Hello!
I'm a full-time student in Buffalo and I began an internship with a hockey team in St. Catharines in April. In mid-May, I was required by immigration officers at the Queenston-Lewiston Bridge to get a work permit, and since my boss said my internship was over 8/31, that's when my work permit expired. However, I continued my internship into the hockey season and when the preseason began and I got to the Peace Bridge (depending on traffic, I'll take any of the bridges because I have a Nexus, though the Peace Bridge is closest to my apartment) and was refused entry until I received an LMO. My boss contacted the local MP who spoke to immigration officials at the Peace Bridge, who told him I didn't need an LMO because I was a "unpaid volunteer". However, last week, I got to customs at the Peace Bridge and was once again denied entry because of my lack of LMO (I had never had a negative experience at the Canadian border until this experience, where the immigration officer laughed at me when I said my boss had had the MP call the border). My boss applied for an LMO for me but in the meantime, can I enter Canada for pleasure? My parents are coming to Buffalo and wanted to take me on a wine tour, but I'm nervous about going in. Between the first time I was told I needed an LMO and the MP calling the border, I entered Canada via the Whirlpool Bridge (Nexus only) with no issue but I don't want to screw up my chances of a positive LMO.
Any help or experience on entering Canada for pleasure while waiting for an LMO would be much appreciated!
I'm a full-time student in Buffalo and I began an internship with a hockey team in St. Catharines in April. In mid-May, I was required by immigration officers at the Queenston-Lewiston Bridge to get a work permit, and since my boss said my internship was over 8/31, that's when my work permit expired. However, I continued my internship into the hockey season and when the preseason began and I got to the Peace Bridge (depending on traffic, I'll take any of the bridges because I have a Nexus, though the Peace Bridge is closest to my apartment) and was refused entry until I received an LMO. My boss contacted the local MP who spoke to immigration officials at the Peace Bridge, who told him I didn't need an LMO because I was a "unpaid volunteer". However, last week, I got to customs at the Peace Bridge and was once again denied entry because of my lack of LMO (I had never had a negative experience at the Canadian border until this experience, where the immigration officer laughed at me when I said my boss had had the MP call the border). My boss applied for an LMO for me but in the meantime, can I enter Canada for pleasure? My parents are coming to Buffalo and wanted to take me on a wine tour, but I'm nervous about going in. Between the first time I was told I needed an LMO and the MP calling the border, I entered Canada via the Whirlpool Bridge (Nexus only) with no issue but I don't want to screw up my chances of a positive LMO.
Any help or experience on entering Canada for pleasure while waiting for an LMO would be much appreciated!
