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Current CEC Processing, Explained (2022-2023)

tokyotsui

Star Member
Nov 26, 2021
145
148
Category........
CEC
App. Filed.......
24-11-2022
AOR Received.
24-11-2022
Passport Req..
27-04-2023
Disclaimer: The explanations below are based on communications with forum members, observation of actual timelines posted by members, my GCMS notes, and extensive personal research. These MAY NOT be the fact nor they are legal advices. Also actual processing time varies by your VO. These explanations only apply to CEC applications filed in late 2022 and early 2023.

Hope this helps anyone who has similar questions, because I've seen them being posted again and again.

I originally posted this thread around noon today, but it was blocked from public view because I edited some spelling errors a couple times.

Stages:
R10 - Happens 15-30 days after AOR. In this stage a program assistant checks if all the requested documents are there. They WILL NOT validate anything. Under current Temporary Public Policy you are exempt to do a new medical if you are residing in Canada. The assistant will mark your medical as passed in order to let the application proceed to the next step. Your GCMS notes will have following words: "... TPP dated October 6, 2022: please review" that's a reminder to the officer who processes background check in a later stage. If you provided your old UCI in the PR application form your biometrics will be retrieved and linked to your application using that. In this stage they will send your biometrics to RCMP to conduct criminality check. They will check your foreign PCC to ensure they shows NRT (no reportable trace) and validate language scores and ECAs. If anything is missing they will send out ADR or return your application.

Your tracker will show biometrics and medicals "Completed" if you passed R10.


Eligibility - currently happens 2-3 months after R10. Pretty straightforward, first a case analyst will check and validate your documents, mostly related to your employment in Canada, to see if job description matches NOC, if your NOC is correct, etc., and make recommendations. If everything is good then it is Recommend Passed. If not, mostly due to your job descriptions is missing and you did not provide LOE, then it is Review Required. There will probably be a GU but some do not have a GU during this action. About 2-3 weeks after the case analyst had made recommendation, an Officer will check the recommendation and look through your documents again. The Officer is the guy who can refuse your application if they find you not eligible under A11.2. The Officer then will made the final judgement to pass or fail your eligibility.

Usually if a case analyst makes "recommend passed" they will send out RPRF request if you did not pay upfront, because officers usually pass eligibility if a case analyst makes "recommend passed" decision. If it's "review required" and officer "passed" your eligibility the RPRF request is sent after Officer passed your eligibility. So if you've received a RPRF request that's a very good news.

Your tracker's Eligibility will show "in progress" after the analyst recommendation, regardless the result. It will turn to "Completed" after the officer PASSED your eligibility. you will get a GU after eligibility decision has been made by the officer.


Background Check - Info sharing will happen sometime after R10. Security will happen after eligibility passed (there will be a GU for security start). In this stage they will now check and validate everything other than your employment documents. They will check your medicals no matter it's new or expired one under the temporary policy (that's why some people will see medicals passed AGAIN a few days before PPR). They will receive information from RCMP, CSIS, etc. for your traces of criminal activity. BGC has three stages: Medical (passed again), Criminality (check and validate your PCC), and Security (no one knows what happens because the process is highly confidential).

Your tracker will show "in progress" or just "not started" which does not matter. Usually the tracker BGC will be "completed" a few days before PPR or even post-PPR, depends on the VO.

You will have portal email a few days after BGC has been completed. There will be a GU after the BGC is completed (the GU one or two days before PPR)


To sum up the current process for average people: AOR - (15-30 days) - R10 (GU) - (2-3 months) - Eligibility recommendation - (2-3 weeks) - Eligibility decision by officer (GU) - (immediately or 1-2 days) - BGC (1-2 GUs) - (2 weeks - 1 month) - PPR.

Hope this helps! And as always check the disclaimer on the top of this page.
 

Peace2023

Star Member
Feb 14, 2023
59
18
Since my Eligibility passed (caught a GU) my BGC in GCkey account says “Your application is in progress. We will send you a message when we start your background check.” Is that mean my background verification haven’t started yet? The tracker says “not started”.
 

tokyotsui

Star Member
Nov 26, 2021
145
148
Category........
CEC
App. Filed.......
24-11-2022
AOR Received.
24-11-2022
Passport Req..
27-04-2023
Since my Eligibility passed (caught a GU) my BGC in GCkey account says “Your application is in progress. We will send you a message when we start your background check.” Is that mean my background verification haven’t started yet? The tracker says “not started”.
one of the BGC GUs, no need to worry about, they have already started your BGC. If it changes back to "we are processing..." that means you will get PPR in a few days.
 
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Peace2023

Star Member
Feb 14, 2023
59
18
one of the BGC GUs, no need to worry about, they have already started your BGC. If it changes back to "we are processing..." that means you will get PPR in a few days.
Thanks, pal. Do you know how long this could take? Some threads here say that it might take months or even years in some circumstances if it hasn’t turned back to “we are processing…” the next day.
 

tokyotsui

Star Member
Nov 26, 2021
145
148
Category........
CEC
App. Filed.......
24-11-2022
AOR Received.
24-11-2022
Passport Req..
27-04-2023
Thanks, pal. Do you know how long this could take? Some threads here say that it might take months or even years in some circumstances if it hasn’t turned back to “we are processing…” the next day.
Normally 2-4 weeks, however that really depends on your situation, like country of citizenship, travel history, been in military or not, etc.

