March 2017 applicant? the process takes roughly 13 months for the entire application to be completed. You're well within timeframe as they're currently working on April 2016.I am inland and my background check started one week after they received my schedule A in April. Mine is still in process. It is exactly one month since the check started.
I am still waiting for Sponsor approval as well. I am a March 2017 applicant.
I called cic and they told me the reason why background check is taking so long is because they are waiting for feedback from RCMP and CBSA. Once they receive that info, then it will be completed.
I also asked about the Sponsor approval part. They told me that there is no specific time for it to come. Some ppl get it early and some ppl can get it towards the end of the process.