Changing status from graduate work permit to visitor visa

[prashanthaku]

I am quite confused on what are the requirements even though there's so much information in the CIC website.

My post graduate work permit is expiring april 30th and I am applying for a visitor visa as I would like to stay longer.
(I am supposed to apply 30 days before my status expires according to the website, will it still be OK to apply this late?)

I am planning to stay with my family friend. I would like to know how should I show my proof of means of support?

should I show my bank statement? or my family friend's bank statement?
if it's mine, how much money should I be showing in the statement?
if it's my friend's, how money should I show in his statement?

do I need to submit any formal written letter on why do I want to stay as a visitor?

Sorry for asking so many questions.

Thanks a lot in advance, it would help me a lot.

p.s : am I allowed to try to see if I can get a work permit (extending graduate work permit) even though I don't have a sponsor?

 

[MWVC]

Hi prashanthaku,
Now I'm no expert, but I'm in a somewhat similar position to you. My Post Graduate Work Permit is expiring in June 2 and I recently found out that my current employer does not want to apply for a Labour Market Opinion so I can extend my stay as their employee. I am also going to extend my stay as a visitor in the hopes to find a new employer or go back to school.

This is what I have to add:

1) To my knowledge, the "30 days before status expiry" statement is used mostly to allow the CIC offices more processing time for applications. I do not believe it is a hard deadline, so you should be able to apply for an extension as a visitor from a post graduate work permit.

2) I've used bank statements before from myself and from my father to show my means of support, so that should be fine to show your own statement and whomever else is supprting you. The objective is to show you have more than enough funds to take care of yourself during your stay right?

3) The form itself should have a section for the reasons why you want to extend your stay. Now I am not sure if you (or I) should state that we have ulterior motives that involve finding work or going to school. That might not go over so well with CIC.
What I will definitely mention in my application that I am attending a wedding in July as the Best Man, so I want to stay until then at least and hopefully the rest of the summer to spend time with my friends and family before returning to the Philippines. I will probably attach a copy of my wedding invitation to augment my application.
From my understanding, you want to give them a reason to extend your stay but also let them know that you don`t plan on staying after your visitor status expires. Spending time with friends and family is good and if there is a specific and significant event (wedding, anniversarys, graduations) that you can prove you will attend, even better.

4) The Post Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) is a one time deal I`m afraid, any work permit applications after the Grad permit expires will be a regular Temp Foreign Worker (TFW) permit.
A TFW permit is *specific* to the job that you are being offerred to. Unlike the PGWP, which allows you to work anywhere and with anyone, a TFW permit will tie you with a specific employer for a specific job. If you want to switch employers or jobs, you will have to apply for a new TFW permit.
A word of caution, because I got blindsided by this, is that some jobs require a Labor Market Opinion (LMO) to be applied for *by your employer* to Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) before you can apply for a TFW permit for a particular job offer. You can read up on the LMO at the CIC website.

Sorry, I `ve got to cut this short and drive home. I`ll check back later if you have any more questions. But definitely dont take me for an expert, you`ll want pay more attention to the lovely ladies and gentlemen that have lots of stars under their username.

 

[prashanthaku]

thank you for such a long reply. Even I have same views as you, that it might not be too late for me to apply for visitor visa. I applied for visitor visa 2 days ago for 6 months. I just have to hope positively that it would be accepted.

Thank you once again