2008 - Came to Canada
2010 – Applied for intent to immigrate and the file was rejected after 4 months citing a blank field in the whole of application which was supposed filled with ‘NA'. Asked to re-apply all again.
2010 – To add insult to the injury, the rules were changed in the same year for reapplication. The category I applied to earlier was removed. Also, it was now required to submit IELTS results as part of application package. I was living in a part of Canada where I had to fly to another city to write the test and the available date at the nearest centre was 2 months away.
2011 – Applied second time and the file was returned after 3 months citing that I have used a wrong NOC code for my experience.
2011 – More rule changes and restrictions to the PR application. Fortunately, CIC opened-up a new category which made me eligible or so I thought
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2012 – Applied again after gathering all the documents one more time. Since 2008, my situation changed so often that I had to collect a truck load of documents for my family and myself. The application was accepted after 3 months of anxious wait and I thought all problems will be resolved for once and all.
2013 – Then came 2013 and I was requested to update file and get PCC. While waiting for these files, after two months, I received a letter from CIC that they are again not satisfied with the experience and choice of NOC code (not in those exact words) and the application was rejected.
2014 – This time I was reluctant to apply on my own but I was still not convinced about donating my money to someone else to tell me to prepare the same list of documents I have been preparing before. However, I was desperate this time as my work permit was going to expire in a year's time. However, contrary to my well wisher's advice I applied again on my own. Interestingly, my file was delayed due to Canada Post screw-up and instead of reaching before the ominous Oct 21 deadline for CEC applications, it reached 10 days later. In Canada Post defence, they returned the postal money. Rest the people who are applied last year would know that there was a letter in one of the Chinese website and then the sky came falling on rest of us. The file was returned for all applications made after Oct 21.
2015 – Since, I have been applied in one of the academic jobs that doesn't require LIMA approval, therefore, no extra 600 points. I tried checking with the University here that since they advertised for the position and, I have interviewed and exchanged emails and phone calls for a year before I landed this job, they should seek for LMIA and help me get those extra 600 points. Well, as obviously, the request was rejected as they will not do anything that they are not required to do. One top of this, the provincial nomination didn't accept my application as my job is contractual. In reality, the work contract can run perpetually for years but it always comes with a termination date.
2015- Interesting, I applied to PEI nomination program and they replied positively and accepted my application. However, the issue was moving to another province and that too so far away with family was not an easy decision to make. In the end, we decided this is it; we will wait for our chance for ITA in the express entry and apply for it. Otherwise, pack-up and move to either USA or go back home. I was tired.
March 2015, the points hit rock bottom (481) and I was one of the lucky ones to get the invite. My score was 481. However, I was still not sure what could I do make it happen. This time, the CanadaVisa forum came to rescue and I read about all the experiences and advice that people shared on the website. Although, I never made an account and never contributed anything as I did not thought myself to be in a position to give advices when I was not successful myself. However, some of the experiences shared by the members were so much similar that it helped me prepare my documents way better.
May 01, 2015 – I applied and was keeping my fingers cross.
June 26, 2015 – Received an email from CIC telling me that due to system glitch, I was erroneously giving an extra 10 points. My points have been re-calculated and I don't have enough points. The most frustrating point is in April the point touched rock bottom to 453 points and if the system has not erred, then I would have got an invitation a week or two after March. I was screaming this is not my mistake. However, the twist of destiny, on June 26, the ITA points hit another low of 469 points after a long while. Therefore, the CIC decided to continue to process my application as I was eligible as of June 26. Well, as expected, I quit everything in life and took a two week vacation and ate to my heart's content. As you get older you tend to worry less (atleast in my case) as so much *censored word* has happened to you and you can take it all. No, I am kidding but I did take the time off to chill a bit.
July, 2015- Got that ghost email that my account has been updated but couldn't find anything. Finally, I got another one in the evening and it took the longest 2 min of my life to open the PDF and it read that your application is almost complete, send the passport and biodata. I received COPR for my family and myself within a week and went to the US border together to get it stamped.
Why am I sharing my story? To re-assure my fellow-mates that sometime the journey can be tough but hang in there. CIC is not being mean to you; it is only following its procedures in the most objective way possible. In reality this is not always possible, so you are not immune to the moods and whims of the visa officer.
Learning:
1. Always make sure someone else reads your file and confirms the information before you submit. For example, after filling so many forms and applications (in addition to PR) in the last few years, I know my data verbally. However, when I asked my wife to check the online PR application, she found that I have written my own date of birth incorrect. Hard to believe but true. So, always get it checked by someone else.
2. It is your duty to make sure that all the information is correct and upto date.
3. Experience letter – get letter from you department and also from you immediate boss. Usually department HR are set in stone and will provide basic letters only or a standard letter but you can ask your boss to give a more tweaked letter that speak and matches the language provide in the description of NOC category under which you are applying. Support it with salary slips, Tax slips and all other documents. Atleast, this was Achilles' heel for me.
4. Experience letter – you should match up to 50% of the job description to be on safe side. If you look hard enough, you will always find ways to match to job description. Job title and education doesn't matter (unless in a licensed profession). Second, the salary should be appropriate to the market, way too low raises red flags.
5. Education – get the diplomas and transcripts
6. Read the instrctuctions on CIC, word by word even if you are re-applying, CIC make subtle changes which you may miss. Best part is, if they make revisions or changes, they put a new number in the IMM form etc. makes sure you take notice of this.
7. Read all instructions and follow them. You can call CIC but I have never found them to be helpful but still call them, you never know they might give you some idea.
In my home country, when we evaluate someone, we start with ‘zero' and then for each achievement and accomplishment, we add a number representing its impact. This is how exam papers are graded too. Contrary to this, in Canada, when they start to judge you, they give you a rating of 100 and they start taking your accomplishments and achievements apart and start subtracting it from 100 and give a left-over rating. This is how the exam papers are graded here too. I have been in Canadian Universities long enough and taught labs and full-semester classes. Earlier I was getting hard time with other teaching faculties because my class average will always be far above them and then we started discussing about this. My way of evaluation was to start with zero and then look for positive things in the answer and start adding the marks while the Canadian teaching faculty (not all though) started with 100% and then look for negatives or issues, and deduct marks. I have found the same pattern on my interaction with CIC or any Canadian institution which assumes you to be ‘innocent until proven guilty' but they look for the negative/issues.
Therefore, when you apply, it is your duty to satisfy the CIC officer, he is looking for negatives, therefore remove issues from you file but at the same time, make sure you have met the requirements by providing the appropriate documents in the format they have requested and covering the information as described in official documents (NOC, CIC, instruction guide).
Final words: if you have the money, hire a good consultant.
PS: Although, I had a long journey to PR and I believe some of the things could have made it easy such as asking for further records or completing a single empty box rather than rejecting the whole file, this is no way reflective of my life in Canada. I found almost no difference in the availability of resources, help and care whether you are permanent or temporary resident. Canada has cared for my family and myself all these years. I must admit, status of PR does impact your over all career growth and ease of landing a job but the system is not discriminatory. Only, you have to look hard enough. In my case, I applied for about 200 jobs to make it to 5 interviews and 2 offers in the end while I know others who got lucky after 30-50 job applications. The key to survival is networking – ‘What you know matters but what matters most is who you know'. I am happy to be a part of the Canadian experience.
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Please, JSin, see my question above
