Inside/Outside & work permits questions

[sbrown21]

I am a US citizen looking to immigrate to Canada to be with my future spouse. He is in Canada (Ontario) and I am in the US. I'm wanting to know what the best and fastest way is for us to be together, and in Canada. To make it more complicated, I will need to get a job ASAP. I’ve read over a lot of the material on the CIC site, but it’s certainly not written in a very cut and dry way.

I'm trying to figure out whether I should apply inland or outside first of all.

Outside: I read something that said if I apply outside, that I won't be able to visit Canada for the processing time. It was unclear if that meant simply the first phase of processing or if that is for both step 1 and step 2 (~12 months). If it is the entire processing time, that is longer than I would want to be apart.

Inside: I read that I would receive an open work permit at some point in the process, but that is unclear to me exactly when that is. Is that after the initial assessment is complete (~6 months)? Is there any kind of temporary work permit that I can get in the interim? If so, what type and how does that work? Is it also true that if you apply inside, you cannot leave Canada until the process is complete?

 

[MadeInCanada]

Hello,

If you apply inland you are supposed to stay in Canada. If any reason comes up and CIC finds out you left then your application would be determined/considered abandoned. You would submit an open work permit at the same time you submit your spousal sponsorship application. It takes about 6 months for the first stage for inland. That is when you would find out if you got the OWP, and if granted be able to work.

If you submit an outland application you are free to travel as you are visa exempt, bear in mind that gaining entry is not guaranteed. There are some that have done this and have had no issues though. So you could stay in the US, and go back and forth for visits during the process.

Outland is faster with regards to processing times. And has a right of appeal should it be refused.

I am sure others will add to or correct this if need be.

Take Care
MadeInCanada

 

[MadeInCanada]

Just a quick question, as I am unsure of the situation, are you in a common-law relationship? Living together for 12 months or more? When were you planing to marry? I am not being nosey, it will help figure out how you intend to apply since you are not married.

 

[torontosm]

If you submit an outland application you are free to travel as you are visa exempt, bear in mind that gaining entry is not guaranteed. There are some that have done this and have had no issues though. So you could stay in the US, and go back and forth for visits during the process.

If you are not a citizen of a visa exempt country, but are in Canada on a valid visa (i.e., student visa), can you still travel during the processing period if you use the outland application process?

Thanks in advance!

 

[sbrown21]

Just a quick question, as I am unsure of the situation, are you in a common-law relationship? Living together for 12 months or more? When were you planing to marry? I am not being nosey, it will help figure out how you intend to apply since you are not married.

We have not lived together at all. We will probably get married shortly before we start the sponsorship process, while one of us is visiting the other. It is my understanding that it does not matter where we get married?

You said that if the application is inland I will get an open work permit around the 6 month mark. Is there any temporary work permit that I can get for the interim?

 

[MadeInCanada]

We have not lived together at all. We will probably get married shortly before we start the sponsorship process, while one of us is visiting the other. It is my understanding that it does not matter where we get married?

You said that if the application is inland I will get an open work permit around the 6 month mark. Is there any temporary work permit that I can get for the interim?

Just my opinion, but I would not recommend this. A quickie marriage then applying is a red flag.

With regards to the work permit, you don't just get it because your applying inland, I just want to make sure I am being clear on that. You would have to apply for it WITH your sponsorship package.

No, it does not matter where you get married, but make sure friends and or family are in attendance or have a VERY good reason why they were not(it is also a red flag).

I do not know much about the work permits and such, there are other members that do though, so if you hang on they will reply.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

We have not lived together at all. We will probably get married shortly before we start the sponsorship process, while one of us is visiting the other. It is my understanding that it does not matter where we get married?

You said that if the application is inland I will get an open work permit around the 6 month mark. Is there any temporary work permit that I can get for the interim?

There is no temporary work permit you can get. You would first need a job offer from a Canadian employer. The employer must have a positive Labour Market Opinion that says they are allowed to hire you instead of a Canadian. If you can qualify under NAFTA, you wouldn't need the LMO.

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/work/apply-who.asp

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/work/special-business.asp

 

[Eeriest Elk]

I understand, because of current events, the temporary worker program is going to be heavily scrutinized. There is no simple way to cross the border and begin working immediately. In my case I am a US citizen married to a Canadian (living in the US). She will be working until I can get my PR. Because, we are tying up loose ends here we filed outland.

I do not expect to work until March 2014. However, we will be moving to Canada this summer.

At this point I am playing hurry-up-and-wait for my approval (the website says they have my medicals). Other than NAFTA or working for a company that has divisions in USA and Canada that allow for transfer. Your only other option is working remotely for a US company as if you are in the US.

 

[amikety]

We have not lived together at all. We will probably get married shortly before we start the sponsorship process, while one of us is visiting the other. It is my understanding that it does not matter where we get married?

You said that if the application is inland I will get an open work permit around the 6 month mark. Is there any temporary work permit that I can get for the interim?

Do you qualify for NAFTA? If you hold a bachelor's degree or better, you can probably qualify for NAFTA. If not, I wouldn't hold out much hope for getting a work permit. Americans are undesirable for LMO jobs and CIC just raised the bar for get LMOs as well. NAFTA means you're exempt from a LMO, although you still need a job offer to get a work permit.

My husband is Canadian, I am American. We applied Outland. I'm currently taking classes online with a US university while I wait for my PR. I cannot work either - although I have tried fruitless to get a job.

 

[AnaMaria]

Getting work permit does not necessarily mean getting a job. It depends on the locations, area of your professional fields and many other factors. If you are in IT, it seems fine. If you are young and inexperienced but friendly, it seems you can get a survival job easily. The more professional, the harder it gets to find a job. Quite a few positions require PR or citizen status.