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Debra
Debra, Lawyer
Category: Canada Law
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I am an American on a 2 year study permit going to an accredited

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I am an American on a 2 year study permit going to an accredited Canadian university starting next week. I am already in Canada. My wife is Japanese. She lives in Japan. She has applied online to get a work permit which goes though the embassy in Manila and takes up to 5 months to process. Is that necessary or can she simply come over next week, prove we're married and show that I'm a full time student in a Canadian university, provide the work permit paperwork and get permission at the border? If she can just come over and do it at her point of entry then we'd rather do that than wait another 4 months. Also, she does not hold a US green card or visa of any type.
Debra
Thank you for your question.

Before I begin I want to explain a bit about how the site works.

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You can apply for a change of status and add your wife to your study permit.

But when she comes to Canada she can then get an open work permit because she will be on your study permit.

If you start reading here you will find all the information you need including the forms:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/study/work-spouse.asp
Let me know if you need any further clarification.
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Customer: replied 3 years ago.

I have already been to this site. I am looking to know if under the circumstances that I have described if it is possible for my wife to apply for a work permit at the point of entry in to Canada because I am a full time student in an accredited Canadian university or if she needs to wait the 5 months for the Manila office that takes care of Japan. Her situation is different I feel because she is not simply applying for a work visa but coming to live with me who already has a study permit. If there is no need for her to wait and she can simply apply at the boarder when she arrives then we will do that.
She cannot likely get the open work permit at the border.

What I am saying is that she doesn't apply for the permit in the ordinary way.

She is supposed to come as part of your study permit.

Once that is authorized she comes to Canada and then applies for the permit, usually within Canada.

They may grant her the permit at the border as well.

But she does not wait for a work permit for the 5 months.

She can come as soon as she is included as part of your study permit.
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Customer: replied 3 years ago.

Ok, that clears that up. The last part is because I have already arrived and she is still abroad I will not be accompanying her in the airport. Should that matter if she can show we are married and I have a study permit? I mean, do I have to accompany her? I'm already here with a valid study permit so that doesn't seem like an option. The option you are suggesting is that she applies for the work permit after she arrives to visit? Am I to understand the process for her is to get a visitor visa at the airport and apply to change it to a work permit after she arrives? You mentioned that she doesn't have to apply for the permit the ordinary way and I guess I didn't understand what that meant exactly.

You don't have to accompany her. It's fine you are already here.

She doesn't need a visitor's visa.

She should show that she is on your study permit. When you get that approval from Canada Immigration she arrives showing that.

She doesn't need to get a labour market opinion or anything like that.

Once she is here she applies for an open work permit and can work for whomever she wishes once she gets that.
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