Can I visit Canada using an eTA while I wait for my Outland Sponsorship to go through?

[SaffaGirl]

Hi everyone

My spouse, daughter and I plan to immigrate to Canada. My husband has Canadian citizenship and will therefore be sponsoring myself and my daughter. We currently all live in South Africa, so our application will be an Outland application. My question is: Can my daughter and I accompany my husband to Canada (using a visitor visa and eTA) while we wait for our Outland application to to get processed or should we stay behind. Alternatively, should we all travel to Canada (using the eTA and visitor visa) and apply for an inland sponsorship once there? We have friends in the USA that we could visit (on ESTA and B-2 visas) for up to 90 days in between our visits to Canada while we wait. Would this just complicate things? Our daughter will be only 4 years old when this happens, so we don't want to be separated from her dad during this whole process.

I would appreciate all the advice I can get

 

[YVR123]

If you plan to take trip in and out of Canada frequently, it's probably better to apply outland. You can enter Canada as a visitor (as long as you have eTA and visitor visa). Theoretically, they could refuse entry but it's unlikely. And even if they do, it won't affect your PR application.

One benefit of applying inland is to get a OWP (open work permit). If you do not need to work in Canada shortly after you moved, then inland doesn't give you any benefit. However, you will want to look into getting private health insurance and be covered while you and your daughter visit Canada and US.