[Canucker]

Hi All,

Hope someone will be able to answer my question.

The company I work for sponsored my work visa, but I have been offered another job at another company. Is my work visa transferable or do I have to go through the whole application process again? What, if anything can I do to protect myself b/c I am afraid once I give my notice to my current employer they may call immigration and cancel my visa and I won't have one at all. Can they do this? Or is my work visa still valid for a few days/weeks while I move from one job to another.

Thanks!

[PDLM]

http://www.geoexpat.com/forum/thread...ange+jobs.html

[Sazzy]

Your current employer will have to advice immigration that you are leaving them and that they will cease to be your work sponsor. This will take effect on your last working day. In the meantime, your new employer can apply to be your new sponsor - this is just a transfer of work visa, you do not need to start the whole application again. Immigration will detail what your new employer needs to do and what to provide - best they start doing that sooner rather than later.

[Canucker]

PDLM and Sazzy,

Thanks for the great advice! I feel a lot better about the work visa transfer. I'm know the "new" company I am going to has done the work visa transfer before but I just wanted to make sure the company I am currently working for can't do anything to hamper the process.

Canucker

[timklip]

Take a look at the visa pasted into your passport. It will have an expiry date (one year usually) so it won't be cancelled. Your old employer should call immigration though, to let them know you no longer work for them, as technically you can only work for one employer on one visa. Then your new employer can apply to have the visa transferred to them. You and the new employer will have to resubmit all the documentation as if it was the first time (ridiculous, I know...but this is the govt. we're talking about) but its just a formality. I just went through this process in the fall....

[Sazzy]

Ive been through the process as well and you dont need to resubmit all your documentation - you dont need to submit all your education certificates etc again as they have them on file. The new employer will need to write a letter and other documents but thats it.

[stephy]

PDLM and Sazzy,

I also need your advice on this issue. My case is that I am currently on a TRAINING visa sponsored by my current employer under a management trainee overseas attachment plan, and I have just got an offer under which seems I should be in a working visa. Can I transfer the training visa directly into a working visa without having to go back to mainland?

[PDLM]

Ah - now I am confused... you say "without having to go back to the mainland". Do I infer correctly that you are a mainland Chinese citizen? In this case there are quite different requirements and admission criteria, about which I know very little.

[stephy]

yeah, I am a mainland chinese citizen. Anyway, thanks.