Maintaining Status during Spouse Sponsorship/OWP

[confamer]

I applied for inland spouse-sponsored PR in May 2018. My medical was requested and completed October 2018. I have been living in Canada on maintained visitor status - I'm an American, so didn't need a travel visa, was simply issued a visitor record, and have been applying every 6 months to renew it.

I did not include an OWP application with my primary application, due to some terrible advice from border officials and that wonderful CIC helpline. I'm kicking myself for not avoiding this all, and just applying from the start. I was commuting over the border and working remotely, but recently we've moved further north, and I would like to work in Canada. So... OWP is needed.

Problem is, my visitor record ran out mid-November. As of November 1st, before my status ran out, I applied for a visitor record renewal, and was planning on applying for a OWP once my renewal was processed. (In case it was denied, didn't want to be out of visitor status.). Over a month later, and CIC hasn't even looked at my visitor status renewal.... so I'm wondering if I can go ahead and apply for the OWP, because I'm on "implied" status with my visitor renewal... or if I need to wait until my visitor status in Canada is official again before applying for the OWP.

Any advice or prior experience in a similar situation is appreciated

 

[Jazzercise]

I applied for inland spouse-sponsored PR in May 2018. My medical was requested and completed October 2018. I have been living in Canada on maintained visitor status - I'm an American, so didn't need a travel visa, was simply issued a visitor record, and have been applying every 6 months to renew it.

I did not include an OWP application with my primary application, due to some terrible advice from border officials and that wonderful CIC helpline. I'm kicking myself for not avoiding this all, and just applying from the start. I was commuting over the border and working remotely, but recently we've moved further north, and I would like to work in Canada. So... OWP is needed.

Problem is, my visitor record ran out mid-November. As of November 1st, before my status ran out, I applied for a visitor record renewal, and was planning on applying for a OWP once my renewal was processed. (In case it was denied, didn't want to be out of visitor status.). Over a month later, and CIC hasn't even looked at my visitor status renewal.... so I'm wondering if I can go ahead and apply for the OWP, because I'm on "implied" status with my visitor renewal... or if I need to wait until my visitor status in Canada is official again before applying for the OWP.

Any advice or prior experience in a similar situation is appreciated

This is a good question. Unfortunately I don't have an answer to it. However, I can point out that, if I'm understanding your situation and timeline correctly, you may very well not get your OWP until close to the end of the the PR process.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

I applied for inland spouse-sponsored PR in May 2018. My medical was requested and completed October 2018. I have been living in Canada on maintained visitor status - I'm an American, so didn't need a travel visa, was simply issued a visitor record, and have been applying every 6 months to renew it.

I did not include an OWP application with my primary application, due to some terrible advice from border officials and that wonderful CIC helpline. I'm kicking myself for not avoiding this all, and just applying from the start. I was commuting over the border and working remotely, but recently we've moved further north, and I would like to work in Canada. So... OWP is needed.

Problem is, my visitor record ran out mid-November. As of November 1st, before my status ran out, I applied for a visitor record renewal, and was planning on applying for a OWP once my renewal was processed. (In case it was denied, didn't want to be out of visitor status.). Over a month later, and CIC hasn't even looked at my visitor status renewal.... so I'm wondering if I can go ahead and apply for the OWP, because I'm on "implied" status with my visitor renewal... or if I need to wait until my visitor status in Canada is official again before applying for the OWP.

Any advice or prior experience in a similar situation is appreciated

You can apply for the OWP now. Note that it takes about 4 months to be issued.