mazmataz

Hey everyone,

I'm posting this on behalf of a friend who was having problems registering on the forum. She is looking to extend her current work permit, but has hit a few road blocks along the way. This is the letter she has been sending to various CIC email addresses looking for help, but to no avail so far. Hopefully someone on here can help...

"Hi there,

I am currently looking into the possibility of extending my stay in Canada as a worker. I am a British citizen on a working holiday visa of which my second year is due to expire on June 8, 2014. Depressing!

There may be a possibility that my current work contract will be extended after May, however, I imagine this will only apply if my extension is approved. From the website, I am informed that all applications go to CPC Vegreville, 6212-55th Avenue, Vegreville, AB, T9C 1X6, however, from the information on the website and helplines, some information still remains very unclear. Any information on the following would be very much appreciated.

1) There seem to be 2 application options (visa extensions). Either to apply for an extension via the ‘same employer’ or via a ‘new employer’. I may be eligible for contract extension at my current job, however, I expect this will only apply if my visa extension has been approved and I am eligible to work from June forward. If I apply via ‘same employer’ will this restrict my job options to working only with this company? Likewise, if I apply for an extension via ‘new employer’, does this mean I am unable to carry on working with my current employer?

2) An advisor today mentioned, I wouldn’t be able to apply for an extension unless my current employer provides me with at LMO and written job offer. I am certain other people have been approved for extensions without an LMO / written job offer from a Canadian employer. Any further details would be helpful.

3) How much are the fees to extend my work permit? Am I required to make the payment prior to sending off my application? If so, please provide a link of payment details

4) All applicants are required to provide a ‘stamped receipt MM5401’. Is this a receipt of payment. Please elaborate.

I would appreciate a fast response as my current visa is due to expire on June 8, 2014 and I still need to make a formal application in this time.

Kind regards

Morena"

As always, your help is much appreciated.

SchnookoLoly

CIC won't respond to any of her emails. They don't send personalised advice. If you want advice you either post on a forum like this, or you pay for a lawyer or immigration consultant. She shouldn't expect a response from CIC.

Where you're sending the request depends on the type of request.

However, IEC visas cannot be extended. At all. End of story. Her visa will expire on 8 June and that is that. There is no extension for IEC visas, and there is no implied status if she applies under another visa category.

If I'm not mistaken, the site she's looking at there is for Temporary Foreign Workers - those permits can be extended. She doesn't have a TWP, therefore this extension route isn't applicable.

If she gets an LMO she'd still not get an extension of her IEC since IEC cannot be extended. Her employer can apply for an LMO after advertising the job nationally - the employer has to demonstrate there are no Canadians willing or able to do her job. You haven't said what job she has, so it's hard to say if an LMO would be granted or not (keep in mind LMOs are under a lot of scrutiny right now as well). If she gets an LMO granted then she can go to the border and activate a TWP, but she'd have to stop working on 8 June, and couldn't resume working until the TWP has been activated.

Again, CIC isn't going to provide this, she is expected to find this herself and do her research. They aren't going to hand this over to her.
But anyway, it's the employer who pays for the LMO, not her, and then she pays a fee at the border when she activates the TWP which I want to say is $150 but I'm not certain on that.

This isn't applicable to her as she isn't able to apply for an extension.

She needs a new work permit, she cannot extend her IEC visa, and she cannot go on implied status off the back of an IEC visa.

Hope that helps.

christmasoompa

$155, but other than that your post was spot on - fab advice as always.

mazmataz

Thanks for your replies SchnookoLoly and christmasoompa, really helpful. I'm really not clued up on immigration and visas, so I'm going to give my friend my login to continue the discussion.

Any further posts on here from this username are from her, not me. Thanks again for taking the time to explain everything...

mazmataz

It's still me here, there's no need now for Morena to carry on the discussion. She's happy (if not a little bummed out!) with the advice given. It doesn't look like LMO will be an option for her. Thanks again.

SchnookoLoly

No problem - let her know that if she does have questions to post back, and hopefully she can work something out. There are lots of possible routes for immigration - I mentioned the TWP one as it's the quickest if you have an employer who can get on board with it. Drop her a link to the wiki and she can do some bedtime reading on the different immigration routes and go from there.