>>>>>>>MARCH 2020 AOR<<<<<<< Join here

[legalfalcon]

I am starting a new thread for all those who intend or have received their AoR in March 2020, or anticipate filing their application in March 2020. Please join here, post your timeline, share your progress and ask any questions that you may have.

Sharing some useful info here:

• 6 months processing time

IRCC states that most applications are processed within 6 months or less. The 6 months processing time starts when your application meets the completeness check and NOT from the AoR date. The completeness check is the first stage of the application processing, and usually happens around when your medicals are passed. To know the exact date of the completeness check (R10), you will need to see your GCMS notes.

• Tracking your application

Unfortunately the only thing that you see is your MyCIC account are:

a. Review of eligibility - Will continue to be in progress until you receive the COPR
b. Review of medical results - Will change to the date when the Medicals are passed, usually 20-45 days post AOR.
c. Review of additional documents - Will show "We do not need additional documents," unless you receive any documents request and submit documents, when it will change.
d. Interview - For most this is remain as "[Y]ou do not need an interview. We will send you a message if this changes"
e. Biometrics - Will change when you are requested for biometrics and later when you have submitted the biometrics
f. Background check - Will change twice for most applicants. First it will change in the initial few weeks, and then go back to not applicable and later in the processing again change to, "we are processing your background check. We will send you a message if we need more information." This happens because criminality and security are both a part of BGC, and when these checks happen, the status changes. It will continue to be in progress the second time until you receive the COPR.
g. Final decision - This will remain the same until you receive the COPR.


There has been a growing trend of speculation where change of status on MyCIC has been attributed to eligibility being passed, etc. The whole NA, IP IP2 is speculation and has no bearing on determining which stage your application is at. While any change of status is a good sign, but merely relying on NA and IP is not the correct way.

Most applicants will find it irrelevant, as their applications will be processed and approved within the first 3-4 months. It is those who wait for more than 4 months, where things go crazy as they keep relying on NA, IP etc, and see no movement or progress. Many other are stuck on so called IP2, and the PPR never seems to come.

So put these speculative theories to rest. As per the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, regulations and the ministeral instructions every application goes through the following stages:

R10 (Completeness check)
Medicals
Criminality
A11.2 Eligibility (The most important stage)
Security

• How to send a Case Specific Enquiry / Webform -

During the processing fo your application you may need to update your application and send additional documents. You can send updates and documents by webform (CSE) using the link - https://secure.cic.gc.ca/enquiries-renseignements/canada-case-cas-eng.aspx

When IRCC asks for any additional documents, and there is no upload slot in your MyCIC account, you will then once again have to send those documents via CSE using the link above.

You can also use this link to enquire about the status of your application if it exceeds 6 months.

• Visa Office

There has been an obsession of finding which visa office the application is at. Many threads on this forum start with explaining how to find your visa office. Let's get to the crux of it. Finding the visa office was very relevant pre- express entry. Even after the introduction of express entry in 2015, the same practice was followed which usually was for the paper based application, but that is no longer the case. Earlier all application followed the following trajectory:

Central Intake Office - Case Processing Centre - Local Visa Office

However, this has radically changed and for all express entry, all application follow the following:

1. Central Intake Office - The R10 (completeness check) is done at the Central Intake Office for all classes (FSW / PNP / CEC). Now even the criminality and medicals are done at CIO.

2. Case Processing Centre - These are 4 CPCs in Canada

CPC in Edmonton


CPC in Mississauga
The case processing centre in Mississauga processes applications to sponsor family members living in Canada and abroad.

CPC and CIO in Sydney


CPC in Ottawa
The case processing centre office in Ottawa (CPC-O) processes:

visitor visa (temporary resident visa) applications from within Canada for applicants with valid status (students or temporary foreign workers only).
permanent resident visa applications from the United States and Canada, after they have been received and deemed complete by CPC-M or CIO-S.


OSC in Ottawa
The Operations Support Centre (OSC) processes the following applications:

International Experience Canada work permits
In-Canada temporary resident applications submitted online
Verification of Status (VOS)
Replacement of valid temporary resident documents
Amendment of immigration documents and of valid temporary resident documents


Local Visa Office - This is the office where you will be asked to submit your passport after your application has been approved. Usually the consulate in your home country.

