Speeding Up Family Class Sponsorship Application Processing Times

[scylla]

Yes, we submitted a criminal rehabilitation application in the same package as the spousal sponsorship application. We haven't received any update to state that the CR has been approved. I saw some other posts in this forum mentioning though that sometimes when the CR is submitted together with the PR, the IRCC doesn't give an update to when the CR is approved. We haven't applied for GCMS or CBSA notes yet, but given that even the MP can't get an update on our case status, we are considering it now.

Yes, our lawyer told us to expect our application to take over 12 months to process... we were hoping that maybe with some government pressure, our case could be finished processing by the end of 2020 at least... now with pandemic delays, that might even be too much to ask sadly.

Yes, that's true. Sometimes rehab applications are approved separately and sometimes it happens together at the end.

The government pressure thing won't work / isn't possible. MPs can inquire about the status of an application but they cannot influcence processing. The most your MP will be able to do is find out status.

I would order your GCMS notes. That will give you the best idea of where things stand.

 

[StellaArtois]

Yes, that's true. Sometimes rehab applications are approved separately and sometimes it happens together at the end.

The government pressure thing won't work / isn't possible. MPs can inquire about the status of an application but they cannot influcence processing. The most your MP will be able to do is find out status.

I would order your GCMS notes. That will give you the best idea of where things stand.

Thanks. At least we won't have false hopes now about our MP having any power to pressure the immigration officials to move on our application.

Just curious, do you have any recommendation on how often to request GCMS notes? Since at this point it looks like our case will still be in process for many months to come... thinking of keep a regular schedule in the calendar so we can feel like we have hope of when to next take some kind of action.

 

[M@rkus]

Right now because of covid19 pandemic everything is slower than usual but IRCC said assured me and my wife that there are still people working even though it’s only critical staff.

 

[Teepayne]

Right now because of covid19 pandemic everything is slower than usual but IRCC said assured me and my wife that there are still people working even though it’s only critical staff.

I dont get why they only have critical staff working. I think that's what everyone's wondering. Employees are supposedly working remotely. What am I missing?

 

[canuck78]

I dont get why they only have critical staff working. I think that's what everyone's wondering. Employees are supposedly working remotely. What am I missing?

Not only critical staff are working in the Canadian offices. Abroad is different since many Canadian employees have been sent home. For privacy reasons you can't just work on immigration files with personal information from your home computer or home internet. You may be able to do some work remotely. Some workers were also reasigned to work on other things that were more urgenr like CERB the beginning.

 

[VJ2012]

Not only critical staff are working in the Canadian offices. Abroad is different since many Canadian employees have been sent home. For privacy reasons you can't just work on immigration files with personal information from your home computer or home internet. You may be able to do some work remotely. Some workers were also reasigned to work on other things that were more urgenr like CERB the beginning.

For privacy reasons and to ensure that one is following complete process, whether remotely or in office setting,..everything should be stopped?!

 

[canuck78]

For privacy reasons and to ensure that one is following complete process, whether remotely or in office setting,..everything should be stopped?!

Did I say everything had been stopped. There was minimal processing for a while while alterations were made but immigration involves multiple agencies in Canada and abroad. We are in a global pandemic. Now that Canada is slowly increasing processing there are issues reaching other countries or processing in other countries due to VAC being closed and many embassies and consulates are closed or have skeleton staff. Covid and the economy are the priorities for all governments.

 

[VJ2012]

Did I say everything had been stopped. There was minimal processing for a while while alterations were made but immigration involves multiple agencies in Canada and abroad. We are in a global pandemic. Now that Canada is slowly increasing processing there are issues reaching other countries or processing in other countries due to VAC being closed and many embassies and consulates are closed or have skeleton staff. Covid and the economy are the priorities for all governments.

Any alterations or tailoring to processes to keep things moving and in addition deciding on priorities that affect people is the way forward.
Its very concerning that in your thought of priorities that affect Canadians are missed. Critical staff is there for all other reasons including yours except the one that I mentioned!.

