Ontheroadoflife

hi all, I'm asking not giving my tuppence worth for once!

Okay I'm here at present on Visitors status which expires in May, (6 months from entry stamp in passport after visit home). Still no work permit from my ex-employer (expired sept 2014, and it is now 8 months..yes 8 months..since applying..this is not for something hard like skill level C or D, it's low wage, skill level B), my employer says "soon soon soon" but my life can't stay on hold, those permits are, in my eyes now, questionable to say the least...I need to work. As some know I have a Canadian partner, and the last thing i want to do is stick a big red flag on us for after we get married and I apply for PR for a stupid over-stay. I somehow doubt any border guard in his right mind would give me another 6 months if I attempted to flag-pole...rather a week or so to get a flight. Don't get me wrong my partner has been supporting me, and could show i would be no drain on public funds, but wrong officer, wrong day and suddenly you have a refusal on your file.

So...I have a LMIA application number to indicate the file is in process, can this cut any ice for an extension in Visitor Status, (I have never used it prior). Obviously some will say "just get married" but, we have a wedding planned in Vegas in Nov with family coming from the UK and Canada to celebrate with us, and we don't want to get married just to keep me here (takes the reason why we are doing this and cheapens it), in the town hall all alone!

We do not qualify for common-law and candidly are not prepared to lie about the length of time we have lived together as man and wife. (in May will be 10 months)

We have had a frank and honest discussion of all options and have accepted I will more likely than not, barring a miracle, be going home in May, flying into America in Nov for the wedding then back to UK to apply for PR or doing an inland Application..we are not even sure if I rock up to the border with my wife (as she will be then) in the car that they would even let us back in after the wedding.

Obviously if that work permit shows up then all this is redundant.

So any suggestions, loopholes etc, I have missed, to stay legally or am I going back to blighty?

Former Lancastrian

Apply via paper application to CPC Vegreville for an extension. Submit a cover letter explaining your circumstances and that you will be getting married in November and then submitting a spousal application. You will be on Implied status until CIC make a decision.
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/extend-stay.asp

Ontheroadoflife

Thanks Lancastrian

Michael

So a Las Vegas wedding is upscale from a town hall wedding. Never knew that.

Mikeypm

Suppose it depends on if your having an Elvis impersonator as the ordained minster or you just get a regular minster

Ontheroadoflife

Sigh...you can get a package from the UK to Vegas easily, my family are decent working stock for whom flights, hotels, etc to Canada would be a large commitment to put on them. Which they would meet, but unfair I feel, Vegas from the UK can be done at that time of year for a small outlay in an all-inclusive package. The entire wedding outlay compared to Alberta saves us in the region of $5,000 which we would rather spend on our future or honeymoon. Laugh all you want, we are getting the wedding of our dreams...exactly what we want...after all it is our decision...and who cares, once you're married..you're married...or do we now have wedding snobs...that wedding is terrible next to mine as I had the BMW of weddings compared to their mini?
I love her, she loves me...everyone else can get knotted!

Ontheroadoflife

I meant us getting married just to keep me in the country, rather than because we love each other and want to spend the rest of our lives together, not the ceremony itself!

Mikeypm

I was being light hearted, Im sure it will be great , good luck with your wedding and hey Im all for saving money eh

Ontheroadoflife

I have decided to return to the UK (thanks anyways FL) if the permits do not show by the end of the month..my old employer has my job waiting if thats the case (just confirmed today, after assuring him it wasn't an April fool's joke), and has even sourced me a room to rent already, and offered to loan me a car. With the exchange rate as it is, weirdly we could end up very much ahead when i return for good in 2016....with about 25K british..yes i did tell my ex-employer I was coming back to Canada next year..he's just a good guy.

I'm very much now of the philosophy now "what will be, will be", if it's not here by the end of the month, i'm sick of waiting.

Eddmac

Hope it works out for you and hope your wedding is fantastic!
Don't mind the wedding snobs, some are joking, some are mocking, but do you really care?