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ALL ABOUT GCMS - HOW TO ORDER, READ, & GENERAL QUESTIONS ANSWERED

caipsnotes

Champion Member
Jan 10, 2020
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Hi @legalfalcon, would like to seek your professional advice.
I got my GCMS notes and the eligibility was marked as "Review Required by Officer" by case processing agent, but at the end it was marked "Ready to Finalize" May I know anything I need to alert? Is it a good sign or bad sign for "Ready to Finalize"?


REVIEW TYPE: A11.2 - CASE PROCESSING AGENT APPLICATION: XXXXXXXX REGULATION: PNP: FSW,
2020-10-22 I have reviewed this application based upon the documents submitted by the applicant and the information contained in the file and note the following. RECOMMENDATION:***Review REQUIRED by Officer***
A11.2:
REVIEW REQUIRED R87: REVIEW REQUIRED R75: REVIEW REQUIRED R76: Selection Criteria - FSW POINTS: REVIEW REQUIRED R76: Selection Criteria - FUNDS: MEDICAL: ALL VALID Ready to Finalize
Ready to finalize means that the assistant or analyst is recommending that the officer review the file before making a final decision.

Some of the common reasons for Review Required are related to:
  • Proof of funds (POF)
  • Reference letter
  • Work experience
  • Employment verification
  • If you answered yes to any Statutory (Stat) Questions
All this and more at https://bit.ly/37nCTJD
 
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legalfalcon

VIP Member
Sep 21, 2015
19,048
9,916
Montréal, Quebec, Canada
Category........
FSW
Visa Office......
Ottawa
NOC Code......
4112
App. Filed.......
03-09-2015
Doc's Request.
01-10-2015
AOR Received.
03-09-2015
Med's Done....
17-08-2015
Passport Req..
05-04-2016
VISA ISSUED...
12-04-2016
LANDED..........
05-05-2016
Hi @legalfalcon

Would like to seek your professional advice.
I got my GCMS notes and the eligibility was marked as "Review Required by Officer" by case processing agent, but at the end it was marked "Ready to Finalize" May I know anything I need to alert? Is it a good sign or bad sign for "Ready to Finalize"?


REVIEW TYPE: A11.2 - CASE PROCESSING AGENT APPLICATION: XXXXXXXX REGULATION: PNP: FSW,
2020-10-22 I have reviewed this application based upon the documents submitted by the applicant and the information contained in the file and note the following. RECOMMENDATION:***Review REQUIRED by Officer***
A11.2:
REVIEW REQUIRED R87: REVIEW REQUIRED R75: REVIEW REQUIRED R76: Selection Criteria - FSW POINTS: REVIEW REQUIRED R76: Selection Criteria - FUNDS: MEDICAL: ALL VALID Ready to Finalize
I had an old post on RR, re-posting it here.


Understanding “Review Required”

A lot of applicants see “review required” in their GCMS notes for eligibility. There are many theories floating around with regard to what “review required” means and if it is alarming.

Before I venture into explaining the significance, it is important to understand that each application goes through the following stages as per the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and the regulations (Canadian Immigration Law):

R10 – Completeness Check
Criminality
Medicals - See https://bit.ly/3cxnr0w
A11.2 – eligibility
Security - see https://bit.ly/3apWglN

Out of the above, the most important stage is eligibility. This is also the most time-consuming stage because your documents have to be verified, evaluated and assessed to ascertain that you meet the eligibility criteria for the program you have applied (FSW / CEC / FTW). To stream line this process and make it easier for an immigration officer (decision making authority), all applications are first evaluated by case analysts or program assistants. They review the documents and summarize it in the GCMS. If they have any concerns with any document or want the immigration officer to carefully look into a specific document, they will flag it as “review required.” It is the content of the note that is important here. If the review required is for a specific document, while the summary of the note says that an applicant has met the eligibility, or “ready to finalize” it simply means that while the applicant has met the eligibility criteria, but the specific document needs a careful examination form the officer before promoting (eligibility pass) by the officer.

However, if there are concerns, there will be a review required for the eligibility, and there will be no text to the effect “ready to finalize” or pass. The note will specifically state job duties do not match, or the employment cannot be verified, or the number of years of work experience claimed cannot be verified. This is where an application can land in muddy waters. But the final decision rests on the immigration officer. He may override the decision of the analyst / assistant or go with the analysis of the analyst / assistant.

Even in cases where the analyst / assistant is of the opinion that the applicant has met the eligibility, and there is no “review required,” the officer can replace it with his own opinion. Though rare, but it does happen. This is why the eligibility is only passed when an officer conclusively marks the eligibility as passed.