 

[StellaArtois]

Just an update, maybe it will bring some hope to all of us who are still waiting to be reunited with our families...

https://www.cicnews.com/2020/09/can...application-processing-0915882.html#gs.hjuv56

So the IRCC has announced that it would increase staffing by 66% and try to expedite processing of applications... Maybe there will be some kind of improvement in processing times...

 

[canuck78]

Just an update, maybe it will bring some hope to all of us who are still waiting to be reunited with our families...

https://www.cicnews.com/2020/09/can...application-processing-0915882.html#gs.hjuv56

So the IRCC has announced that it would increase staffing by 66% and try to expedite processing of applications... Maybe there will be some kind of improvement in processing times...

People should be cautiously optimistic but there are stilll large hurdles eapecially in countries where VAC is closed or situations where an interview is necessary.. In some arras medicals may be tough to schedule as well as sputum culture. Depending on the situation in their home country medical offices may be closed ir limitting patients. Labs may be not doing TB tests if all their capacity is dedicated to covid. Assume some cases will have no issues where as other may run into some stumbling blocks. Think some spouses were so excited that they were interpreting the statement as all apouses will be approved soon versus there is an attempt to return processing time closer to the 1 year mark versus the timeframe versus having pricessing times continue to get longer. There is also no promise that spouses will qualify for TRVs to enter Canada while on their application is processed. Assume the approval process will allow the approved spouses to slowly trickle into Canada versus arriving in alrge numbers over a few months which is a much better plan for public health reasons.

 

[Bs65]

Just an update, maybe it will bring some hope to all of us who are still waiting to be reunited with our families...

https://www.cicnews.com/2020/09/can...application-processing-0915882.html#gs.hjuv56

So the IRCC has announced that it would increase staffing by 66% and try to expedite processing of applications... Maybe there will be some kind of improvement in processing times...

Just keep in mind CICnews is funded by same organisation as this forum so is not anything to do with IRCC so generally should always try to post any official IRCC news item as well as anything from CICnews

CICnews often has the habit of reporting changes but not including an official link in their articles

here is the official news item

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigratio...g-up-processing-for-spousal-applications.html

 

[StellaArtois]

People should be cautiously optimistic but there are stilll large hurdles eapecially in countries where VAC is closed or situations where an interview is necessary.. In some arras medicals may be tough to schedule as well as sputum culture. Depending on the situation in their home country medical offices may be closed ir limitting patients. Labs may be not doing TB tests if all their capacity is dedicated to covid. Assume some cases will have no issues where as other may run into some stumbling blocks. Think some spouses were so excited that they were interpreting the statement as all apouses will be approved soon versus there is an attempt to return processing time closer to the 1 year mark versus the timeframe versus having pricessing times continue to get longer. There is also no promise that spouses will qualify for TRVs to enter Canada while on their application is processed. Assume the approval process will allow the approved spouses to slowly trickle into Canada versus arriving in alrge numbers over a few months which is a much better plan for public health reasons.

Thank you for the insight.

Just keep in mind CICnews is funded by same organisation as this forum so is not anything to do with IRCC so generally should always try to post any official IRCC news item as well as anything from CICnews

CICnews often has the habit of reporting changes but not including an official link in their articles

here is the official news item

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigratio...g-up-processing-for-spousal-applications.html

Thank you, I didn't know that. Nice to see an official source; good fact checking! I subscribed to the IRCC newsroom now.

 

[sakcan307]

Hello,

Family Sponsorship(Spouse).

I'm a principal applicant who applied under family class sponsorship in September 2020. Recently my husband received a mail regarding the application number and UCI number. Currently the application status is in process, so my question is what will be processing time once after your application number is generated? Any idea, till which month CIC has completed the request for family sponsorship?

 

[dw33]

Received date is the date the year starts. However with covid delays. Ive seen some done in 7 months.Mine I think will be done around the 10-11 month range I am guessing.

 

[esam99]

Hello,

Family Sponsorship(Spouse).

I'm a principal applicant who applied under family class sponsorship in September 2020. Recently my husband received a mail regarding the application number and UCI number. Currently the application status is in process, so my question is what will be processing time once after your application number is generated? Any idea, till which month CIC has completed the request for family sponsorship?

be prepared for something in the region of 9-13 months