Forced to go inland(?)

[PeeBee]

Hi all!

First, thanks to everyone who posts here. I've been getting a heap of great information from you over the past couple of weeks.

So I've got another Inland vs. Outland question. I've looked through other posts, but would love to get some advice on my specific situation. Here we go:

I'm a dual Australian/Irish national currently living in Spain. My wife is a Canadian currently living in Montreal. We've been married for almost 3 years, but for a variety of reasons that would extend this post dramatically, we've never actually lived in the same place. Before we got married I once got denied at the Canadian border because of a rejected working holiday visa application from a couple of years before. That visa was rejected because of a very old drink driving charge in Australia that I couldn't prove was under a blood alcohol reading of .08 (it really was!). That has since been resolved and I now have a piece of paper saying that I'm no longer inadmissible. I've been to Canada 1 time since I got that piece of paper and there were no issues at the border. Not sure if it's relevant, but figured it's worth mentioning.

Anyway, we've started putting together an outland application and everything is looking fine, however my work situation in Spain is suddenly in a little doubt, and I may need to leave in a month or two. If/when that happens my options are:

A) Continue on with the outland application while I desperately try to find work elsewhere in Europe.
B) Continue on with the outland application and go back to Australia with my tail between my legs while I wait for the visa to (hopefully) be approved.
C) Ditch the idea of an outland application and head straight to Montreal to stay with my wife, and get an inland application up and running as quickly as we can.

I keep swaying back and forth between the options, but I just don't know what to do. It's a head vs. heart thing, I guess. I really want to stay with my wife after all this time, but if I do that I won't be able to work for months, and can't leave the country while I wait for visa approval. I guess I'm posting here in the hope that someone has been in a similar situation, or knows more about the ins and outs of this stuff and can offer some wisdom. I mean, is Plan C even a real option? Can I just go over as a tourist with an eTA and a return flight booked and then start an inland application when I arrive?

Please help!

 

[Classic Chucks]

I'd say go for inland route and include an Open Work Permit application.

 

[Rob_TO]

I mean, is Plan C even a real option? Can I just go over as a tourist with an eTA and a return flight booked and then start an inland application when I arrive?

Yes people do this all the time. If you can make it into Canada as a visitor, then you can apply inland along with Open Work Permit which you'd get after 3-4 months. You would be able to stay in Canada for duration of processing.

The only thing you'd need to worry about is the entry to Canada. With your previous denial of entry and inadmissibility issue, you should expect to go to secondary inspection. Make sure you have the return ticket and some ties to home country, and you'll need to convince CBSA you will abide by the visitor rules.

 

[spousalsponsee]

You missed option D continue the outland application and visit your wife in Canada while you wait. Considering that that would get your application in months sooner than waiting to file inland, it's the most obvious course if you wind up unemployed in Spain & can't get any work elsewhere in Europe. You would need to demonstrate visitor intent on arrival.

 

[PeeBee]

Thanks for the wisdom, folks. At the end of the day I realise that it comes down to what my wife and I decide is best, but it's really helpful to hear the opinions of people who know a bit about this kind of thing. The application process seems fairly straight forward, but it's still somehow a little overwhelming. We'll keep at it, and come to a decision soon.

Cheers!