Breaking down application processing time...

[CDNPR2014]

when every application is received , they go thru d document checklist , just to make sure that all documents are presented. then in queue. AT the point of AOR1, an officer will go thru it again, and write a review of what he thinks , then send it to VO for in-dept detailed assessment.

I may not be able to pool together all my references, but i have done extensive research on CiC workflow, even spoken to someone who just retired working with CiC Missisaugua, and i can tell u that ...
1. Assessment starts in canada
2. 2nd assessment in VO, by local staff.
3. 3rd Assessment by a canadian Official (in VO or in Canada, can't remember) who now overrules or approves previous recommendations ( could be reject, issue visa or call for interview)

great information, thanks!

 

[flx2015]

http://sterlingimmigrationltd.com/spousal-sponsorship/canada-spouse-and-common-law-partner-visa-update-june-2016/

that's from one of CIC's operational bulletins that was posted a few days ago. see here: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/bulletins/2016/ob624.asp

looks like this bulletin only talks about inland apps, yet the notice from june 13th clearly said that their effort to clear the backlog would apply to both the inland and outland backlogs...

"The backlog reduction applies to applications received through the family class (overseas processing) as well as the spouse or common-law partner in Canada class (in-Canada processing)."

i am going to be pissed if i find out they're not doing anything to clear the outland backlog.

 

[S_and_C]

We applied June 5 2016, we're waiting for the passport request right now

Wow, another quick one. May I ask the country of origin? If you are a visa exempt country (say the US) and/or processed at a historically quick VO (say Ottawa VO), then this seems to be the norm of 1 month processing time. For ours my wife is coming from the Philippines (in 2015 the highest number of immigrants came from here), and the processing times seems to vary from 6-10 months, and the CIC website says 13 months. People have said it's a combination of how slow a VO is, their volume, if it is not visa-exempt there is more scrutiny, how quickly the source country responds to requests etc etc...

IF you look at CiC statistics of how people coming in at PR holders from last year , over 200,000. Am sure more than that was process, so that figure was just the ones approved. If you further divide that by 52 weeks, then u know they recieve over 3000 applications in 5 working days. thats a lot. and am sure thats why they have the procedure of applications going into queue.
Divide that by about 4, because we are only looking at the Mississauga office which only takes family class applications.

So it's reasonable to say that they may receive anywhere from say 750 applications in a week or maybe average of 150/day? That's pretty significant, though if they have say 10 people I'm sure they can each organize and enter 15 applications in a day. All guesswork of course and full of assumptions...

i am going to be pissed if i find out they're not doing anything to clear the outland backlog.

yes, I would hope they realize that inland processing isn't as important, because spouses are already together, can apply for a work permit etc so it comes down to being an inconvenience. Whereas outland applications are much more affecting on peoples lives, it's really hard being away from my wife leading our separate lives, we need to be together as soon as possible...

 

[Landing_PR]

I don't really care about their 'clearing up the backlog' initiative tbh. Before they implemented this strategy, London VO was working in a specific and timely fashion. As soon as they announcement was made, LVO has slowed waaaay down.

First it was 17 months, now we are back to 26 months for processing. Just process the applications, that's all I ask.

Nothing against Inlands, but they are already living together. The focus should be for outlands.

 

[CDNPR2014]

Wow, another quick one. May I ask the country of origin? If you are a visa exempt country (say the US) and/or processed at a historically quick VO (say Ottawa VO), then this seems to be the norm of 1 month processing time. For ours my wife is coming from the Philippines (in 2015 the highest number of immigrants came from here), and the processing times seems to vary from 6-10 months, and the CIC website says 13 months. People have said it's a combination of how slow a VO is, their volume, if it is not visa-exempt there is more scrutiny, how quickly the source country responds to requests etc etc...

I'm pretty sure that poster meant to say they are a june 2015 applicant, not 2016, based on their post history. Even US citizen's who applied in June 2016 are not past sponsor approval yet, and they are no where near ppr yet. the average speedy process is more like 2-3 months. 1 person received approval in 6 weeks. that seems to be the shortest so far...

 

[flx2015]

I don't really care about their 'clearing up the backlog' initiative tbh. Before they implemented this strategy, London VO was working in a specific and timely fashion. As soon as they announcement was made, LVO has slowed waaaay down.

First it was 17 months, now we are back to 26 months for processing. Just process the applications, that's all I ask.

Nothing against Inlands, but they are already living together. The focus should be for outlands.

that's assuming LVO actually is part of this initiative. right now i don't really see anything to indicate change of any kind, and it's odd how they've posted a bulletin about inland apps but not outland apps, even though the notice mentioned they'd be reducing the backlog for both. it's confusing.

i'm starting to despise the word "october".

 

[S_and_C]

I don't really care about their 'clearing up the backlog' initiative tbh. Before they implemented this strategy, London VO was working in a specific and timely fashion. As soon as they announcement was made, LVO has slowed waaaay down.

First it was 17 months, now we are back to 26 months for processing. Just process the applications, that's all I ask.

Nothing against Inlands, but they are already living together. The focus should be for outlands.

I also think the focus should be specifically on outlands from non visa-exempt countries, because for those they can find it very difficult (though not impossible) to obtain a visitor visa to visit their spouse. Visa-exempt people have a much easier time just coming to visit, they just board a plane and decide to stay the 6 months at a time and then extend if they want to.

http://sterlingimmigrationltd.com/spousal-sponsorship/canada-spouse-and-common-law-partner-visa-update-june-2016/

In this article it also states the following, which is a good stance to take. Increases the chance that our application will float past the incomplete applications.
"In addition, while considering medical and passport expiry dates, the Department will process applications without missing documentation ahead of incomplete applications (e.g., files missing police certificate or civil documentation). This means that applications of clients who have submitted all of the documentation on the IRCC checklist with their application will be prioritized for processing."

