I am currently living in BC with my wife who is a permanent resident with citizenship papers currently in processing. I also obviously have sponsorship papers currently in processing. Whilst I have been seeking employment and indeed been offered 5 different jobs it appears that there is no way of accepting or commencing employment legally until either initial acceptance of sponsorship/pr. It also appears that this is only once hrsdc authorizes the job offer and it also appears that I will have to leave the country to gain a work permit from the states. My questions are

1. Is the above scenario correct?

2. Is there any quick way round all the red tape?

3. Surely if the idea of hrsdc approval is to ensure that the economy is not harmed, then why is there so much red tape as me not working/paying taxes etc is harming the economy more than issuing an open work permit!

4. Is there anyone else that has been misinformed regarding work by a local immigration office as myself and my wife obviously were before I moved to BC.

You are not obliged to wait until approval in principle to apply for a work permit, but you would be required to adhere to the normal provisions if you seek a work permit on the basis of a job offer at present. That may mean HRSDC Confirmation of the job offer. When appropval in principle is obtained, you would not be required to obtain such Confirmation in order to obtain the work permit, which would be open (i.e., not tied to a specific job offer).

Prior to approval in principle, the application must be submitted to a visa office outside of Canada, likely in the USA. There is a reasonable chance that such an application could be concluded without an interview, however, in which case you may not ever be required to travel to the USA. Following approval in principle, the application is conducted within Canada.

It is difficult to comment on your other questions as they are highly subjective.