These days all application after starting at CIO (where R10 is met), either start the processing of eligibility at CIO itself, or move to CPC (wither Ottawa, Sydney, or Vegreville), or are straight sent to the LVO. The trend has been to complete most of the processing between CIO and CPC. Since the applications are electronically stored, there is no movement of physical files.

SUGGESTION - There is no point sending emails to ask which VO your application is at, as that process is moot since the eligibility can even start at CIO. So save yourself some time and efforts and also save the human resources of IRCC and stop sending emails. Even if you know which VO your application is at, it means nothing. Most applications which are processed within weeks and get PPR, are processed at CIO, and this is a much faster way.

A few applications will see eligibility passed, and then go to not started when the application is sent to the LVO. This is because the final review is done at the LVO, and the local agent may decide to conduct additional review, or identification before the eligibility is finally set to PASSED.


• ECAS (Electronic Client Application Status) -

This was the most important tool pre EE to track an application and provided much more in-depth status than what MyCIC does. However, after the IRCC moved to the Global Case Management System (AKA GCMS) applications are no longer linked to ECAS.

So there is no point going there and checking.

• Letter of Explanation -

As the name suggests, the LoE is exact what it sounds like. It is not an idea for the documents and you do not have to explain each document you are submitting in your application.

The simple rules to follow for LoE -

• Should be 1-2 pages in length. If you cannot explain it in 1-2 pages, it is probably not worth it.
• Only use LoE to explain an issue. Eg. you could not obtain a reference letter on letterhead, could not meet PoF 6 months avg balance, seeking exemption or extension from PCC, or to explain something in your application which is not clear.
• IRCC Agents do read LoE, but if its too long and not to the point, it loses its importance.
• You DO NOT need an index for your documents. There are placeholders for the documents just put each document there and when it is stored on the IRCC system it is names and stored in an organized way.

All the best!!


THESE ARE MY VIEWS AND YOU DO NOT HAVE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THESE. IF YOU HAVE CONTRARY VIEWS, JUST IGNORE IT AND DO WHAT YOUR CONSULTANT ASKED YOU, OR WHAT YOU DEEM FIT.

 

[guruguru1989]

March 1 AOR!

 

[legalfalcon]

March 1 AOR!

Congratulations on successfully submitting your application. Keep your progress posted here.

 

[legalfalcon]

Application Number v. UCI

Application Number

An application number, as the name suggests is assigned to each application an applicant files with IRCC. Every application, even when filed by the same applicant, will have a different number and will be categorized by the type of application filed by the applicant. An application number starts with an alphabet followed by digits eg: E12345678. The alphabet signifies the type of application.

Permanent Residency – E12345678

Student Visa – S12345678

Work Permit – W12345678

Visitor’s visa – V12345678

UCI Number

UCI – “Unique Client Identifier” is a numeric reference which is unique to a client. It is assigned by Immigration Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) an applicant whose case is being processed. Each client is given a different UCI. The UCI number remains the same, even when you file multiple applications with IRCC. If you have previously applied for a tourist visa, you have already been issued a UCI number. Similarly, if you applied for a student visa, you were assigned a UCI, and when you subsequently apply for a Permanent Residency, the UCI will remain the same.

UCI consists of digits only, usually there are eight or ten digits which may or may not be separated by a hyphen, eg: 1234-5678 or 11-1234-5678.

The UCI differs from an application number in the context that an applicant can have multiple applications, each having a different application number, UCI number. Thus, UCI is client specific and not application specific.

After your submit your application, and if you have never been assigned a UCI number before, you will see a temporary UCI number starting with CAN123456. This is change to the above format after a UCI number is allocated to you.

 

[legalfalcon]

Any new March AoRs?

 

[legalfalcon]

How is an Express Entry Application Processed?


If you are an applicant who is about to file your application for permanent residency under the Express Entry, or you recently filed your application, the biggest question that you would be asking is – how does an application get processed after it is filed?

