January 2021 - Citizenship Applicants

[tatateagold]

Honestly, this is rediculous, My background check got completed in May, that’s the only update I have over the past year! I’ve been here in Canada for over 12 years, and paid taxes since the day I arrived in this country, yet No citizenship!

Not very different for me either. Background check completed in April, no movement since.

IRCC is still busy with Afghan crisis so no response to queries as well. It is strange that the crisis impacts only specific files/specific months, as people applying after are now scheduled for oath.

I read an article where they said they process applications in FIFO basis - i nearly spat out my coffee laughing!

This is from another thread. June applicant already has test date (and not urgent application either)!:

Type: Paper application
Location: Mississauga
Physical Presence Days: 1110
Application: family (2 adults & 1 minor)
Application Sent: June 9, 2021
Application Delivered: June 14, 2021
AOR: Sept 15th
In process ECAS: Oct 18th
Background Check Completed: Nov 5th
Citizenship Test Request: Nov 30th
Test Window: Dec 6th - 26th

 

[rememberme]

Not very different for me either. Background check completed in April, no movement since.

IRCC is still busy with Afghan crisis so no response to queries as well. It is strange that the crisis impacts only specific files/specific months, as people applying after are now scheduled for oath.

I read an article where they said they process applications in FIFO basis - i nearly spat out my coffee laughing!

Same here. My backcheck completed in April and I haven't heard nothing since then.

 

[CdnWifeLivingInThailand]

Oath scheduled on 23rd December. I will need to reschedule it though..

Added into the tracker. Hopefully it won't take too long to reschedule to a better suited time...

 

[CdnWifeLivingInThailand]

Not very different for me either. Background check completed in April, no movement since.

IRCC is still busy with Afghan crisis so no response to queries as well. It is strange that the crisis impacts only specific files/specific months, as people applying after are now scheduled for oath.

I read an article where they said they process applications in FIFO basis - i nearly spat out my coffee laughing!

This is from another thread. June applicant already has test date (and not urgent application either)!:

Same here. No updated since BG passed in May. Haha - yes, it definitely appears as though they use the LIFO method (last in first out) NOT the FIFO method! If you don't get picked to move quickly through the process at the beginning, then you wait for ages, as more recent applications get piled on top of yours! I, to be honest, would be okay if processing time for everyone was longer, if they actually did first in first out and focused on the applications from 2019 and 2020 to finalize those first. It doesn't seem fair when paper applications from June 2021 moving quickly (maybe it is urgent, they forgot to mention??!) when others from January 2021 left behind, but especially the applications from 2019 and 2020 being left behind. I just wish it was more comparable timing for everyone... But, I know that will never happen. But happy for those that have oath scheduled and have moved so quickly through the process! Just frustrating for those of us left behind. Oh well... I'm hoping we get citizenship by January 2023 - that would be two years. Setting my expectations very low so I am not too disappointed.

 

[tatateagold]

Same here. No updated since BG passed in May. Haha - yes, it definitely appears as though they use the LIFO method (last in first out) NOT the FIFO method! If you don't get picked to move quickly through the process at the beginning, then you wait for ages, as more recent applications get piled on top of yours! I, to be honest, would be okay if processing time for everyone was longer, if they actually did first in first out and focused on the applications from 2019 and 2020 to finalize those first. It doesn't seem fair when paper applications from June 2021 moving quickly (maybe it is urgent, they forgot to mention??!) when others from January 2021 left behind, but especially the applications from 2019 and 2020 being left behind. I just wish it was more comparable timing for everyone... But, I know that will never happen. But happy for those that have oath scheduled and have moved so quickly through the process! Just frustrating for those of us left behind. Oh well... I'm hoping we get citizenship by January 2023 - that would be two years. Setting my expectations very low so I am not too disappointed.

Same here - I will be thankful if I get it by Jan 2023.

At least my wife's online application is progressing well (touchwood)!

