Hi Everyone! Does anyone here has an idea what will happen to the oath ceremonies now. Was scheduled for mine last week, which was cancelled due to COVID-19. Any idea, how r they planning to accommodate us?TIA!
Oath Ceremony- COVID-19
- Thread starter Stephany.1
- Start date
They won’t accommodate us, because citizenship is not a priority for the government right now. We need to wait until the pandemic resolved, who knows how long it will take....
They are cancelling everything until things get back to normal. Citizenship is not priority as of right now.
Australia has decided to hold online citizenship ceremonies. Not sure if Canada will follow suit.
https://minister.homeaffairs.gov.au/davidcoleman/Pages/statement-on-australian-citizenship-processing.aspx
https://minister.homeaffairs.gov.au/davidcoleman/Pages/statement-on-australian-citizenship-processing.aspx
Intersting however let’s remember that Australia is also one of the best five (if not three) countries along with NZ for virus containment. I have a friend there who is back going to coffee shops and they’ve only had 100 deaths (as opposed to 6,000).
While Canadian numbers are still lower than many in Europe we’re far off single digit daily raises.
Well, that's all the more reason to seriously consider online ceremonies, don't you think? We have to respect medical advise and stay indoors (and not gather in groups). If ceremonies stay cancelled like this for months and no online ceremonies are held, then the backlog will be so severe that it would take a very long time for current and future applicants to get their oath invites.
Maddants
Champion Member
- Oct 18, 2012
- 65
- Category........
- Visa Office......
- Kingston
- Job Offer........
- Pre-Assessed..
- App. Filed.......
- Jan. 23, 2012
- AOR Received.
- June 11, 2012
- File Transfer...
- June 26, 2012
- Med's Request
- Jan. 11, 2015
- Med's Done....
- Dec. 9, 2011 / Nov. 9, 2015
- Interview........
- Sept. 17, 2013
- Passport Req..
- February 29, 2016
- VISA ISSUED...
- March 7, 2016
- LANDED..........
- April 28, 2016
https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/virtual-citizenship-oath-canada_ca_5ec5693ac5b6ea08c805ea00?fbclid=IwAR1GWJHzd7MWyHWbh4UimnQ_W4cD3spw5Q0B4L-N3RGmBFsMnTTjTK6WCRQ
Please click above on the link and it will some what explain about Canada going to consider doing the online ceremonies on Zoom
Please click above on the link and it will some what explain about Canada going to consider doing the online ceremonies on Zoom
Maddants
Champion Member
- Oct 18, 2012
- 65
- Category........
- Visa Office......
- Kingston
- Job Offer........
- Pre-Assessed..
- App. Filed.......
- Jan. 23, 2012
- AOR Received.
- June 11, 2012
- File Transfer...
- June 26, 2012
- Med's Request
- Jan. 11, 2015
- Med's Done....
- Dec. 9, 2011 / Nov. 9, 2015
- Interview........
- Sept. 17, 2013
- Passport Req..
- February 29, 2016
- VISA ISSUED...
- March 7, 2016
- LANDED..........
- April 28, 2016
https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/virtual-citizenship-oath-canada_ca_5ec5693ac5b6ea08c805ea00?fbclid=IwAR1pVWb25rdti7xLMsQmLxUMyNDh38nYK5jDp8B4IU1DBywh_INUO_wOmps
Please click above on the link and it will some what explain about Canada going to consider doing the online ceremonies on Zoom
Please click above on the link and it will some what explain about Canada going to consider doing the online ceremonies on Zoom
Reminder: for current information about citizenship application processing, see
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/coronavirus-covid19/citizenship.html (a webpage which is updated regularly)
Currently not only are tests, interviews, and oath ceremonies cancelled until further notice, but it appears that other than in very exceptional circumstances, processing applications itself is in large part if not entirely ON HOLD, not being done.
What the sum and substance of the Huffington Post article actually explains is that its headline is misleading (which tends to be the norm these days). That is, the content of the article offers NO hint that virtual oath ceremonies are on the horizon in any more than, perhaps, a very small number of exceptional cases. One so far.
Let's be clear: The process is delayed. Continues to be on hold. Even for the individual who is the focus of the Huffington Post article, someone who was already scheduled to take the oath but whose ceremony was cancelled due to covid-19, the article states that a virtual oath will NOT be offered him.
Even the prospect that *some* applicants who previously requested URGENT processing MIGHT be given virtual oath ceremonies is vague and quoted with minimal context, offering very little explanation about who or how many, with essentially no hint that it will be much more extensive than what has already been reported to have happened, which is a SINGLE instance, ONE person in very special circumstances (referenced in the article and discussed in multiple topics here some weeks ago).
Some here may hope to be number two, or say number 23 . . . or, one cannot totally rule out there may be a hundred done by the end of summer, maybe . . .
. . . and of course many are simply looking for any glimmer of hope there will be some progress soon. And sooner or later the government will necessarily need to address how to conduct interviews, tests, and taking the oath, in the post-covid era. . . .
. . . regarding which, the more realistic outlook for the vast, vast majority (all but a very small number) is that IRCC figures out how to conduct in-person events (including tests, interviews, and taking the oath) incorporating adequate distancing and other measures to minimize risks of disease transmission, and begins conducting such events in the near future, sooner rather than later.
