Yogi-Bear

Hi All,

This is my first post, and after seeing how helpful everyone is, I'm hoping that maybe I might get my question answered, or some breakthrough advice.

We filed a "Skilled Workers Application" with the CIC in London on the 23rd Oct 2006. We received a case file number in Feb 2007.

In August 2007 I was offered a job in Calgary and was awaiting for the LMO to be approved. In between times, I filed to the AAIT for an invitation to challenge the Red Seal exam.

After returning from Calgary in the last 3 weeks I have just sent to the CIC in London copies of the following:

1/. Written confirmation of my job offer
2/. Copy of my AAIT approval,
3/. Copy of my LMO approval,

My Question is this:

As I now have the LMO can I land with my family in Calgary and obtain my work permit at "Port of Entry" and then just start work and tackle the PR from the Canadian end? Or, Do we sit it out here in the Uk, and wait for PR from our application, and if this is the case, as anyone on here had any experience of this? If so, how long did it take? after updating CIC of the above did it take for visa etc..

Hope all this makes sense.

Many Thanks all and look forward to hearing from you.

Regards

Yogi

Judy in Calgary

In theory, yes. Several members of this forum have done it that way. Applying for a work permit at your port of entry is not entirely without risk, however. If I were you, I would apply to the Canadian High Commission in London. See an explanation in the Wiki article called TWP : Where to apply.

Yes. After working in Canada on a work permit for a few months, and if your employer is willing to offer you a permanent job, you could ask Citizenship and Immigration Canada to fast-track your PR application. However, anecdotal reports on this forum suggest that CIC is more responsive to requests for fast-tracking when a PR application is being submitted from scratch. They don't necessarily fast-track previously submitted PR applications. See the Wiki article called Fast Track PR Application.

No. That is too risky. You might find yourself waiting for a long time.

You should not base your decision on how long it's taken other people. There is at least one other poster who submitted his PR application about two and a half years ago and who now has had his medicals. But it still could be a few months before he actually gets to Canada. In addition to that, there is no guarantee that your case will be handled as quickly as his. You could find yourself waiting for quite some time yet. If you wait it out, your current job offer will fizzle out.

Also, I think you're getting a couple of different processes confused. If you now tell Citizenship and Immigration Canada that your prospective employer has an LMO, it won't make any difference at all to your PR application. The only time your work permit will speed up your PR application is when you re-submit your PR application after you've been working in Canada on a temporary work permit for a few months.

If the employer had wanted the job offer to influence your PR application before you moved to Canada, he should have applied for an Arranged Employment Opinion (AEO).

If I were you, I would go ahead and apply for a temporary work permit. But, if it was my application, I would apply to CHC London.

Hope that helps.
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Yogi-Bear

Hi Judy,

Thank you for your detailed reply. So even with an LMO in my name, AAIT Approval, and a confirmed job offer in writing, this would not project PR application filed in Oct 2006?

I was under the impression that sorting yourself out with a confirmed job, Lmo etc etc,, would project your application for PR as opposed to waiting for it to all materialise and doing nothing!

So really based on what you've said, I need to get a work permit and get things moving that way because the LMo is active until Jan 2009 and the AAIT invitation expires in March 2009 and if they expire, I have to start the whole process again which was a real pain to begin with..

Bottom line - Work Permit?

Cheers

Yogi

Andrew Miller

No, it wouldn't. You only filed a simplified application form - it is not a real application. Real, full, standard application package should be downloaded from here:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/informa...ns/skilled.asp

You need to submit the package with all forms and required supporting evidence as per above, plus additional files required by London (get forms and checklist from CHC London website), plus copy of valid work permit, evidence of working in Canada (few payslips), plus letter from employer stating intention to convert your current temporary employment to a permanent position on indeterminate basis after you become a PR and your request to upgrade your simplified application to a full one with arranged employment and to have it processed in expedited manner.

Majority of those who claimed here that their request for "fast tracking" their existing case didn't work simply didn't submit all what is required - or even submitted only what you did falsely hoping that it will do the trick - it won't.

So, with LMO get a work permit and start working in Canada - in the meantime start preparing the real application package.

Yogi-Bear

Dear Mr Miller,

Thank you very much for your reply.

So basically with a copy of the LMO, my offer of employment, and my AAIT invite, I can enter Calgary, and they will issue me with a work permit for 2 years? Or do I need to apply to CHC London for the permit?

Also, would I then need to apply for a spousal permit, for my wife to work in a Medical lab? Would I have to pay school fee's as we're now there on a TWP? Plus my 18yr old son was offered a full apprenticeship with the same company.

So basically what your saying is > Get your permit at POE or apply to London, start work, in the meantime get the full application filed and sent to London? Or file it once we're in Canada at the local office?

If we do this would they just upgrade our original application as we've paid approx £800.00 in fee's. Also as we now have a case file number, is this just going to add more confussion if they issue us with another one?

