INLAND APPLICATIONS 2012

[sounion]

just read that too! i can't believe it honestly. what are the odds that it happened while our apps are pending.

add more frustration to the pile.

 

[downwinder]

[size=10pt]Foreign service workers target Harper's European trip with walkout in Ottawa, key missions abroad[/size]
http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/06/06/foreign-service-workers-target-harpers-european-trip-with-walkout-in-ottawa-key-missions-abroad/


“The ramifications on the immigration side, I think you can probably guess. It's going to mean a massive backlog and huge reduction in the pace and volume of the processing of visas and permanent resident applications in these locations.”

 

[mtt]

Hi everyone,

We have been waiting over 2 years for an in-land application. We have sent in the cost of the application, OWL and sponsorship. We paid $750. We received the OWL and the sponsorship approval.

My question is, when we finally get the letter stating they want the passports to complete the application for Spousal / Common-law PR, do I have another fee to pay?

Mtt

 

[screech339]

Hi everyone,

We have been waiting over 2 years for an in-land application. We have sent in the cost of the application, OWL and sponsorship. We paid $750. We received the OWL and the sponsorship approval.

My question is, when we finally get the letter stating they want the passports to complete the application for Spousal / Common-law PR, do I have another fee to pay?

Mtt

Sound like you haven't paid all the fees. I believe you are now left to pay the Right of Permanent resident status fee of $490. They will not complete the process until that is paid.

Screech339

 

[mtt]

UGGGHHHH.

Because of their laziness in ROME, I had sent in the application Feb. 2011. My step daughters were both under 18 at the time. they have since turned 18 years old.

We had all 3 medicals done, police report for spouse and translation.

Now because of their laziness, my step daughters and spouse had to re-do their medicals and becuase the girls turned 18 they had to get their police certificates, etc. and the translations!

i had to dish out another $2,000 because the VISA office took their sweet time!!

I wonder if we can complain and get a refund?? They went over and beyond their time limit and there was no reason for the lateness. we are now on 27 months!!!!!

 

[jiggyzealous]

Just called CIC a while ago. Nothing yet on my file. All the guy said is that everything is in place; nothing's missing. He assured me that if "something" were wrong we'd have received a letter by now. What could that "something " mean. He advised that I wait another couple of weeks to pass October 8.

 

[screech339]

Just called CIC a while ago. Nothing yet on my file. All the guy said is that everything is in place; nothing's missing. He assured me that if "something" were wrong we'd have received a letter by now. What could that "something " mean. He advised that I wait another couple of weeks to pass October 8.

@jiggy,

In other words, what he is saying is "don't expect the website update with date to move beyond Oct 8 for 2 more weeks".

 

[nrajani_99]

I just called CIC .. and he informed me that the strike is only for outside offices.. inland is not affected by it.. unless you have depeneds out side of Canada.
ewwww.. what a relife..

 

[computergeek]

Hi everyone,

We have been waiting over 2 years for an in-land application. We have sent in the cost of the application, OWL and sponsorship. We paid $750. We received the OWL and the sponsorship approval.

My question is, when we finally get the letter stating they want the passports to complete the application for Spousal / Common-law PR, do I have another fee to pay?

Mtt

$750 would be an odd amount to pay.

The normal fee is $550 for the application ($75 sponsor + $475 applicant) plus the $150 fee for the work permit ($700). Then before they will grant permanent residence you must pay the RPRF ($490) but for inland applications that can normally be done right up to the point of landing.

Note they won't request your passport - they will ask you to bring it and your work permit personally to an inland office for completion of the landing procedures.

 

[computergeek]

[size=10pt]Foreign service workers target Harper's European trip with walkout in Ottawa, key missions abroad[/size]
http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/06/06/foreign-service-workers-target-harpers-european-trip-with-walkout-in-ottawa-key-missions-abroad/

As inconvenient as it is for the immigration process, there is another side to this issue - these workers have been without a contract for two years and the government refuses to even negotiate. This quotation I read in the comments of the above article was quite insightful:

"Ten years ago, I was a lawyer in Toronto negotiating a 6 figure salary with a national law firm when I was selected for the Foreign Service. Despite beating 99% of all applicants for this job, my salary was about half of what a law student made at my old firm. Ten years later, I am still earning less than my legal assistant in Toronto used to make.
I have represented Canada in combat zones in the Middle East, selected refugees from prisons and UN camps, watched my neighbour's house blown up by a car bomb, watched diplomat colleagues work through aerial bombardments while their children hid in the basement, and been held at gunpoint by soldiers who couldn't care less if I was a diplomat or a plumber. I have travelled in armored vehicles due to fear of IEDs on the roads and worn bullet proof gear for protection from snipers and suicide bombers.

