Spousal OWP and PR Application.... Need Help!

[rabbi139]

Hi,

I am currently on an open work permit. My girlfriend lives in the United States and we are planning to get married this September. Now, she is a green card holder and haven't got her citizenship yet so she won't be able to come to Canada and live here for more than 6 months at a stretch. So I am really confused regarding how to go about things. Following are my questions and any help will be highly appreciated....

1) Should I be applying for Open work Permit on behalf of her or should she be applying by herself? Also what is the procedure for that?

2) I will be applying for Permanent Resident on the second half of the year so I was wondering that if she will be applying for my green card (USA) and I will be applying for her PR (Canada), will there be any legal issues which might jeopardize our situation or can the two application run independently?

3) Also in a situation where I apply for PR next year and just get her here on a Open work permit for now, will that lead to cancellation of her Green Card status?

 

[scylla]

You should post your question to the Foreign Workers section of the forum. This section is for Canadians who are sponsoring family members for PR.

 

[canadianwoman]

You can sponsor her once you are a PR of Canada. If she wants an open work permit, she has to come here and apply inland, and apply for the open work permit at the same time. With an inland application, she is advised not to leave Canada. If she leaves, and is not let back in, the application is over.

If you apply for a green card at the same time you sponsor her for her PR, the PR will probably be refused. The Canadian government expects the sponsor and sponsored spouse to intend to live in Canada. With an application for a green card, they will think you don't intend to live in Canada.