1. Apply for a Work Permit Extension with a New PassportHi @Miss bee hope you are doing well. I have a question from my sister-in-law. She got lmia in April 2023 and it was for two years. But as her passport was valid only till 9th January 2025, it was stamped only till the validity of her passport, that is 9th January 2025. She got Alberta PNP in the 1st week of August 2024 and applied for her PR on 24th August, 2024 but is still awaiting AOR, which is expected to come by February 2025. So, she will lose her status in the current situation on 9th January 2025.
Please guide me what options she has at this stage. Your guidance would be greatly appreciated.
Since her LMIA is valid for two years, she can renew her passport and apply to extend her work permit before it expires on January 9, 2025. She will need the new passport details to request the extension. Applying before the expiry will allow her to maintain implied status until a decision is made.
2. Apply for a Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP)
Once she receives her AOR for the PR application (expected by February 2025), she may be eligible to apply for a BOWP. However, since the AOR might come after January 9, 2025, she will need to ensure she maintains her status through other means (e.g., the extension in point 1) until then.
3. Switch to a Visitor Status
If extending her work permit isn’t feasible before January 9, 2025, she can apply to change her status to that of a visitor. This will allow her to remain in Canada legally while awaiting her PR AOR. However, as a visitor, she cannot work.
4. Restore Status (if Necessary)
If her status expires before she can take action, she may be able to apply to restore her status within 90 days of losing it. Restoration would allow her to resume her work permit or change to another status. However, it’s better to act before her work permit expires.
Suggested Immediate Actions:
• Renew her passport as soon as possible.
• Apply for a work permit extension well before January 9, 2025, using the LMIA and new passport details
• Monitor her PR application status for updates, especially for the AOR.