Firstly, THANK YOU so much for your help and questions! I should have set this account up years ago and am kicking myself.
Here is a more detailed background of my situation:
I started this process two years ago (We also had to apply for citizenship for my son and I was given false information by a trusted source and submitted my application incorrectly the first time, all which took the better part of a year to clear up as we could not afford life on one income, plus application fees AND a lawyer) and currently have an application for PR open with the CIC since May.
My first two times applying this year were both rejected with a generic letter not stating the issue or where I should look in my application to address it. I finally found a Youtube video that acknowledged that the instructions in the guide are not the same as the actual form, so I ended up submitting an IMM 5406 E for my husband, so my application was FINALLY accepted. However, then when I went to link my application online to submit my background checks, their system said it had no record of my application. I spent hours trying different qualifying security questions prompted by the system and another two hours on hold and spoke with the CIC's help line which informed me this "happens to about 25% of people because their system is new" and there was nothing to be done about it but use the IRCC Web Form and continue to also mail hard copies of my documentation in for proof.
During this struggle, my USA background check expired, so now I am waiting the four months to get a background check sent to me from the USA (even though I haven't even stepped foot back there since my last background check) as I was told I could not leave the country as I might not be let back in (My husband was a minor pro hockey player for the last six years, so we have been through the border A LOT and have always had issues since we were married with neither of us having status, but that was simply our life at that point, we didn't know which team would sign him, or even which continent we would be on).
I ended up having to reach out to our local MLA to try to get some answers as all of my correspondence with the CIC has been very vague or not even relevant. I recently found out via the MLA that I no longer have an open work permit on file with the CIC, so that is the next item on my long list of To Do's.
To directly address your questions:
- I last officially entered Canada from the US on OCT 9 2016, left again in November for a family wedding based in Mexico (and was let into Canada without a stamp or even speaking with a border official which I thought was very odd) and have not left the country since. However, I filed a IMM 5708E on the advice of a friend's lawyer via a physical copy sent to the CIC. It was only a few days later I had word from the CIC that my application had been officially accepted.
- I submitted my PR application (for the third time) in March and it was accepted in May, I have however had my UCI number since January of 2016
-I did submit my open work permit with the original application I sent a year ago but I need to do a new one. However I do have a company willing to hire me as soon as I am able, so I am not sure if I should resubmit an open work permit or something else all together.
- I have not left the country since the CIC accepted my application.
Thank you again for your time!!!
