Calling CIC

[mathlete]

In a nutshell:

Applied in December of 2011. RQ'ed in 2012 wrote and passed the test in June of 2014. I applied for emergency processing in January of 2015.

Every morning for the last 4 weeks I've tried to call CIC call center to check on the status of my emergency request. I have received nothing from CIC by mail.

Every time I get a message saying no one is available to take my call. What am I supposed to do now?

 

[AK111]

It actually depends on the emergency situation to replay! As I know, there is list of criteria that CIC considers them as Emergency. If your case is not matching one Of them, they will not replay especially OLD applications!

 

[thecoolguysam]

In a nutshell:

Applied in December of 2011. RQ'ed in 2012 wrote and passed the test in June of 2014. I applied for emergency processing in January of 2015.

Every morning for the last 4 weeks I've tried to call CIC call center to check on the status of my emergency request. I have received nothing from CIC by mail.

Every time I get a message saying no one is available to take my call. What am I supposed to do now?

In order to talk to cic agent, call 1-888-242-2100 and if it says that everyone is busy then hang up and call again immediately. For me it usually takes 5-20 attempts and sometimes more to talk to an agent. Make sure you call during business hours.

Call Centre agents - Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., your local time, except for statutory holidays.

 

[torontoguy1981]

try calling them early likr 7 or 7.30 am depends on ur location,. I am in toronto and used to call them around that time.

 

[mathlete]

Obviously I call during business hours, which also happen to be the hours at which I'm at work. I can't really sit in my office calling the CIC 20 times if I want to remain employed.

 

[thecoolguysam]

Obviously I call during business hours, which also happen to be the hours at which I'm at work. I can't really sit in my office calling the CIC 20 times if I want to remain employed.

Call them during your break/lunch time. Usually once the system puts you on hold it takes around 10-20 mins for the agent to answer.

 

[mathlete]

I don't think you understand the system does not put me on hold. It simply informs me that no one is available to take my call and hangs up on me.

 

[thecoolguysam]

I don't think you understand the system does not put me on hold. It simply informs me that no one is available to take my call and hangs up on me.

That is what I am saying. When you call the call centre and press 4 and then 0. It will say something like: "We are currently experiencing high volume of calls and cannot transfer the call to an agent."

At this point of time hang up the call and redial again and press 4 and 0.
You need to hang up and redial few times until you are put on hold and once done it will take around 10-20 minutes for agent to answer.

I hope this information helps. Cheers!

 

[mathlete]

So I tried that today and actually go through to CIC.

Around January 4 I sent them a letter for emergency processing. I sent it the same day I had spoken to CIC and was told where to mail it. It was sent with 1 day shipping via courier. The agent informed me they had just "opened" the letter March 4th (2 months later) despite the letter being labelled "urgent" and had not yet reached a decision on emergency processing. When I asked what the point of even offering emergency processing was if they are going to take two months to open a letter I got no response. Furthermore the agent gave me no indication when they will even get around to informing me whether or not emergency processing has been approved or not or how long said process takes should it be approved.

 

[AsianIndian]

What is the point of requesting urgent processing on a 3 year old application that has passed the Test stage ? I don't get it.

 

[mathlete]

The point is my circumstances have changed. I my company has a subsidiary in the US and I'm required to go their for work purposes. US authorities now require work authorization to work there and a Canadian passport affords me a TN visa. The H1 visa route is not an option due to quotas and processing times.

 

[arambi]

The point is my circumstances have changed. I my company has a subsidiary in the US and I'm required to go their for work purposes. US authorities now require work authorization to work there and a Canadian passport affords me a TN visa. The H1 visa route is not an option due to quotas and processing times.

Suggest your company to try L1 visa for you... That is the Intercompany transfer visa

 

[applicant314]

Usually the "it's easier to work outside of Canada once I'm Canadian"-reasoning for urgent processing doesn't sit to well with CIC

 

[Canuckguytorontotdot]

I would say calling cic is good it's just going and reaching their Hierchy sysytem is kind of a problem

 

[mathlete]

Suggest your company to try L1 visa for you... That is the Intercompany transfer visa

L1 doesn't work because the subsidiary must be owned by the holding company for at least 2 years or something before you can make L1 transfers. In any event TN is most appropriate due to the temporary nature of the work. It is literally just a few days at a time.