Government addresses spousal backlog and wait times

[flx2015]

back in june, the CIC posted this notice and it caused a lot of excitement: http://www.cic.gc.ca/English/department/media/notices/2016-06-13.asp

the notices says that the CIC has launched a backlog reduction exercise which applies to both outland AND inland applications. however, so far it looks like they haven't done anything at all to speed up outland applications being processed overseas. they even posted this operational bulletin on the same day as the notice, but as you can see it only applies to inland applications. yet in every single interview McCallum has given so far, he says that processing times have dropped. yes, they certainly have dropped for inland applicants and also for applicants being processed at CPC-O, but the rest of the visa offices where the bulk of the PR apps are being processed are moving at the same pace as before (or slower than before in the case of london VO). do they intend to do anything about this or are overseas visa offices completely independent and free to work at whichever pace they desire?

my wife's application is being processed at london VO which has an average of 11-12 months. however it has been nearly 9.5 months since i submitted my sponsorship application, and they still haven't started working on it yet. i feel like even 11-12 months might be out of reach for me, because it takes them 2-3 months to finalize an application once they begin working on it.

 

[profiler]

back in june, the CIC posted this notice and it caused a lot of excitement: http://www.cic.gc.ca/English/department/media/notices/2016-06-13.asp

the notices says that the CIC has launched a backlog reduction exercise which applies to both outland AND inland applications. however, so far it looks like they haven't done anything at all to speed up outland applications being processed overseas. they even posted this operational bulletin on the same day as the notice, but as you can see it only applies to inland applications. yet in every single interview McCallum has given so far, he says that processing times have dropped. yes, they certainly have dropped for inland applicants and also for applicants being processed at CPC-O, but the rest of the visa offices where the bulk of the PR apps are being processed are moving at the same pace as before (or slower than before in the case of london VO). do they intend to do anything about this or are overseas visa offices completely independent and free to work at whichever pace they desire?

my wife's application is being processed at london VO which has an average of 11-12 months. however it has been nearly 9.5 months since i submitted my sponsorship application, and they still haven't started working on it yet. i feel like even 11-12 months might be out of reach for me, because it takes them 2-3 months to finalize an application once they begin working on it.

Thanks for this.. I didn't know they had a directive issued too... great work!

 

[Djl]

back in june, the CIC posted this notice and it caused a lot of excitement: http://www.cic.gc.ca/English/department/media/notices/2016-06-13.asp

the notices says that the CIC has launched a backlog reduction exercise which applies to both outland AND inland applications. however, so far it looks like they haven't done anything at all to speed up outland applications being processed overseas. they even posted this operational bulletin on the same day as the notice, but as you can see it only applies to inland applications. yet in every single interview McCallum has given so far, he says that processing times have dropped. yes, they certainly have dropped for inland applicants and also for applicants being processed at CPC-O, but the rest of the visa offices where the bulk of the PR apps are being processed are moving at the same pace as before (or slower than before in the case of london VO). do they intend to do anything about this or are overseas visa offices completely independent and free to work at whichever pace they desire?

my wife's application is being processed at london VO which has an average of 11-12 months. however it has been nearly 9.5 months since i submitted my sponsorship application, and they still haven't started working on it yet. i feel like even 11-12 months might be out of reach for me, because it takes them 2-3 months to finalize an application once they begin working on it.

Well Flx2015, it's me again.... I don't think I could have put into words as you just did with my same thinking. I totally agree with you with what's happening as we are same time frame different VO. As much as I hate politics you are exactly right. They have reduced inland, Ottawa and SA by about 40 days since we have submitted in December. So I guess in their eyes they have done what they promised as most politicians do and that's good enough for them. I feel your frustration as many others probably do at this time....

 

[flx2015]

Thanks for this.. I didn't know they had a directive issued too... great work!

yes. any progress and improvements they make is undoubtedly a good thing. they've sped things up for inland, now i'd like them to do the same for outland as well.