 

[aroundtheworld_]

they talk about getting rid of citizenship application fees! And make tax payers pay for it! I don't understand how that's a good thing!. If the service is this slow and inefficient when it's charged and they have enough funds to use towards resources and hiring more people if they need to; one can only wonder how slow it will be when it's totally free! I really think they don't have enough workforce. I think they should continue charging for citizenship and with that money hire more people to work on those applications. That'd be a Win win situation.

plus there's no proper timeline. Someone who's applied in April can be processed faster than others who submitted their applications months before them.. not to mention the processing time difference between online and paper applications

and of course they keep taking applications (of all kinds.. citizenship, PR and everything knowing the fact that they can't process the ones they already have pending.) A couple of people in my family are waiting for pr for more than 1.5 years and they ended up moving to Canada from States on work visa because they got job transfer already but PR, nowhere in sight.. I understand application fees are good source of revenue but at least put it to use where it's needed and make this processing times reasonable and bearable.

I know it is frustrating! I’m tired of immigration process. The problem is government workers have more vacation days than industry workers, and lower hours. They take vacation as many as they want, are off during holidays, and don’t have the pressure of work like industry people.

 

[prt22]

I know it is frustrating! I’m tired of immigration process. The problem is government workers have more vacation days than industry workers, and lower hours. They take vacation as many as they want, are off during holidays, and don’t have the pressure of work like industry people.

I share ur frustration. There seems to be no accountability because of the fact that you can't be easily fired for not doing the best job makes matter worse.

I guess the only thing u can do is become a citizen, run for government and change something??? Although government offices are same in most countries and this isn't a problem that Canada is facing in particular

 

[rememberme]

Still nothing for me despite having contacted CIC on Nov 8th, gotten a confirmation email saying they d respond within 3business days...
But well may be this week

Congrats to all of you who got through though!

Did you finally receive any response?

 

[LemmeKnowIfYouKnow]

I share ur frustration. There seems to be no accountability because of the fact that you can't be easily fired for not doing the best job makes matter worse.

I guess the only thing u can do is become a citizen, run for government and change something??? Although government offices are same in most countries and this isn't a problem that Canada is facing in particular

One of my brother's friends applied for citizenship, made a mistake in the form (forgot to tick Mark or something silly) his application was returned and he was gonna resubmit. (I had that conversation with him on March 29th so I'm sure he submitted again in March or April) haven't really seen him much after that. A few days ago my brother told me "that friend got his test invite for December". And i was like what!! Fyi i applied in January!

US immigration is infamous for their outdated and extremely slow immigration system but when it comes to processing citizenship applications; at least before covid, they used to take around 6 months or less to process the application (and that too in crowded States in north east and west coast not Wyoming or Idaho). And CIC still used to take 9 to 10 months.. More or less. So CIC is and has been slow. And I seriously don't buy that Afghan refugee crisis is a valid excuse, as that's a completely different department. Just like there must be a department to handle issuing visas, handling pr applications & granting citizenship.. it's safe to assume refugee department must be a totally separate thing. But again even if we think that they've put more people towards that issue it doesn't explain them processing some applications faster than others! and FIFO!? HAHA yeah right. Sure!

As if they have an old-school government office where files keep piling up and they pick up whichever is on top and work on it for a little bit then drop it aside. Like totally RANDOM.. plus no one is there to answer or reach out to. You can call cic helpline number wait for half an hour and know that they have nothing to add on top of what you already know.

Even revenue agency! A department that shouldn't have any issues with funding, can't pick up a call without making us wait for well over 45 mins to an hour and at the end it might just say try again we're busy. Good luck changing your address, password and other important stuff like that. Like seriously! How much would it cost to hire more phone representatives for CRA!? To serve a population of just about 38 mil!? I see a pattern!

 

[aroundtheworld_]

One of my brother's friends applied for citizenship, made a mistake in the form (forgot to tick Mark or something silly) his application was returned and he was gonna resubmit. (I had that conversation with him on March 29th so I'm sure he submitted again in March or April) haven't really seen him much after that. A few days ago my brother told me "that friend got his test invite for December". And i was like what!! Fyi i applied in January!

