[WarrenWag]

My husband and I got married in June, 2008. He is a Canadian citizen and I was attending the International Academy of Design and Technology in Toronto, ON. I finished school in September and applied for a work permit under the student graduation work program.

Today we received the letter in the mail telling us that my work permit was refused. We were so shocked, everyone had told me that since I am married, it should be okay. Now we are going to be forced to separate and I´m so sad. My study permit runs out in December and I am supposed to be out by December 27th 2008. The letter said that IADT was not an Ontario recognized school thus it doesn´t count for the work permit.

So we have less than two months now and have no idea what we´re going to do. We need to be with each other. My husband is starting school in Janurary, and we were planning on me staying here, working, and supporting us. Now we just don´t know what we´re going to do. We´re both so sad.

Is there anything we can do?

[Brenda]

Who told you that? "everybody", or the Embassy?

All the info you need is on http://www.cic.gc.ca

The fastest way is apply for a job in demand (that is on the NOC-list), and find a boss that will get your paperwork done for you. Your LMO, so you can apply for your work permit.

Being married is not automatically a ticket to be able to work. You need a PR visa to be able to "just work", or a work visa. Usually, when you get married, you are kinda "visiting" and you cannot work for a year.

Where are you from, btw? Perhaps you need a visitors visa to be able to stay in the country. If not (and that answer is to find at the cic website too) you can stay as a tourist for another six months, you just need to cross the border and get your passport stamped (and get a visa waiver, unless you need a visa to get into the US, that depends on our country of origin).
You CANNOT work when you are in the country on a visitors visa, or just your passport.

My personal opinion: wait till you can legally work before your hubby goes back to school.
Further: Ask the Embassy what your choices are, and when you are eligable for a PR visa or citizenship.

[Robair]

Where are you from?

[WarrenWag]

The U.S

[RUEZ]

If you are married to a Canadian doesn't that entitle you to apply for immigration?

[Robair]

I am Canadian, my wife is American. She is a permanent resident. After we were married, she pretty much had to just 'hang out' here in Canada for a year before her permanent resident status was finally granted. There's a bit of paperwork to go through. THEN she could work here.

As an American, you can visit Canada for six months at a time without really needing a reason. You can apply to have this time extended, and if you have a good enough reason, they'll do it. For example, my wife's reason was that she had married yours truly, and was waiting a decision on permanent residency. They pushed back her six month date, and she ended up 'visiting' Canada for about a year before PR was approved. But she couldn't work here.

Probably not what you wanted to hear, but that's the way it is. We did all of our applications and paperwork ourselves, it may not have taken a year if we had used an immigration lawyer, I'm not sure.

[Brenda]

using a lawyer or not doesn't make any difference to the Embassy. Its just a mailing address to them, and a paperwork clerk (with a big bill) to you.

[Robair]

Brenda wrote:

using a lawyer or not doesn't make any difference to the Embassy. Its just a mailing address to them, and a paperwork clerk (with a big bill) to you.

That was my theory as well. As long as you dot your i's and cross all your t's. We were always second guessing the way we were filling things out, with a lawyer at least you know that he knows what he's doing. Doing it ourselves worked for us, apparently we did everything right.

And follow all the rules, don't try to pull anything! Very important. If your six month visiting time is coming to an end, and you havn't applied for an extension, for example, don't overstay. Any little thing like that can give them a reason to deny or delay approval!

[Brenda]

I totally agree with you, we had the same doubts... But when they want or need more info, or they don't understand, they will ask.

And yeah, follow the rules, don't extend your stay if you're not allowed. THAT will get you in sh*t, with possibility of being denied your PR, no matter if you're married or not. Marriage is NO guarantee.

[Robair]

My wife found some helpfull advice here. It's a Canada specific immigration forum.

Good Luck and welcome to Canada.

[Bacardi4206]

Being married should make you take the short steps in immigration. Just try your best to become a Canadian Citizen, which if your expectations is to work here and you have the skills to do it. You should be a priority immigrant and I don't think you will have much troubles except the waiting perhaps.

Anyways, good luck and welcome to Canada.

[C.M. Burns]

First off, you are not going to be asked to leave the country unless you're associate with international terrorism and maybe not even then

You need to apply ASAP for a Family Class PR Visa
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/ ... spouse.asp
They'll let you stay in Canada while the application is being processed.
I went through this process as a sponsor and, while I am not a lawyer and I am not giving you advice, it is possible to handle the application process without the use of an attorney or an immigration consultant.

Read the docs on the CIC website, then call the CIC call center
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/contacts/call.asp

Get the application in as quickly as possible.

Call your MP ASAP and ask for general assistance and to get the work permit. MPs and their staff are used to these sorts of immigration requests.

If you live in QC there are extra annoyances.

Good Luck!