No Income in Sight

[processing...]

Hello helpful people,

I (PA) applied for PR in August under spousal sponsorship (marriage). I live in Canada initially on a work permit, now expired. However IRCC seems to have established a recent new policy that disallows applications for open work permits for sponsored Principal Applicants if they do not live with their sponsor. My only option was to apply for a visitor visa.
Between long processing times (even longer due to covid) + having to wait for first stage approval before I can apply for an OWP (to my knowledge) + having to wait another 5 months for OWP approval, it seems my career progress and means of supporting myself will be on hold for a very long time (1 year+).
To make matters worse prior to this I worked in Canada and very much enjoyed my job. My ex-employer is waiting on my ability to work again but naturally if it's too long they'll have no choice but to replace me,

Am I wrong about my situation or Is there anything I can do to get back to work sooner than I expect? Or am I completely at the mercy of IRCC's processing times?

 

[scylla]

Hello helpful people,

I (PA) applied for PR in August under spousal sponsorship (marriage). I live in Canada initially on a work permit, now expired. However IRCC seems to have established a recent new policy that disallows applications for open work permits for sponsored Principal Applicants if they do not live with their sponsor. My only option was to apply for a visitor visa.
Between long processing times (even longer due to covid) + having to wait for first stage approval before I can apply for an OWP (to my knowledge) + having to wait another 5 months for OWP approval, it seems my career progress and means of supporting myself will be on hold for a very long time (1 year+).
To make matters worse prior to this I worked in Canada and very much enjoyed my job. My ex-employer is waiting on my ability to work again but naturally if it's too long they'll have no choice but to replace me,

Am I wrong about my situation or Is there anything I can do to get back to work sooner than I expect? Or am I completely at the mercy of IRCC's processing times?

The OWP policy isn't new or recent. It's been like this for over a decade. OWPs are only available to those who apply inland. To apply inland, both the sponsor and applicant must be in Canada and must be living together.

When did your work permit expire? Any chance your spousal sponsorship application + work permit was received by IRCC before your work permit expired?

Short answer is that you are at the mercy of IRCC processing times. If you want to work sooner, your employer would need to obtain an approved LMIA so that you can apply for a closed work permit.

 

[processing...]

Thanks for the response. It is appreciated.

My permit expired in August 2020. Applied for sponsorship and visitor visa shortly before expiry.

"Short answer is that you are at the mercy of IRCC processing times. If you want to work sooner, your employer would need to obtain an approved LMIA so that you can apply for a closed work permit. "

How much work would this be asking of the employer? Pages upon pages to be filled, or something a little more reasonable for once?

 

[YVR123]

Hello helpful people,

I (PA) applied for PR in August under spousal sponsorship (marriage). I live in Canada initially on a work permit, now expired. However IRCC seems to have established a recent new policy that disallows applications for open work permits for sponsored Principal Applicants if they do not live with their sponsor. My only option was to apply for a visitor visa.
Between long processing times (even longer due to covid) + having to wait for first stage approval before I can apply for an OWP (to my knowledge) + having to wait another 5 months for OWP approval, it seems my career progress and means of supporting myself will be on hold for a very long time (1 year+).
To make matters worse prior to this I worked in Canada and very much enjoyed my job. My ex-employer is waiting on my ability to work again but naturally if it's too long they'll have no choice but to replace me,

Am I wrong about my situation or Is there anything I can do to get back to work sooner than I expect? Or am I completely at the mercy of IRCC's processing times?

Another note in addition is that not only your OWP can't be approved but your inland sponsorship application will not be approved if you do not live with your sponsor in Canada.

Please clarified if you applied inland and move to live with your spouse if you want the application to continue.
Or are you back in your home country (since you mentioned about applying for visitor visa instead of applying to extend your visitor status)

 

[scylla]

Thanks for the response. It is appreciated.

My permit expired in August 2020. Applied for sponsorship and visitor visa shortly before expiry.

"Short answer is that you are at the mercy of IRCC processing times. If you want to work sooner, your employer would need to obtain an approved LMIA so that you can apply for a closed work permit. "

How much work would this be asking of the employer? Pages upon pages to be filled, or something a little more reasonable for once?

Need more information on the first part:
- What was the exact date your work permit expired in August 2020?
- What was the exact date you submitted the spousal sponsorship application?
- Did you include the OWP application with the spousal sponsroship application as one package?
- Assuming you send your spousal sponsorship by courier, what was the date the application package was received by IRCC?

EDIT: Depending on the answers to the above questions, you may have implied status and still be able to work.

LMIA is a huge amount of work and is months of processing. See below:

https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/foreign-workers/median-wage/high/requirements.html