Well Flx2015, it's me again.... I don't think I could have put into words as you just did with my same thinking. I totally agree with you with what's happening as we are same time frame different VO. As much as I hate politics you are exactly right. They have reduced inland, Ottawa and SA by about 40 days since we have submitted in December. So I guess in their eyes they have done what they promised as most politicians do and that's good enough for them. I feel your frustration as many others probably do at this time....

yeah, there really is no end in sight. all i really want is for them to start working on my wife's application. after they do an initial review, i'll at least have an idea of how much longer it'll take for them to make a final decision. i've already started applying for jobs overseas.

i've got my mind set on leaving canada permanently if my wife isn't here by december.

 

[profiler]

yes. any progress and improvements they make is undoubtedly a good thing. they've sped things up for inland, now i'd like them to do the same for outland as well.

yeah, there really is no end in sight. all i really want is for them to start working on my wife's application. after they do an initial review, i'll at least have an idea of how much longer it'll take for them to make a final decision.

i've already started applying for jobs overseas. i've got my mind set on leaving canada permanently if my wife isn't here by december.

I thought the approached was balanced. I am of course elated to see that we might be included, but at the same time, I feel it's unfair for those still in 'inventory'.

 

[flx2015]

profiler, you can find out whether or not your application is part of the inland backlog reduction exercise. you should see the following in your gcms notes if you're being fast tracked: Application identified as part of the 2016 reduction exercise for certain spouses or Common-Law Partner in Canada Applications

Well Flx2015, it's me again.... I don't think I could have put into words as you just did with my same thinking. I totally agree with you with what's happening as we are same time frame different VO. As much as I hate politics you are exactly right. They have reduced inland, Ottawa and SA by about 40 days since we have submitted in December. So I guess in their eyes they have done what they promised as most politicians do and that's good enough for them. I feel your frustration as many others probably do at this time....

by the way Djl, i didn't know you were a december 2015 applicant as well. how are things at manila VO? have they started working on any applications submitted in december?

 

[profiler]

profiler, you can find out whether or not your application is part of the inland backlog reduction exercise. you should see the following in your gcms notes if you're being fast tracked: Application identified as part of the 2016 reduction exercise for certain spouses or Common-Law Partner in Canada Applications

I am anxiously awaiting the GCMS notes for my wife! They did ask for a PCC August 10th, and we supplied the other side of labour day..

You two are december applicants? wtf!

 

[Djl]

profiler, you can find out whether or not your application is part of the inland backlog reduction exercise. you should see the following in your gcms notes if you're being fast tracked: Application identified as part of the 2016 reduction exercise for certain spouses or Common-Law Partner in Canada Applications

by the way Djl, i didn't know you were a december 2015 applicant as well. how are things at manila VO? have they started working on any applications submitted in december?

There was just a so called "urgent" ppr request granted to a December applicant and was told to send passport within 5 days if that makes any sense to you at all because it doesn't make any sense to me on what they are doing.... It's the only one I have heard of so far...

 

[flx2015]

I am anxiously awaiting the GCMS notes for my wife! They did ask for a PCC August 10th, and we supplied the other side of labour day..

You two are december applicants? wtf!

yeah, i'm early december and Djl is mid december. haven't seen my wife in almost a year. they refuse to grant her a TRV because she has no travel history and because she has a spouse in canada (me), but i'm going over to visit soon. unfortunately i only get to spend 1 week with her because that's all the leave i can get.

don't know about Djl but there's zero progress on my file thus far.

There was just a so called "urgent" ppr request granted to a December applicant and was told to send passport within 5 days if that makes any sense to you at all because it doesn't make any sense to me on what they are doing.... It's the only one I have heard of so far...

that is pretty weird. how far has MVO gotten with november applications?

 

[profiler]

yeah, i'm early december and Djl is mid december. haven't seen my wife in almost a year. they refuse to grant her a TRV because she has no travel history and because she has a spouse in canada (me), but i'm going over to visit soon. unfortunately i only get to spend 1 week with her because that's all the leave i can get.

don't know about Djl but there's zero progress on my file thus far.

that is pretty weird. how far has MVO gotten with november applications?

That's ridiculous. They granted my wife a TRV easily. I don't understand why they don't consider the PR application in her TRV. They do for TRV's for parents I know..

