+1(514) 937-9445 or Toll-free (Canada & US) +1 (888) 947-9445

Online Application for Work Permit

Serafin1

Star Member
Aug 31, 2013
113
1
ajay93 said:
Hi Serafin1 ,i just got my W-1 workpermit under high skilled worker category ( with the help of representative & arranged job offer ).
MY question is can my wife apply for OPW now in my present resident country .
Because still i havent entered in canada Planning next year cus of winter.
Hi ajay, for now you cant apply for OWP snd SP for now because you will be needing your Work permit which will be given at the port of entry. You need to enter canada first.
 

fkl

VIP Member
Apr 25, 2013
3,351
218
Canada
Visa Office......
Inland / Previously Pak
NOC Code......
2173/4
Serafin1 said:
Hi ajay, for now you cant apply for OWP snd SP for now because you will be needing your Work permit which will be given at the port of entry. You need to enter canada first.
I have no idea about W1. But i can tell you guys that for a normal temp work visa (which requires an LMO) and for a skilled class such as NOC 0, A and B, every one CAN apply for their spousal open work permit and kids temp resident visas / or open study permit ALONGWITH their own work permit application.

There is no requirement to get your OWN work permit first (actual work permit is issued at the port of entry) and only latter apply for your family.

However, i don't know about the situation in which

a. You apply for yourself first, got temp resident visa and work permit approval (called letter of introduction).
b. You haven't yet actually went to Canada but now wan to apply for your family.

Generally either people apply together OR they apply for their families AFTER they have actually moved.

I know numerous cases of both and i myself am an applicant who applied with fmaily
 

Lara06

Newbie
Oct 13, 2013
5
0
Hi,

My employer wants me to apply online because she says it will be faster to get processed. Do I still need to have my documents authenticated (red ribboned) before I upload them?
 

fkl

VIP Member
Apr 25, 2013
3,351
218
Canada
Visa Office......
Inland / Previously Pak
NOC Code......
2173/4
Lara06 said:
Hi,

My employer wants me to apply online because she says it will be faster to get processed. Do I still need to have my documents authenticated (red ribboned) before I upload them?
I am not very sure since this part of requirement might vary from embassy to embassy.

But in my country, the rule is that if you apply on paper, you submit all/most originals along with notarized/attested (i guess the same you meant by red ribboned) photo copies where the attestation usually says "original seen". This includes original educational degrees and passports.

On the contrary if you apply online, all you submit is scanned copy of every document including the passport and there is no attestation required since original docs are not attested, rather photo copies are. The only exception i could think of were documents translated from some other language (such as marriage certificate not being in English, and hence we send a certified translation.

They even ask for original passport post medical (if any) and usually passport request means that you got visa successfully, at which point people send original passport via courier. Every thing else in an online application is submitted electronically.
 

Lara06

Newbie
Oct 13, 2013
5
0
fkl said:
I am not very sure since this part of requirement might vary from embassy to embassy.

But in my country, the rule is that if you apply on paper, you submit all/most originals along with notarized/attested (i guess the same you meant by red ribboned) photo copies where the attestation usually says "original seen". This includes original educational degrees and passports.

On contrary if you apply online, all you submit is scanned copy of every document including the passport and there is no attestation required since original docs are not attested, rather photo copies are. The only exception i could think of were documents translated from some other language (such as marriage certificate not being in English, and hence we send a certified translation.

They even ask for original passport post medical (if any) and usually passport request means that you got visa successfully, at which point people send original passport via courier. Every thing else in an online application is submitted electronically.
Thank you Fkl, I am glad to hear that authentication is not necessary. Sounds that applying online is more convenient. Before I submit my application, I would like to make sure that I will submit all the right documents requested. How will I be able to do that?
 

fkl

VIP Member
Apr 25, 2013
3,351
218
Canada
Visa Office......
Inland / Previously Pak
NOC Code......
2173/4
Lara06 said:
Thank you Fkl, I am glad to hear that authentication is not necessary. Sounds that applying online is more convenient. Before I submit my application, I would like to make sure that I will submit all the right documents requested. How will I be able to do that?
In terms of basic requirements, the online system won't accept a submission unless all of required docs are there. For some that you believe are critical but there is no formal place to validate, you should go through the official checklist at CIC website.

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/work.asp (IMM5488E)
 

Lara06

Newbie
Oct 13, 2013
5
0
fkl said:
In terms of basic requirements, the online system won't accept a submission unless all of required docs are there. For some that you believe are critical but there is no formal place to validate, you should go through the official checklist at CIC website.