It is a confidential process no one knows the exact time needed.
 

BarbJ

Full Member
Jan 13, 2023
25
31
Category........
CEC
AOR Received.
16-12-2022
Caught a GU Feb 16 and Feb 21 tracker turned my Eligibility from “not started” to “completed”
Does that mean that eligibility is passed?

BGC haven’t started yet according to the tracker.
GCKey says “we are processing your background check…”
No GUs. Does that mean that they haven’t started yet with my BGC?
Thanks!
 

hello2020

Star Member
Oct 8, 2019
193
28
Caught a GU Feb 16 and Feb 21 tracker turned my Eligibility from “not started” to “completed”
Does that mean that eligibility is passed?

BGC haven’t started yet according to the tracker.
GCKey says “we are processing your background check…”
No GUs. Does that mean that they haven’t started yet with my BGC?
Thanks!
If there were two GU's with passed Eligibility and BGC back to “we are processing your background check…” then the approval is around the corner.
 

CEC2023

Star Member
Jan 24, 2023
139
63
These all steps above are speculation and assumptions as nobody knows the actual steps and how they handle case by case. You could be in the queue, or your background verification hasn’t been initiated yet, or the file assigned to an inactive officer (i.e. sitting in the placeholder for something), or ‘not started’ just simply doesn’t mean that it’s not ‘in process’ or even worse you are just on enhanced SS… so there is nothing transparent or by order, you might think or can do to expedite. They have 16 months making you wait and then after you may complain through mandamus and will get PR right away.
 
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zanakam

Star Member
Jan 18, 2022
62
24
Canada
Category........
CEC
Disclaimer: The explanations below are based on communications with forum members, observation of actual timelines posted by members, my GCMS notes, and extensive personal research. These MAY NOT be the fact nor they are legal advices. Also actual processing time varies by your VO. These explanations only apply to CEC applications filed in late 2022 and early 2023.

Hope this helps anyone who has similar questions, because I've seen them being posted again and again.

I originally posted this thread around noon today, but it was blocked from public view because I edited some spelling errors a couple times.

Stages:
R10 - Happens 15-30 days after AOR. In this stage a program assistant checks if all the requested documents are there. They WILL NOT validate anything. Under current Temporary Public Policy you are exempt to do a new medical if you are residing in Canada. The assistant will mark your medical as passed in order to let the application proceed to the next step. Your GCMS notes will have following words: "... TPP dated October 6, 2022: please review" that's a reminder to the officer who processes background check in a later stage. If you provided your old UCI in the PR application form your biometrics will be retrieved and linked to your application using that. In this stage they will send your biometrics to RCMP to conduct criminality check. They will check your foreign PCC to ensure they shows NRT (no reportable trace) and validate language scores and ECAs. If anything is missing they will send out ADR or return your application.

Your tracker will show biometrics and medicals "Completed" if you passed R10.


Eligibility - currently happens 2-3 months after R10. Pretty straightforward, first a case analyst will check and validate your documents, mostly related to your employment in Canada, to see if job description matches NOC, if your NOC is correct, etc., and make recommendations. If everything is good then it is Recommend Passed. If not, mostly due to your job descriptions is missing and you did not provide LOE, then it is Review Required. There will probably be a GU but some do not have a GU during this action. About 2-3 weeks after the case analyst had made recommendation, an Officer will check the recommendation and look through your documents again. The Officer is the guy who can refuse your application if they find you not eligible under A11.2. The Officer then will made the final judgement to pass or fail your eligibility.

Usually if a case analyst makes "recommend passed" they will send out RPRF request if you did not pay upfront, because officers usually pass eligibility if a case analyst makes "recommend passed" decision. If it's "review required" and officer "passed" your eligibility the RPRF request is sent after Officer passed your eligibility. So if you've received a RPRF request that's a very good news.

Your tracker's Eligibility will show "in progress" after the analyst recommendation, regardless the result. It will turn to "Completed" after the officer PASSED your eligibility. you will get a GU after eligibility decision has been made by the officer.


Background Check - Info sharing will happen sometime after R10. Security will happen after eligibility passed (there will be a GU for security start). In this stage they will now check and validate everything other than your employment documents. They will check your medicals no matter it's new or expired one under the temporary policy (that's why some people will see medicals passed AGAIN a few days before PPR). They will receive information from RCMP, CSIS, etc. for your traces of criminal activity. BGC has three stages: Medical (passed again), Criminality (check and validate your PCC), and Security (no one knows what happens because the process is highly confidential).

Your tracker will show "in progress" or just "not started" which does not matter. Usually the tracker BGC will be "completed" a few days before PPR or even post-PPR, depends on the VO.

