October 2020 - Citizenship Applicants

[siddharthbala]

I feel there's a lot of entitlement and whining by some people.

With Covid rolling hot, most government agencies now work from home, stuff takes time. It added time to our process, but there IS progress... You have online tests now, they didn't exist before. Let the process go. Until you have the citizenship, you're not entitled to one.

Ooh, you're going to hit a nerve with that one!

Bit of column A, bit of Column B, IMO.

Yes - some people are getting a lot more bothered than they ought to be about the whole delay thing. I am also more than a little bothered about people complaining by a small but very vocal minority of people that somehow the government turning their resources to help Afghani refugees come to Canada at the cost of their applications. There is no small amount of sad irony in that.

On the flip side, though - it is annoying when the org you're dealing with is being opaque about the true state of the backlog and there does need to be a serious examination into how badly every single one of the Canadian government's departments got caught with their pants down due to the pandemic. I find it difficult to defend their (IRCC's) position of being so heavily reliant on a process that basically required on-site processing and on-site digitization that lockdowns immediately crippled the entire process.

People's applications being held up from 2019 (sure, you could say there was something about their application that made them non-routine, etc but the sheer number of them that are pending in some way....all while 2020 applicants seem to be sailing through the entire way) is in some respects, unfair and from the outside looking in, it does seem fairly arbitrary and not at all like a FIFO that you'd expect.

Additionally, with the slow but steady lifting of restrictions across a few of the main provinces (ON, QC) on in-person gatherings and restrictions, why, still is there such a slow move on IRCC's behalf to just 'close the loop' on the oath ceremonies? Yes, one could argue that the real bottleneck is the lack of availability of Citizenship Judges, but surely the digital oath-taking process is not scalable or sustainable? Why is it that I can now effectively do most activities indoors in group settings (with the showing of my vaccine certificate) but somehow, taking a socially distanced oath in a hall is not a thing that we can do?

I find it difficult to comprehend the glacial pace of bureaucracy and they make it difficult to support their position, too because of the lack of transparency around their thinking or justification for any of this.

Personally, for the sake of my sanity and well being, I've just been focused on the positive outcomes from this whole affair - there's now online paths to citizenship applications (which didn't exist before) and pilots being rolled out for Family Sponsorship as well (I'm also a victim of spousal application paper-based application bureaucracy). The only thing I can take solace from throughout this entire affair is that nobody will need to suffer the way that we have suffered; the question is why the government waited for so long to do this, given that by their own admission, such an immigration mandate has existed since at least 2017. These are questions I urge every citizen-in-waiting to ask their local representative as soon as it is their turn to vote - sometimes as a voter you don't get to directly benefit from the things you fight for, but the ones that follow you will silently thank you for it. This is one of those things.

 

[heynow]

I feel there's a lot of entitlement and whining by some people.

With Covid rolling hot, most government agencies now work from home, stuff takes time. It added time to our process, but there IS progress... You have online tests now, they didn't exist before. Let the process go. Until you have the citizenship, you're not entitled to one.

Sounds like coming from someone who got their citizenship! You must be fun at parties.

 

[Moe Juve]

Mar 26, 2021
Background verification status has been updated to Completed.
Since that update I heard nothing.
Ottawa too.

 

[UniqueCase]

I called IRCC today as it has been 2 months since I passed the test and submitted passport copies and no updates yet. It looks like the officer has not yet reviewed passport copy because there is no note of it. Not sure how long the wait will go on.

Does number of trips outside Canada after getting PR affect citizenship process in any way?

 

[varlam]

I called IRCC today as it has been 2 months since I passed the test and submitted passport copies and no updates yet. It looks like the officer has not yet reviewed passport copy because there is no note of it. Not sure how long the wait will go on.

Does number of trips outside Canada after getting PR affect citizenship process in any way?

did the call center agent even talk to you? last time i called them, they asked me first question, am i from Afganistan or is my call related, if no then asked to hangup.

 

[UniqueCase]

did the call center agent even talk to you? last time i called them, they asked me first question, am i from Afganistan or is my call related, if no then asked to hangup.

