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Open WP Extension & Visitor Record Application
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visast Posts: 1
Posted On: 8/10/2022
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Hi everyone,
I'm new to this forum and happy to be part of this community regarding settling in Ontario for immigrants.
My situation is as follows:
- Awaiting PR invitation (I'm in the pool)
- Work permit expires on October 8 2022
- Passport expires in Feb 2024
I'm planning to apply for an extension in my work permit according to the new public policy (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/work-canada/permit/post-graduation-work-permit-holders/apply-in-canada.html) so that if I do receive my new work permit it only expires in Feb 2024 (date of my passport expiring). I can only do this since I'm stuck in a weird situation where it is too far out to renew my passport and due to this I'm not eligible for the automatic mailed open work permit.
My question is, should I apply for a visitor record at the same time as I apply for my work permit extension under the new public policy?
An immigration consultant told me this is the best thing to do since it acts as a "safety net" because her rationale was that if my application gets rejected, I might still have the chance to obtain a visitor record, therefore I'll be able to stay in Canada AND if my work permit application gets approved, the immigration officer will just cancel my visitor record application.
My concern is that, what will happen to my implied status as a worker when I apply for a visitor record? And if for some reason my work permit application gets rejected and I become a visitor status, I won't be able to restore my status as a worker since I'll be a visitor now?
I searched this forum for a similar thread and this is what I found: https://discuss.settlement.org/topic44229-visitor-visa-extension-if-open-work-permit.aspx. It was a similar situation to mine, but more complicated since this person was already on a visitor record as well.
Any help and insight into this matter is greatly appreciated. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this.
Best,
visast.
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Moderator Moderator Posts: 4145
Posted On: 8/25/2022
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Hello There,
Thank you for sharing your situation and question with us. We hope that the community can also share their experiences with you.
It is best that you seek the advice of a lawyer in this situation. You may find helpful information on how to find a reputable and registered lawyer or immigration consultant in the Settlement.Org articles, How do I find a lawyer? and What other kinds of legal help can I get?. The Steps to Justice "Services in Ontario - Getting legal help in Immigration law" page also has a list of free to low cost services.
I would suggest that you connect with a community resource navigator at 211 to narrow your search, 211 Ontario is a free, confidential service. Their phone service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Here is a link to their live chat if you prefer to communicate online. Their live chat service is available Monday to Friday from 7am-9pm ET.
We hope this information is helpful. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to post them here.
Sincerely,
Your Settlement.Org Team
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