Change status from student to worker while waiting for permanent residency

[rainefall]

Hello, my name is Raine. I'm an 18 year old international student from the Philippines and I wanted to know if it was possible for me to change my student permit into a work permit. I came to Canada on 2017 for Grade 11 and I've now graduated. My aunt, who is a Canadian citizen, has full legal custody of me and is my sponsor for permanent residency (we received confirmation that the documents are being processed Jan 2019).

However, my current study permit expires on September 2019 and to renew a study permit I'd have to enroll into college and pay 14,000 CAD, which we really cannot afford. So I'm planning to apply for a work permit so I can stay longer while waiting for my permanent residency papers and maybe earn some extra money for college.

Does anybody have any idea if I can? and how to do it?
Thanks

 

[21Goose]

No, you cannot get a work permit yet.

Also, how is your aunt sponsoring you? Aunt's can't sponsor nephews, unless you are an orphan and were adopted by her and the paperwork submitted before you turned 18.

 

[rainefall]

I really dont have any idea. My aunt and our lawyer arranged the whole thing. When the legal custody was approved in 2018, the school actually refunded my whole international student tuition because im apparently considered "her child".

If I can have a work permit, and the study permit option is too expensive, is there any other way I can stay longer in Canada while waiting for my permanent residence? Because my current study permit expires on September.

 

[21Goose]

I really dont have any idea. My aunt and our lawyer arranged the whole thing. When the legal custody was approved in 2018, the school actually refunded my whole international student tuition because im apparently considered "her child".

If I can have a work permit, and the study permit option is too expensive, is there any other way I can stay longer in Canada while waiting for my permanent residence? Because my current study permit expires on September.

I presume you aren't an orphan? If you aren't, there's something odd going on here, and you can expect a refusal on your family sponsorship. Aunts cannot sponsor nephews, that's simply not possible. There are only two exceptions to this rule:

1. You're an orphan and legally adopted before you were 18 (and the sponsorship paperwork was submitted before you turned 18)
2. Something called a "Lonely Canadian rule". This applies only in very few cases. If your aunt has any relatives in Canada (her husband, parents, any kids of her own, any aunts/uncles/nieces/nephews), this won't apply.

To answer your question - you can switch to visitor status. Also, your study permit expires 90 days after you graduated, so that clock is ticking right now. It's not the date on your permit that matters, it's being a student. Since you are no longer a student (and I assume 90 days haven't passed since you graduated), you have to apply to switch to visitor status. That will allow you to live in Canada legally till the visitor status expires - usually six months.

 

[PMM]

Hi

I presume you aren't an orphan? If you aren't, there's something odd going on here, and you can expect a refusal on your family sponsorship. Aunts cannot sponsor nephews, that's simply not possible. There are only two exceptions to this rule:

1. You're an orphan and legally adopted before you were 18 (and the sponsorship paperwork was submitted before you turned 18)
2. Something called a "Lonely Canadian rule". This applies only in very few cases. If your aunt has any relatives in Canada (her husband, parents, any kids of her own, any aunts/uncles/nieces/nephews), this won't apply.

To answer your question - you can switch to visitor status. Also, your study permit expires 90 days after you graduated, so that clock is ticking right now. It's not the date on your permit that matters, it's being a student. Since you are no longer a student (and I assume 90 days haven't passed since you graduated), you have to apply to switch to visitor status. That will allow you to live in Canada legally till the visitor status expires - usually six months.

1. There is one possibility, in that the Aunt is single, never married, has no children, her parents and grandparents are deceased and she has no relatives that are citizens or permanent residents (Relatives: Brother, Sister, Aunt, Uncle, Niece, Nephew)

 

[21Goose]

Hi




1. There is one possibility, in that the Aunt is single, never married, has no children, her parents and grandparents are deceased and she has no relatives that are citizens or permanent residents (Relatives: Brother, Sister, Aunt, Uncle, Niece, Nephew)

Yes, that's the Lonely Canadian rule I referred to in my post.

 

[Copingwithlife]

I really dont have any idea. My aunt and our lawyer arranged the whole thing. When the legal custody was approved in 2018, the school actually refunded my whole international student tuition because im apparently considered "her child".

If I can have a work permit, and the study permit option is too expensive, is there any other way I can stay longer in Canada while waiting for my permanent residence? Because my current study permit expires on September.

And just because the school considers you her “ child “, that doesn’t mean your application will get approved
Have no idea why the school would do that without an official confirmation from immigration

 

[scylla]

I really dont have any idea. My aunt and our lawyer arranged the whole thing. When the legal custody was approved in 2018, the school actually refunded my whole international student tuition because im apparently considered "her child".

If I can have a work permit, and the study permit option is too expensive, is there any other way I can stay longer in Canada while waiting for my permanent residence? Because my current study permit expires on September.

There is only one option for you to become a PR. Your aunt would have to qualify to sponsor you. To qualify for sponsor you she must meet all fo the requirements below:
- be unmarried / have no common law partner
- have no children
- both of her parents are deceased
- have no other family in Canada (e.g. sibling, aunt, uncle)

Again, your aunt must meet all of the requirements above to sponsor you.

If she doesn't meet these requirements - you're out of luck. PR is not possible for you at this time.