The basic stages of an express entry can be divided into two parts, pre-ITA and post-ITA. In the Pre-ITA stage, an applicant creates an online profile and enters the Express Entry pool. If the applicant has a high Comprehensive Ranking system (CRS) score, which is above the cut off for the specific round, the applicant receives an invitation to apply (ITA). Upon receiving the ITA, the applicant has 60 days to file the completed application with supporting documents. Upon the successful filing of the application, Acknowledgement of Receipt (AoR) is automatically generated, usually on the same day as submission. In some rare cases it may take a little longer to receive the AoR.

It is after this step that the application is processed by the Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

1. Completeness Check

The Express Entry six-month processing time begins when an application is assessed as complete. This means that the 6 months processing clock starts when the R10 is passed or the completeness check is passed. This is the first step in processing the application. Applicants are required to submit a complete electronic application for permanent residence (e-APR) within 30 calendar days of being issued an invitation to apply (ITA). The application and all supporting documents must be submitted electronically through the applicant’s online account. This is the first stringent check of the application. The Regulation 10 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act Regulations imposes a strict liability on the applicants to account for all documents uploaded, satisfy what was stated in the EE profile, and ensure that there are no gaps. An application that is incomplete is liable to be rejected as per section 10 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, and all fees associated with the application are refunded to the applicant.

A complete application includes the following:

• the electronic applicaton (e-APR);
• the cost recovery fees; and
• all supporting documentation to support applicant’s Express Entry profile and e-APR.

Usually, by this stage, the medicals are also passed. The medicals reports are reviewed by Health Canada.

2. Eligibility

The next stage is to determine eligibility, i.e. whether the application meets the program prerequisites under which it is filed. When reviewing an application, processing offices must determine if

• the applicant possesses the qualifications that they declared in their e-APR, and if the same is corroborated by the supporting documents filed; and
• when the applicant submits their e-APR, the information provided in their Express Entry profile has not materially changed to the degree that the applicant would not have been issued an ITA in that round of invitations.

The objective here is to review whether an applicant meets the program threshold and what the applicant claimed in his profile is true and correct. If there are any issues or concerns, the reviewing officer can send your application for further review. This may include an interview, extra document request etc. The officer also considers whether the application should be refused for not meeting the minimum requirements of the federal program or for misrepresentation.The eligibility focuses on two major factors:

a. Requirement to maintain Minimum Entry Criteria (MEC) – To meet the MEC, applicants must meet the program requirements of the federal skilled worker class (FSWC), the federal skilled trades class (FSTC) or the Canadian experience class (CEC). If an applicant’s situation changes in the time between when they receive an ITA and when they submit their e-APR to an extent they fall below the MEC, the application is refused under section A11.2.

b. Requirement to maintain the Comprehensive Ranking Score (CRS) – It is an applicant’s responsibility to ensure that his application meets the minimum CRS score. The CRS score is automatically recorded at the time when

• ITA is issued; and
• e-APR is submitted.

At the time of the e-APR, both the CRS scores are compared and one of the following scenario plays out:

• If the applicant’s CRS score at the time of the e-APR is equal to or higher than the lowest-ranked score in the round of invitations, the application will not be refused as long as the applicant’s supporting documentation corroborates their claims and they continue to meet the MEC for Express Entry, including the requirements of the program to which they were invited to apply.
• If the applicant’s CRS score at the time of the e-APR is lower than the lowest-ranked score in the round of invitations, the application will be refused under for not having maintained the qualifications that would justify the ITA.

If the applicant meets the requirements, of both, MEC and CRS, the eligibility is passed.

3. Criminality – Each e-APR has to be accompanied with Police Clearance Certificates in which the applicant has lived for more than 6 months. Read more on PCC here. Based on the PCCs submitted by the applicant and the travel history, the criminality is passed.

4. Security – The last and the final stage is the security. This is a serious & time-consuming stage and is done by Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) and Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS). Many factors are considered here, such as number of countries visited, applicant country of residence and the political situation there, past law enforcement or military record, prolonged stay in a country with out sufficient documents to prove cause, frequent traveling to certain nations. Upon the completion of the security check by CSIS, the report is submitted to IRCC.

