Thread For applications Through SYDNEY (AUSTRALIA) Office

[bigredmoose]

Ugh - wait times for Sydney now 14 months.

 

[stgeorge]

Ugh - wait times for Sydney now 14 months.

This is ridiculous. I work as a business process improvement consultant and I can only imagine the inefficiencies in this system, particularly given it is such a manual process. The reliance on human work to process applications in the public sector, with little motivating employees (due to poor pay and bonuses) and high-turnover of staff would only add to the time............given that my experience with other services such as Amazon and Apple is seamless, it feels like I am stepping back to the 80's, waiting in a black hole where no one knows what or how long things take.
Sorry for the rant....just had to get that off my chest

 

[kiwi_girl]

This is ridiculous. I work as a business process improvement consultant and I can only imagine the inefficiencies in this system, particularly given it is such a manual process. The reliance on human work to process applications in the public sector, with little motivating employees (due to poor pay and bonuses) and high-turnover of staff would only add to the time............given that my experience with other services such as Amazon and Apple is seamless, it feels like I am stepping back to the 80's, waiting in a black hole where no one knows what or how long things take.
Sorry for the rant....just had to get that off my chest

I'm sure there are a lot of us that feel the same! Waiting with no indication of anything is the hardest!

 

[Megzu]

Hi all- such wonderful information and advice on this page! My husband and I were about to travel to Canada and lodge an inland application because we wanted the OWP however after reading through this forum thread I think we will go outland...

I just wanted to confirm a few things...
- Just confirming that we will be alright applying for outland while living in Canada? We will be flying to Canada in a month, what should we say to the border officers upon arrival?
- Are working rights granted to the applicant after the sponsor has been approved or after permanent residency has been granted?
- Has anyone received their PR in the last month, how long did it take you to receive it from start to finish?

Thanks

 

[bigredmoose]

Hi all- such wonderful information and advice on this page! My husband and I were about to travel to Canada and lodge an inland application because we wanted the OWP however after reading through this forum thread I think we will go outland...

I just wanted to confirm a few things...
- Just confirming that we will be alright applying for outland while living in Canada? We will be flying to Canada in a month, what should we say to the border officers upon arrival?
- Are working rights granted to the applicant after the sponsor has been approved or after permanent residency has been granted?
- Has anyone received their PR in the last month, how long did it take you to receive it from start to finish?

Thanks

Can you give us some more info? Which one of you is the Canadian, and what citizenship does the other one have? Are you planning to move here permanently while immigration works on your application?

 

[bigredmoose]

Can you give us some more info? Which one of you is the Canadian, and what citizenship does the other one have? Are you planning to move here permanently while immigration works on your application?

I got some of your info from another thread where you posted a question. I think you're going to run into serious trouble at the border. Your husband has no status in Canada, which means he can only come in as a visitor. If the CBSA feel that is not his intent, they are supposed to turn him away, regardless of the intention to apply for sponsorship. You can tell them he is visiting, but that's clearly a lie and it will become obvious to the CBSA when they see that he's on a one-way ticket, all his possessions, no job or residence to go back to, etc.

Once he's in as a vistor, you can apply outland (but no work permit) and ask for extensions as needed or inland (and get the OWP).

 

[kiwi123]

Hi all- such wonderful information and advice on this page! My husband and I were about to travel to Canada and lodge an inland application because we wanted the OWP however after reading through this forum thread I think we will go outland...

I just wanted to confirm a few things...
- Just confirming that we will be alright applying for outland while living in Canada? We will be flying to Canada in a month, what should we say to the border officers upon arrival?
- Are working rights granted to the applicant after the sponsor has been approved or after permanent residency has been granted?
- Has anyone received their PR in the last month, how long did it take you to receive it from start to finish?

Thanks

There is always a risk of getting denied at the border especially if you turn up with all your worldly possessions(probably best to travel with enough for a holiday and have everything else sent over later). But you can help yourself by getting onto your application asap, if you can't get the entire thing completed and submitted you should at least pay the fees, maybe do the medical, this will help them see you are doing the right thing. You can also buy a fully refundable return ticket and just get the refund as soon as you land.

Make sure you only ever refer to the border agent to visiting, not moving. Once your husband is here he can apply to have his visitor visa extended.

I recently got by application approved through Sydney in just over 5 months, I was living in Canada the whole time. There is a spreadsheet somewhere on this thread which tracks peoples applications through Sydney.

 

[Megzu]

There is always a risk of getting denied at the border especially if you turn up with all your worldly possessions(probably best to travel with enough for a holiday and have everything else sent over later). But you can help yourself by getting onto your application asap, if you can't get the entire thing completed and submitted you should at least pay the fees, maybe do the medical, this will help them see you are doing the right thing. You can also buy a fully refundable return ticket and just get the refund as soon as you land.

Make sure you only ever refer to the border agent to visiting, not moving. Once your husband is here he can apply to have his visitor visa extended.

