Does a spouse with permanent residency need a work visa?

[jezabelmd]

Hello,

I am Canadian and my boyfriend is from the UK. We have been living/working abroad for 7 years and we would like to move to Canada in about 12 months. I have been reading about the application for spousal residency for a while but there are a few things that are still unclear to me. I apologise if this question has been asked but I could not find an answer.

If we don't plan to move to Canada until after approval of the residency, does my boyfriend need a work visa too?

If anyone has any advice for sponsors living abroad it would be greatly appreciated.

 

[FrostiRose]

No, no work visa is needed if he can land as a permanent resident

 

[jezabelmd]

No, no work visa is needed if he can land as a permanent resident

Thanks for your quick response... There is so much talk about the open work visa that I was unsure if he needed one too

 

[FrostiRose]

OWP, Open Work Permit, is ur you are already in Canada and applying inland. It's a way to be able to work before you have PR status.

 

[Hurlabrick]

What FrostiRose said.

Once you are approved and have your CoPR you then land in Canada and declare PR. The next step (and you can do it the very next day if you want) is to trot along to a Services Canada office with the copy CoPR and other forms of id and ask them for a SIN number. Once you have that, then you can work for anyone - NO specific work permit required as you are an approved Permanent Resident, so automatically you are allowed to work.

In terms of processing timescales, check the spreadsheet link in my signature line below. You will see many like you, Canadian sponsors with British PA's processed through either London, Ottawa or Mississauga (CIC decide where they send you application, you have no influence on it. But figure on between 6 to 12 months from receipt to issue of CoPR. Maybe quicker and unlikely to be longer.