You will have portal email a few days after BGC has been completed. There will be a GU after the BGC is completed (the GU one or two days before PPR)


To sum up the current process for average people: AOR - (15-30 days) - R10 (GU) - (2-3 months) - Eligibility recommendation - (2-3 weeks) - Eligibility decision by officer (GU) - (immediately or 1-2 days) - BGC (1-2 GUs) - (2 weeks - 1 month) - PPR.

Hope this helps! And as always check the disclaimer on the top of this page.
thx for this, really helpful; but something has happened to me that I have never seen before for anyone, on the tracker my BGC has been completed on Jan 31 but changed to "in progress" on Feb 3!!! have you ever seen or heard something like this?!
 
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BarbJ

Full Member
Jan 13, 2023
25
31
Category........
CEC
AOR Received.
16-12-2022
If there were two GU's with passed Eligibility and BGC back to “we are processing your background check…” then the approval is around the corner.
There was just one GU.
 

hello2020

Star Member
Oct 8, 2019
193
28
thx for this, really helpful; but something has happened to me that I have never seen before for anyone, on the tracker my BGC has been completed on Jan 31 but changed to "in progress" on Feb 3!!! have you ever seen or heard something like this?!
What does your Background check show in the IRCC account (not tracker)?
 
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Joy_Lil

Hero Member
Jan 25, 2023
206
76
Disclaimer: The explanations below are based on communications with forum members, observation of actual timelines posted by members, my GCMS notes, and extensive personal research. These MAY NOT be the fact nor they are legal advices. Also actual processing time varies by your VO. These explanations only apply to CEC applications filed in late 2022 and early 2023.

Hope this helps anyone who has similar questions, because I've seen them being posted again and again.

I originally posted this thread around noon today, but it was blocked from public view because I edited some spelling errors a couple times.

Stages:
R10 - Happens 15-30 days after AOR. In this stage a program assistant checks if all the requested documents are there. They WILL NOT validate anything. Under current Temporary Public Policy you are exempt to do a new medical if you are residing in Canada. The assistant will mark your medical as passed in order to let the application proceed to the next step. Your GCMS notes will have following words: "... TPP dated October 6, 2022: please review" that's a reminder to the officer who processes background check in a later stage. If you provided your old UCI in the PR application form your biometrics will be retrieved and linked to your application using that. In this stage they will send your biometrics to RCMP to conduct criminality check. They will check your foreign PCC to ensure they shows NRT (no reportable trace) and validate language scores and ECAs. If anything is missing they will send out ADR or return your application.

Your tracker will show biometrics and medicals "Completed" if you passed R10.


Eligibility - currently happens 2-3 months after R10. Pretty straightforward, first a case analyst will check and validate your documents, mostly related to your employment in Canada, to see if job description matches NOC, if your NOC is correct, etc., and make recommendations. If everything is good then it is Recommend Passed. If not, mostly due to your job descriptions is missing and you did not provide LOE, then it is Review Required. There will probably be a GU but some do not have a GU during this action. About 2-3 weeks after the case analyst had made recommendation, an Officer will check the recommendation and look through your documents again. The Officer is the guy who can refuse your application if they find you not eligible under A11.2. The Officer then will made the final judgement to pass or fail your eligibility.

Usually if a case analyst makes "recommend passed" they will send out RPRF request if you did not pay upfront, because officers usually pass eligibility if a case analyst makes "recommend passed" decision. If it's "review required" and officer "passed" your eligibility the RPRF request is sent after Officer passed your eligibility. So if you've received a RPRF request that's a very good news.

Your tracker's Eligibility will show "in progress" after the analyst recommendation, regardless the result. It will turn to "Completed" after the officer PASSED your eligibility. you will get a GU after eligibility decision has been made by the officer.


Background Check - Info sharing will happen sometime after R10. Security will happen after eligibility passed (there will be a GU for security start). In this stage they will now check and validate everything other than your employment documents. They will check your medicals no matter it's new or expired one under the temporary policy (that's why some people will see medicals passed AGAIN a few days before PPR). They will receive information from RCMP, CSIS, etc. for your traces of criminal activity. BGC has three stages: Medical (passed again), Criminality (check and validate your PCC), and Security (no one knows what happens because the process is highly confidential).

Your tracker will show "in progress" or just "not started" which does not matter. Usually the tracker BGC will be "completed" a few days before PPR or even post-PPR, depends on the VO.

You will have portal email a few days after BGC has been completed. There will be a GU after the BGC is completed (the GU one or two days before PPR)


To sum up the current process for average people: AOR - (15-30 days) - R10 (GU) - (2-3 months) - Eligibility recommendation - (2-3 weeks) - Eligibility decision by officer (GU) - (immediately or 1-2 days) - BGC (1-2 GUs) - (2 weeks - 1 month) - PPR.

Hope this helps! And as always check the disclaimer on the top of this page.
Hey! Thank you for this, really interesting - What about people who have their BGC completed and eligibility not started (as myself and many who are in this forum)?

Thanks!
 
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Takita

Hero Member
May 12, 2021
456
111
Hey! Thank you for this, really interesting - What about people who have their BGC completed and eligibility not started (as myself and many who are in this forum)?

Thanks!
When did Security start? how long it take to complete?