What about medicals, and Police checks? We've already had the Police checks done in 2006 but I read on here somewhere that they're now invalid as they only have a time span of 6 months?

I'm sorry for all the questions but it does seem a little confusing to say the least.

Thanking you in anticipation of your reply..

Regards

Yogi.

Andrew Miller

First you need to clarify your circumstances - are you in Canada now with valid work permit (your post suggests it)?

WP procedures depend from your answer to the above.

Once you are working in Canada for couple or so months submit full PR application to London and ask for upgrade - as I described in previous post. You will be using the existing file number, nobody will give you any new file number. And yes, you'll need new police certificates. There is no PR visa application process in Canada.

Your son's apprenticeship? If it is not a part of educational program under study permit he will need work permit.

I strongly suggest you read Wiki, posts here and learn more from CIC website - your posts tell me that your knowledge of the process is almost nil. Or seek professional help.

Judy in Calgary

In my earlier post, I referred you to a Wiki article called TWP : Where to apply.

Yes. Most work permit applicants do not have to undergo medicals. Some work permit applicants who would work with vulnerable populations, e.g., in hospitals and childcare centres, have to have medicals. I don't know if a person who works in a medical lab has to undergo a medical.

No. However, it would be prudent to get study permits for your kids. There is a great deal of confusion amongst Canadian school jurisdictions as to whether or not children of work permit holders need study permits. Some require them, and some don't.

As Andrew has stated, while you're still on a work permit, your son will be able to work in Canada only if he gets a work permit in his own right. That means that the prospective employer will have to advertise the job across Canada for 3 months. Only if he is unable to attract a qualified Canadian to the job will he be able to offer the job to your son.

You cannot file it in Canada at the local office. If you have authorization to work in Canada for a year, you are allowed to submit your application to Buffalo, New York. However, Buffalo does not do fast tracking of PR applications for people who are in Canada on work permit applications. London does do fast tracking. Again, this is explained in the Wiki article called Fast Track PR Application to which I referred you in my earlier post.

My understanding is Yes.

As Andrew said, they won't issue you with a new case file number. They will dredge up the previous application you submitted and match it with your new (full) application.

They will tell you when you can go for medicals. There is no point in going before they give you the green light.

As Andrew said, you'll have to get your police checks re-done.
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Yogi-Bear

Mr Miller,

Thanks for getting back to me so promptly. Just to clarify a few of your points.

Hmm, We're here in the Uk, check out the 3rd paragraph of the last post..

(Or file it once WE'RE in Canada at the local office?)

The rest of your post I fully understand. But I will check out the Wikki situation and believe it, or belive it not, I did use a professional agent and was very I'll advised!

I've done it all, filed the papers, completed the AAIT sucessfully and been accepted, obtained a full time well paid job so I wouldn't think my knowledge is totally nil.. I was advised to get in the system quickly, get a job, get an LMO, get AAIT approval and this would then project my application.

This it transpires is obviously not the case and you are no better off than if you sit back and just wait for things to materialise, or so it would seem?

So we're here in the Uk, would I apply to London, or obtain this WP at POE with a copy of my LMO? But applying to London, surely they're that swamped what sort of turn around is it for a WP if this is the way forward?

Thanks for your help, I do appreciate this, and if I do hit a stone wall within the next Month or so would you be prepared to take the file over?

I have the following:

1/. AAIt Approval
2/. LMO Approved,
3/. Full job offer,
4/. Funds in place,

I was just hoping to obtain the next stage of PR( No doubt the full pack) a little quicker having completed all of the above, rather than enter Canada on a TWP.

Many Thanks

Yogi.

Yogi-Bear

Hi Judy,

Thank you for your reply. My reply to andrew has crossed with your reply, and thanks for the reminder for TWP link.. I see your point about the POE risk! according to the link you've sent it does say at the bottom apply to London and explain the urgency of the siutation and they will reply quickly.

Sorry to be a little negative, but I have sent them several letters informing them of new progress as and when it unfolded but I've received no reply whatsoever! I understand the pressure they're under and the limited staff they have but it did take nearly 8 months just to get a letter of acknowledgement with a case file number - but I'll give it a go and see where we go from here..

Many Thanks for your input, this really is a great site

Cheers

Yogi

Judy in Calgary

Not quite sure what you mean by "project" your application. I'm guessing you mean expedite or speed up your application. I'm also assuming you're referring to your PR application.

Whoever told you that missed out a couple of steps. All of that is effective in expediting or fast tracking your PR application if you enter Canada on a temporary work permit (TWP). Another vital step, once you're working in Canada, is to receive a permanent job offer. Once those pieces are in place, you can submit a full PR application to CHC London (or re-submit a new one if you've submitted one before), with a request that they consider expediting it.

No, I don't agree with that.

