Please help! Applying from outside Canada but now I am inside Canada.

[amanda8231]

My common-law partner is sponsoring me to become a permanent resident. We applied “outside of Canada” as we were living in New Zealand. We are both now in Canada and I am here on a visitor visa. Can I apply for a work permit? Do I need to change my address? Will I have to resubmit the application as being inside Canada?

 

[starnaenae]

You cant apply for an open work peemit. You can change your address no need to resubmit

 

[Bs65]

You will need to ensure that you extend your stay as a visitor when the time comes assuming you got a default 6 months entry, so about month 5 for an application to extend. Going to the border to refresh your stay not generally a good idea as no way to predict successful reentry, but that would be a personal decision.

Having an outland application is not an issue even whilst you are in Canada in fact many people go for outland given it gives them the flexibility to be able to come and go if they need to whereas with an inland application apart from short trips it can become an issue sometimes.

You cannot apply for a work permit on an outland application and believe the only way to do that would be a new inland application which would mean starting all over again. Given many outland applications can process in 7-8 months if uncomplicated applications despite the 12 month quoted processing time seems a shame to start over.

 

[amanda8231]

You cant apply for an open work peemit. You can change your address no need to resubmit

Ok. So there is no way that I can work in Canada until my PR has been approved now?

 

[starnaenae]

Ok. So there is no way that I can work in Canada until my PR has been approved now?

I dont know if you could try and get a permit of sort (not sure which) but you didnt apply inland and therefore dont qualify for an open work permit

 

[scylla]

Ok. So there is no way that I can work in Canada until my PR has been approved now?

You need to secure a job offer from an employer in Canada and that employer needs to obtain an approved LMIA. Then you can apply for a closed work permit tied to that specific employer.