Through all my postings, I worked a minimum of 12 hour days, including most weekends, rushed to airports in the middle of the night to intercept human smugglers and other threats to Canada, lived with frequent electric blackouts and no access to decent medical facilities, and have suffered through lethal infections in India and was exposed to TB in Korea. I could never dress the way I wanted or express opinions openly even while being abused and assaulted by irate visa applicants or by locals on the street. These restrictions continued even after work and while I was in my residence. And all this while earning the earth-shattering salary of $65,000 per year.

I saw REAL luxury enjoyed by PetroCanada representatives in the Middle East who lived in mansions and enjoyed incredible privileges. I did similar work in terms of negotiating international agreements and recruiting workers to develop Canada's Oil Sands but at a fraction of their salaries and benefits. I have never been jealous of them for even a second because I love my job. But when I'm accused of all kinds of rubbish like being a privileged snob by people who know NOTHING about my work or conditions, it upsets me. Before you levy such accusations, at least check if your perceptions are accurate.

I CAN walk away and join a Bay Street firm and immediately start earning double my current salary and with massive perks. I CAN start playing the system to screw over the average Joe just to make myself richer, like I used to do before I joined the FS. But if you want quality representation of Canada abroad by skilled and dedicated professionals to protect Canada's security and interests, then at least allow us to earn the SAME as our bureacratic equivalents in Canada! It's not like we're asking for more than the people who DID NOT qualify for the Foreign Service. We're just asking to not be paid LESS than bureaucrats who do the SAME work but don't risk their health, families and lives to represent you and protect your interests."

For example, the Islamabad office is in a fortified compound. The workers there are not allowed to move around in the city unless they are in armored transports. There's a constant threat to life and limb. Islamabad has incredibly long processing times but I must admit I'm not surprised - if you had a choice of Islamabad or London, why would you take a position in a very dangerous location all to be told by your government that your work isn't even worth as much as people working in other departments? Add to that the incredible work loads and complications for doing even simple things like background checks when talking to the wrong people could get you injured or killed?

They deserve to be shown they care. Like it or not, society today shows the value of someone by paying them more and disdain by paying them less.

 

[mtt]

"Note they won't request your passport - they will ask you to bring it and your work permit personally to an inland office for completion of the landing procedures."

Do you mean that if we get the passport request and approval, we can wait until we have the money to get it stamped as landed? Maybe 1 month after approval??

We have spent so much because of their laziness with our case, seems they either lost it or kept pushing it aside because there have been applications that have gone in 1 year after ours and have the landing already!!

 

[computergeek]

"Note they won't request your passport - they will ask you to bring it and your work permit personally to an inland office for completion of the landing procedures."

Do you mean that if we get the passport request and approval, we can wait until we have the money to get it stamped as landed? Maybe 1 month after approval??

We have spent so much because of their laziness with our case, seems they either lost it or kept pushing it aside because there have been applications that have gone in 1 year after ours and have the landing already!!

When you are approved, they will tell you when to show up. It often seems to take 1-3 months after DM before someone gets a landing appointment.

 

[sunbrey]

I just called CIC .. and he informed me that the strike is only for outside offices.. inland is not affected by it.. unless you have depeneds out side of Canada.
ewwww.. what a relife..

That is great news ... but why hasn't the date moved in 8 weeks. The link below Says they ruled to go on strike in mid march.

http://www.pafso-apase.com/news_releases.php?newsID=151

46 Years without a strike ... whats the odds!?!

I

 

[sounion]

let's hope the strikes don't affect inland. the lack of movement on apps though makes me think they ARE affected.

 

[screech339]

let's hope the strikes don't affect inland. the lack of movement on apps though makes me think they ARE affected.

Even though the inland are not affected by the strike, they could be slowing down the process as a form of support of the strike of employees outside Canada. Plus those requiring verification of police check could also be affected on account that they may require canadian embassy's input thus also affecting inland application.

Screech339