 

[Sunset0505]

There are situations like ours too, that I think are done on purpose so that it supports their stats and allows for budget making...our file was touched in Aug 2014 and then not touched again for 9 months...the reason I know this is because I requested case notes every 30 days and the only notes in the case was my request for case notes...Once I emailed the Minister of Immigration there was movement on our case...We got to the point where the 'case manager" and my husband were emailing back and forward every three days or so..I found, and I have said this a millions times, the processing time and what was said on here was not our experience...even now we have our local MP working on a red flag that has been set up for a work permit that was denied in 2014, We have been advised that this Red flag will be there for the next 8 to 10 years ( hubby will be a Canadian Citizen by then!!!)...I have also read some cases have been waiting 5 years because some people were from small villages and CIC has having issues confirming background checks...Heres a link for CIC that has stats...it may help or may not..

http://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/052642bb-3fd9-4828-b608-c81dff7e539c?_ga=1.83702294.185692897.1415893162

 

[Landing_PR]

that's assuming LVO actually is part of this initiative. right now i don't really see anything to indicate change of any kind, and it's odd how they've posted a bulletin about inland apps but not outland apps, even though the notice mentioned they'd be reducing the backlog for both. it's confusing.

i'm starting to despise the word "october".

Not to mention looking at the LVO spreadsheet with the same depressing stats!

It seems like Islamabad/LVO gets sucked in whatever the initiative is, which makes already a lengthy process, a drag and a half.

 

[flx2015]

Not to mention looking at the LVO spreadsheet with the same depressing stats!

It seems like Islamabad/LVO gets sucked in whatever the initiative is, which makes already a lengthy process, a drag and a half.

let's hope they speed things up.

i am willing to wait until august/september. no more than that because this stress of being away from my wife is starting to affect my health. if i don't see any movement by then, i'll simply leave canada behind and move to a muslim country. i've seen countries in the UAE process spousal visas within a matter of days, and all they ask for is a medical, birth certificate, marriage certificate, and police clearance.

 

[CanadianAlien]

I don't really care about their 'clearing up the backlog' initiative tbh. Before they implemented this strategy, London VO was working in a specific and timely fashion. As soon as they announcement was made, LVO has slowed waaaay down.

First it was 17 months, now we are back to 26 months for processing. Just process the applications, that's all I ask.

Nothing against Inlands, but they are already living together. The focus should be for outlands.

Really?? I've nothing against outlands but why should you get processed in front of me? I can be removed from the country at anytime and am not allowed to work/get healthcare/drive..I'm sure those sitting in their own country have all these rights. A genuine outland relationship can both work in their home countries and contribute to a pot for their future, Inland we sit sponging off our spouse...very very demoralising, Hence when we finally get that fabled work permit (currently 4 months) those precious outlands a few months later have full PR and can buy cars, get mortgages etc. and actually have a life instead of sitting paying off the debt they incurred being together. Maybe i'm being harsh but it took us 10 months just to save the cost of the PR application up!! (yes I've been inland for nearly a year, and not worked for that year, yet just applied this month).

To add insult to injury I will probably miss the streamlining...my app reached them on the 3rd, but with 4 weeks until they acknowledge it, my AOR will probably be dated july, hence sitting waiting behind the backlog.

Our app is the easiest of anyone on here I would bet, I'm UK, shes Canadian, we met through work when i was a TFW we both worked together, dated for 7 months, then moved in together then at 11 months my work permit renewal was refused and I had to go back to UK (which i did, I have never once over-stayed or broken immigration rules). 6 months later I came back for our original wedding booking (note not brought forward to enable me to stay), the wedding was attended by both families and was a very happy affair, from the day of the wedding until now we have not been apart. We have faced severe financial hardship to be together, so for you to say I don't deserve being processed as quickly as you because we are together. We may be together, but we can't plan our lives, can't buy a house, have the constant stress and worry of me suddenly being asked to leave, literally living day to day robbing peter to pay paul. We had our first serious argument and you know what it was about? I had hidden a broken tooth in my mouth for 2 weeks and lived in agonising pain, with the result I was a bear with a sore head, because I knew we could not afford the dentist bill!! As for kids etc....not a hope, we couldn't even afford a baby-gro let alone pay for a child.

Tell you what, you can be processed first if Inland spouses get handed those 2 year work permits at the border, instantly just like TFW spouses and students spouses instead of being treated as second class non-citizens, with the crime of marrying and wanting to be together.

 

[flx2015]

hey settle down guys

 

[CanadianAlien]

I am settled down...we all have our problems with our classes...don't think Inlands have it easy, for too long the "oh they are together, so are not a priority" argument has meant we have sat in a longer and longer line while outland applications flew through....for YEARS...now suddenly for the first time they are addressing it and suddenly everyone in outland is bitching, as they no longer take priority...get a grip! We aren't getting more than outland, all we are getting is the same treatment they have enjoyed for years!

 

[flx2015]

I am settled down...we all have our problems with our classes...don't think Inlands have it easy, for too long the "oh they are together, so are not a priority" argument has meant we have sat in a longer and longer line while outland applications flew through....for YEARS...now suddenly for the first time they are addressing it and suddenly everyone in outland is bitching, as they no longer take priority...get a grip! We aren't getting more than outland, all we are getting is the same treatment they have enjoyed for years!

i know, everyone has their own problems. arguing with each other about it isn't going to change anything because none of us get to decide what happens from here on.

 

[CDNPR2014]

i know, everyone has their own problems. arguing with each other about it isn't going to change anything because none of us get to decide what happens from here on.

AMEN!