I totally didn't see but got this email 4 days ago:
CIC - Ministerial Enquiries Division/CIC - Service de renseignements ministériels <Ministerial.Enquiries.Division@cic.gc.ca>
Sep 12 (4 days ago)
to me
Dear xxxx:
The Office of the Honourable Jason Kenney, Minister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Multiculturalism, has kindly forwarded to Mr. Chris Alexander, Canada’s Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, a copy of your email of August 5, 2014, concerning your application for permanent residence under family sponsorship class. I regret the delay in responding.
Please be assured that Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) reviews all applications objectively and consistently to ensure fair and equitable treatment of all applicants. We assess each application on its own merit against the program requirements.
We realize that those who have submitted their applications look forward to a decision being rendered within a reasonable waiting period after applying. Every effort is made to complete the processing of partner and spousal applications as quickly as possible. We make every effort to deal with the applications we receive in the most efficient and effective way. However, the many steps involved in processing an application, coupled with the volume of applications, sometimes make it difficult to conclude cases in as timely a manner as we would like.
The creation of the Spouse or Common-Law Partner in Canada Class promotes family unity. It allows Canadian citizens and permanent residents to sponsor their spouses or common-law partners who live with them in Canada, for permanent residence. However, Family Class category redesign aimed at faster processing of applications from spouses, common-law partners and dependent children only applies to applicants who are outside Canada. It is always in the client’s best interests to apply abroad in the prescribed manner, if possible. There are distinct disadvantages to applying from within Canada, including longer processing times, lack of status, inability to work and ineligibility for provincial/territorial health insurance coverage. For this reason, applicants are encouraged to carefully read the guide which provides important information for an applicant to consider before completing this application.
Accordingly, every effort is made to complete the processing of partner and spousal applications as quickly as possible. The sponsor must be assessed against the requirements of sponsorship and the foreign national being sponsored must be assessed against the statutory requirements of being in good health and of good character. In addition, the assessing officer must be satisfied that the applicant is admissible to Canada, and, in the case of spouses and partners, that the relationship is genuine and not entered into for immigration purposes only.
As you may know, inland processing of applications submitted by spouses or common-law partners requires an average of 13 months, from when the complete application is received, for first-stage of approval or “approval in principle”, but can be longer depending on the individual circumstances of each case. When an application for permanent residence is assessed and receives approval in principle, an application for an open work permit can then be processed and applicants may be eligible to apply for provincial/territorial health care.
Our records confirm that your application was received on April 3, 2014 and is actively being processed. Please rest assured that you will be contacted by an immigration officer if additional information is required.
Information about processing times is published and regularly updated on CIC’s website at:
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/perm-fc.asp.
Thank you for writing and expressing your concerns. I trust that this information is of assistance.
Sincerely,
S. Makdessian
Ministerial Enquiries Division
This electronic address is not available for reply.