(IMM5488E)
Thank you very much, fkl. I have read the document checklist. The proof that you meet the requirements is elaborated "If your intended occupation in Canada is regulated, provide evidence that the responsible provincial, territorial or professional body has granted you the required licence or certification."

and I did a research and I found this from another forum

"Evidence that you meet the requirements of the job offer e.g. employment references outlining previous jobs and job duties, copies of relevant education certificates, proof of professional qualifications, originals of all school transcripts (starting at the secondary level) certificates, diplomas, degrees, etc.
An NBI certificate (Original Copy) issued within the last 3 months and marked with dry seal and your thumbprint (Personal Copy not acceptable). If any of the following remarks appear on the NBI certificate – NO CRIMINAL RECORD, NO PENDING CASE or RECORD AS STATED, please submit:
•A written explanation from the NBI regarding this remark;
•All court documents to the criminal charges. (** Please provide complete copies of the decision or the resolution of the case. Note that certifications from the clerks of court are not acceptable); and
•Your own explanation of the incident leading to the charges.
Employment reference letter
"

These documents already have a slot for uploading individually: Employment reference letter and diplomas. Should I upload the same documents in the proof that you meet the requirement slot?
 

fkl

VIP Member
Apr 25, 2013
3,351
218
Canada
Visa Office......
Inland / Previously Pak
NOC Code......
2173/4
You are most welcome. I don't think you need to upload documents twice. At max if you feel they are relevant at multiple places, just write one cover letter explaining which document is where supporting which aspect like "evidence that you meet job qualifications".

Don't know if this applies to you or not, but in my country we also submit bank statements and recent pay slips along. They are proof that

1. We are currently employed in capacity x.
2. It also shows that we are capable and are earning y amount in our home country.

Note that for work permits, bank statement does not require to be holding any specific amount. Rather it is showing that this pay has been regularly transferred to your account and therefore serve as an evidence of your earnings and hence some what compliments your professional capability.

Currently not working when applying for temp work visa would be a red flag. So the above really supports that.

Lara06 said:
Thank you very much, fkl. I have read the document checklist. The proof that you meet the requirements is elaborated "If your intended occupation in Canada is regulated, provide evidence that the responsible provincial, territorial or professional body has granted you the required licence or certification."

and I did a research and I found this from another forum

"Evidence that you meet the requirements of the job offer e.g. employment references outlining previous jobs and job duties, copies of relevant education certificates, proof of professional qualifications, originals of all school transcripts (starting at the secondary level) certificates, diplomas, degrees, etc.
An NBI certificate (Original Copy) issued within the last 3 months and marked with dry seal and your thumbprint (Personal Copy not acceptable). If any of the following remarks appear on the NBI certificate – NO CRIMINAL RECORD, NO PENDING CASE or RECORD AS STATED, please submit:
•A written explanation from the NBI regarding this remark;
•All court documents to the criminal charges. (** Please provide complete copies of the decision or the resolution of the case. Note that certifications from the clerks of court are not acceptable); and
•Your own explanation of the incident leading to the charges.
Employment reference letter
"

These documents already have a slot for uploading individually: Employment reference letter and diplomas. Should I upload the same documents in the proof that you meet the requirement slot?
 

Lara06

Newbie
Oct 13, 2013
5
0
fkl said:
You are most welcome. I don't think you need to upload documents twice. At max if you feel they are relevant at multiple places, just write one cover letter explaining which document is where supporting which aspect like "evidence that you meet job qualifications".

Don't know if this applies to you or not, but in my country we also submit bank statements and recent pay slips along. They are proof that

1. We are currently employed in capacity x.
2. It also shows that we are capable and are earning y amount in our home country.

Note that for work permits, bank statement does not require to be holding any specific amount. Rather it is showing that this pay has been regularly transferred to your account and therefore serve as an evidence of your earnings and hence some what compliments your professional capability.