Yes, agent talked with me because I asked about passport pages and not application status. As soon as I asked about any updates on application, she said she is unable to answer as it is not related to priority scenario.

 

[varlam]

Yes, agent talked with me because I asked about passport pages and not application status. As soon as I asked about any updates on application, she said she is unable to answer as it is not related to priority scenario.

got it, thanks

 

[TheHal]

Sounds like coming from someone who got their citizenship! You must be fun at parties.

I Did not. I am still patiently waiting. Key word is patiently. I Also question the reasoning for leaving Canada Immediately after getting 1095 days, and not returning back. Sounds a lot like a passport of convenience wanted.

Anyway, The government has a process that must be followed, one which has many layers of security to it, including CSIS and personal information. Some of which I'm sure most of us don't want in the public's hands. Hence the process is drawn out and prolonged. Crying about it makes one sound ungrateful to the country that is willing to let you become citizen. It's a privilege, not a right.

 

[_neil]

I Did not. I am still patiently waiting. Key word is patiently. I Also question the reasoning for leaving Canada Immediately after getting 1095 days, and not returning back. Sounds a lot like a passport of convenience wanted.

Anyway, The government has a process that must be followed, one which has many layers of security to it, including CSIS and personal information. Some of which I'm sure most of us don't want in the public's hands. Hence the process is drawn out and prolonged. Crying about it makes one sound ungrateful to the country that is willing to let you become citizen. It's a privilege, not a right.

Oi mate!
Pointing out deficiencies in a process is not being "entitled". The way the applications for citizenship and PR renewals are being processed is blatantly inefficient.
Yes, there are many layers of security, but 90% of that can be automated because they are all departments of the government.
Take for example - physical presence - does it take a year to verify physical presence?
What about language - you already submitted your IELTS score. Did your english deteriorate since you've been living here? It's foolish
Background check - why can't that be automated. You have to wait for months?

Look at the pathetic state of PR renewals. People cannot leave the country, can't get jobs, can't come back to Canada, just because of the inefficient processing by the IRCC. They literally ask you to send a duplicate copy of your application and mark it as urgent if you need it processed sooner. I used to think DMVs were useless, and then I met IRCC.

As far as considering it a privilege, I disagree. It may not be a right, but it's a symbiotic relationship. The country has vested interested in inviting us. Canada literally does not have the resources to continue as a nation if they don't invite well qualified immigrants, who can earn good wages and help the economy grow. It is a privilege for the free loaders, not for people who hand over 50% of the paycheck to the government...

 

[CaBeaver]

Oi mate!
Pointing out deficiencies in a process is not being "entitled". The way the applications for citizenship and PR renewals are being processed is blatantly inefficient.
Yes, there are many layers of security, but 90% of that can be automated because they are all departments of the government.
Take for example - physical presence - does it take a year to verify physical presence?
What about language - you already submitted your IELTS score. Did your english deteriorate since you've been living here? It's foolish
Background check - why can't that be automated. You have to wait for months?

Look at the pathetic state of PR renewals. People cannot leave the country, can't get jobs, can't come back to Canada, just because of the inefficient processing by the IRCC. They literally ask you to send a duplicate copy of your application and mark it as urgent if you need it processed sooner. I used to think DMVs were useless, and then I met IRCC.

As far as considering it a privilege, I disagree. It may not be a right, but it's a symbiotic relationship. The country has vested interested in inviting us. Canada literally does not have the resources to continue as a nation if they don't invite well qualified immigrants, who can earn good wages and help the economy grow. It is a privilege for the free loaders, not for people who hand over 50% of the paycheck to the government...

I want to add that Canada needs immigrants for demographic reasons.

 

[TheHal]

Agreed, but to a point.

The processes still take time. the background isn't just looking at someone's passport and determining they're cool, it is digging into records and researching records in countries whose first or second language may not be even close to English or French... This takes time. Trust the system, and you'll be ok. If you have a pressing need, ask for urgent processing, if not, accept the fact that this is government bureaucracy and takes time.

And yes it IS a Privilege, not a right nor an entitlement to receive citizenship, and they are in no way obligated to grant that to me or you or anyone else, for whatever reason they decide, although I haven't heard of very many being denied.

