hey dobes, congrats on the PR. Just FYI, CIC advise not to withdraw BOWP applications if you were on implied and have landed as PR. Ill paste in the details:
DO NOT cancel your BOWP and/or Visitor Status visa applications if you've received PR but were previously on implied status.
I have now activated my PR, but was on implied status for a couple of weeks after my original work permit expired, having sent my application for BOWP (IMM5710) and application to remain in Canada as visitor (IMM5708) a few days before my work visa expired. A lawyer advised that I apply for the visitor status as well as the BOWP, as an insurance policy in case the BOWP application was not successful – the visitor status application means you still retain status in Canada and don't have to leave immediately.
Activated my PR yesterday at the border in Vancouver and wanted to cancel both the BOWP and Visitor applications as they are no longer needed - wanted to get a refund on the application fees. Called CIC today and they advised me that I should not cancel either, as doing so will mean the implied status I was on would be voided (from the date my work permit expired), even though I am now a permanent resident. The lady on the phone said that when the person processing the BOWP and Visitor Status visas enters my UCI number into the system, they will see that PR has already been granted and will withdraw the application. I should then automatically get a refund. She said this would only happen if they see PR has been granted before they start processing the application.
The important thing here is to not cancel your BOWP and/or Visitor Status visas applications if you've received PR but were previously on implied status..
Alternatively, just send a CSE telling them that you have your PR and ask them to cancel the application themselves when they get to it.
Thanks! Bizarre reasoning on the part of CIC, but very helpful! It isn't a BOWP, but the open work permit associated with my partner's student status, but I suspect the reasoning is the same. Thank you very much for bringing that to my attention!
yeah its weird, either way the application gets cancelled but apparently us withdrawing causes more issues than if they cancel it themselves so its probably better to be overly cautious where CIC are concerned than get caught on something so silly! good luck with your landing!
I will still stand by my assertion that CIC is going by ITA date and not submission date. This is because so far I haven't seen any May applicant with ITA date of April 17 receive any update after in process. 90% of the May applicants who have received DM or PPR have ITA date of March while the other 10% have ITA date of April 10.
I agree Anya. Here is to hoping we get ours in the next two weeks. I am also an April 17 ITA recipient. I sure hope though that we receive a positive feedback because if there was something wrong, they would have contacted us or rejected us by now. Anyway I am praying that all our aspirations come true as we all know we are doing this not just for ourselves but also for our families.
I will still stand by my assertion that CIC is going by ITA date and not submission date. This is because so far I haven't seen any May applicant with ITA date of April 17 receive any update after in process. 90% of the May applicants who have received DM or PPR have ITA date of March while the other 10% have ITA date of April 10.
I agree Anya. Here is to hoping we get ours in the next two weeks. I am also an April 17 ITA recipient. I sure hope though that we receive a positive feedback because if there was something wrong, they would have contacted us or rejected us by now. Anyway I am praying that all our aspirations come true as we all know we are doing this not just for ourselves but also for our families.