 

[MNM2015]

I'm sure a lot of people won't agree with me but focusing their efforts on inland and Ottawa is the wrong approach. While it's crazy inland people were waiting over 2 years before at least they were together and as long as they followed the rules to remain in status they are able to work within a few months. That's all Outland people want - to be together and be able to work. I know there are travel restrictions while waiting inland but it's not comparable to be separated from your spouse and it was their choice to apply inland knowing the processing times and rules.

The Ottawa VO was always fast and takes applications from visa exempt countries. While it's nice Americans are getting through in 2 or 3 months instead of 6 I don't think that cutting their processing time in half impacts their lives the same way doing that for other VOs would. A lot of Anericans and visa exempt applicants are already together waiting out the process together. If they are not, they have the ability to visit more often due to being visa exempt and in a lot of cases cheaper flights and shorter travel distances. To cut the processing time in half or even shave a few months off other VOs would make a huge difference for people who have not even been able to see their spouse in months.

Instead of focusing on Ottawa they should be aiming to reduce all VOs to a reasonable time frame like 6 months. I appreciate that changing inland and Ottawa was probably the easiest since they are processed in Canada so a logical first step but it can and should be done in other VOs too. The other VOs are where people are suffering more.

 

[ImABule]

That's ridiculous. They granted my wife a TRV easily. I don't understand why they don't consider the PR application in her TRV. They do for TRV's for parents I know..

We applied for a study permit/TRV before PR. My parents wrote a letter and showed 4x her tuition and offered to pay. They refused it due to "family ties in canada". So, we apply PR and now they request an interview and seems they question if we're family.

Incompetence.

 

[Djl]

yeah, i'm early december and Djl is mid december. haven't seen my wife in almost a year. they refuse to grant her a TRV because she has no travel history and because she has a spouse in canada (me), but i'm going over to visit soon. unfortunately i only get to spend 1 week with her because that's all the leave i can get.

don't know about Djl but there's zero progress on my file thus far.

that is pretty weird. how far has MVO gotten with november applications?

Im the same as you Flx, it's been a year almost as our wedding anniversary is the 18th of this month. What pisses me off if that I'm a father of a 6 year old girl that loves my wife to death and can't figure out why she isn't here yet... Further more if CIC wants more information why we haven't been back to Philippines how in the hell do I explain to them that my daughter only has so many days off school? I'm about ready to plan a life without Canada and make a life in the Philippines so my daughter could actually enjoy and grow up with her new Mom......

 

[Djl]

I'm sure a lot of people won't agree with me but focusing their efforts on inland and Ottawa is the wrong approach. While it's crazy inland people were waiting over 2 years before at least they were together and as long as they followed the rules to remain in status they are able to work within a few months. That's all Outland people want - to be together and be able to work. I know there are travel restrictions while waiting inland but it's not comparable to be separated from your spouse and it was their choice to apply inland knowing the processing times and rules.

The Ottawa VO was always fast and takes applications from visa exempt countries. While it's nice Americans are getting through in 2 or 3 months instead of 6 I don't think that cutting their processing time in half impacts their lives the same way doing that for other VOs would. A lot of Anericans and visa exempt applicants are already together waiting out the process together. If they are not, they have the ability to visit more often due to being visa exempt and in a lot of cases cheaper flights and shorter travel distances. To cut the processing time in half or even shave a few months off other VOs would make a huge difference for people who have not even been able to see their spouse in months.

Instead of focusing on Ottawa they should be aiming to reduce all VOs to a reasonable time frame like 6 months. I appreciate that changing inland and Ottawa was probably the easiest since they are processed in Canada so a logical first step but it can and should be done in other VOs too. The other VOs are where people are suffering more.

Very well said MNM2015

 

[profiler]

We applied for a study permit/TRV before PR. My parents wrote a letter and showed 4x her tuition and offered to pay. They refused it due to "family ties in canada". So, we apply PR and now they request an interview and seems they question if we're family.

Incompetence.

So is the problem overstaying? What I am having the most difficulty processing is, why don't they just issue a visa, and at the border issue a visitor record if they are concerned of overstays...