Finally, there is “review required” for PoF. This is the most common in many applications. This is because, the financial and banking practices of each country are different. Eg. Fixed deposits are know as Certificate of Deposit (CD) in the US. Similarly, treasury bonds, mutual funds, stocks, and many other investment vehicles are there. If your PoF anything other than a bank deposit, it is more likely that it will be marked as “review required.” Also, IRCC does not go by day to day fluctuations in FOREX. Instead, the Canadian federal government issued a quarterly conversion rate for all FOREX vis-a-via CAD. If your PoF is in a foreign currency, then you may have “review required” for the officer to make a determination.

Just because you have “review required” does not mean that you hit the panic mode. Instead, read the context in which it is there. If there is a concern regarding a document, you can send a replacement document via CSE. The most common reasons for RR are:

1. Work reference letter without job duties
2. Work reference letters missing all the details requested by IRCC
3. If you submitted a letter from a colleague because you were unable to get one from your employer, but did not have a LoE on file, this too will lead to RR.
4. Not sufficient work experience in the primary NOC.
5. Inability to verify your employment as your employer details are missing.

There are just some of the scenarios.


___________________________________

You have RR for the following:

A11.2: Eligibility Criteria

R87: Provincial Nominee Class (R87.1 if you are CEC)

R75: Federal Skilled Worker Class selection criteria

R76: MEC criteria

Ready to finalise here means that subject to the above review, the application is ready to be finalised.
 

Reet14

Member
Jul 4, 2020
16
0
Hello @legalfalcon
Need ur help regarding my query.
My Aor is 15feb 2020 ,med 26feb 2020,biometrics 2nd march 2020
but after that nothing happened..got to know via gcms notes received on 20th jan 2021 that eligibility has met by case processing agent and my file last udated was in march 2020 after that nothing has done.
On 26jan 2021 got email regarding documents to be submitted..background declaration nd travel history forms for both me and my spouse.
I want to ask that these documents are required to be submitted by all fswo candidates.if no then why for me.i m really worried is this positive indication or negative plz help me..
 

caipsnotes

Champion Member
Jan 10, 2020
2,493
1,059
Canada
Category........
FSW
Visa Office......
Buffalo, NY
Hello @legalfalcon
Need ur help regarding my query.
My Aor is 15feb 2020 ,med 26feb 2020,biometrics 2nd march 2020
but after that nothing happened..got to know via gcms notes received on 20th jan 2021 that eligibility has met by case processing agent and my file last udated was in march 2020 after that nothing has done.
On 26jan 2021 got email regarding documents to be submitted..background declaration nd travel history forms for both me and my spouse.
I want to ask that these documents are required to be submitted by all fswo candidates.if no then why for me.i m really worried is this positive indication or negative plz help me..
This is quite normal, many applicants receive the request for this additional documentation. Nothing to be worried about it. If you search the forum you will find many applicants have experienced this too. Also see https://bit.ly/36ydtbt
 
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legalfalcon

VIP Member
Sep 21, 2015
19,048
9,916
Montréal, Quebec, Canada
Category........
FSW
Visa Office......
Ottawa
NOC Code......
4112
App. Filed.......
03-09-2015
Doc's Request.
01-10-2015
AOR Received.
03-09-2015
Med's Done....
17-08-2015
Passport Req..
05-04-2016
VISA ISSUED...
12-04-2016
LANDED..........
05-05-2016
Hello @legalfalcon
Need ur help regarding my query.
My Aor is 15feb 2020 ,med 26feb 2020,biometrics 2nd march 2020
but after that nothing happened..got to know via gcms notes received on 20th jan 2021 that eligibility has met by case processing agent and my file last udated was in march 2020 after that nothing has done.
On 26jan 2021 got email regarding documents to be submitted..background declaration nd travel history forms for both me and my spouse.
I want to ask that these documents are required to be submitted by all fswo candidates.if no then why for me.i m really worried is this positive indication or negative plz help me..

Usually the background declaration and travel history forms are asked from a few application whose information has gaps or IRCC wants to re-confirm the information submitted. If you were asked for these documents, there surely was a movement in your file which is a good news.

After your eligibility has been reviewed by a case processing agent, it will be reviewed by an officer who will make a final determination on your eligibility.

See my previous post on eligibility at #4,004

After your eligibility is passed, your security is initiated, which is the last step before PPR. To read on how security is done, how long it takes, and when it starts see https://bit.ly/3apWglN

If you were asked BG declaration, then your security should have been initiated by now.

No need to be concerned, and soon you should see a decision on your application.
 

