Behind Closed Doors?

[Pharoh]

Do we know exactly what goes on, behind the closed doors of CIC?

A co-worker of mine, who immigrated to the United States from Canada (ironic, eh?), used to work at Vegreville, processing student visas (even more ironic...). He told me that basically all the applications get placed in a storage room, awaiting distribution by an IO. I guess the IO's all work in cubicles, with a senior IO (manager, supervisor, etc) overseeing the team of IO's. The senior IO is responsible for taking a pile of applications from the storage room, and distributing them to the IO's, placing a certain amount in a pile, on each desk. When the IO's have questions or need higher intervention, they go to the senior IO. My co-worker says they have a weekly quota to fill. They key in a lot of information by hand, while also having certain documents scanned and added to a virtual file, for each applicant.

That's all I've been able to gather from him. It sounds like CIC operates like a sweatshop, actually. I guess they also have a pretty high turnover (gee, I wonder why?)

I'm just wondering what else people have heard, regarding the day-to-day life of people working at CIC.

 

[HoneyBird]

hmmm...thanks for the info. now i have a little more sympathy for the VO.

well, it does then explain why some matters are done faster than some.

if i want to make my quota, i will finish up the easy cases (eg. the ones that require no additional info or have no criminal records, no kids, no prior marriages etc).

 

[arron]

Sounds more like a cushy unionized, federal government data entry job to me.

"According to the 2009 Alberta Wage and Salary Survey, Albertans in the Immigration, Employment Insurance and Revenue Officers occupational group earned from $21.35 to $38.83 an hour. The average wage was $25.32 an hour."

No sympathy!!

 

[beauhoe]

Do we know exactly what goes on, behind the closed doors of CIC?

A co-worker of mine, who immigrated to the United States from Canada (ironic, eh?), used to work at Vegreville, processing student visas (even more ironic...). He told me that basically all the applications get placed in a storage room, awaiting distribution by an IO. I guess the IO's all work in cubicles, with a senior IO (manager, supervisor, etc) overseeing the team of IO's. The senior IO is responsible for taking a pile of applications from the storage room, and distributing them to the IO's, placing a certain amount in a pile, on each desk. When the IO's have questions or need higher intervention, they go to the senior IO. My co-worker says they have a weekly quota to fill. They key in a lot of information by hand, while also having certain documents scanned and added to a virtual file, for each applicant.

That's all I've been able to gather from him. It sounds like CIC operates like a sweatshop, actually. I guess they also have a pretty high turnover (gee, I wonder why?)

I'm just wondering what else people have heard, regarding the day-to-day life of people working at CIC.

Dear friend, I am not interested on what is going on behind the closed doors of CIC, my prayer is that all of you get the visa to come and help build this big and young country.
Cheers,

 

[HoneyBird]

Sounds more like a cushy unionized, federal government data entry job to me.

"According to the 2009 Alberta Wage and Salary Survey, Albertans in the Immigration, Employment Insurance and Revenue Officers occupational group earned from $21.35 to $38.83 an hour. The average wage was $25.32 an hour."

No sympathy!!

the pay does not take into account the amount of cases or backlogs the vo has to deal with. what they need to do is hire more vos perhaps bring back retired ones on a contract basis e.g. 6 months to clean up backlogs or push the work out.

 

[Canooknic]

You mean it isn't like a scene from Santa's workshop?!?! I had really happy thoughts of little elves working cheerfully through the day....I'm sad now!

 

[Baloo]

You mean it isn't like a scene from Santa's workshop?!?! I had really happy thoughts of little elves working cheerfully through the day....I'm sad now!

I am so glad that my paperwork is not being approved by an elf !

 

[Canooknic]

Don't worry Baloo, the ones in my head are very efficient - just like the real ones at the North Pole!!

 

[lemony_20]

Dear friend, I am not interested on what is going on behind the closed doors of CIC, my prayer is that all of you get the visa to come and help build this big and young country.
Cheers,

That's a great thing to say. Although in our impatience to be part of this growing country, we are quite curious as to why they love to take so long.

 

[arron]

Three boys are in the schoolyard bragging of how great their fathers are.

The first one says: "Well, my father runs the fastest. He can fire an arrow, and start to run, I tell you, he gets there before the arrow."

The second one says: "Ha! You think that's fast! My father is a hunter. He can shoot his gun and be there before the bullet."

The third one listens to the other two and shakes his head. He then says: "You two know nothing about fast. My father is a civil servant. He stops working at 4:30 and he is home by 3:45!"

 

[Pharoh]

Three boys are in the schoolyard bragging of how great their fathers are.

The first one says: "Well, my father runs the fastest. He can fire an arrow, and start to run, I tell you, he gets there before the arrow."

The second one says: "Ha! You think that's fast! My father is a hunter. He can shoot his gun and be there before the bullet."

The third one listens to the other two and shakes his head. He then says: "You two know nothing about fast. My father is a civil servant. He stops working at 4:30 and he is home by 3:45!"

EPIC WIN!!

I'm actually sort of surprised, there's no CIC people that scour these forums? There's nobody willing to tell us how things work, to give us a better idea? Do the employees probably have to sign a NDA (non-disclosure agreement)? You would think with such an active forum, there would be someone from the "inside" giving us glimmers of hope periodically... I'll keep dreaming.

 

[Dmitri]

just like the op said
they work in cubicles, with a seniors overseeing the team of IO's. once the files are received they are placed in the storage room after which when time comes distributed to the IO's. files are assigned case numbers and information is entered into a database. if you are approved the package is sent to the visa office
its realy a clerical work but they are paid good money to do it

 

[Baloo]

EPIC WIN!!

I'm actually sort of surprised, there's no CIC people that scour these forums? There's nobody willing to tell us how things work, to give us a better idea? Do the employees probably have to sign a NDA (non-disclosure agreement)? You would think with such an active forum, there would be someone from the "inside" giving us glimmers of hope periodically... I'll keep dreaming.

You misunderstand their role - what purpose would it serve to help people here?

The rules are there to read, but to be honest, it is as random as meeting the POE officer when you arrive on a visit.

 

[eyeoftheocean]

You misunderstand their role - what purpose would it serve to help people here?

The rules are there to read, but to be honest, it is as random as meeting the POE officer when you arrive on a visit.

Maybe there are CIC lookouts here ! How would we know 8) I'm sure someones being paid to scour websites

 

[Black-Berry]

Maybe there are CIC lookouts here ! How would we know 8) I'm sure someones being paid to scour websites

That would be AWESOME!. id just love to pick their brain!...
I think being a cic officer is like being a criminal attorney!!. Other peoples lives are in your hands!... so i guess they probably also have rules on contacting people in regards to their case .. Just saying!..