wt heck is happening at Buffalo?

[New2Canada]

I totally agree with Maple, I am waiting since 19 months, gave all the documents what they asked for, but now keep on waiting six months from medicals. My question is the same, why ask for documents and give only 90 days when they will not make decision forever, I work too hard and spend money to get required documents within 90 days but then looks like no one there on the other side, why not asking the documents and give one year to submit them, because they will not work on your case anyway anytime soon.

That I dont have an answer. I am sure they are busy too and can't plan when someone's application will get approved or not because they deal with outside agencies and previous employers. so they don't know exactly when your application will be attended to. They would probably rather have your documents in hand, in case they get some time to process it.

 

[New2Canada]

Guys, you are starting to blame CIC for the timelines when no time lines were promised to you (Feb to Dec applicants). The people who can complain about the timelines are the guys who applied after Dec 2008 and their 1 year is not up yet.

Besides, the intended timeline of 6 to 12 months is their target. So initially, they might find it hard to meet this case for those who applied after Dec 2008 because they are busy processing some previous application. The goal is 6 to 12 months, not the absolute timelines. Ultimately, they hope to reach a point where the application will take 6 to 12 months.

Blaming CIC is only going to frustrate you more than you are already.

 

[NewYorker]

Guys, you are starting to blame CIC for the timelines when no time lines were promised to you (Feb to Dec applicants). The people who can complain about the timelines are the guys who applied after Dec 2008 and their 1 year is not up yet.

Besides, the intended timeline of 6 to 12 months is their target. So initially, they might find it hard to meet this case for those who applied after Dec 2008 because they are busy processing some previous application. The goal is 6 to 12 months, not the absolute timelines. Ultimately, they hope to reach a point where the application will take 6 to 12 months.

Blaming CIC is only going to frustrate you more than you are already.

Lets not open a can of worms, some people who are satisfied with their time-lines, those don't have anything to add and have no complaints. Others who spent awful amount of time waiting, have a lot to say -Every applicant is different, some has families and others are alone, its easier for the people who are alone to wait as compared to the people with families may be because of less responsibilities - it is hard to make decisions when you applied for something and waiting time is just keep on increasing with no apparent reason and with no deadlines.

Many folks here are willing to wait more than what CIC time-line said, but till when is the most frustrating part. When you ask them, they'll most likely give you an outdated information from their system like background check is in process, PCC was not received etc, while you have sent all this and still they will not give you any clear reply of when?

Its very hard to wait for a unlimited period, it is much easier to wait when you know when your wait will end, it could be far, but you know when.

 

[New2Canada]

Guys, you are starting to blame CIC for the timelines when no time lines were promised to you (Feb to Dec applicants). The people who can complain about the timelines are the guys who applied after Dec 2008 and their 1 year is not up yet.

Besides, the intended timeline of 6 to 12 months is their target. So initially, they might find it hard to meet this case for those who applied after Dec 2008 because they are busy processing some previous application. The goal is 6 to 12 months, not the absolute timelines. Ultimately, they hope to reach a point where the application will take 6 to 12 months.

Blaming CIC is only going to frustrate you more than you are already.

Lets not open a can of worms, some people who are satisfied with their time-lines, those don't have anything to add and have no complaints. Others who spent awful amount of time waiting, have a lot to say -Every applicant is different, some has families and others are alone, its easier for the people who are alone to wait as compared to the people with families may be because of less responsibilities - it is hard to make decisions when you applied for something and waiting time is just keep on increasing with no apparent reason and with no deadlines.

Many folks here are willing to wait more than what CIC time-line said, but till when is the most frustrating part. When you ask them, they'll most likely give you an outdated information from their system like background check is in process, PCC was not received etc, while you have sent all this and still they will not give you any clear reply of when?

Its very hard to wait for a unlimited period, it is much easier to wait when you know when your wait will end, it could be far, but you know when.

Blaming CIC is only going to frustrate those people more than they are already.

 

[maple]

I do agree with you, but why would they say the three FSW will be given decisions within 6 moths - 1 year when they are unable to do it. I made all my plans on the basis that I will be admitted within 1 year as maximum , but now it 17moths and no decision. I could have done other things during this period but each time I though of sth, I say oh well....how longer will it possibly take, sure a decision is coming soon and I will wait then I will make my plans according to the new status. I know that other are being through, but as one of the categories given priority (international student 4 years in Canada legally, with 5 years experience in one of the 38 LUCKY occupations), I was supposed to have been through too within the timeline they mentioned, but it is the opposite of what the proverb that says (actions speak louder than words)!!

3 FSWs will get it in 6 to 12 months only for those who applied after Dec 2008. You don't fall into that category. They didn't promise the same timelines for those who applied between Feb to Nov 2008. You can't blame them for that.

But they did not say that when the GREAT CHANGES TO THE IMMIGRATION ACT were introduced. They said application that are submitted on or after 28 Feb 2008 will be given priority and processed in 6 mos to 1 year, first we had to wait for the big list and see if we were lucky enough to fall under one of the needed categories , finally when the list is out and we are happy that we are there, we thought we are indeed given priority,oh well... here we are...nothing for 5 mos 6 mos after the medical...Come on...it is just nonsense!

