Lol...
I applied in June 2011 thinking ---"ohh I just get all the docs together right, get good IELTS score, reliable agent and apply. CIC is saying we welcome eligible immigrants with open arms."
Also, I had seen people go to Canada under FSW category and saw it was not that bad. So I did everything took me 2-3 months to get everything together correctly! So after sending application I wait... okay for one year I should forget I applied- let them process.
Lol little did I know back then! Immediately found out ..man! this buffalo VO is sooo slowww others are pretty fast. But I know buffalo might delay but they are still reliable..they do reply and get the work done - approve or reject.
After approx. a year Buffalo closes !! First I didn't take it well, later I was like well.. they are just doing what is right for them. So' there may be a delay but can't blame them..let it be. They will process applications and give us results. Let's wait.
After a while I heard about the pre Feb2008 fiasco ! I was furious.. what kind of minister runs the immigration system of Canada and behaves like this! Who is this Mr. Kunny ..ooohh I mean Kenny. What's he trying to do, man? I saw new policies formulating.. I said to myself..well may be the immigration system does need some over-haul!! the policies look okay.. may be it's for the best. But nothing would have justified hitting delete button to me!! I don't even want to explain why !! seriously .. come on now we're not all dumb - we have common sense. It was all very hypocritical, unjust and believe it or not stupid.
Anyways, now the strike and moving files to mexico/port of spain, few delayed MRs, very few very delayed PPRs for people with completed MRs etc.. It's not surprising. If they can get rid of applicants who applied before feb 2008 (imagine 2 yrs ahead of me) and many of them probably having very similar education/professional experience, same NOC and "everything". What can one expect ?
I am baffled and lost in thoughts like you. I applied under the FSW in 2011 when I was still a student, now I have worked for over 15 months in Canada, but instead of me to put in another application under other categories like CEC, PNP...kept hoping the that processing will get better.
All my friends that did not do FSW then but waited till they are qualified under other categories have now landed.
My two peso is that the FSW is not worth banking on. I won't be suprised if a law is introduced tomorrow to cancel all the pending FSW applications. The mere fact that applications in other categories are moving with speed, even faster than the prescribed processing time may a sign that there is fire on the mountain...