US immigration is infamous for their outdated and extremely slow immigration system but when it comes to processing citizenship applications; at least before covid, they used to take around 6 months or less to process the application. And CIC still used to take 9 to 10 months.. More or less. So CIC is and has been slow. And I seriously don't buy that Afghan refugee crisis is a valid excuse, as that's a completely different department. Just like there must be a department to handle issuing visas, handling pr applications & granting citizenship.. it's safe to assume refugee department must be a totally separate thing. But again even if we think that they've put more people towards that issue it doesn't explain them processing some applications faster than others! and FIFO!? HAHA yeah right. Sure!

As if they have an old-school government office where files keep piling up and they pick up whichever is on top and work on it for a little bit then drop it aside. Like totally RANDOM.. plus no one is there to answer or reach out to. You can call cic helpline number wait for half an hour and know that they have nothing to add on top of what you already know.

Even revenue agency! A department that shouldn't have any issues with funding, can't pick up a call without making us wait for well over 45 mins to an hour and at the end it might just say try again we're busy. Good luck changing your address, password and what other important stuff like that. Like seriously! How much would it cost to hire more phone representatives for CRA!? To serve a population of just about 38 mil!? I see a pattern!

These days it’s not even a service anymore, they say they won’t respond to non emergency issues. Their system is rediculous and I’m frustrated.

 

[OTW5074]

Did you finally receive any response?

Well I did get a "response" early this week but it just says the are busy due to the Afghanistan situation, have nothing new they can tell me that s not already on the tracker (so nothing) and that my query is not a priority one so I need to wait until my dashboard updates or they ask me for additional documents if needed.

tbh even if the whole system is a mess, it may not be entirely fair to put the blame on the workers directly, seems more like a terrible organisation in the first place, so the workers are probably stuck in that system too.

Let's stay positive and hope for the best folks

 

[rememberme]

Well I did get a "response" early this week but it just says the are busy due to the Afghanistan situation, have nothing new they can tell me that s not already on the tracker (so nothing) and that my query is not a priority one so I need to wait until my dashboard updates or they ask me for additional documents if needed.

tbh even if the whole system is a mess, it may not be entirely fair to put the blame on the workers directly, seems more like a terrible organisation in the first place, so the workers are probably stuck in that system too.

Let's stay positive and hope for the best folks

Good to sense the positivity in your statement. Appreciate that. Yeah, howmuchever I detest the entire waiting period, honestly it's not worth it since at the end I have no other option but to go through the process.

 

[CdnWifeLivingInThailand]

Has anyone received their ATIP notes back? We applied over 30 days ago, but have not heard anything back. They didn't send a notice that they would extend the time either. They website says to send an email if the 30 days have passed, which I did, but just got a generic reply back saying they are significantly delayed. How long has it taken for others to get their ATIP notes for citizenship applications?

 

[anyusernameisgood]

One step further finally, after finishing citizenship test in September, my tracker was update. Decision not made yet, it's 'In Progress' still, wondering what people think is next in terms of timeline?

Mods, please update spreadsheet -
Updated: December 2, 2021

• Dec 1, 2021
  
  
  Language skills activity status updated
  
  Language skills
  
  Language skills status has been updated to Completed
• Dec 1, 2021
  
  
  Physical presence activity status updated
  
  Physical presence
  
  Physical presence status has been updated to Completed
• Dec 1, 2021
  
  
  Prohibitions activity status updated
  
  Prohibitions
  
  Prohibitions status has been updated to Completed

 

[Kekaritu]

One step further finally, after finishing citizenship test in September, my tracker was update. Decision not made yet, it's 'In Progress' still, wondering what people think is next in terms of timeline?

Mods, please update spreadsheet -
Updated: December 2, 2021

• Dec 1, 2021
  
  
  Language skills activity status updated
  
  Language skills
  
  Language skills status has been updated to Completed
• Dec 1, 2021
  
  
  Physical presence activity status updated
  
  Physical presence
  
  Physical presence status has been updated to Completed
• Dec 1, 2021
  
  
  Prohibitions activity status updated
  
  Prohibitions
  
  Prohibitions status has been updated to Completed

I got the same update last week and 5 days later I got my Oath date. The status is still “in progress”. I guess it’s not always changing to DM