Changing from Work.V TO Visitor.V - Can anyone provide some answers to these Qs?

[GoRaptors]

Hey,
I wanted to put a couple of quick questions out there, and maybe y'all might have some advice...

I am an Australian passport-holder, currently on a 2-year Work Visa. I want to stay on in Canada for a further few months after this expires on a VISITOR VISA - ie. change to Visitor status, to be able to stay another few months...
I want the visitor visa (I think Aus. passport-holders would get 3-6 month Visitor visas), to take effect only from the day that my work visa expires... Is it possible to arrange it this way. My work visa is still not expiring for another 4 months.

Could I just go to Service Canada before my work visa expires and have them change my status to Vistor on the spot? Or would this involve an application period - like 101 days or something? And would the visitor visa come into effect ONLY WHEN my Work visa expires? I really don't want to change status before my work visa has run it's full course... So would I be able to orchestrate this so that my Vistor VISA status takes effect ONLY ONCE my working visa expires ... if I make an application early enough ??

IS THERE ANY APPLICATION/WAITING PERIOD in Changing from my WV to a VV while my work visa is still valid? I mean is it just a matter of simple paper work at Service Canada? Surely it's not also going to take 101 days to change from WV statuS to VV STATUS, right ?

But my major concern is THIS - Beyond my work visa expiring, I was planning to cross into the US a couple of times (On a Canadian Tourist visa/visa waiver), for a few days at a time to visit friends I have in NY on one occasion, and Detroit on another during my Visitor-status time in Canada (whether it be 101 days if I have implied status or 6 months if I am granted a VV), before I eventually fly out of a Canadian airport a few months later...

NOW, would I be able to cross out of Canada into the US and back ON A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT OCCASIONS,( for a few days each time - perhaps a month or two apar)t, WHILE ON A VISITOR VISA or CANADIAN VISA WAIVER or WHILST HAVING IMPLIED STATUS??
I have a 5-year multiple entry US Tourist Visa... so I don't foresee any issues as far as US Authorities are concerned.

Would either of these two status's (ie. CANADIAN TOURIST VISA/VISA WAIVER or IMPLIED STATUS ) allow me to do multiple trips into and out of the US (like I have been able to under my current WV), during my Visitor status/implied status period in Canada?


Those are my major concerns right now...

hope someone here can help me out...

cheers guys,

 

[Leon]

Officially, you should apply to change your status from worker to visitor 30 days before your work visa expires. You can find the form for that at http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/extend-worker.asp

Officially, it takes 95 days to process that right now, see http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/canada/process-in.asp#temp_res

However, whatever they say officially, what some people do it just cross over into the US and come back to get a new 6 month visit status. There was actually a guy on here who tried to change his status to visitor after finishing a working holiday visa and was refused. His girlfriend was on here and said they were advised by the border services just to cross over and back. They went to the US and came back and he was given a brand new 6 months visit stamp.

 

[Karlshammar]

Leon's border-crossing advice might work, but there is no guarantee.

As he also advised, 30 days vs. 95 days. Do the math; if you apply 30 days before your work permit expires there is no way they will approve you for visitor status before it expires, so you won't lose any working time.