Vulcanoid

Congrats - but to clarify, to a maximum of 24 months, not 24 months as of right. As has been identified, one of the requirements for IEC is comprehensive insurance (and you agreed to this as part of the application): at the border your work permit will not be issued for longer than your insurance is valid for when you arrive, and if it's issued short because you arrive with less than 24 months insurance you cannot extend it later. So if you eg arrive with 12 months of travel insurance, that's a 12 month permit, and no extension possible.

The full explanation of what you need is at https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration...e-arrival.html (which is a repeat of what you agreed to when you filed the application)

Common insurers for UK IEC participants include True Traveler (generally get good reviews, more expensive, allow things like unlimited trips home without becoming invalid) and Alpha (less good reviews, cheaper, must be able to demonstrate an intent to return if you need to claim, eg with ongoing mortgage, car insurance, uni place or job to return to).

hh619

I'm so confused.

I've been waiting for an email from CIC to say my IEC application has been denied. I got an email today requesting an updated Police Certificate as mine is more than 6 months old.

My biometrics deadlined has passed on the 5th March.

Why is my IEC application still progressing?

Former Lancastrian

Perhaps they still want to offer you a working holiday visa so if you want to come to Canada then perhaps you should supply what they are requesting.

hh619

Well, quite possibly. I've sent off for the Police Cert. I guess i should go and get Biometrics done!

lfc21

Hello,
I am a year through my IEC Work Permit and plan to apply for my PR. I keep hearing a number of different things with regard to travel outside of Canada whilst I go through the PR process (Canadian Experience route). Will I have any restrictions on my access to and from Canada, despite me still having just under a year of my work permit being valid? Or do the restrictions come into place once my Work Permit ceases and I will then most likely be on a 'bridging visa'?
Thanks!

Vulcanoid

Your work permit has no bearing on your ability to travel: it's a work permit.

If you would normally be allowed to leave and request re-entry (eg you have an eTA or visa if required, if you are not ineligible to enter), that would not be changed by your work permit. If you leave, request re-entry, and are granted re-entry, your IEC permit would still be valid for the time it's valid.

lfc21

Ok grand. Thank you for clarifying. So as long as I have an eTA alongside my work permit I am free to be assessed at the border each time for re entry under the same conditions ie, still being able to live and work for the duration of my work permit, despite going through the PR process? The PR process does not change that standing?

christmasoompa

A PR app changes nothing at all.

Canniecanuck

Hello wise and knowledgeable Guru's

My nephew and his wife both applied for the IEC pool when it opened at the end of last year. She was lucky enough to be chosen in the first round, had her papers processed, received her POE and they arrived in Canada two weeks ago. He was given a visitors stamp in his passport for six months and told he would have to leave and re-enter to have it extended. Somewhat foolishly we took them to Niagara Falls and into Buffalo at the weekend and the poor thing was put through a series of questions about intention, etc., not that it was heavy pressure but somehow even when you are totally innocent, sitting in the border office makes you feel guilty Anyway, the officer there gave him a six month visitors permit and sent him on his way.

Low and behold, last night we couldn't believe it when his account was updated and he has been invited to apply for his visa. He has all his paperwork ready to go, thankfully he did his police check a couple of weeks ago as he was thinking he would like to help out with a kids soccer club so that is done. The only thing left is his biometrics. This is where I eventually get round to a question! Can he have his biometrics done here in Ontario? When I search the website it looks like they are available at a number of locations - Airports and the border crossings at Niagara. Can anyone confirm if this is correct? Also, if he gets his POE can he 'activate' it via the bridge crossings and would he just need to show proof of his insurance, funds etc.?

Thanks

Vulcanoid

Biometrics cannot be given anywhere in Canada. He will need to go to any one of the locations at Where to give your fingerprints and photo (biometrics) (note that border crossings are listed, with the caveat that only some students and workers can give biometrics there. IEC applicants are not included in this, as the application is mainly done online, and in order to be eligible, the entire application has to be done at the port of entry).

If/when he is approved and issued a port of entry letter, he can take that and his insurance and proof of funds to any port of entry that handles immigration (and may wish to note that some locations in southern Ontario only do that for people who already have status at certain times of the week).

Canniecanuck

Thank You!

Can I ask for some clarification? The website talks of different types of centres VACs and ASC's, Can he go to Buffalo to the ASC and give his biometrics there?

I think I might have found my answer - NO! it doesn't look as though they can go to Buffalo. Looks like they might have to go back to the UK to get them done.

Vulcanoid

There's no difference between a VAC and an ASC for these purposes. If Buffalo is on the list as acceptable, they can give them in Buffalo if they can get to Buffalo.

What you presumably have found is the IRCC warning that US border officials may not accept 'I want to give biometrics for Canada' as a valid reason for entering the US (and as there's no right of entry, they can refuse, which has definitely happened to some people). So a European biometrics location may be the only place your nephew is certain to be able to get to, yes.

Canniecanuck

This is what I found on the CIC website under the section on giving biometrics Find out if you need to give biometrics after reading this do you still think he might be able to go to Buffalo?

If you’re already in Canada and need to leave the country to give biometrics

If you’re in Canada and you apply for an initial study or work permit, and you received a biometrics instruction letter from us, you may need to leave Canada to give biometrics.

Do NOT travel to the United States (U.S.) to give your biometrics. You must already be legally in the U.S. or an overseas territory of the U.S. to go to an Application Support Center.

Instead, go to a visa application centre (VAC) in any other country that you can legally enter, such as your home country, to give your biometrics.

Vulcanoid

That's exactly what I was referring to.

If he can go to Buffalo, he can give his biometrics in Buffalo. However, if he arrives at the US border, he has no right of entry, he has to request permission, and US border officers have on multiple occasions decided that "I just want to give biometrics to Canada" is not a valid reason for entry. So it depends entirely on who he encounters, and what they think of him, with the totality of his reason for wanting to enter the USA.

Canniecanuck

That sounds a bit more promising. He went into Buffalo on Sunday - we went to have a look at Niagara from the US side so he has a visitors card in his passport for the US which is valid for 90 days (I think). This should then be okay for him to get into the US for the day - right?