a decision can I still apply to the Quebec experience class while I try to pass the language exams and accrue 12 months experience in Quebec for example or must I go the route of trying to prove (and is this even possible?) I intend to move elsewhere?

A last question: How is the 1 year experience actually calculated? Is it in actual hours as in 1560 over year or is it in days, weeks or months? My jobs were 40 hours for 6 months, 35 hours for 2.5 months and currently 40 hours for 2 months which is 10.5 in months but over 1560 hours.

Any help or advise on this would be much appreciated. My visa expires on October 24 so I really need to get all this in order asap!

Thanks

 

[c2h5oh]

A last question: How is the 1 year experience actually calculated? Is it in actual hours as in 1560 over year or is it in days, weeks or months? My jobs were 40 hours for 6 months, 35 hours for 2.5 months and currently 40 hours for 2 months which is 10.5 in months but over 1560 hours.

You need at least 52 weeks (including paid vacation) of at least 30 hours / week to qualify for CEC. More hours per week doesn't reduce the number of weeks required, fewer hours extends the period required - 15 hours / week is "worth" half etc.
Working two qualifying jobs at the same time is allowed - you just add the weekly hours.

 

[Mutenye]

Thank you C2, I guess I'll make it with 2-4 weeks to spare!