Currently not working when applying for temp work visa would be a red flag. So the above really supports that.
Thank you fkl for giving a heads up. I just ended my contract last September 30, 2013 and I am no longer employed as of now. I am applying for Live-in Caregiver/babysitter. Is it okay if I will work as a call center agent for the mean time and this job is not related to what I am applying for?
Or can I use my previous pay slips? I already have my LMO and now I only have 5 mos before it expires. What shall I do? ???
 

foruaks

Hero Member
May 10, 2011
216
4
Category........
Visa Office......
New Delhi Online
NOC Code......
2174
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
26-07-2013
AOR Received.
26-07-2013
Hi fkl,

Just wanted to understand something. I have applied online from India for WP in July. I haven't heard anything till date. My lawyer has sent a case specific enquiry email to New Delhi High Commission, but he hasn't got any reply. As per the lawyer, since we havent got reply from New Delhi, my case may not be processed in New Delhi. Is it possible? If so, then which processing times applies to me. New Delhi HC shows 3 mths as processing time. But since it is online, can we consider it as our processing time. We haven't received any reply to our mail sent 1 month back. This makes me worried. Where can I get information about my application? As per the ND forum, there is no movement at all in the work permit processing after the strike.

Your advise will be help. I would appreciate your reply.

Thanks ....
 

jon2palomar

Full Member
Oct 14, 2013
27
0
hi guys,i would like also to inquire if you have an idea about the processing time of paper application for work permit thru LMO...it was submitted Feb.9,2013 and had my medical examination Mar.22,2013...i inquired them once thru fax and they replied to my email that my application is on process and they received also my medical examination result....but until now i dont have any information regarding my application.it takes 9 months now...as i know regular processing time for work permit is 3 to 4 months....Thank you....
 

fkl

VIP Member
Apr 25, 2013
3,351
218
Canada
Visa Office......
Inland / Previously Pak
NOC Code......
2173/4
Lara06 said:
Thank you fkl for giving a heads up. I just ended my contract last September 30, 2013 and I am no longer employed as of now. I am applying for Live-in Caregiver/babysitter. Is it okay if I will work as a call center agent for the mean time and this job is not related to what I am applying for?
Or can I use my previous pay slips? I already have my LMO and now I only have 5 mos before it expires. What shall I do? ???
If you can avoid showing that you are not employed any more, it most certainly would be better. Just submit your bank statement from September and pay slip and apply with in this month. That will appear in a way that you submitted the most recent pay slips.

In my experience it is very risky to quote a DIFFERENT type of job that you are currently doing vs the type you have applied for on a visa. They would like to think you are flawless in the domain you have applied for Canada and should be doing good in that in your home country. I have known people with similar stuff and resulting in getting refusals with statements like "VO was not satisfied you meet the qualifications required for the job advertised".

You should just apply right away without any reference to any call center job
 

fkl

VIP Member
Apr 25, 2013
3,351
218
Canada
Visa Office......
Inland / Previously Pak
NOC Code......
2173/4
Hi foruaks,

Sorry to hear about the kind of no show from them. But i guess it has little to do with where your application is processed. Rather i believe it is due to back log created due to Visa offices strike.

If you apply online, the application is processed faster AND CIC officially SAYS on its website, it is easier to move your case file for processing to another visa office, in case that is required for whatever reasons i.e. accommodating load and many other possible reasons which we have no clue about. Still the process appears transparent to the applicant. You will still receive passport request from the same visa office from Delhi and would send it to the same.

Also the above should only be treated as a exception rather than the norm.

So moral of the story, time lines for New Delhi apply. The reason for no response is mainly due to PAFSCO strikes in my opinion.

Regarding not responding to lawyer, trust me CIC is notorious.

In my particular case, i originally applied around Feb 13, the official CIC website says 16 weeks of processing times. My application was returned TWICE because they wrote something required about kids forms, but required some thing else in practice. The final submission went around April end, while my LMO was about to expire. Then it was high time for student visa applications and apparently a work permit app returned unprocessed twice looks too dumb to be processed quickly.

My employer which is a pretty good sized Multinational Company in Canada reached out to Member of Parliaments in their city, Ottawa, Directly CIC and what not. The company's VP wrote directly to most of those people CCing me and still there wasn't much of a positive response. Except things like "application is in process and will take due course of time".

I finally got call for medicals around Early September and now waiting to hear from them again. It is roughly going to be a year soon, since my LMO was issued. It is worth noting that a colleague of mine going for the same employer who applied a month or two earlier than me received visa in exactly two months from the date of submission. He was only applying for spouse (had no kids) so didn't run through the complications i faced.

And our country was not part of the strike. Hence any thing and every thing is possible.

