Insight requested from seniors/Asivad re: Eligibility test

[tomneversfield]

Hi seniors.

Wanted to pick your brains on something that many applicants would like to understand – especially FSW outland applicants.

There are many conflicting opinions (from seniors) pertaining to the stage at which an FSW outland applicant passes the eligibility test. Some say it happens at the very end when a decision is being made, and some say it happens before a background check goes into progress. I know there are three major tests that one needs to pass: Medical, Eligiblity and Criminiality. The average timeline suggests that for a typical FSW outland, medical passes within 3-10 days of AOR, Background check goes into progress about 2-3 months from AOR, and 4 weeks later a decision is made.

From your experience and from the thousands of posts you’ve read (including GCMS notes), do you think that an applicant has to pass the eligibility test first, before background check starts (criminality test)? In other words, if BG goes into progress, is it safe to assume that the applicant passed the general eligibility test (the real bottle neck of tests)?

 

[HAILMANU]

Hi seniors.

Wanted to pick your brains on something that many applicants would like to understand – especially FSW outland applicants.

There are many conflicting opinions (from seniors) pertaining to the stage at which an FSW outland applicant passes the eligibility test. Some say it happens at the very end when a decision is being made, and some say it happens before a background check goes into progress. I know there are three major tests that one needs to pass: Medical, Eligiblity and Criminiality. The average timeline suggests that for a typical FSW outland, medical passes within 3-10 days of AOR, Background check goes into progress about 2-3 months from AOR, and 4 weeks later a decision is made.

From your experience and from the thousands of posts you’ve read (including GCMS notes), do you think that an applicant has to pass the eligibility test first, before background check starts (criminality test)? In other words, if BG goes into progress, is it safe to assume that the applicant passed the general eligibility test (the real bottle neck of tests)?

I know that Asivad mentioned that when he got rejection he didnt have BG started at that stage. Like you you im hoping that BG started is an indicator of eligbility being passed

 

[jes_ON]

hmmm... well, first, background checks and criminality are not one and the same. Background checks include verification of the information and documents you provide. There are also the security checks (different from criminality)

In the old days, there were 2 eligibility checks - the initial paper-based one - do you meet the criteria based on what you wrote on your application? And then the REAL one, after the background checks verify (or refute) what you wrote on the application.

The EE process basically automates the first step, so that you can't even apply if you don't meet the eligibility criteria on paper.

So ask yourself - is CIC going to make a positive or final determination about your eligibility BEFORE they verify / authenticate the information you provide?

I don't think processing is anywhere near as orderly and linear as you suggest. Everyone's background is different, ease of verifying information is different, depending on which and how many countries you have lived in, etc.

In the past, it was reported that criminality & background checks were launched as soon as an application was put into processing. Unfortunately, that can take two weeks or two years to complete. Other steps are completed in the meantime...

But it's entirely possible that under EE things have changed..

 

[Ibyt]

Hi seniors.

Wanted to pick your brains on something that many applicants would like to understand – especially FSW outland applicants.

There are many conflicting opinions (from seniors) pertaining to the stage at which an FSW outland applicant passes the eligibility test. Some say it happens at the very end when a decision is being made, and some say it happens before a background check goes into progress. I know there are three major tests that one needs to pass: Medical, Eligiblity and Criminiality. The average timeline suggests that for a typical FSW outland, medical passes within 3-10 days of AOR, Background check goes into progress about 2-3 months from AOR, and 4 weeks later a decision is made.

From your experience and from the thousands of posts you’ve read (including GCMS notes), do you think that an applicant has to pass the eligibility test first, before background check starts (criminality test)? In other words, if BG goes into progress, is it safe to assume that the applicant passed the general eligibility test (the real bottle neck of tests)?

Tbh, no one is safe until you land. I say this because people get rejected after 5 months of application in progress and ECAS at DM for both inland and outland.
I also read a case of someone who got the PPR email last week and got an email later to disregard the email that was originally sent. Imagine the disappointment.
And I hope you are aware that not everyone that goes to the border has a successful landing process.

 

[tomneversfield]

hmmm... well, first, background checks and criminality are not one and the same. Background checks include verification of the information and documents you provide. There are also the security checks (different from criminality)

In the old days, there were 2 eligibility checks - the initial paper-based one - do you meet the criteria based on what you wrote on your application? And then the REAL one, after the background checks verify (or refute) what you wrote on the application.

The EE process basically automates the first step, so that you can't even apply if you don't meet the eligibility criteria on paper.

So ask yourself - is CIC going to make a positive or final determination about your eligibility BEFORE they verify / authenticate the information you provide?

I don't think processing is anywhere near as orderly and linear as you suggest. Everyone's background is different, ease of verifying information is different, depending on which and how many countries you have lived in, etc.

In the past, it was reported that criminality & background checks were launched as soon as an application was put into processing. Unfortunately, that can take two weeks or two years to complete. Other steps are completed in the meantime...

But it's entirely possible that under EE things have changed..

Thanks for the valuable insights.

So in other words, if a background check goes to "in progress", it doesn't necessarily mean that this person passed their eligibility test (e.g. correct NOC code, adequate finances...etc). Correct?

 

[tomneversfield]

Tbh, no one is safe until you land. I say this because people get rejected after 5 months of application in progress and ECAS at DM for both inland and outland.
I also read a case of someone who got the PPR email last week and got an email later to disregard the email that was originally sent. Imagine the disappointment.
And I hope you are aware that not everyone that goes to the border has a successful landing process.

Yup I read his post (pathfinder). Very upsetting, and the weird thing is that they're actually over qualified. I know it's not really over till you actually land and get the PR card in your mail, but I was hoping if they had a systematic/sequential way of processing applications. The decision is up to the discretion of the CIC agent, but the overall process should be more structured and more transparent. A rejection after several months of waiting is just brutal.

 

[jes_ON]

So in other words, if a background check goes to "in progress", it doesn't necessarily mean that this person passed their eligibility test (e.g. correct NOC code, adequate finances...etc). Correct?

Correct. There will be at least one more "final review" after background checks are done.

I should edit the above to say, that despite the automated application process reducing incomplete/ineligible applications, people do still manage to get past the digital gatekeeper and submit incomplete applications and/or ineligible work-arounds for some requirements (e.g. proof of funds, police clearances, etc.) So there does appear to still be a human-managed completeness review prior to putting applications into process.

 

[tomneversfield]

Correct. There will be at least one more "final review" after background checks are done.

I should edit the above to say, that despite the automated application process reducing incomplete/ineligible applications, people do still manage to get past the digital gatekeeper and submit incomplete applications and/or ineligible work-arounds for some requirements (e.g. proof of funds, police clearances, etc.) So there does appear to still be a human-managed completeness review prior to putting applications into process.

Thanks again. Appreciate the insight.