As I stated earlier, an LMO has no bearing on a PR application. In most cases an LMO is a pre-requisite for a TWP. The only reason that an LMO might be of any use to a PR applicant is in securing a TWP which, in turn, would help the applicant to get his/her PR application expedited, once he/she already was working in Canada on his/her TWP and had received a permanent job offer.

I think one of your challenges has been a misunderstanding of the role of an LMO. This possibly is the fault of the immigration consultant whom you hired, who may not have explained the implications clearly enough. It seems that you thought the LMO would directly assist your PR application, but it will not. I get the impression that you now understand this distinction.
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Rob_999

Yogi,

I think you've got your wires crossed slightly. Getting job offer & LMO does two things. Firstly it means you & your family can move to Canada right now on a temporary work permit. Secondly, if you put this together with a letter from your employer promising to employ you permanently once PR status is granted, then it will help speed up your application.

I would take the following steps:

1) Get out to Canada on work permits
- You can either apply at POE or directly to London (6 week wait)
- Make sure you apply for spousal open work permit at the same time (you can only do this if your job falls in skill level O, A or B of the National Occupational Classification)
- Study permits (I can't help you here)

2) Get PR application Fast Tracked
- Start pulling together all the paperwork right now. You only submitted simplified application, so get filling out all the necessary forms & backup.
- Once all this has been gathered, put together the application with the following addition:
(a) Copy of Work Permit
(b) Proof of employment in Canada (last 3 payslips)
(c) Letter from your employer stating that they will to convert your current temporary employment to a permanent position on indeterminate basis after you become a PR
(d) Cover Letter, stating that you have secured arranged employment and wish to be considered for fast tracking

As Andrew points out, it's easy to get confused and do things the wrong way. If you are in any doubt hire a professional. I'm not saying you can't do this by yourself (I managed, as have many others on BE) but it does take time & research.

Good luck!
Rob

Yogi-Bear

Hi Judy,

We we're really misled by this agent to be honest. To clarify the point, I didn't hire them they were hired by the company to "Take care of things" has the company had very little experience in this sort of thing.

It then transpires after a few more mistakes, that they had only just started up in business and had only got a few months experience themselves.

Yes - you'd right to assume "Project" meaning expedite, fast-track, our original "Simplified process application".

If you disagree on the point of "Waiting for things to materialise" then what other advantages are there having completed AAIT, found employment, LMO, if you're in the UK? I can see the advantages if you're in Canada but having completed all this from the UK, it seems to have little effect on CHC London to the effect of opening our file and saying "We require further documents" etc.. Maybe I'm being a little impatient, but the process seems to move at a snails pace..

Again in your last paragraph the role of the "LMO" we we're advised this was the be-all and end-all when reality it has no bearing unless as you say you're in Canada.

I think from what you and Andrew are saying is the best option is:

London for WP > Calgary > Work > apply to London from Calgary updating all the information and file a full application..

Wow! I feel like I've gone back 18 months, and as you say if it's not sorted quickly the company won't wait forever!

Thank you Judy

Yogi.

Yogi-Bear

Hey Rob,

Thanks for the input. That seemed to put it in a nutshell so to speak When you say apply at POE all I have is a copy of the LMO, would I need the original?

So from what you're saying: We could land tomorrow at Calgary International armed with a copy of the job offer, Copy of the AAIT invite, Copy of the LMO and some funds and they'd issue me a work permit and my wife one too? There and then? Because from Judy said this option seemed to be a little risky for some reason!

Look forward to hearing from you Rob.

Thanks for your reply

Yogi

mandymoochops

Also to point out that you will not be issued a TWP for 2 years, it will only be issued for the duration of the LMO so if you fly in June you will get a TWP til Jan 09 and then you will have to apply to extend your twp and the comapny will need to apply to extend /another LMO.

(We are in the process of doing this at the minute!)

Judy in Calgary

Quite a few members of this forum have successfully applied for their temporary work permits at their ports of entry. You too could do it that way if you chose.

The point that Andrew Miller has made is that you are not guaranteed that you'll receive a TWP at your POE. If there is some little glitch -- a missing piece of paper, a document that doesn't quite meet the specifications for some reason, or whatever -- you may be denied a TWP. Then you would have to fly back to the UK at your own expense, and of course fly back to Canada again. It wouldn't just be the cost of the flights. By that time you presumably would have given up your home in the UK, and would have to find somewhere to stay while you got things sorted out.

If there was a glitch that impacted your application, it would be much better to find out what that glitch was and remedy it while you still were in the UK. Because CHC London issues work permit approvals quickly when it is apprised of urgency, this route costs only a few more days.

But note that CHC London does not issue the actual temporary work permit. It only provides you with a document stating that it has approved your work permit application. The actual work permit is issued at the port of entry. Still, if you have written approval from CHC London, the immigration officer at your port of entry will not argue with that.
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