Lastly, did your lawyer apply on your behalf too or you applied yourself? Like did you attach proper authorization for him to represent you in this case?

foruaks said:
Hi fkl,

Just wanted to understand something. I have applied online from India for WP in July. I haven't heard anything till date. My lawyer has sent a case specific enquiry email to New Delhi High Commission, but he hasn't got any reply. As per the lawyer, since we havent got reply from New Delhi, my case may not be processed in New Delhi. Is it possible? If so, then which processing times applies to me. New Delhi HC shows 3 mths as processing time. But since it is online, can we consider it as our processing time. We haven't received any reply to our mail sent 1 month back. This makes me worried. Where can I get information about my application? As per the ND forum, there is no movement at all in the work permit processing after the strike.

Your advise will be help. I would appreciate your reply.

Thanks ....
 

fkl

VIP Member
Apr 25, 2013
3,351
218
Canada
Visa Office......
Inland / Previously Pak
NOC Code......
2173/4
jon2palomar said:
hi guys,i would like also to inquire if you have an idea about the processing time of paper application for work permit thru LMO...it was submitted Feb.9,2013 and had my medical examination Mar.22,2013...i inquired them once thru fax and they replied to my email that my application is on process and they received also my medical examination result....but until now i dont have any information regarding my application.it takes 9 months now...as i know regular processing time for work permit is 3 to 4 months....Thank you....
It depends which country you are applying from. But 9 months is a pretty long time for probably any where in the world. I can only suspect there is something holding your application. If it's been more than a month since you heard from them, you can email them again giving an over all timeline and asking for an update.
Doing this once a month is fine, unless they tell you a particular time frame to contact.
 

foruaks

Hero Member
May 10, 2011
216
4
Category........
Visa Office......
New Delhi Online
NOC Code......
2174
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
26-07-2013
AOR Received.
26-07-2013
fkl said:
Hi foruaks,

Sorry to hear about the kind of no show from them. But i guess it has little to do with where your application is processed. Rather i believe it is due to back log created due to Visa offices strike.

If you apply online, the application is processed faster AND CIC officially SAYS on its website, it is easier to move your case file for processing to another visa office, in case that is required for whatever reasons i.e. accommodating load and many other possible reasons which we have no clue about. Still the process appears transparent to the applicant. You will still receive passport request from the same visa office from Delhi and would send it to the same.

Also the above should only be treated as a exception rather than the norm.

So moral of the story, time lines for New Delhi apply. The reason for no response is mainly due to PAFSCO strikes in my opinion.

Regarding not responding to lawyer, trust me CIC is notorious.

In my particular case, i originally applied around Feb 13, the official CIC website says 16 weeks of processing times. My application was returned TWICE because they wrote something required about kids forms, but required some thing else in practice. The final submission went around April end, while my LMO was about to expire. Then it was high time for student visa applications and apparently a work permit app returned unprocessed twice looks too dumb to be processed quickly.

My employer which is a pretty good sized Multinational Company in Canada reached out to Member of Parliaments in their city, Ottawa, Directly CIC and what not. The company's VP wrote directly to most of those people CCing me and still there wasn't much of a positive response. Except things like "application is in process and will take due course of time".

I finally got call for medicals around Early September and now waiting to hear from them again. It is roughly going to be a year soon, since my LMO was issued. It is worth noting that a colleague of mine going for the same employer who applied a month or two earlier than me received visa in exactly two months from the date of submission. He was only applying for spouse (had no kids) so didn't run through the complications i faced.

And our country was not part of the strike. Hence any thing and every thing is possible.

Lastly, did your lawyer apply on your behalf too or you applied yourself? Like did you attach proper authorization for him to represent you in this case?
Thanks fkl for your valuable information. Looking at it, I now feel that it makes sense to be patient and wait for my turn. There are lot others on the New Delhi thread who too are waiting. Infact, it seemed at one point of time that paper applications were getting proper responses and also were getting processed. In some cases, the Chandigarh Embassy which always used to be slow, suddenly took pace and started processing visa. Just for my knowledge sake, do they process FSW, PNP and WP visas at the same time or there are different officers to process different types of visas? The reason I ask you is because, I could see lots of FSW applicants getting Visas after the strike, while the WP applicants thread seem to be stale. But anyways, thanks for your help and insight on the process. This is a tough time for everyone like me who are waiting for Visas and have resigned from their earlier organizations under the hope of working in Canada.

As for your earlier question, my lawyer applied for my Work Permit. I didn't do it myself. And yes, he did submitted the "Use of representative" form along with the application.