CIC work permit SNAFU
Aug 6th 2008, 4:31 pm
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Joined: May 2006
Location: Vancouver BC
Posts: 70
CIC work permit SNAFU
Its seems CIC may have made a major mistake on the renewal of my work permit?!
In 2006 I entered Canada as part of the fast track WP program for Information Technology Workers. I received a one year permit which I then successfully extended for another year in 2007 via Vegreville.
This summer I was offered another one year contract by my employer and set about renewing the permit for another year. I applied for this permit through my representative back at the start of June. After six weeks we were informed that the application was referred to the Vancouver office for processing with no explanation given. Unfortunately this delayed our application further and timing could not have been any worse as we had to return back to the UK for a wedding which had been planned for months in advance. As our current work permits were expired and we still had no resolution to the new application, the application would be abandoned once we left Canada.
However this was not a major issue as the Information Technology WP Program allows you apply at the Port of entry. Our plan was to abandon the previous application and then apply when we returned from the UK after a week away.
This do not go according to plan. We found out the reasons for the delay when we returned through immigration at Vancouver airport. Apparently CIC referred the application for further investigation as they felt I did not meet the requirements for the 'GATS' program.
As far as I know the 'Information Technology Workers Program' has nothing to do with the 'GATS' Program, I did not apply for anything through the 'GATS' Program. They are also investigating my previous WPs saying that they have been issued in error! They allowed me to enter but I can't work and have to wait a week for the outcome.
I will be receiving advice on the matter from my representative but just wondering if anybody here has had any issues with getting their Information Technology Workers WP this year? What is GATS? Surely the IT WP Program has nothing to do with GATS?
In 2006 I entered Canada as part of the fast track WP program for Information Technology Workers. I received a one year permit which I then successfully extended for another year in 2007 via Vegreville.
This summer I was offered another one year contract by my employer and set about renewing the permit for another year. I applied for this permit through my representative back at the start of June. After six weeks we were informed that the application was referred to the Vancouver office for processing with no explanation given. Unfortunately this delayed our application further and timing could not have been any worse as we had to return back to the UK for a wedding which had been planned for months in advance. As our current work permits were expired and we still had no resolution to the new application, the application would be abandoned once we left Canada.
However this was not a major issue as the Information Technology WP Program allows you apply at the Port of entry. Our plan was to abandon the previous application and then apply when we returned from the UK after a week away.
This do not go according to plan. We found out the reasons for the delay when we returned through immigration at Vancouver airport. Apparently CIC referred the application for further investigation as they felt I did not meet the requirements for the 'GATS' program.
As far as I know the 'Information Technology Workers Program' has nothing to do with the 'GATS' Program, I did not apply for anything through the 'GATS' Program. They are also investigating my previous WPs saying that they have been issued in error! They allowed me to enter but I can't work and have to wait a week for the outcome.
I will be receiving advice on the matter from my representative but just wondering if anybody here has had any issues with getting their Information Technology Workers WP this year? What is GATS? Surely the IT WP Program has nothing to do with GATS?
Last edited by orange247; Aug 6th 2008 at 4:47 pm.
