Study Permit and open work permit for my spouse

[Therisaw]

I recently got accepted in a Master's program in Vancouver and I am in the process of filling out the forms for my study permit and an open work permit for my spouse of 6 years.

I have a few questions I need some assistance with:

study permit:
1. the school does not have boarding i will have to deal with that on my own. being that school starts September 6,2013 and i have not found housing yet. what figure should i put on the study permit for 'housing' and 'other' section?
2. Do i have to find an address before i submit my application?

Open work permit:
1. I want my spouse to come with me and work, but he doesn't have a job offer. What should i put in the section that ask about 'details of prospective employer' and 'intended location of employment'?

I want to submit my forms soon (hopefully June 18,2013) because it takes 8 weeks. However, I have a few areas i need help with, I am wondering if i should put 'N/A' or leave the areas 'blank'. I really need your assistance.
Thanks alot.

 

[fkl]

For spouse, open work permit, you can simply leave employer and location details entering "Not applicable".

I have a reasonable degree of surety about other questions too.

You do not really need an address before filing application. You list your home address in your current contact info. Any where else you need to put info, you can indicate your university's contact info Some where your details can be verified.

"Other" (i presume you meant the one under the heading "4. Cost of my studies will be". If so, just chose your best current knowledge of expense (your university must have estimates listed on their website).

Why i believe so? Because i applied for a work permit (i have a job offer), open work permit for my wife (leaving the fields blank as mentioned above), and study permit for my elder son and got some help from my employer's lawyer in Canada filling out the forms.

 

[Therisaw]

Thank you very much.
The parts I mentioned have 3 section 'tuition', 'housing and board' and 'other'.
The school fee is $36,570 for the two years. This is what the letter stated.

questions:
1. Being that I don't know how much i would pay for rent, what figure should i put in housing? while browsing online for housing i saw some rents for $500 per month. Should i put $500? and for the 'other' should i put about $500, too being that this would talk about food and clothing?

2. When i read about the visa it says you should have the tuition, plus $10,000 for the first year and $4,000 for 1 additional family member. Should i have the entire 2 years school fee and the $14,000 totaling: $50,570?

or should i just have the the first year school fee $36,570/2=$18,285 and the $14,000 totaling: $32,285.

3. By the way, a friend of my just told me that 'open work permit' should be filed from inside the country so i should just sign up for him as a visitor and file for it inside the country. which way is better, inside the country or outside?

Kindly await your response.

Thanks again.

 

[fkl]

I can only speculate about 1 and 2. Rents vary across cities in Canada but Vancouver is a pretty expensive place. A place for a couple could cost any where between 600 to 1500. I think it would be tough to find one in 500 per month in Vancouver. For food and clothing, yes 500 per month for a couple is okay but bare minimum. Again these are just estimates and most of my knowledge is about Toronto or Montreal (Vancouver is more expensive).

You were right about one year funds requirement i.e. if you have money covering cost of one year of tuition plus living expense, you should be fine. This is the standard embassy requirement as far as i know. Since after some time (less than a year), a student is allowed to work part time.

Moral of the story, i am 95% sure embassy only requires one year expense before hand, but if you can show more funds that obviously is better.

For the last part about open work permit preference for being applied for, from within the country, i really don't think it is true. Every one i know including myself who intended his / her partner to apply for open work permit is advised to do so right away. In fact it has a better chance of approval (considering you have the right credentials / qualifications) than just a temp visa while applying from home country.

 

[Therisaw]

Thank you very much.

I would really like to talk to you in person or you can email me angel_tashekia@yahoo.com

You have been very helpful. I even spoke to a lawyer and he told me that i should not carry my spouse because it would look like I wont come back.
But wanted $30000 to file the papers for me, that was too expensive.

Question:
1. Do you think the embassy will have a issue if i have about 3 sponsors who are not my family?

2. what exactly do my sponsors have to do? I saw that they have to write a letter and show their last 4 months bank statement, does the letter have to be notarize?

3. As for the 4 months bank statement for myself and the sponsors, what should it show? Is it all teh transactions for the 4 months or just teh balance for each month?

Thanks can't express how grateful i am.
Looking forward to hear from you soon.

 

[Amandeep129]

Need help

I would like to ask for help from someone about the changes in SINP. I and my fiancee had been living together from last two years in TORONTO. We already got out post graduation work permits. His work permit is expiring in december 2013 and mine is till 2015. We are not sure if his employer will support him in LMO. We might be getting married november 2013. What would be our best option for us to have him stay here with me.
When I am filing my SINP. If he has a visitor status here. Can we file together. ?
Is there any way he can get any status after his work permit expires to stay here If he doesnt get his LMO done.
I will really appreciate the answer.

