Extension of stay in Canada - no response and visa about to expire

I have applied for an extension of stay in Canada, as I got married recently and the spousal application has been submitted. The thing is though, my application for extension of stay was sent in my mail/courier (due to issues with my computer) and, the time in the country (6 months) will expire in a few days.

I have not received any correspondence (via email or mail) saying that my application has been opened, however, I have received confirmation (via tracking) from the courier service that my package was delivered. What should I do now? I do not want to be illegal in the country.

Best Answer

Assuming that you are in Canada on a temporary residence visa (visitor visa) then the government pages say:

If you apply to extend your stay in Canada before the date you’re supposed to leave, you can legally remain in Canada until a decision is made on your application.

So you can stay until Canada decides to approve or not approve your visitor visa extension.

If your application to extend your stay is not approved then you need to leave Canada. Having a permanent residence application in progress does not grant you the right to stay in Canada. You should note that PR applications take a long time, and you may not be granted permission to stay the whole time until it is complete.