Beyond that, sure, the development and implementation of virtual venue events is perhaps a real possibility. Eventually. The technology has been available for a long time, for decades. And would not necessarily require ZOOM or the Internet, but could be set up to operate on secure internal networks, and could involve utilization of physical facilities that are organized and arranged to facilitate near contact-free transactional events (thus including tests and interviews as well as oath ceremonies).
But if and when IRCC will move in that direction, let alone actually begin such operations, is highly speculative.
In the meantime, sorry, there is NO hint that virtual oath ceremonies are on the horizon in any more than, perhaps, a very small number of exceptional cases.
When IRCC does resume in-person events that will undoubtedly be big and broadly disseminated news.
I do not know, but I feel confident that the government has some kind of task force, probably multiple ones, exploring the ways and means of resuming in-person events, including at least some of kind of substitution for large-gathering events, in order to resume the functions of government. For immigration, citizenship, as well as many other government functions. That is, even if processing is currently on-hold, I feel confident (and hope) the government is not just *waiting* for the covid-19 crisis to pass but is proactively pursuing how to best resume in-person transactions and events sooner rather than later.
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/coronavirus-covid19/citizenship.html (a webpage which is updated regularly)
Currently not only are tests, interviews, and oath ceremonies cancelled until further notice, but it appears that other than in very exceptional circumstances, processing applications itself is in large part if not entirely ON HOLD, not being done.
At the risk of seeming to be some kind of debbie-downer, it warrants emphasizing that a realistic outlook offers NO hint there will be virtual oath ceremonies anytime in the near future for routine applicants.
What the sum and substance of the Huffington Post article actually explains is that its headline is misleading (which tends to be the norm these days). That is, the content of the article offers NO hint that virtual oath ceremonies are on the horizon in any more than, perhaps, a very small number of exceptional cases. One so far.
Let's be clear: The process is delayed. Continues to be on hold. Even for the individual who is the focus of the Huffington Post article, someone who was already scheduled to take the oath but whose ceremony was cancelled due to covid-19, the article states that a virtual oath will NOT be offered him.
Even the prospect that *some* applicants who previously requested URGENT processing MIGHT be given virtual oath ceremonies is vague and quoted with minimal context, offering very little explanation about who or how many, with essentially no hint that it will be much more extensive than what has already been reported to have happened, which is a SINGLE instance, ONE person in very special circumstances (referenced in the article and discussed in multiple topics here some weeks ago).
Some here may hope to be number two, or say number 23 . . . or, one cannot totally rule out there may be a hundred done by the end of summer, maybe . . .
. . . and of course many are simply looking for any glimmer of hope there will be some progress soon. And sooner or later the government will necessarily need to address how to conduct interviews, tests, and taking the oath, in the post-covid era. . . .
. . . regarding which, the more realistic outlook for the vast, vast majority (all but a very small number) is that IRCC figures out how to conduct in-person events (including tests, interviews, and taking the oath) incorporating adequate distancing and other measures to minimize risks of disease transmission, and begins conducting such events in the near future, sooner rather than later.
Beyond that, sure, the development and implementation of virtual venue events is perhaps a real possibility. Eventually. The technology has been available for a long time, for decades. And would not necessarily require ZOOM or the Internet, but could be set up to operate on secure internal networks, and could involve utilization of physical facilities that are organized and arranged to facilitate near contact-free transactional events (thus including tests and interviews as well as oath ceremonies).
But if and when IRCC will move in that direction, let alone actually begin such operations, is highly speculative.
In the meantime, sorry, there is NO hint that virtual oath ceremonies are on the horizon in any more than, perhaps, a very small number of exceptional cases.
When IRCC does resume in-person events that will undoubtedly be big and broadly disseminated news.
I do not know, but I feel confident that the government has some kind of task force, probably multiple ones, exploring the ways and means of resuming in-person events, including at least some of kind of substitution for large-gathering events, in order to resume the functions of government. For immigration, citizenship, as well as many other government functions. That is, even if processing is currently on-hold, I feel confident (and hope) the government is not just *waiting* for the covid-19 crisis to pass but is proactively pursuing how to best resume in-person transactions and events sooner rather than later.
Citizenship ceremonies put on hold until end of pandemic - KitchenerToday.com https://www.kitchenertoday.com/local-news/citizenship-ceremonies-put-on-hold-until-end-of-pandemic-2368527?utm_source=Email&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=Email
Note, the CBC story a day ago (should link) likewise based on the Kitchner area immigration lawyer, Jennifer Roggermann, as a source, is a little more in depth.
But nonetheless offering little if any more than the simple fact that processing citizenship applications is not happening and the future remains in limbo (with possible, rare exceptions).
Best source remains IRCC's website pages about the impact of Covid-19.
If and when things start moving on any appreciable scale, it will be obvious and widely known almost immediately.
One might easily guess that citizenship and PR card renewals are likely to be among the last to get rolling again.
That's not what it says at all. It just mentions the one exceptional circumstance where a citizenship ceremony was conducted remotely through Zoom.