Vick007

Full Member
Dec 30, 2019
42
8
Can we tell from GCMS notes, if the medical expiry has been extended?? If yes, which area should we look for under Medical section?
 

legalfalcon

VIP Member
Sep 21, 2015
19,048
9,916
Montréal, Quebec, Canada
Category........
FSW
Visa Office......
Ottawa
NOC Code......
4112
App. Filed.......
03-09-2015
Doc's Request.
01-10-2015
AOR Received.
03-09-2015
Med's Done....
17-08-2015
Passport Req..
05-04-2016
VISA ISSUED...
12-04-2016
LANDED..........
05-05-2016
Can we tell from GCMS notes, if the medical expiry has been extended?? If yes, which area should we look for under Medical section?
Yes, your medical related info will be available in your GCMS notes.

Your GCMS notes will have a section called Admissibilities and under that you will have info on medicals, see pages 30-45 of your GCMS.

The section will look like this:



See the stuff marked in read to know if your meds have been extended.

In some cases the meds may have been extended, but not updated in your GCMS notes, for that you can call IRCC and inquire.
 
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Vick007

Full Member
Dec 30, 2019
42
8
Yes, your medical related info will be available in your GCMS notes.

Your GCMS notes will have a section called Admissibilities and under that you will have info on medicals, see pages 30-45 of your GCMS.

The section will look like this:



See the stuff marked in read to know if your meds have been extended.

In some cases the meds may have been extended, but not updated in your GCMS notes, for that you can call IRCC and inquire.
Thank you so much.
 
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siji083

Full Member
Dec 10, 2020
26
31
Category........
CEC
Visa Office......
Ottawa
NOC Code......
3219
App. Filed.......
01-03-2020
AOR Received.
25-03-2021
Med's Done....
10-03-2020
VISA ISSUED...
03-03-2020
@legalfalcon I ordered GCMS notes from ircc and got an extension. Is it ok to order new notes from CBSA instead?
And if I order notes from CBSA, would still get notes from IRCC after the extension period?

Also, does the GCMS notes from CBSA shows useful details like officers' notes, status, etc?
Im so confused as I have never ordered from CBSA, Thanks a lot in advance...
 

caipsnotes

Champion Member
Jan 10, 2020
2,493
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Canada
Category........
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Visa Office......
Buffalo, NY
@legalfalcon I ordered GCMS notes from ircc and got an extension. Is it ok to order new notes from CBSA instead?
And if I order notes from CBSA, would still get notes from IRCC after the extension period?

Also, does the GCMS notes from CBSA shows useful details like officers' notes, status, etc?
Im so confused as I have never ordered from CBSA, Thanks a lot in advance...
All about requesting your GCMS file from CBSA here https://bit.ly/34nuJPu
Same cost and same process, only thing different is the consent form (see consent.gcmsnotes.com)
 

caipsnotes

Champion Member
Jan 10, 2020
2,493
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Canada
Category........
FSW
Visa Office......
Buffalo, NY
Completion times at IRCC for Requests ( e.g. Gcms Notes ) under the Access to Information Act

Latest available stats from IRCC




Extensions

Section 9 of the Access to Information Act permits the statutory time limits to be extended if consultations are necessary or if the request is for a large volume of records, and processing it within the original time limit would unreasonably interfere with the operations of the Department.

IRCC invoked a total of 7,587 extensions during the 2019-2020 reporting period. Extensions were required in 3,381 instances when IRCC consulted with other federal institutions prior to responding. Extensions were required in 4,191 instances to search through a large volume of records or to respond to the influx of requests, or both, which interfered with operations. The Department also invoked 9 extensions to conduct third-party notifications.

Read all about time extensions here https://bit.ly/2NmpUjP
 

caipsnotes

Champion Member
Jan 10, 2020
2,493
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Canada
Category........
FSW
Visa Office......
Buffalo, NY
its been a month that I had ordered CBSA and i have not rcvd anything in my inbox. Today is thd 31st day, therefore, @legalfalcon @caipsnotes pls advice if there are delays with CBsA as well?
If the 30 day deadline falls on a weekend or on a holiday, the due date becomes the next business day.

As per CBSA's latest stats: Of all the requests completed, the CBSA was successful in responding to 95.1% within the legislated timelines

If you used a 3rd party then there can be a difference between when you placed the order with the 3rd party and when the 3rd party actually submitted the request to CBSA. This difference with some can really add up.
 
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mussadsar

Star Member
Sep 22, 2017
197
37
If the 30 day deadline falls on a weekend or on a holiday, the due date becomes the next business day.

As per CBSA's latest stats: Of all the requests completed, the CBSA was successful in responding to 95.1% within the legislated timelines

If you used a 3rd party then there can be a difference between when you placed the order with the 3rd party and when the 3rd party actually submitted the request to CBSA. This difference with some can really add up.
No, my brother residing in Canada ordered it on my behalf on 6th Jan.. still waiting.. its getting real frustrating..