Sammilc

Apologies to anyone also on the 'Road To Canada' forum as I've reposted from there...


Hi Folks. Looking for a little advice over here. I'll sum up my situation...

I'm a British female, 23, been living in Vancouver since the end of Sept 2012. Moved here on a 1 year 'International Experience Canada' visa, which I then renewed in September last year. Now I am looking for a path to stay in Canada permanently.

I have been working as a server in a hotel restaurant for almost a year. Last month, they gave me a promotion to supervisor, but without a payrise.

I have a bachelors degree, can speak, read and write both English and French fluently, and am not bringing any dependents. I am not supported by a Canadian citizen or PR, but I do have my brother living here. He is a permanent resident, supported by his commonlaw girlfriend, and has been living here 5 years.

My employer has offered to sponsor me, so my research seems to suggest that given my 'non-skilled' job, the PNP program is the best way to go.

I am wondering if anyone else here has gained PR status through this process and if you can give me any information. Restaurant servers are one of the professions that are supported by the BC PNP program, but i can't help but think i won't get anywhere being sponsored as a server/ supervisor given that there are so many in BC. Is this likely to be the case? Any information gratefully received!

Sammilc

I have a follow-up question! My International Experience Canada visa expires on 4th Oct this year. I read someone on another forum saying that you can't extend my visa with a Bridging Open Work Permit because it has a fixed timeframe of 1 year...is this true? If so, what can I do come october once my visa expires? The current estimates processing time for the BC PNP is 4 months so i could realistically hope to, say, submit my paperwork by April and receive my sponsorship before my IEC runs out. But the processing time for obtaining the PR is much longer, so what would my situation be once my current visa runs out while the PR application is going through?

twist_freeride

You can get a bridging visa after your IEC if you have a PR in processing. You just don't get implied status after an IEC.

Siouxie

I will respond in full tomorrow, but once you have PNP nomination approval you can get a letter of support which will enable you to get a TWP with no LMO requirement.

If your PR hasn't been finalised by the time your new TWP is ending, you can apply for a bridging work permit.

Don't delay submitting your application as it is all changing in January 2015 and it will be harder!

tee1

I'd say the BC PNP is the route to go.
Having a good read through the PNP website is the 1st step.
If you have just been promoted to supervisor that's going to be the skilled stream of the BC PNP. If you don't have a few years of supervisor experience behind you though you may be better off sticking as a server and applying that way. Seems quite a few apps have been denied recently for the applicant not having a couple of years experience in a similar role.

For server and semi skilled you need to have been working full time for your employer for 9 months (average of 30 hours a week) and you have to do an English Language test. Other than that the semi skilled stream is pretty much assessed on a pass/fail basis. As long as the employer and job offer are eligible and you meet the language and education minimum then your application should be approved. I know several people who have gone this way. There's no advertising or recruitment requirement since it's already been determined there's a shortfall of workers in these select semi skilled occupations.

Once you have your PNP nomination, with a support letter provided by the PNP office you can apply for a new work permit.

Siouxie

+1

Gozit

Slightly off topic - if she's a native UK citizen why does she have to do an English language test-she was born in the country that created the language after all

I thought I heard in another thread that there was a way to bypass it if you were a citizen of UK/Aus/NZ/US ... But that was about citizenship...

Siouxie

Anyone who applies under the FSW streams or PNP semi-skilled streams has to have proof of English Language ability, regardless of where they were born or raised.

Being English makes absolutely no difference. It is the ability to speak, listen, understand, read and write to a specified level that matters, not where you were born.

Gozit

True... I know some people born here that can barely speak english!

Sammilc

Tee1 and Siouxie...you both agree that I should apply under the skilled stream rather than the entry level...realistically I could even apply as an 'assistant manager' at the restaurant (as many of my duties fall into this category, and my full job description hasn't exactly been identified yet). The reason I was going to go under the entry level stream is because I haven't been given a pay rise, and they ask for proof of wages. Would this not look a bit fishy?

Siouxie

Tee1 actually suggested you go for the semi-skilled unless you had prior supervisory experience as CIC will look for what experience you have. Tee1 also said the problem with your 'promotion' is that it will change your NOC classification from semi-skilled to skilled, so you would probably be better off with the job description of server until you get PNP.

If you have the 9 months work experience (and any other experience or requirements) then I would apply under the semi-skilled PNP stream - it's pretty much guaranteed to go through as there is a shortage.

Sammilc

Thanks! I have actually managed restaurants for a total of 12 months previous to this role but I think you're right that I'm safer going in as semi-skilled.

Something else that occurred to me tonight is this: The BC PNP requires that you have worked full time for 9 months with the employer who supports your application. It also classifies full time as 30 hours per week or more.

My job description is classified, as far as the hospitality industry goes, as 'full time'. However, I think, upon a quick calculation, that I have only worked an average 27 hours per week since I started. Because the serving industry is so volatile, though I work 5 days a week, some days I'm cut early due to slow business etc. Does this automatically rule me out for the PNP!? Will they even check how many hours I have worked, or will they just base it off my job description? (Should I open a new thread for this topic?)

Siouxie

You will need to go through your pay slips for the last 9 months and work out exactly how many hours you have worked. You do need a minimum of 30 hours a week, averaged, over the most recent 9 months. Yes, they will check because one of the things you need to supply are your wage statements.

http://www.welcomebc.ca/welcome_bc/m..._checklist.pdf

The only possible way around this is if you can increase your working hours for the next few months so that you 'make up' sufficient hours to take you over the 30 hour minimum, average, for a period of 9 months.

your employer will be understanding and schedule you for the extra hours.

If you were to go down the 'skilled' route, they will expect you to have 'several years' of experience in the position.

Sammilc

What happens, then, if I make up my hours, but because of the later submission of my PNP, I don't get a decision before my current IEC visa runs out? I'm not eligible for implied status, but can I continue to stay in Canada, not working, until I get a decision on my PNP and use the supporting letter to get a new temporary work permit? Or would I have to go back to the UK between my IEC expiring and my new TWP being issued?

Siouxie

If you can make up your hours but your current IEC runs out prior to PNP nomination approval, you would change your status to 'visitor' - then once you have PNP approval, take the letter of confirmation, a copy of your contract, your passport and $155 to the border and you will be issued a new TWP (no LMO required).

First thing would be to go through your pay slips for the past 9 months (if you haven't kept them, ask your employer for copies) and work out exactly how many hours you are short.

Do you think your employer would be amenable to making sure you get the extra hours (even if only temporarily) ? You will need to work a minimum of 40 hours for about 11 weeks or 35 hours for 22 weeks to make it up (I think, lol)