I'm about to apply under the family class application from within canada sponsored by my spouse.it says the wait time for PR or conditional PR is 17 months. Am I entitled to work and health coverage during the waiting period? Am I allowed to leave Canada and return during this time?
Work and Health coverage while waiting for permanent residency
- Thread starter Djwaters1985
- Start date
Aquakitty
VIP Member
- Mar 21, 2011
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- Category........
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- Visa Office......
- Ottawa
- App. Filed.......
- 04-03-2015
- AOR Received.
- 14-04-2015 - SA Received: 20-04-2015
- Med's Done....
- 28-01-2015 Upfront
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- VISA ISSUED...
- 25-06-2015
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- 11-07-2015
Djwaters1985 said:
Assuming you are currently in status and submit a work permit with your inland application, it will be approved four months after your application is submitted. However you won't qualify for OHIP (I see you are in Ontario) until you have first stage approval at the 17 month mark. So you should obtain private insurance to cover yourself for emergencies until then. You should not leave Canada while you application is processing (ideally).
It looks like you're Australian. If that's right, you'd probably be far better off applying outland.
And just to add the wait time for inland is 17 months for stage 1. Stage 2 then takes 10 more months so that's 27 months total.
Agreed for Australian citizens an outland app is the better choice as Sydney visa office is one of the quicker ones. Most are done in under 1 year total. If you have a permit here valid for at least 1 year you could also have your outland app processed in Ottawa which should also be pretty quick.
Of course there is no OWP involved with an outland app. But from your previous posts it seems you will get an IEC work permit for another year so you should definitely apply outland and continue to live/work in Canada during the processing with your IEC visa. You should avoid inland at all costs.
Agreed for Australian citizens an outland app is the better choice as Sydney visa office is one of the quicker ones. Most are done in under 1 year total. If you have a permit here valid for at least 1 year you could also have your outland app processed in Ottawa which should also be pretty quick.
Of course there is no OWP involved with an outland app. But from your previous posts it seems you will get an IEC work permit for another year so you should definitely apply outland and continue to live/work in Canada during the processing with your IEC visa. You should avoid inland at all costs.
The IEC is much more difficult to obtain at the moment and my current one expires in january so applying outland would mean I'd have to leave Canada for many months I believe?
My partner has just reminded me that when we get married I will be covered under his work health plan so it may not be much of a concern, hopefully..
My partner has just reminded me that when we get married I will be covered under his work health plan so it may not be much of a concern, hopefully..
Djwaters1985 said:
No you don't need to leave Canada, with an outland app you just need to maintain proper visitor status here. And of course as a visitor you can stay here but can't work.
Also make sure he checks with his health plan if they will cover spouses who are not covered by provincial health plan. This is sometimes a condition of private employer plans. And note that an employer plan is just for secondary things (like RMT massage, chiropractor, drugs, eyeglasses, etc). It will NOT cover typical doctor visits or trips to the hospital for any emergencies.
No - you don't have to leave Canada to apply outland. You can be in Canada while an outland application is being processed. You could apply to covert your status to visitor and remain without working.
Don't count on being covered by your partner's work health plan. The VAST majority of work health plans only cover individuals who are already covered by OHIP. In other words, coverage under OHIP is a requirement for obtaining further coverage from the work health plan. There are many members here (myself included) who were unable to get coverage for our partners after marrying - even though our partners were in Canada. We had to wait until our partners had OHIP coverage to add them to the work health plan. Your partner should call the provider to confirm how the coverage works. I would assume you won't be covered and plan accordingly.
Don't count on being covered by your partner's work health plan. The VAST majority of work health plans only cover individuals who are already covered by OHIP. In other words, coverage under OHIP is a requirement for obtaining further coverage from the work health plan. There are many members here (myself included) who were unable to get coverage for our partners after marrying - even though our partners were in Canada. We had to wait until our partners had OHIP coverage to add them to the work health plan. Your partner should call the provider to confirm how the coverage works. I would assume you won't be covered and plan accordingly.
Rob_TO said:
This is also very true and important. Anything covered by OHIP won't be covered by the workplace health plan.
In previous posts I believe the OP mentioned he was taking medications covered by OHIP. If that's the case, these won't be covered by the workplace health plan. He'll need to pay for this care out of pocket if he doesn't have OHIP. Workplace plans supplement OHIP - they don't replace it.
So if i were to do an application from within Canada that would entitle me to work while I wait? But no healthcare? Does it make a difference that i work full time?
But if i do an outland application it'd be quicker but I wouldn't be able to work? Is the tourist visa only valid for 3 months?
But if i do an outland application it'd be quicker but I wouldn't be able to work? Is the tourist visa only valid for 3 months?
Djwaters1985 said:
Australians are visa-exempt to Canada so there is no such thing as a tourist "visa" for you. You can have visitor status or a visitor record, which most people get for 6-12 months at a time, and can usually extend easily as needed.
Hi DJwaters....
If you/your spouse 'live' in Alberta, you can get healthcare with a visitor visa/record or stamp from the border.
My workplace insurance would only add my wife to my work benefits plan if she already had a provincial health card. You couldn't get one without the other... so you may want to look into that to make sure.
If you/your spouse 'live' in Alberta, you can get healthcare with a visitor visa/record or stamp from the border.
My workplace insurance would only add my wife to my work benefits plan if she already had a provincial health card. You couldn't get one without the other... so you may want to look into that to make sure.
tom_from_sk said:
They live in Ontario - and Ontario doesn't do that. Ontario also does not grant OHIP to those who hold work permits under the inland spousal sponsorship pilot. You have to wait until you have first stage approval (i.e. 17 months after the application is submitted).
Yes - outland will be faster. However you won't be able to work and you still won't qualify for health care.
Djwaters1985 said:
Apply outland. Sydney is one of the fastest offices out there, averaging around 6 months. You can apply to change yor status to visitor before your IEC expires and wait it out here.
Thank you very much everybody! I'll stock up on medication, apply for third party insurance and apply outland to Sydney!
Much appreciated!!
Much appreciated!!
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