Helping Your Spouse Obtain Canadian Permanent Residence
Sponsoring your significant other can require a lot of preparation and effort. To be able to submit an accurate application, you must understand the entire application process properly. Without relevant knowledge of the application process and requirements, you are vulnerable to mistakes on the application. When it comes to immigration applications, the Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada will scrutinize every application. That said, having mistakes on the application can result in the delay or even the refusal of the application. In some rare cases, the mistakes can even jeopardize your ability to sponsor your family in the future. In this blog, you will learn information about the inland spousal sponsorship and open work permit.
Knowing the Inland Spousal Sponsorship
If your spouse, who has a temporary status, is in Canada with you, you may want consider applying for an inland spousal sponsorship. Inland spousal sponsorship application requires the principal applicant (the person being sponsored) to be inside Canada for the period of time while the application is being processed. This is an advantage of the inland sponsorship, as the principal applicant may be eligible to apply for an open work permit to legally work in Canada. The disadvantage is that these applications generally take longer to process. Another disadvantage is that you cannot appeal an inland spousal sponsorship application; you will need to re-submit a new application.
What are the Benefits of the Inland Spousal Sponsorship
The inland spousal sponsorship allows Canadian citizens or permanent residents to sponsor their spouse, while the spouse is currently inside Canada on an authorized status. An authorized status can be a Temporary Resident Visa, also known as a Visitor visa, a Work permit, or a Study permit. As long as the sponsored spouse has the authorization to remain in Canada, they may fulfill the obligations listed on their valid permit or visa. Please note, if the visa or permit has already expired or will be expiring very soon, it is essential for the permit or visa holders to apply for a new visa or permit to extend their stay for the spousal sponsorship application.
How Can the Principal Applicant Work in Canada
If the sponsored spouse wants to legally work in Canada, he or she will need to apply for an open work permit. An open work permit is not job-specific, meaning that it allows the sponsored spouse to work for any eligible Canadian employer and at any location inside Canada. Furthermore, an open work permit does not require the applicant to obtain a valid job offer prior to submitting the application. Having the authorization to work in Canada definitely helps both the sponsor and the principal applicant, as the processing time for inland spousal sponsorships is quite long. Usually, inland spousal sponsorship applications take approximately one year to receive a final decision. The principal applicant may also apply for the open work permit at the same time as the inland spousal sponsorship application to save time.
How Do I Apply for an Open Work Permit
There are different instructions for applicants, depending on their circumstances. For example, you have not submitted your spousal sponsorship application, you must submit your open work permit application along with your spousal sponsorship application. If your permanent residence application has not yet received approval in principle, you will need to mail your completed application. Approval in principle means that you have received a letter from Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada stating that you meet the permanent residence eligibility requirements, but you still have to provide the medical, security and background checks for you and, if needed, your family members. If spousal sponsorship application has been approved in principle, then you can apply online or on paper for an open work permit.
Contact Akrami & Associates
Comparing inland and oversea spousal sponsorship can be a confusing, or sometimes, overwhelming task. It is important to properly research and ask several questions before applying for one. Many immigration applications are difficult to pursue on your own and it is highly recommended that you seek out professional guidance before attempting to apply. Akrami & Associates work and have experience with many different immigration issues. We have helped many of our clients obtain permanent residency in Canada through the Spousal Sponsorship program. If you have any further questions or need further information about Spousal Sponsorships, please feel free to contact Akrami & Associates at 416-477-2545 for more information or if you would like to book a consultation with an immigration professional for more advice.
With Akrami & Associates, there is always a way!
