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Are you still waiting for your test?

Lex2019

Hero Member
Jan 21, 2019
423
369
READ. THINK. IF AGREE POST YOUR THOUGHTS TO IRCC ON SOCIAL PLATFORMS.
Today marks 4 months of IRCC centers being closed and subsequently tests being postponed to an unknown later date. While IRCC has made an attempt to restart the ceremonies bringing them online (which is good by itself, but the rate of the backlog doesn't seem to be going down at all with an odd 1000 people being sworn in only or so the media says) they have been keeping dead silence with regards to resuming testing. A recent statement by the IRCC Minister saying that the government will be working on bringing testing, oaths as well as other citizenship and immigration procedures online is too broad of a statement not shedding any light as to what and when will be happening. The May memo kindly shared by someone in this forum doesn't have an outcome either. I do realize that developing a full-blown platform capable of checking ID's, making sure applicants don't cheat during the test and most-importantly securing the whole connection including not only government owned networks, but also the last mile on the side of the applicants is a huge undertaking in itself. But looking at the ease of restrictions for other parts of day-to-day life raises a simple question at least with me: is dining out more important than citizenship? Can I do without a new pair of socks for a while and instead get my test done? The whole paradigm of essential things in life seems to have shifted for many. Could IRCC take advantage of the season and hold tests in the open to minimize the risk of the virus spread? I believe they could seeing people on patios sipping on beers. Could they put a bit more pressure on AWS or whoever ends up being the final developer and the hosting cloud for testing and oaths? They probably could. There's no way nothing could be done to just get on with it. I understand the staff shortages etc., what I don't understand is that there seem to be no shortage of sales people in stores, so why would there be one with IRCC? Working feverishly on "other important tasks" seems to be a lame excuse now that life is going back to somewhat normal.
This is not criticism, this is an attempt to get IRCC to at least talk to the tens of thousands (soon to become hundreds of thousands) of people waiting. Communication is key in anything that concerns a group of over 1 person. Where communication is in place things generally move smoother and faster.
If you believe the above makes sense feel free to spend just 5 minutes and post your thoughts on social media (be it FB, Instagram or others) tagging IRCC and Marco Mendicino (don't be rude or obscene even if your profile is anonymous, this is not the intent nor this post is meant to be). If there's a significant amount of people doing this it will not go unnoticed and IRCC will provide some sort of comms back. Feel free to tag your MP, MPP, Premier, Prime Minister or whoever else you believe can influence the situation. We are all waiting for answers to the same question and regardless of what the government does keeping it hush to applicants is both not fair and not productive.
If you need an idea of what to post it could be as easy as: DINING OUT (buying a pair of socks, camping, tread milling at the gym or anything else that you could feel like putting in there) IS LESS IMPORTANT THAN CITIZENSHIP. IRCC PLEASE RESUME CITIZENSHIP TESTING and tag both IRCC and Mr. Mendicino. There's no expectations set for this post nor am I trying to raise a waive or turn this into a flash mob of any sort, but if there is a considerable amount of tags it will help all of us. Keeping your frustration and hope to this forum is like another session at Alcoholics Anonimous: helps to release the steam out, but does nothing else. If you don't agree and have a different viewpoint there are no expectations set.
If you generally agree, but don't know how to post/tag, just ask your kids or post your question either here or to google.
 

devnill

Hero Member
Dec 5, 2015
256
43
DINING OUT (buying a pair of socks, camping, tread milling at the gym or anything else that you could feel like putting in there) IS LESS IMPORTANT THAN CITIZENSHIP. IRCC PLEASE RESUME CITIZENSHIP TESTING
Actually in the short term these are more important than citizenship. Opening retail/dining is important so that people can get their jobs back, hopefully get off government assistance and start generating tax revenue. The backlog is 210000 (or so) but more than 2 million people lost their job and jobs are still being lost.
 