I was just pointing out that there was a lot of whining in this thread, that agitate people and does nothing good.

Point of fact, I applied for PR card this summer, it took longer then anticipated and I requested urgent processing this fall and was granted a new PR Card in time for me to go to Florida, where I'm typing this.

Cheers
H.

 

[Camilanogueira]

Hi Guys,

I am also concerned as my profile was last updated March 26 as "BG has been completed". After that nothing happened, I haven't received any invite for test. Can someone suggest what I can do?


Citizenship Application:
Type of application: Single
Location :Vancouver, BC
Application Sent : October 02, 2020
Application Received : Oct 08, 2020
AOR : Jan 28, 2021
Background verification - Completed - Mar 26, 2021

same here

 

[Soundless]

I Did not. I am still patiently waiting. Key word is patiently. I Also question the reasoning for leaving Canada Immediately after getting 1095 days, and not returning back. Sounds a lot like a passport of convenience wanted.

Anyway, The government has a process that must be followed, one which has many layers of security to it, including CSIS and personal information. Some of which I'm sure most of us don't want in the public's hands. Hence the process is drawn out and prolonged. Crying about it makes one sound ungrateful to the country that is willing to let you become citizen. It's a privilege, not a right.

Speaking of processes. Online applicants have faster track than ours. Is that fair? I am expert in processes and I can tell you, they break all the time.

 

[heynow]

Agreed, but to a point.

The processes still take time. the background isn't just looking at someone's passport and determining they're cool, it is digging into records and researching records in countries whose first or second language may not be even close to English or French... This takes time. Trust the system, and you'll be ok. If you have a pressing need, ask for urgent processing, if not, accept the fact that this is government bureaucracy and takes time.

And yes it IS a Privilege, not a right nor an entitlement to receive citizenship, and they are in no way obligated to grant that to me or you or anyone else, for whatever reason they decide, although I haven't heard of very many being denied.

I was just pointing out that there was a lot of whining in this thread, that agitate people and does nothing good.

Point of fact, I applied for PR card this summer, it took longer then anticipated and I requested urgent processing this fall and was granted a new PR Card in time for me to go to Florida, where I'm typing this.

Cheers
H.

Firstly your "patiently waiting" != rest of us, most of us waiting for test, which you have already cleared! Your situation is very different from most of us. As @_neil mentioned, there are some serious inefficiency in the system and questioning/pointing out these doesn't make you entitled. Trust me, we all understand that processes takes time, we haven't come to stage this without processes.

I don't live between your definition of right or privilege - don't care doesn't bother me. However I need answers/timelines/transparency, paid more than 50% tax from the day I landed here(had job offer before I landed), CLB 9, haven't left Canada since landing here and I have some kind of govt security clearance(for so much for BG digging) as well... and why I am still waiting? and no that's not the question for you to answer. Can we stop defending inefficient systems in the name of "processes take time", "Key word is patiently"?

Before you point it out, I know covid happened, it happened to all of us not just IRCC, we are living through it, working through it, paying tax on time, paying bills, sending kids to school and hoping not to get covid from them.. we are all living with covid..all I am asking a bit transparency, communicate timelines properly and be more responsive. Who cares if you color it with privilege or right.

 

[Mexontario]

Agreed, but to a point.

The processes still take time. the background isn't just looking at someone's passport and determining they're cool, it is digging into records and researching records in countries whose first or second language may not be even close to English or French... This takes time. Trust the system, and you'll be ok. If you have a pressing need, ask for urgent processing, if not, accept the fact that this is government bureaucracy and takes time.

And yes it IS a Privilege, not a right nor an entitlement to receive citizenship, and they are in no way obligated to grant that to me or you or anyone else, for whatever reason they decide, although I haven't heard of very many being denied.

I was just pointing out that there was a lot of whining in this thread, that agitate people and does nothing good.

Point of fact, I applied for PR card this summer, it took longer then anticipated and I requested urgent processing this fall and was granted a new PR Card in time for me to go to Florida, where I'm typing this.

Cheers
H.

Its not a privilege when you are forced to 630$ and wait. Which part of the world is it right to pay and not expect any service/efficiency in return? I'm sick and tired of this privilege non sense.