Can't export raster image with workpath for opening in Illustrator

I have a raster image with a painstakingly created work path. When I export the path to illustrator and export the image to illustrator (where I do an image trace to turn the raster into a vector image) and then try to align both horizontally and vertically, they should align like the path and raster do in photoshop. Instead they raster has some weird anamorphic property such that image if made to fit horizontally is wider than the path vertically (and vice versa).

If instead I try to export the whole file as an SVG I lose the path. If I save the image as a psd and open it in Illustrator I can see the path but I can't access it with the pointer tool (or any tool). Dragging the image from Photoshop to Illustrator shows the path and image perfectly aligned but I have no access to the path or the image,

I have programmed SVG files and I know you can include a raster image with a vector outline, but Adobe doesn't enable this for some reason.

Does any one know of a script or workaround. I have to access the path to change its width for my laser cutter and I want to turn the raster into a vector. Does anyone know why the work path when exported to illustrator has a different width and height from the PS work path?