New Limitations On Reasons for Urgent Processing PR Card

[dpenabill]

As of August 29, 2016, IRCC began limiting urgent processing of PR card applications.

But "new criteria" was not publicized nor explained until IRCC issued, just last week, Operational Bulletin 627 – October 20, 2016

see http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/bulletins/2016/ob627.asp

Not a good sign that it took nearly two months for IRCC to formalize and let its clients know about the change.

In any event, urgent processing is now limited:

"In order to qualify for urgent processing of a PR card, the client must demonstrate that they require their PR card within the next three months for one of the following reasons:
-- for travel due to their own serious illness or the serious illness or death of a family member; or
-- to obtain employment or to travel due to employment requirements or opportunity."


So, for example, no urgent processing for holidays or just any reason for travel.

 

[foodie69]

Well I guess this will teach some people time management skills..

 

[Leon]

As of August 29, 2016, IRCC began limiting urgent processing of PR card applications.

But "new criteria" was not publicized nor explained until IRCC issued, just last week, Operational Bulletin 627 – October 20, 2016

That doesn't surprise me but it's not the worst blunder they've ever made. IMO the worst was when they changed the skilled worker program in 2008. The announced very low profile that they would be changing the rules. The new rules came out about 8 months later. Of course they subjected all applications made in the meantime to the new rules that weren't out yet when these people applied, disqualifying most of them instantly.

 

[747-captain]

That doesn't surprise me but it's not the worst blunder they've ever made. IMO the worst was when they changed the skilled worker program in 2008. The announced very low profile that they would be changing the rules. The new rules came out about 8 months later. Of course they subjected all applications made in the meantime to the new rules that weren't out yet when these people applied, disqualifying most of them instantly.

Yes, I remember that fiasco very well, as I was one of its eventual victims! They made the law retroactive and it was part of a double game that the conservatives played.

The first time the law came out sometime in June (if I recall correctly). The law was then applied retroactively, but they assured people who had submitted before the 28th of Feb, 2008 that they would continue to process their files. My file had reached them on the 25th of Feb and I recall having breathed a huge sigh of relief, because the new law had reduced the occupations list to something like 35 down from around 300. Hundreds of thousands would no longer qualify, myself included!

Then suddenly out of the blue, sometime in 2012 or so (after having waited for 4 years), they changed their minds yet again, and said they would be returning all files that had not been processed! That felt like a huge kick in the gut! It was just sheer luck that I happened to casually read a newsletter from my attorney, and just by happenstance, noticed that the conservatives had added a few more occupations to their very short list in 2014, and mine happened to be one of them!

 

[immigrant7]

Well I guess this will teach some people time management skills..

I dont completely agree; what do you say for a planning in this ...

-- for travel due to their own serious illness or the serious illness or death of a family member;

 

[Naheulbeuck]

I dont completely agree; what do you say for a planning in this ...

What's your point? Serious illness (of self or family member) qualifies for urgent processing, so....

 

[bubulici]

What's your point? Serious illness (of self or family member) qualifies for urgent processing, so....

It's a bit a hard to "plan" ahead someone's death I think, or maybe the one(s) that came up with this mentally challenged inclusion practice funerals weeks/months(time taken to get that piece of plastic) after someone passed away.

 

[Naheulbeuck]

It's a bit a hard to "plan" ahead someone's death I think, or maybe the one(s) that came up with this mentally challenged inclusion practice funerals weeks/months(time taken to get that piece of plastic) after someone passed away.

But it does not matter. At all.

You obviously misread Dpenabill's post, a family member's death or serious illness, along with someone's own illness are still appropriate reasons for urgent processing of PR card applications.

What is no longer accepted is people planning a holiday at the last minute and asking IRCC to bail them on the fact that they did not renew their PR card early enough. If you go to visit your family because they are sick or to attend a funeral, you will still qualify for urgent processing.

 

[functor]

Has anyone been refused urgent processing? We have to renew my wife's card. I was checking the rules all along. We have recently gone through a job change, and moving 3 times in a year. Renewing the card always got postponed because we knew we could file it urgently. Now we are travelling in 4 weeks for a wedding and found on the website that we may not meet the requirements.

Does anyone know if they are actually rejecting urgent processing yet for reasons other than listed on the website?

Thanks!

 

[foodie69]

I don't think going to a wedding is a good enough reason..

 

[functor]

I understand that it may not meet the new requirements. But has anyone actually head of cases where they applied for urgent processing and were denied?