These emails regarding a failure to make the cap seem to have created quite a buzz!
I would just like to reiterate a couple of points made earlier:
Firstly, credit card and bank draft encashments are not processed in a standard amount of days. Some payments can be cleared in a day or two. Others can take weeks to process depending upon a range of issues (issuing bank, mistakes in transaction entries at sending or receiving end etc.)
Here's a real life example:
I was recently given a cheque by a customer to settle certain receivables. After nearly two months, the cheque had still not been cleared. I called my bank and it turns out that the Operating softwares of the customer's bank was not able to issue payments to my bank due to some technical problems. They said the transaction would go through soon, I would just have to wait. It finally cleared after about 3 months. Moral: don't panic till the CIC officially tell you that you did not make the cap. ( Technically, there's no need to panic even if you don't make the cap but thats another debate).
Second: There seems to be a real angst about how arbitrary the cap system is, i.e. The date you ship your package has greater influence on your chances than how much merit your application holds. My opinion is as follows:
Last year I missed the cap. This year my package got to the CIC on the fifth because I made sure I sent it well ahead of time. Even if you miss the cap, don't let it frustrate you too much. Just try again next year and plan to mail your updated package at the end of June if thats what it takes. I know certain people who were so anxious they mailed their packages on June 25th, and it got to Canada on July 1st. As someone rightfully pointed out, CIC only received packages for the new cap on July 4th as the previous three days had been holidays. Mailing early made sure that whenever the courier got to the CIC, their packages were the first through the door.
So yes this system is flawed. But all systems are. The only way to ensure your success is to take advantage of the flaws as opposed to letting them work against you. I know cynics will probably say that I am being too conformist, but my honest opinion about bureaucracy is that no matter how hard governemnts try, their systems can never meet the needs and expectations of the masses. However, with a little diligent research and some attention to detail, anyone can learn to take advantage of loopholes (e.g. no objections on an application intended for July 1st cap being mailed 5 days before the cap is even reset).
So no matter what happens folks, analyze your life experiences with a grain of salt. If you make the cap, well done. If you don't, just try again. And PLEASE, don't throw away your hard earned money on extortionist consultants.
Good luck!
.. I removed it.. see this is what has started to happen with me after the incident.. I add something and remove it afterwards... ;D