 

[fkl]

Re: Need help

I would like to ask for help from someone about the changes in SINP. I and my fiancee had been living together from last two years in TORONTO. We already got out post graduation work permits. His work permit is expiring in december 2013 and mine is till 2015. We are not sure if his employer will support him in LMO. We might be getting married november 2013. What would be our best option for us to have him stay here with me.
When I am filing my SINP. If he has a visitor status here. Can we file together. ?
Is there any way he can get any status after his work permit expires to stay here If he doesnt get his LMO done.
I will really appreciate the answer.

I have little knowledge about SINP so i am afraid i can't be of help. Perhaps posting this as a separate thread with appropriate subject would be useful since there definitely are people who would know more.

Still i will speculate what i know. First thing is if you already are on a work permit and your profession is any of class 0, A or B of NOC list, you can still apply for your spouse / common law partner (since you have been living together for 2 years) on behalf of that. If not temp work permit, then certainly temp resident visa. In my opinion it should be simpler since your partner already was there on a work permit. Same would apply for your SINP application i.e. you can definitely file for your partner along with your own application if your NOC code is one of those. There are additional requirements to prove your relationship in case of common law, but it does exist and things help if you have same residential address, share bills etc.

Another option i think is that he/she can apply for extension of his own visa stating the circumstances. I mean at least a temp resident visa, if not a new LMO and work permit.

 

[fkl]

I even spoke to a lawyer and he told me that i should not carry my spouse because it would look like I wont come back.
But wanted $30000 to file the papers for me, that was too expensive.

Question:
1. Do you think the embassy will have a issue if i have about 3 sponsors who are not my family?

2. what exactly do my sponsors have to do? I saw that they have to write a letter and show their last 4 months bank statement, does the letter have to be notarize?

3. As for the 4 months bank statement for myself and the sponsors, what should it show? Is it all teh transactions for the 4 months or just teh balance for each month?

You are most welcome. Using the info one already has to help others seems to be the best way of utilizing your own painful experiences with the embassy.

30000 for filing papers? That's ridiculous. What exactly would the lawyer be doing? Getting visa stamped himself? No you should use the website for instructions and ask for clarifications when needed on forums. But using a lawyer is of little use.

I am not really sure about being a student as a principal applicant, how much the situation differs, but i have seen it clearly that it is a requirement for many people to take their family along and hence listed clearly as an option by the embassy. I think as long as you support it with enough substance such as funds, property owned if any etc., close dependent family ties in your home country (of yourself or spouse) that should be fine.

1. I presume by 3 sponsors, you mean people funding your study who are in your native country. I don't think that really matters as long as you are able to show their genuineness and availability of funds.

2. I really dont know whether it has to be notarized or not. Generally if sponsors are close relations, that makes it simpler. But better safe than sorry. Getting notarized is trivial. Small amount of money. Still its better to check student visa threads and people would surely have mentioned it there. In my case, i notarized every photo copy i sent along even when i sent originals too. Because they have to return originals latter.

3. The four month statement should show enough money for your expense available in the account. Preferably all the time. Transactions are of little importance. Rather if you have large amounts in the account but they are withdrawn significantly, then this would weaken the case. Think like statement should show "money is lying free in the account i.e. it is not urgently required by the person and hence can be spared for your expense". However, if the sum is deposited into the account recently, then it is a good idea (probably a requirement too) to show the source of money e.g. some one sold his property to get his kid to study and attached copy of sale deed.

Hope that helps. If you need clarification email is fine too. Generally the communication on forum is more useful since others might read it latter and get help as well.

 

[Therisaw]

Sorry i made a type error. The lawyer fee was $3,000.

Anyway thanks very much for you assistance, you have been very helpful.

Wish me luck, hopefully i will get the visa.

 

[fkl]

All the very best. Do keep us posted of your updates. Which visa office are you dealing with?

 

[Therisaw]

I will be using the embassy in kingston. I am a Jamaican.

Fkl send me a email, i might need your assistance when i am filling out the forms.

Wish me luck, so hopefully I will get the visa.
Thanks again

 

[fkl]

All the very best. Emailed you.

 

[Therisaw]

Question guys:

1. If one of my friend is going to help sponsor me, does he have to write a letter?
I know he will have to give me his bank statement and a job letter.

2. Can someone email or post here a sample sponsor letter they have used with their application before, Please. I need it as soon as possible.

Thanks a lot guys.

 

[Therisaw]

Hey guys, can someone assist with a sample of a sponsor letter please.

also, since i am applying for a open work permit for my spouse, does he need to sign a 'use of representative form'?
Being that it is one application?

 

[fkl]

Use of representative is only signed if you have some one else authorized on your behalf to submit, get status of the form etc. e.g. a lawyer. If you are applying by yourself this is not needed.