xichanmontreal

Star Member
Nov 26, 2018
133
54
Actually in the short term these are more important than citizenship. Opening retail/dining is important so that people can get their jobs back, hopefully get off government assistance and start generating tax revenue. The backlog is 210000 (or so) but more than 2 million people lost their job and jobs are still being lost.
You have surely already acquired the holy grail (citizenship), otherwise you would surely not have had the same speeches ...
 

carl321

Hero Member
Feb 23, 2015
400
123
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
June 2019 applicant and still waiting for the test. However we don’t see the full picture; and the main issue is lack of communication from CIC. Virtual oath is definitely a foot in the right path however I don’t know if they would ever do virtual tests. People might try to exploit the system unless they come up with an amazing system. I can’t verify the source but I read they have over 240k applications in the back log and even if they process a 1000 per month that’s going to take a long time to clear. I hate waiting in the dark too. I don’t think social media posts will make a difference but we could try and maybe someone can start a written request or some sort of a petition. I’m not a lawyer maybe someone in the forum is and can help.

my question is this: I know most of these apps are processed in NS and they hardly had any covid cases. Also most PR applications are getting processed very rapidly; I also know new PR holders who flew into the country for the first time with COPR during April and May. Yet citizenship applicants are completely ignored. Maybe because we are in the country and we are ok to live and work? However there is an election coming and it will be interesting to see what Trudeaus government might do. over 250k votes is a lot lol
 

Bains87

Hero Member
Sep 4, 2014
463
143
If they can virtual 1:1 oath ceremony, they can also do virtual tests as well, I mean if the test is on while someone is looking at you it is not that easy to cheat if they are concerned about it and also the officer can keep asking questions till they are convinced that the person has adequate knowledge, it might be very slow but something is better than nothing
 

gypsy_geo

Member
Dec 6, 2019
14
13
I plan to write my MP very soon. It is actually surprising how much traction that usually gets. Especially if your MP happens to be in the opposition.

I suggest everyone with a vested interest does the same. It holds a lot more water when an MP can hold up a stack of letters in parliament than a bunch of tweets.
 

carl321

Hero Member
Feb 23, 2015
400
123
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
We can live, work and travel without any issue I’m sure there are a lot of people who are unable to do that due to the backlog and they will be addressed first. We just can’t vote and other than that I don’t see an issue and CIC probably looks at it the same way. Don’t get me wrong I’m also waiting for my test since last year June lol
 

gypsy_geo

Member
Dec 6, 2019
14
13
We can live, work and travel without any issue I’m sure there are a lot of people who are unable to do that due to the backlog and they will be addressed first. We just can’t vote and other than that I don’t see an issue and CIC probably looks at it the same way. Don’t get me wrong I’m also waiting for my test since last year June lol
Not everyone who is waiting for citizenship can "travel without any issue". The visa process in many countries for my wife is very cumbersome so it is not feasible for her to accompany me on my business travel without a Canadian passport.

Like many people have commented on this issue, these delays are holding people back from being able to live normal lives.
 

carl321

Hero Member
Feb 23, 2015
400
123
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
Are you for real? “accompany me on my business travel” doesn’t sound like essential travel.. ad trust me I know.. I just paid over 800$ (Uk visa, schengan and Australian) trips planned for this year and cancelled all of them. I also don’t see international travel returning back to normal for a couple of years.. there are people running out of work visas and losing jobs due to losing status so I think that’s more important than us facing privileged travel issues
 

gypsy_geo

Member
Dec 6, 2019
14
13
Are you for real? “accompany me on my business travel” doesn’t sound like essential travel.. ad trust me I know.. I just paid over 800$ (Uk visa, schengan and Australian) trips planned for this year and cancelled all of them. I also don’t see international travel returning back to normal for a couple of years.. there are people running out of work visas and losing jobs due to losing status so I think that’s more important than us facing privileged travel issues
I didn't realize being able to spend time with your family was considered a privilege. Perhaps I should check mine.......