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carisse19

Newbie
Oct 10, 2010
5
0
hello everyone,

My possible future employer said my lmo might come out in 2 weeks time. I am on visitor's visa which will expire on dec, 2010.
If I apply for work permit, do I still have to leave then re enter canada at the border, in Montana for example or should it be at a Canadian embassy, like the one in seattle? Or, is it possible to apply for a change of status from visitor to temporary foreign worker without leaving Canada? I am in Calgary. Another thing, would it be advisable to apply for an extension of my visitors visa?
 
hello carisse19,
Congrats on your job offer. How long did it take for your LMO to get approved? Which province did you apply to?
 
If you're already in Canada, you apply to CPC Vegreville for your TWP. If successful will be mailed to you.
 
hi flixuli, thanks. lmo has not come out yet, it was filed aug 26. this is the 7th wk. they say it might take 8 wks more or less. hope it will come out soon.

thanks JGK. do I take it, i need not leave canada to file for work permit? do you know how long it will take to be processed? hopefully with positive result. would you suggest i apply for extension of my visitor's visa? it expires in dec, 2010. thanks again..
 
Hmmm. I don't think you can apply for your initial work permit at CPC -Vegreville.

Who may apply for a work permit from within Canada?

Important: The ability to apply in Canada does not guarantee acceptance. Eligibility criteria for the category of work permit must be met.

The following persons may apply for a work permit from within Canada:

* Holders of work or study permits and their family members;
Note: Spouses or common-law partners of highly skilled temporary foreign workers, may themselves be authorized to work without first having a confirmed job offer by Human Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSDC confirmation). In the case of workers destined for Quebec, without having to obtain a CAQ from the Ministère de l’Immigration et des communautés culturelles (MICC). The principal foreign worker must be doing work which is at a level that falls within National Occupational Classification (NOC) Skill Levels O, A or B in order for them to qualify for a work permit. These skill levels include management and professional occupations and technical or skilled tradespersons. For further information on the program and a list of the skill levels in the NOC, refer to our website.
* Successful graduates from a program at a Canadian university, community, college, CÉGEP, or publicly funded trade/technical school (or from a Canadian private institution authorized by provincial statute to confer degrees) who wish to work for a maximum of one or two years in employment related to their course of study. The maximum length will depend on the length and location of their studies, and the location of their employer. Graduates must submit an application for a work permit within 90 days of the issuance of your final marks. Their study permit must be valid upon submission of their application for a work permit. For further details refer to the Foreign Workers Manual (see post-graduation employment) located on our Web site or contact the Call Centre;
* Persons who don’t require a work permit who are applying for secondary employment in Canada, who have been working for at least three consecutive months in Canada and are not business visitors. Family members of these persons may apply before three months have passed if they satisfy an officer that the principal worker will work for at least three months;
* Holders of temporary resident permits (TRPs) valid for a minimum of 6 months and their family members;
* Refugee claimants and persons subject to an unenforceable removal order;
* In-Canada permanent resident applicants and their family members who are members of the following classes, determined eligible for permanent resident (PR) status: live-in-caregiver, spouse or common-law partner, protected persons, and humanitarian and compassionate considerations (H&C);
* Persons whose work permits were authorized by a visa office abroad, where the permit was not issued at a port of entry;
* Mexican citizens who have been admitted to Canada as visitors may apply for a work permit under any North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) category. U.S. citizens admitted as visitors may apply in Canada under the Professional or Intra-company Transferee NAFTA categories only. These provisions are in accordance with reciprocal arrangements.


You can send your application to a visa office outside Canada though, Buffalo, Detroit, Seattle.
 
thanks jobseeker, none of the above eligibilities apply to me. so, nearest is seattle. can I go there even if I dont have a us visa if in case I will be called for an interview, or, I may decide to apply in person. what about "flagpoling"?, going to the border, say in montana, turn back then apply for a work permit at the border as a port of entry. can I do that? please advise. thanks.
 
Some members sent their applications to Seattle, were not called for interviews and were able to obtain the visa. You will get your WP from the border though. You can go to Seattle though if you have a visa. One member stated that she sent her application package with her medicals.


carisse19 said:
thanks jobseeker, none of the above eligibilities apply to me. so, nearest is seattle. can I go there even if I dont have a us visa if in case I will be called for an interview, or, I may decide to apply in person. what about "flagpoling"?, going to the border, say in montana, turn back then apply for a work permit at the border as a port of entry. can I do that? please advise. thanks.
 
You can only apply at the border if you are from a TRV-exempt country.

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