Questions about open work permit under spouse sponsorship

[notavisitor]

Hi,
I'm sponsoring my wife under SCLPC class, and plan for her to apply for an open work permit along side the application. She is currently working in Canada under a post graduate work permit that will expire later this year, and she is from China.

I have two questions:
1. how long it will take to get the open work permit from the moment we submit the application?
2. after receiving the work permit, can she then apply for a re-entry visa and travel during the wait time for the immigration application?

Thank you very much in advance,

 

[scylla]

1) Four months
2) She can certainly apply for a visitor visa - however holding a visitor visa doesn't guarantee re-entry. It's generally recommended to limit or avoid trips outside of Canada when you have an inland application in progress. Having said that, many do successfully leave and re-enter (of course there are always some who don't and their inland applications are canceled as a result).

 

[notavisitor]

Thank you for the fast response.
Is it possible to apply for the open work permit if the immigration is through outland?

 

[scylla]

Is it possible to apply for the open work permit if the immigration is through outland?

No - only inland.

 

[notavisitor]

Thank you!

 

[notavisitor]

On the same note, can she travel on the visa from the post graduate work permit before it's expired but after we have submitted the inland immigration application?

 

[scylla]

On the same note, can she travel on the visa from the post graduate work permit before it's expired but after we have submitted the inland immigration application?

Yes - she should be fine doing that. Assuming she is non-visa exempt, she will need a valid TRV to re-enter Canada (not just the PGWP).

 

[notavisitor]

That makes sense. Thanks.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

On the same note, can she travel on the visa from the post graduate work permit before it's expired but after we have submitted the inland immigration application?

The same risk applies when travelling after submitting an inland app, regardless of the permit used to get the TRV. It is no different than travelling after getting the OWP.

She takes a risk any time she leaves Canada after submitting inland. If being able to travel is that important, you really should be submitting outland.

 

[notavisitor]

What? So they would literally separate the couple at the border? And even if she has to come back to work?

 

[canuck_in_uk]

What? So they would literally separate the couple at the border? And even if she has to come back to work?

Yes, they would. Unless a person is a Canadian citizen or PR, they never have the right to enter Canada. The possibility of refusal is low but it does happen.