5. Final Review – The CSIS and CBSA reports is reviewed and it is ensured that all checks have been completed, and it is then that the application is approved.

 

[legalfalcon]

Anyone received an AOR in March 2020, join here.

 

[usagi17]

March 5 AOR!

 

[legalfalcon]

March 5 AOR!

All the best for your application!!

 

[pooyanavid]

AOR: Mar 5, 2020

 

[jackdaniels]

March 4, 2020!

Ok this is exciting!

 

[legalfalcon]

AOR: Mar 5, 2020

March 4, 2020!

Ok this is exciting!

All the best for your application!

 

[legalfalcon]

When does the 6 months processing time start for an Express Entry Application?

A processing time starts the day IRCC receives a complete application, i.e. from the day when the completeness check (R10) is done. Contrary to popular belief I does not start when the AoR is issued.

 

[legalfalcon]

Understanding your obligation as a PNP nominee

When you filled your form for the PR, you were asked about your interest to reside in different provinces. Alternatively, you may have sent a letter of interest (“LOI”) to the province communicating your interest in moving to that province. It was in consideration of this Interest that you communicated, and having satisfied the Provincial nominee program requirements, the Province issued you a nomination, which gave you an additional 600 points.

It is important to understand that while Immigration is a federal subject, on which the federal government has complete control, the federal government has given certain privileges to Provinces to attract prospective immigrants to those provinces. PNP, is a part of that deal. However, even when a province nominates a prospective immigrant, it is the federal government through IRCC, which will make a final decision in whether to approve it or not.

There has been a case where a province nominated an applicant, but the IRCC refused his application citing concerns on his intent to settle in that province. The court held that it was the sole prerogative of the IRCC to make a decision and the Province can only nominate, but not have a final say on whom to admit and whom not to. This is why IRCC will ask for settlement plans from some PNP applicants to ensure that they are not using PNP as a means to seek in. (See Deol v. Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration), 2013 FC 1147; and Noreen v. Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration), 2013 FC 1169).

Now the important part – Section 6(3)(a) & (b) are subject to certain regulations and laws, and one of the most important is Provincial Nominee Program. Section 6(3)(a) & (b) create several limits to mobility rights. Laws requiring reasonable residence periods in order to qualify for social service programs, laws that do not discriminate on the basis of province of previous or present residence, and laws designed to improve conditions in areas of Canada with lower than average employment rates, are all exempted from the mobility rights guarantee in section 6. In other words, these types of provisions can infringe mobility rights, without being unconstitutional. Additionally, a law that is not saved by section 6(3) or (4) may be saved by analysis under section 1 of the Charter as being demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society. Until now there has been no case that I have come across dealing with the mobility rights and PNP. If you know of any, please let me know.

This mandates that an immigrant who immigrated under the PNP should remain in the province which nominated him for about 2 years to show his intention. This number is no where in the law, but reading the immigration laws and regulations, this is what people have derived. Even though an immigrant may have become a PR, he is subject to the limitations under Section 6(3)(a) & (b). While the law remains ambiguous, the more provinces are reporting PNP applicants who do not reside in the Province of nomination.

In the case of individuals where indications at the Port of Entry (POE) are that they no longer intend to reside in the nominating province/territory, they may be reported under section A44(1) for non-compliance with paragraph 87(2)(b) of the IRPR. At worst, where it becomes evident that an individual never intended to reside in the nominating province or territory, this could give rise to an allegation of misrepresentation, pursuant to paragraph 40(1)(a) of the IRPA. In the case few months some Provinces have been very actively pursuing this part and reporting immigrants. When reported for misrepresentation, the PR status can be cancelled and the applicant deported.


To read more on your mobility rights under the constitution and PNP obligations, see https://bit.ly/2TNymbp

 

[SD_oinp]

When does the 6 months processing time start for an Express Entry Application?

A processing time starts the day IRCC receives a complete application, i.e. from the day when the completeness check (R10) is done. Contrary to popular belief I does not start when the AoR is issued.

How to know if R10 is done? If progress bar started appearing, does it mean R10 done?