The July 2013 Outland Applicant Chill Spot.

[MCARTER82]

I'm sat here at Pearson Airport, and we just received our AOR! Hopefully the SA isn't too far behind

 

[BossJosh]

I'm certain that CIC opens and goes through our applications faster than they claim to. My application was received the first time on June 21 and it was sent back to me with a letter dated July 4. That's 10 business days.
What they're doing in the meantime before they send us AOR or SA is anyone's guess.

That is exactly what happened to me, I initially sent mine on June 10th, got a letter on July 3rd that was dated on June 21st, they were able to look at at my app, open it up, and write a letter to us what we were missing in 11 days. I too believe they're faster than what they claim to be.

 

[BossJosh]

I'm sat here at Pearson Airport, and we just received our AOR! Hopefully the SA isn't too far behind

Yay!! Congratulations!!! I'm hoping the SA doesnt take that long either. The spreadsheet has been updated with you in mind.

 

[MCARTER82]

Yay!! Congratulations!!! I'm hoping the SA doesnt take that long either. The spreadsheet has been updated with you in mind.

Thanks buddy! Hoping both of our SAs are nearly here Thanks for updating the spreadsheet.

 

[castleseng]

When I changed my Canada status from worker to visitor I showed them a statement showing around $2000 in my account. That was fine with them. You could get away with less though.

Thanks for getting back to me on that so quick ...for some reason I thought they were talking like 10K+, did you just send bank statements or did you have some kinda guarantee from spouse saying she'd cover you?


..nice one on your AOR Josh (good thing knowing it at least got through the doors I guess)

 

[mrsalvaro]

I'm sat here at Pearson Airport, and we just received our AOR! Hopefully the SA isn't too far behind

I was right again that you'd get your AOR hehe.

I am hoping to hear more good news from everyone here in the thread.

By the way,majority of June applicants already got their SAs. We are not far behind .

Happy weekend guys!!

 

[Sweden]

Wow, that's nice, we have a lot of July applicants

Does anyone have an idea when would they let me know if they want an interview? And would they give an appointment a lot before the date or like a week or two before?
That would be great to know... This stopped me to go to my Husband for 6 months. ??? :'(

the interview is during the second stage, and it depends on the VO. For the "long VO" (Islamabad, UAE, Singapore, to name a few), most applicants won't hear anything from CIC for 15 to 18 months.

For your VO : Vienna, they usually start processing applications about 4 months after sponsorship approval ( from what I can gather). so you would know at that point... the date is usually about 3 weeks ahead. Now - because you're from Hungary and not from Austria, where your VO is, you might have to wait a little longer, as they might send an officer to Hungary ( or one of the neighbouring countries) to do all the interviews at the same time ( that's what London does for Scandinavian countries, they set up the interview in Stockholm more or less at the same time), so most likely you would have a little more than that.

 

[Hungary]

the interview is during the second stage, and it depends on the VO. For the "long VO" (Islamabad, UAE, Singapore, to name a few), most applicants won't hear anything from CIC for 15 to 18 months.

For your VO : Vienna, they usually start processing applications about 4 months after sponsorship approval ( from what I can gather). so you would know at that point... the date is usually about 3 weeks ahead. Now - because you're from Hungary and not from Austria, where your VO is, you might have to wait a little longer, as they might send an officer to Hungary ( or one of the neighbouring countries) to do all the interviews at the same time ( that's what London does for Scandinavian countries, they set up the interview in Stockholm more or less at the same time), so most likely you would have a little more than that.

Thank you Sweden! You are such a great help for all of us :-*

Congratulations Mcarter82 !!! Great news! I am happy!!!

Mrsalvaro, how can you keep an eye on all of us? Plus even the June applicants? This is amazing!!!! You sure have a great memory thanks for you and Josh keeping our thread together

 

[mrsalvaro]

Thank you Sweden! You are such a great help for all of us :-*

Congratulations Mcarter82 !!! Great news! I am happy!!!

Mrsalvaro, how can you keep an eye on all of us? Plus even the June applicants? This is amazing!!!! You sure have a great memory thanks for you and Josh keeping our thread together

Hi Hungary! I hope you're doing well today.

Actually I was almost a June applicant, however we didn't make it because we have to double check all the documents and had them submitted the earliest of July. I was monitoring the progress of June applicants as well because their timeline is close to ours. Because if they are having progress and updates, we are sure to follow soon hehehe.

And I am excited now most of them got their SA's already despite of the news on the strike.

 

[mrsalvaro]

I'm sat here at Pearson Airport, and we just received our AOR! Hopefully the SA isn't too far behind

Congratulations! ;D I believe you received your UCI # and Application # as well. You can now access ECAS and monitor the progress of your application.

I was able to access it already using my husband's UCI# compared to the other day that I can't see anything regarding our application. And it now says Application Received and my name is correct in their system.

