Flagpoling 2021
 

Hi everyone,
We're seeking some advice please. Our current work permits expire on January 9th 2022, however I have recently been offered a 3-year College placement. My employers are happy to pay for the tuition and to allow me to work part-time (20 hours a week) during term time. The problem we have is the IRCC processing time is currently showing 13 weeks, which is beyond the start date of the College course (January 10th or 14th at the very latest).

Does anyone have any knowledge of the current status of flagpoling at an Ontario Land Border, given that the CBSA have an increased work load due to the borders opening on November 8th and COVID restrictions/requirements? We feel like this would be our only option to stay in Canada but we've found it difficult to find information online to see if it's even a possibility.

Many Thanks in advance.

Corinne

Re: Flagpoling 2021
 

If it's a study Permit you're after, unless you are a US Citizen/US PR (or a few other exceptions), you're not eligible to apply for one at the border.

Re: Flagpoling 2021
 

Hi,
Just an update. We've been on the IRCC website today and have now found that the processing time is at 14 weeks, taking us into the beginning of February.
Is it worth putting an application online and then going to the border or just doing it all at the border so we're not charged twice. The only other option we can think of is to go out of Canada and come back in through an airport. Does anyone have any other suggestions?

Snowy560 I believe that the CBSA at the Canada Border can do this, and I do not have to be a US Citizen/US PR. I'm not getting a study permit for the US, it's for Canada.

Many Thanks

Re: Flagpoling 2021
 

Unfortunately, unless you are a US Citizen/US PR or meet one of the other exceptions (e g. a resident of Greenland), you are not eligible to apply for a Study Permit for Canada at the border. That's what the law says. Sorry.

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/study-permit/apply.html

Re: Flagpoling 2021
 

Do you know if there's such a thing as a bridging permit for Students?

My issue is, if I have to defer until the new semester (my current visa runs out on 9th January, course starts 14th January latest) the college won't extend beyond this date and recommend deferring until their September intake. From my research, I haven't found a bridging permit for students. I cannot work in-between these dates without another visa and cannot afford to not work either.

Thanks

Re: Flagpoling 2021
 

I believe you will need to change to visitor status until such time as your study permit comes through. You can do this online and provided they receive the application (and payment) prior to your current work permits expiring (i.e they will need to be received by 8th January) you will be on implied status as a visitor - you won't be able to work until your study permit is issued.
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration...ding-stay.html

Re: Flagpoling 2021
 

You don't need to change your status to visitor as long as your work Permit is valid at the time your Study Permit app is received by IRCC. Also remember most visitors (unless they are family members of people authorized to study or work) can't apply for study Permits from within Canada.

But after applying for your SP, once the work Permit expires you can no longer work or study until the study Permit is approved because you are changing what you will be doing in Canada.

Re: Flagpoling 2021
 

We still haven't heard anything from IRCC about my study permit application. My current work permit expires on January 9th and my course is due to start January 10th. The processing time, when I applied, took it several weeks past this date (February) but we were recommended by an immigration lawyer to submit it anyway and hope for the best, which we did.
However, today I received an invitation to apply for the Ontario Immigration Nominee Program: Foreign Worker Stream for the current job I am in, which is Administrative Assistant. With only 32 days left to go and Ontario's program showing 30-60 days processing time, is it worth us even considering this? Given that we would still have to wait to be drawn and then wait for IRCC to do a PNP draw and then complete our PR application and wait for that to be processed, it all just seems a little too late but we were hoping to get other people's thoughts. We wouldn't be able to afford to stay here without work permits.