I recently got by application approved through Sydney in just over 5 months, I was living in Canada the whole time. There is a spreadsheet somewhere on this thread which tracks peoples applications through Sydney.

Yes, I think our best bet is just saying that we are on a holiday (which is true, especially for my husband who won't be working). We can lodge an outland application after we arrive. We have a fair few suitcases but I don't think anything that would flag a move. Still not sure what to do about a one way ticket. We are flying to Canada a couple days before my son turns two so he was free with the one way ticket. If we were to buy a return we would have had to pay for him. At the end of the day we are able to purchase a ticket out of Canada if need be. Do you think we should do this now or once we land if we get in trouble (or maybe it will be too late by then!)

 

[yokies]

Has anyone waiting for a PR card flown and come back without any issues? Being visa exempt I'm thinking it should be ok.
I'm just worried a little as I'm going away next weekend.... I still haven't received my PR card yet. Turnaround time on their website says 23 calander days and its been way past that day for me. I called the call center and they will try and expedite things for me but I'm definitely not going to receive it before I leave. Any experiences with anyone here? I have googled and done some research and well I think that being visa exempt helps... but the last thing I want is the airplane denying me to board coming back to Canada...
I inquired about the travel document but that is not an option for me as it's going to take about a mth to get and I will only be leaving for 2 weeks. Any thoughts?

 

[bigredmoose]

Yes, I think our best bet is just saying that we are on a holiday (which is true, especially for my husband who won't be working). We can lodge an outland application after we arrive. We have a fair few suitcases but I don't think anything that would flag a move. Still not sure what to do about a one way ticket. We are flying to Canada a couple days before my son turns two so he was free with the one way ticket. If we were to buy a return we would have had to pay for him. At the end of the day we are able to purchase a ticket out of Canada if need be. Do you think we should do this now or once we land if we get in trouble (or maybe it will be too late by then!)

You're really playing with fire here. I'd strongly advise you not to do this. There are going to be so many flags that this is a move, I can't see the CBSA letting him in. The last thing you want is for him to get caught in a lie at the border and then get excluded.

Think about it. Canadian coming home with her Australian husband. He says he's just visiting, but he has no return ticket (or at best one purchased separately from the arrival, which is weird enough on it's own). During the interview, how is he going to respond to basic questions like "what do you do for a living? When is your employer expecting you back at work? What is your address back home? Any friends/neighbours/landlord we can call to verify all this?"

Just the fact that you're moving back to Canada with your non-status husband in tow is suspect. You're going to have a hard time convincing the border guard that he's going to leave. And given that he has no plans on actually leaving, I don't think you're going to be successful.

You should have applied from Australia and then immigrated.

 

[Canadianfairy]

I agree that you should apply from Australia and wait till you get PR before making the move... we waited 7 months to get the PR but only landed a month ago.... however I have often traveled to Canada (we lived in Australia for 8 years) with my Australian husband and kids on a one way ticket and never got asked any of those questions. In saying that if CBSA get the feeling your lying then you'd be in trouble. i'd say better safe than sorry and apply for PR from Australia and wait it out. or if your husband is under 30 then he could possibly apply for a working holiday visa which gives him a year or maybe 2 in Canada.

 

[torvic]

Hi all -

Wanted to draw some attention to the fact that the IEC has recently changed its stance on IEC visas for Australians. Looks like this was updated on Friday.

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/work/iec/index.asp?country=au&cat=wh

"Note: As an Australian citizen, you may participate in the Working Holiday category only once. If you meet the eligibility criteria, you may participate in IEC one more time through the International Co-op (Internship) category.

If you participated in IEC before 2015, you are eligible for a final participation of up to 24 months in the category of your choice."

We're thrilled that our sponsorship process is complete - this new rule would have really impacted us, so just wanted to alert anyone who is on an IEC or looking to get another one that the rules have changed. Wishing everyone a quick journey to their PR!!

 

[Applechunks]

Hi everyone,
My husband and I thought that it might be a good idea to connect with other Aussie ex-pats (and partners) all going through the same process. I wanted to be a little less anonymous!
I have created a facebook group if anyone is keen to join.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/730074400442960/

I've kept the group closed to try and avoid a load of spamming etc.

Let me know when you've sent a request and I'll add you.

Also keen for those who have been through the process to join and give insights.

 

[stgeorge]

Hi everyone,
My husband and I thought that it might be a good idea to connect with other Aussie ex-pats (and partners) all going through the same process. I wanted to be a little less anonymous!
I have created a facebook group if anyone is keen to join.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/730074400442960/

I've kept the group closed to try and avoid a load of spamming etc.

Let me know when you've sent a request and I'll add you.

Also keen for those who have been through the process to join and give insights.

I am a Kiwi, so I hope you don't mind me joining in given I have to go through the Sydney Office

 

[Applechunks]

I am a Kiwi, so I hope you don't mind me joining in given I have to go through the Sydney Office

I'm part kiwi too and we're like neighbours!