Applicant from PhD program after 5 Nov, 2011 connect here to get status

[asbereth]

rgb, congrats !!! I still think you should pay up your RPRF anyway. It looks like COPR can only be issued once RPRF has already been paid, I wonder if paying RPRF upfront would speed up how long they need to issue you PR Once again, congrats!! It's amazing how both you and TyrusX got PPR as soon as you guys went abroad.

 

[kaziahmmed]

So let me get this straight - your letter lists the duties as per NOC 4012 including the lines

"assist professors in the analysis of results and the preparation of journal articles or papers"

and

"Organize reference materials, visual aids and other materials as required by university professors or college teachers for lectures"

in which it is clearly mentioned that you ASSIST professors in the duties, but because these magic words are not listed a SECOND time somewhere in the introduction, they deem your work as not in line in NOC 4012? This is nitpicking, pathetic, and infuriating. It just demonstrates the lengths at which the Conservative government is willing to go to deny immigration to individuals who will least likely vote for them. This is it for me: I am withdrawing my application and will not reapply until a new government is voted.

This is really really frustrating. If they have such meticulous demand then I think they should provide a specific format for this category where we just put the statistical information. This is so sad and pathetic for anyone to bear this kind of rejection after waiting that long.

 

[asbereth]

So let me get this straight - your letter lists the duties as per NOC 4012 including the lines

"assist professors in the analysis of results and the preparation of journal articles or papers"

and

"Organize reference materials, visual aids and other materials as required by university professors or college teachers for lectures"

in which it is clearly mentioned that you ASSIST professors in the duties, but because these magic words are not listed a SECOND time somewhere in the introduction, they deem your work as not in line in NOC 4012? This is nitpicking, pathetic, and infuriating. It just demonstrates the lengths at which the Conservative government is willing to go to deny immigration to individuals who will least likely vote for them. This is it for me: I am withdrawing my application and will not reapply until a new government is voted.

I checked her letter again, and I think the job descriptions were indeed missing the keyword: "assist". If (a big if) I have time tonight, I'll double check reference letters of rejected applications, and see if these letters contain 'assist' in one way or another. Not all accepted experience letters seem to have the word 'assist' as one of the job descriptions, but those rejected seem to always miss it. Leading statement, I think, is the most important in evaluation of job description, and I hope those who have reapplied have this important keyword on their letters.

Conspiracy theory here, but I have a feeling they were being this nit-picky on letters so they can collect as much revenue as possible from rejected applications (I bet the majority of rejected applicants re-apply, hence, more money for the government). What these people don't seem to understand is, most applicants won't mind paying even double the application fees, if it means applications would have much much faster processing times, and they would be evaluated fairly and consistently. What they don't seem to understand is, a lot of applicants too have a life, and a lot of them have their lives in 'pause mode' during processing.

Seriously, I don't mind them rejecting hardcore criminals, but these job description rejections seem super arbitrary, and if they think the job descriptions are lacking 'leading statement and substantial main duties', the applicants should be asked to explain more rather than having them wait 1+ year only to be rejected. If their time is valuable, increase the application fee by 20 dollars so their extra 15 minutes to re-evaluate an application (should there be something missing) can be compensated. Imagine the extra revenues, and imagine how much happier applicants would be. If only I was the immigartion minister...

 

[noc4012]

I checked her letter again, and I think the job descriptions were indeed missing the keyword: "assist". If (a big if) I have time tonight, I'll double check reference letters of rejected applications, and see if these letters contain 'assist' in one way or another. Not all accepted experience letters seem to have the word 'assist' as one of the job descriptions, but those rejected seem to always miss it. Leading statement, I think, is the most important in evaluation of job description, and I hope those who have reapplied have this important keyword on their letters.

Conspiracy theory here, but I have a feeling they were being this nit-picky on letters so they can collect as much revenue as possible from rejected applications (I bet the majority of rejected applicants re-apply, hence, more money for the government). What these people don't seem to understand is, most applicants won't mind paying even double the application fees, if it means applications would have much much faster processing times, and they would be evaluated fairly and consistently. What they don't seem to understand is, a lot of applicants too have a life, and a lot of them have their lives in 'pause mode' during processing.

Seriously, I don't mind them rejecting hardcore criminals, but these job description rejections seem super arbitrary, and if they think the job descriptions are lacking 'leading statement and substantial main duties', the applicants should be asked to explain more rather than having them wait 1+ year only to be rejected. If their time is valuable, increase the application fee by 20 dollars so their extra 15 minutes to re-evaluate an application (should there be something missing) can be compensated. Imagine the extra revenues, and imagine how much happier applicants would be. If only I was the immigartion minister...

Someone here posted a link to a court ruling (Hasan vs CIC if my memory serves me right) where rejection occurred because the letter was copy/paste from the NOC list. The court agreed that if a letter is provided and contains satisfactory information but the VO feels there is some doubt, they should give the applicant the chance to explain further instead of rejecting the application right away.

You are right about the revenue. In fact, the document which lists the new regulations' benefits specifically mentions that there will be more revenue to the government, in part due to credential assessment. So yes, revenue is an incentive and they don't even try to hide it.

I am also sure that some officers have a personal issue with educated immigrants like us, thinking to themselves: these foreigners will take jobs from my friends and relatives.

