Temasek said:
Positive news indeed. With the retention of the 29 priority occupation list, it should put to rest any fear that the post 25 June 2010 group would be placed in non-priority.
The consequence of the reduced inventory is, I believe, likely to be mixed. With the current numbers at 13,682 (as on 21 June 11), and on the same take-up rate, we could have less than 9,000 applicants for the post 30 June 11 cohort – which is not a significant drop. However because both CIO and the VOs already have the experience from the post 25 June 2010 group, cases should be processed much faster and especially for those in the demand list.
As to how fast the new caps will be reached, i suppose there may already be many - either those who could not submit their application before the current cap was attained, or were refused after they had made a submission and could not reapply - who are holding on to their applications just to file them on 1 July 11. We would probably know how significant this group is by the end of July 11; or even sooner if CIC publishes its application receipt statistics earlier this time.
It is also good that CIC is acknowledging the processing time variations between the various VOs. Hopefully this too will eventually be addressed. I certainly share the view that it is quite disturbing (to put it mildly) that applicants from some VOs have heard nothing beyond their PER even though some of the applications are almost nearing its 1st anniversary. Hope all goes well soon for those earlier applicants especially those using Accra, Buffalo, & London as their VO.
I suppose it would also be a matter of time the issue of FSW2, and how they would be able to sieve through the genuine applications (incl. those on TWP) from the bogus, would also be addressed. As an employer myself, I must say it is very difficult for hirers to commit to the employment of staff for an indefinite period. With changing economics, it just does not make sense for anyone to wait beyond a few months on a promise to employ someone. Hopefully we will also see changes that will streamline and quicken the process for this group too.
Cheers.
I agree, the news could not be better in my opinion. Let's take a step back and have a look:
"Since these changes were implemented in November 2008, the backlog of pre-2008 federal skilled worker applicants has decreased by 50 percent."
Now in my opinion the figures of the pre-2008 backlog is somewhat exaggerated. This is because:
1- Many pre 2008 applicants have either given up, settled somewhere else, or gone ahead with their lives in their own countries. Or,
2- They have applied again at a later date, as new rules made processing times shorter. The people who applied again, which in my opinion could be a considerable number, are being counted twice if I'm not mistaken.
As far as the post June 2010 applicants are concerned, nothing could be better. They kept the 29 NOCs, so we don't have to worry that a particular NOC is no longer in demand... and they reduced the number of people allowed per NOC to 500, which means even less applications will go to VOs this year and post June 2010 and 2011 will both remain the priority in processing, in my opinion.
The only bad news here is for the post June 2011 applicants and beyond, they are tightening up the number of applicants even more and in years to come qualifications will become more difficult. But I suppose these changes were to be expected at some stage.
Best of luck to all those waiting, this news has certainly cheered me up! Sometime soon the slow VOs will be done with their individual backlogs, now that less and less is being dumped on them... It is only a matter of time for those waiting, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Cam
Updated the trackers : Congratulations 