I think it's safe to say that they are going through our application already because it's the 24th day since the day we filed our application. I really wish to hear good news soon...I really miss my husband so much already huhu

 

[mrsalvaro]

Updates regarding the PAFSO strike : http://www.pafso.com/news_releases.php?newsID=159


26 July 2013 - Statement by the Professional Association of Foreign Service Officers: PAFSO Responds to Government's Rejection of Arbitration

Shortly before noon today, PAFSO received a letter from the President of the Treasury Board in which he rejected our offer of binding arbitration. Minister Clement's decision was based on the grounds that PAFSO would not accept all six of the preconditions he wanted to impose on the arbitration process.

The Canadian public must understand two key facts:

1.Two of Treasury Board's preconditions were so paralyzing that their acceptance would have predetermined the outcome of arbitration in the Government's favour and negated the purpose and integrity of the process. Specifically, they wanted to exclude from consideration any mention of other professional groups in government who perform the same work as us – often in neighbouring offices – which has been at the heart of our position since day one.

2.PAFSO made a reasonable and responsible effort at finding common ground by accepting two of the six preconditions, and committing to a goodwill gesture – a suspension of service withdrawals while arbitration is ongoing – which would have satisfied a third.
Let us be clear: PAFSO has not rejected binding arbitration. We offered it in the first place. We agreed to pursue it even with three of Treasury Board's preconditions. This offer still stands.

If Minister Clement truly believes his offer is “fair and reasonable”, he would not have shied away from arbitration without preconditions. Rather, he would have welcomed the opportunity to submit his offer to independent scrutiny. Instead, he sought to stack the deck in his favour by cherry-picking criteria which would have favoured Treasury Board's position. He is trying to tilt the playing field to the Government's advantage, and is clearly uninterested in a fair contest.

The Government has reached tentative agreements in two other long-outstanding contract negotiations during the last month, and will return to the table on Monday to address a third. PAFSO is one of the smallest unions in the federal government. Equal pay for our members could be achieved for $4.2 million – 1.5% of the impact this strike is having on the tourism sector alone. PAFSO can only conclude that the Government is behaving prejudicially toward the Foreign Service and is therefore negotiating in bad faith. This should be of serious concern to all Canadians.

Effective Monday, in order to persuade the Government that binding arbitration remains the responsible way forward to resolve our dispute, PAFSO members will withdraw all services until further notice at Canada's fifteen largest visa processing centres abroad: Abu Dhabi, Ankara, Beijing, Cairo, Delhi/Chandigarh, Hong Kong, London, Manila, Mexico City, Moscow, Paris, Riyadh, Sao Paulo, and Shanghai.
We take no pleasure whatsoever in these strike actions and their real, severe, and mounting effects on the Canadian economy. But it should now be evident to all Canadians that from this point forward the Government of Canada bears sole and complete responsibility for these impacts. PAFSO has made every reasonable effort to resolve this situation; the Government has not. PAFSO encourages all individuals, businesses, and industry associations with a stake in the outcome of our dispute to intervene with the Government and urge them to bargain freely and flexibly with their own employees.

??? ??? ??? ???

 

[mrsalvaro]

Dear nortena, dlagirl, Faras Cade and sheee29, any news from you guys?? I hope you already received your AORs already. We almost have the same timelines so you should have your AORS by now.

If you have it already, please update us guys. ^__^v

We'd like to hear some progress on everyone. Stay positive guys!!

 

[mrsalvaro]

Hello, Simply Me 14, I am the other half of this thread, apparently, Mrs-Alvaro, couldn't make it in today, so the boss had to step in!! Ha, well, you are now an official member, the spreadsheet has been updated with you in mind, welcome to the Chill Spot, kick off your shoes, relax, and try to enjoy the wait as best as possible. Hopefully the wait for you and all of us here, wont be too long. We wish you the best. OH, one more thing, please let us know when your application officially arrives to CIC, we will then update that part of the spreadsheet, accordingly. Thank-you very much.

Hey sis simply_me14, did CPC-M already received your application? We would like to update your infos on the spreadsheet.

Thanks! And good luck to your application. ;D ;D

 

[mrsalvaro]

Hi Everyone!

One more July applicant here...Husband sent in the package to CPC-M today and hopefully they will send in the acknowledgement before the month ends. *Fingers-Crossed*

We just got married last March, btw...

Best of luck to us all

Hey sis, did CPC-M received your applcation already? Please inform us if they received it already. Also, we need a few more infos from you to update your details on the spreadsheet. I am hoping to hear good news from you soon. Thanks!

And good luck to you! Cheers ;D

 

[mrsalvaro]

For July 2013 thread we've grown into 22 members already! Yey!


It feels great to have you here guys. It's nice to share our stories and progress to each other.


Congratulations to all of us for being able to submit our applications. It's one step closer to being together with our spouses and loved ones.

Keep up the faith guys and think positive always! Our month is about to end and for sure BossJosh and I will be hearing more good news from all of you soon.

^__^v