Spouse-Postgraduate Work Permit

[dodo86]

Hi,

my name's Edoardo. I'll complete the defence of my PhD in early November and I plan to apply for a Postgraduate Work Permit after that. From what I read it seems that my wife (currently holding an open work permit issued as a wife of an international student) cannot obtain an extension of her open work permit, because I cannot prove I have a job in NOC 0, A, B (how could I? I AM STILL A STUDENT!!!! ). It seems like we can do it after I find such a job...my question is: my study permit (and so her work permit) will expire on December 31st 2016, when I apply for my PGWP, should my wife apply for extending her stay as a "visitor"? Do we need to do anything specific?

This is surreal...essentially they are asking my wife to resign, wait for me to get a job, then apply again...

Thanks

Edoardo

 

[scylla]

Yes - if you aren't working in a full time NOC A, B or 0 job by the time you have to apply for your PGWP, your wife will have to apply to change her status to visitor and stop working as soon as her open work permit expires. Once you have a full time job meeting the requirements, she can then apply for a new open work permit.

 

[dodo86]

As I thought...thanks for the info. I still don't understand the logic behind it...it's fine to issue an open work permit for my wife when I am a student, but then, it's not ok after I finish my program and become a very high skilled worker...This is forcing my wife to leave her job and basically stay home with nothing to do for months...absolutely ridiculous