Citizenship test: Collective action required, or expect endless delays, years. Example of the effective lobbyng of people awaiting spousal sponsorship

[Mus87]

Thanks, @rajkamalmohanram for your effort and the document.

I just reviewed it briefly and I am just really depressed and at my wit's end with IRCC. I applied in April 2019, I made calls to IRCC and my MP, requested notes, sent emails and begged, and finally took the test in September 2021 and was requested PP companies afterward; radio silence ever since.

Considering the new lockdown in Ontario and all the difficulty they mention with respect to accessing paper files and the challenges employees face with IRCC work from home system, and the completion ratio numbers, the ever-increasing backlog, and IRCC's emphasis on KPIs in the document, I don't see light at the end of the tunnel. This is not an exaggeration. I really feel it's likely that I will not have received my citizenship this time next year.

What to do? really - what to do? who to talk to? The balance of power in this case is heavily tilted toward IRCC. Applicants are afraid to speak up and organize, fearing retaliation and even more (is it even possible?) delays and as soon as one receives their citizenship, they say "good riddance" and don't want to even think about the torture they went through - rightfully so.

I couldn’t agree more.

 

[Bains87]

Also, as a additional measure, please go to this form and fill some complaints section about delays in processing for 2019 applicants. this might not help but its another tool to convey the general message if most of the forgotten applicants do fill this it might help eventually.

https://secure.cic.gc.ca/feedback-retroaction/feedback-retroaction-eng.aspx?_ga=1.159223353.2062273042.1411484201

 

[MrChazz]

Also, as a additional measure, please go to this form and fill some complaints section about delays in processing for 2019 applicants. this might not help but its another tool to convey the general message if most of the forgotten applicants do fill this it might help eventually.

https://secure.cic.gc.ca/feedback-retroaction/feedback-retroaction-eng.aspx?_ga=1.159223353.2062273042.1411484201

Good idea!

 

[MrChazz]

Thanks, @rajkamalmohanram for your effort and the document.

I just reviewed it briefly and I am just really depressed and at my wit's end with IRCC. I applied in April 2019, I made calls to IRCC and my MP, requested notes, sent emails and begged, and finally took the test in September 2021 and was requested PP companies afterward; radio silence ever since.

Considering the new lockdown in Ontario and all the difficulty they mention with respect to accessing paper files and the challenges employees face with IRCC work from home system, and the completion ratio numbers, the ever-increasing backlog, and IRCC's emphasis on KPIs in the document, I don't see light at the end of the tunnel. This is not an exaggeration. I really feel it's likely that I will not have received my citizenship this time next year.

What to do? really - what to do? who to talk to? The balance of power in this case is heavily tilted toward IRCC. Applicants are afraid to speak up and organize, fearing retaliation and even more (is it even possible?) delays and as soon as one receives their citizenship, they say "good riddance" and don't want to even think about the torture they went through - rightfully so.

The "paper files" excuse is one of the most absurd ones, considering this is now the start of the third year of the pandemic. By now, a few people on high-speed scanners would have digitized a very large number of those files, but such an obvious idea does not seem to have occurred to anyone at the IRCC. Further, none of what is shown in the revealed information has any concrete ideas of how to clear the backlog. It is all government bureaucracy at its worst.

 

[MrTee]

I did not see any data specific to online citizenship applicants, any one noticed anything ?

 

[raaj051]

My tracker is showing

Waiting on You
Fingerprints required
Background verification

And still not have received any email or letter, do you guys have idea how long it will take to get letter or email ?
And my 2nd question is do I have any option to do the fingerprints in USA or I should have to return back ??

 

[cooldoc80]

Very Nice article by Journalist Rachel Lau fro CTV news. I already contacted her and informed her about our forum and asked for her help and advice to bring more light into our issue.. I think if more of us contact her and ask for help , she could direct us and help our voice to reach to minister?

https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/canadian-immigrants-turn-to-mps-for-help-with-official-documents-but-to-no-avail-1.5738419

https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/1a3ecf9cda674674ad249560facc88dd

https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/more/bios/rachel-lau-1.4640379

 

[piotrqc]

Potentially good news, which, if really applied, should speed things up for citizenship applicants...

See here :

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2022/01/modernizing-canadas-immigration-system-to-support-economic-recovery-and-improve-client-experience.html

The passage that interests us, here is the quotation:

For citizenship applicants, IRCC has introduced online testing, developed an online application tracker and launched virtual citizenship ceremonies. Over the last few months, we have hosted approximately 350 virtual ceremonies per month, and more than 170,000 new Canadians have been sworn in since April 1, 2020. We are continuing to expand the use of virtual ceremonies. Moving forward, we are exploring an option for those who wish to self-administer their Oath by signed attestation, and celebrate their citizenship at a later date. This would shorten the waiting time for those at the final stage of their citizenship process.

 

[ott-613]

Update from @omarnabsws :

Update: They just emailed people who were supposed to come pick up their certificates tomorrow that the office will be closed because of the Truckers' demonstrations lol.

With 8$ million dollars raised for this rally good luck to us. Such mess and new execuse. They not leaving yet.

 

[MrChazz]

Potentially good news, which, if really applied, should speed things up for citizenship applicants...

See here :

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2022/01/modernizing-canadas-immigration-system-to-support-economic-recovery-and-improve-client-experience.html

The passage that interests us, here is the quotation:

Maybe for some. Not for most. Some of us have been waiting for DM for ages (e.g., since 2019), and there is nothing in this "great news" to indicate how that backlog is to be dealt with.

Smart move though, this claimed "exploration" by the IRCC. It will definitely give people a whole bunch of hope (at all stages) and reduce the pressure on them .... for now.

 

[raaj051]

Update from @omarnabsws :

Update: They just emailed people who were supposed to come pick up their certificates tomorrow that the office will be closed because of the Truckers' demonstrations lol.

With 8$ million dollars raised for this rally good luck to us. Such mess and new execuse. They not leaving yet.

now we be able to pickup citizenship certificate from office ??

 

[ott-613]

now we be able to pickup citizenship certificate from office ??

It seems like it. I m willing to walk 100km to pickup and get it over with.

 

[akbardxb]

Also, as a additional measure, please go to this form and fill some complaints section about delays in processing for 2019 applicants. this might not help but its another tool to convey the general message if most of the forgotten applicants do fill this it might help eventually.

https://secure.cic.gc.ca/feedback-retroaction/feedback-retroaction-eng.aspx?_ga=1.159223353.2062273042.1411484201

Why just 2019? I’m a 2018 applicant still waiting and know of at least two cases from 2017. Today’s press release sounds corporate-speak as the minister has to be seen as doing something. I’ll believe this BS when I see results.

 

[MrChazz]

Why just 2019? I’m a 2018 applicant still waiting and know of at least two cases from 2017. Today’s press release sounds corporate-speak as the minister has to be seen as doing something. I’ll believe this BS when I see results.

2018? Wow. And I thought I was badly off being from 2019!

Of course, it is BS. The real backlogs with citizenship applications are not with the "oath ready". They are with people who filed ages ago but are still waiting for tests, people who took tests ages ago and are still waiting for DM, ...

 

[smash1984]

Potentially good news, which, if really applied, should speed things up for citizenship applicants...

See here :

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2022/01/modernizing-canadas-immigration-system-to-support-economic-recovery-and-improve-client-experience.html

The passage that interests us, here is the quotation:

yeah, potentially good news, but hard to know if one should celebrate yet.

This too on IRCC twitter

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1488188949185105930