I hope I can clarify by this explanation:
They process your application in three phase.
1-completeness check: checking completeness of forms & checking cap
2-eligibility review: checking cap again & en-cashing DD based on queue then incorporating it with total number
3-selection & admissibility: assessing your points & sending PER or NER e-mail
All I say is this: in second phase, eligibility review, you are going to be in the cap if your DD en-cash. After this phase, they are going to assess your points, and they are going to send you a PER e-mail if you have enough points. Otherwise, they are going to send you NER e-mail. Nevertheless, usually the applicants whom their DD en-cashed, will receive PER e-mail, and a NER email are rare in this phase. Indeed, most of the applicants have enough points, and they reject most of the times for the cap reaching. On the other hand, third phase usually takes two weeks after second phase, and if you have already a file number from previous case, you could check your status online by this file number. In fact, by this method you can inform the second phase, eligibility review, and be sure you are in the cap, and most of the times as I said you will receive PER email after this phase. As far as our information show, until February 6th , they en-cashed applicants' DD until December 19th.
Thus, if any one of you have already a previous file number, please check your online status, so we could understand how much they progressed even before your PER or NER email!