 

[asbereth]

Someone here posted a link to a court ruling (Hasan vs CIC if my memory serves me right) where rejection occurred because the letter was copy/paste from the NOC list. The court agreed that if a letter is provided and contains satisfactory information but the VO feels there is some doubt, they should give the applicant the chance to explain further instead of rejecting the application right away.

The thing is, even if it was a copy-paste from the HRSDC website, so long the applicant REALLY conducted those duties, the descriptions should still be accepted. Yes the letter would be self-serving, but with all these rejections due to descriptions being completely "off", one may wonder why the frak they would still have problems with copy-paste NOC descriptions (not to mention that you should copy-paste obviously, just that the fact that you do should not be the basis for rejection).

You are right about the revenue. In fact, the document which lists the new regulations' benefits specifically mentions that there will be more revenue to the government, in part due to credential assessment. So yes, revenue is an incentive and they don't even try to hide it.

More revenues for the government are okay, provided they are compensated with better service and much faster processing times. For example, I wouldn't mind paying 2000 to 2500 bucks if I can be guaranteed a PR in, say, two weeks (if I'm eligible and qualified under the appropriate stream of course; I can dream, can't I? Even people who are willing to let the government have their 800,000 still have to wait years to get PR).

 

[websphereguy]

Major stall for April 2012 folks. The only bunch of group in the spreadsheet who hasn't heard anything yet. Sigh. Am going to start padding a little more patience - after all, I've reach this far.

 

[asbereth]

Major stall for April 2012 folks. The only bunch of group in the spreadsheet who hasn't heard anything yet. Sigh. Am going to start padding a little more patience - after all, I've reach this far.

This month, I am sure, you guys will be evaluated. Waiting for medical was a really desperate time...

 

[TyrusX]

Thank you Asbereth. Sorry If I have missed anything important but I'm in Mexico and don't check the blog often.
Just as expected, I just got PASSPORT REQUEST, as soon as I got to Mexico (one day later) they send me passport request. It is like if they knew, right Tyrusx? haha
The funny thing is that I got passport request after 5 weeks of "decision made" in ECAS, while some people got passport request pretty soon, even before "medical received" in ECAS.
Anyway, I should send my passport at the end of the month

LOL. SAME HERE. MURPHY's Law . estoy muy feliz por ti.

 

[noc4012]

The thing is, even if it was a copy-paste from the HRSDC website, so long the applicant REALLY conducted those duties, the descriptions should still be accepted. Yes the letter would be self-serving, but with all these rejections due to descriptions being completely "off", one may wonder why the frak they would still have problems with copy-paste NOC descriptions (not to mention that you should copy-paste obviously, just that the fact that you do should not be the basis for rejection).

Honestly, if this happened to me, I would raise hell. Even if the word "assist" is not in the lead statement, the title of the position is research ASSISTant. If duties also indicate that the student assisted the prof in any way, shape, or form, the work experience must be accepted. So I would contact the immigration minister, industry minister, and parliament representative in my area. If all that fails, I would contact newspapers and TV. Many companies and universities have standard letters and will not tailor-make letters for staff according to our wishes. This is what the secretary in our dept told me when I asked her to insert one line that I completed MSc from the same department (a fact). She complained for 10 minutes about the more work she has to do to deviate from the template. So imagine asking for a line which says "assist univ prof in research" or whatever the lead statement is.

If CIC can reject applications based on semantics, there is no way we can be "safe" in what documents we provide.

 

[sarsanballa]

so true. I am really regretting coming here for the stupid phd program.

Well, no need to regret, you can always withdraw from the program if you are "seriously" not happy about it. There is no compulsion.

 

[sia_kb8]

It might sound stupid, but what's exactly the "lead statement"? Pretty all rejections that were based on the job letter mention this. Can anyone clarify, please?

 

[noc4012]

It might sound stupid, but what's exactly the "lead statement"? Pretty all rejections that were based on the job letter mention this. Can anyone clarify, please?

"Post-secondary teaching and research assistants assist university professors, community college and CEGEP teachers and other faculty members in teaching and research activities at universities and colleges."

 

[sarsanballa]

It might sound stupid, but what's exactly the "lead statement"? Pretty all rejections that were based on the job letter mention this. Can anyone clarify, please?

For example, the part in bold italic font is the magical "LEAD STATEMENT", hope this helps.

4012 Post-secondary teaching and research assistants

Post-secondary teaching and research assistants assist university professors, community college and CEGEP teachers and other faculty members in teaching and research activities at universities and colleges.

Example Titles
college laboratory assistant
college teaching assistant
graduate assistant – university
post-secondary research assistant
research assistant, university

 

[sia_kb8]

Thanks to both of you guys. ^ and ^^

I kind of knew what they are talking about. But having heard this pathetic "lead statement" excuse for rejections I had to ask and make sure.

I am having a hard time thinking that people who got rejected obtained letters that did not include the "leading statement".

Mine contains it (repeats it even) and has bullet points that specify in detail the job descriptions. The word "assist" and its synonyms are used multiple times. They have included a mixture of paraphrasing the NOC job descriptions as well as word-by-word sentences. To be on the safe side, I am including a letter from my supervisor as well as our graduate chair. I hope it's enough. Any suggestions?

PS. I have yet to file. Awaiting WES' ECA.

 

[oasisfairy]

Well, no need to regret, you can always withdraw from the porgram if you are "seriously" not happy about it. There is no compulsion.

if I got the permanent residence