 

[New2Canada]

I do agree with you, but why would they say the three FSW will be given decisions within 6 moths - 1 year when they are unable to do it. I made all my plans on the basis that I will be admitted within 1 year as maximum , but now it 17moths and no decision. I could have done other things during this period but each time I though of sth, I say oh well....how longer will it possibly take, sure a decision is coming soon and I will wait then I will make my plans according to the new status. I know that other are being through, but as one of the categories given priority (international student 4 years in Canada legally, with 5 years experience in one of the 38 LUCKY occupations), I was supposed to have been through too within the timeline they mentioned, but it is the opposite of what the proverb that says (actions speak louder than words)!!

3 FSWs will get it in 6 to 12 months only for those who applied after Dec 2008. You don't fall into that category. They didn't promise the same timelines for those who applied between Feb to Nov 2008. You can't blame them for that.

But they did not say that when the GREAT CHANGES TO THE IMMIGRATION ACT were introduced. They said application that are submitted on or after 28 Feb 2008 will be given priority and processed in 6 mos to 1 year, first we had to wait for the big list and see if we were lucky enough to fall under one of the needed categories , finally when the list is out and we are happy that we are there, we thought we are indeed given priority,oh well... here we are...nothing for 5 mos 6 mos after the medical...Come on...it is just nonsense!

"will be given priority and processed in 6 mos to 1 year" i have never read that. Even if they said it....how can someone who applied on Feb 28 have his PR by feb 28 2009 especially if he had lived in many countries. Nevermind, the IOs had to get used to the rules and be re-trained AND the applications may have to be send to NS. They did say 6months to 1 year to the post dec applicants and MAYBE they did say priority to the pre-Dec applicants, but not priority and the timeline for pre-Dec applicants. They are giving priority to the pre-Dec applicants, go look on trackitt on who is getting their PR now. This is just nonsense.

 

[maple]

Here you go , these are the words of the minister himself

We expect new federal skilled worker applicants, including those with arranged employment, to receive a decision within six to 12 months compared with up to six years under the old system,” said Minister Kenney. “All other economic class applications—including applicants chosen by Quebec, provincial nominees, the Canadian Experience Class, and live-in caregivers—will continue to be given priority.”


"Federal skilled worker applications submitted on or after February 27, 2008, and that meet the following criteria shall be placed into processing immediately upon receipt:

* Applications submitted with an offer of arranged employment; or
* Applications submitted by foreign nationals who have been residing legally in Canada for at least one year as temporary foreign workers or international students"

Here are the links, you can read the whole articles yourself, and I still can provide you with other situations where the minister said it.


http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/media/releases/2008/2008-11-28.asp
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/media/backgrounders/2008/2008-11-28a.asp

 

[New2Canada]

There is no "AND" in those statements. They never say those applied before Dec will be finished in one year AND given priority. They are only given priority, which means, they will be finished by Dec 2009.

There is the one year thing and there is the priority. They don't go together. Its that simple. You would think that its one year from Dec 2008 so wait till Dec 2009 before complaining. Its that simple.

 

[maple]

can you tell me according to how you see it, which applications are to be done in one year and which ones will be given priority? and what exactly does (given priority) mean according to the immigration?

 

[New2Canada]

The way i see it, they will give priority to Pre Dec application.
If they didn't give priority to Pre Dec application, then the post Dec applications will probably take 6 to 12 months.
Now that they give priority to Pre Dec applications, the post dec applications will probably take a bit longer.
The post Dec applications should otherwise have taken 1 year from the point the application reaches visa office.

As for the post dec applications, they could only start processing only in Dec 2008 but they can't just process, they have to go to Sydney first and only when the reply comes back from Sydney to the visa offices can the visa offices then start processing which would then take 6 to 12 months. It is impossible for Sydney to process all applications that came in between Feb and Nov in one day, so that itself takes some time. Some people have gotten through earlier than others from Sydney and their application has either been refused, started processing and some people even got their PR.

Now look on trackitt. All Buffalo applicants that have been approved in the recent past for FSW have been pre Dec applicants. Not a single post Dec applicants. This means the priority has been given to pre Dec applicants. But one cannot expect someone who applied in 29th Feb 2008 to have his application completed in 6 to 12 months because the new rules only came out 9 months later. Such a person's application still has to go to Sydney and then if approved by Sydney start processing at Buffalo.

As for your second question, given priority means, on average all pre Dec applications will start being processed at the visa office before the post Dec applications. Trackitt shows that this is true for Buffalo.

 

[barabashka_]

New2Canada,
Why do you think they are sending all the Feb-Nov 2008 applications to Sydney?
Even for post Dec 2008 applicants (including myself), the instructions were to send the applications directly to Buffalo for FSW 2 and 3. Only starting from april 2009 all the applications (including FSW 2 and 3) have to be sent first to Sydney. Before April 1st 2009 only FSW 1 applications were supposed to be sent to Sydney.

For me, it looks like Buffalo is working at the same pace as it was working before. It doesnt take longer, it doesnt take less as well with the new rules.
They got CEC applicants, but they got also less FSW applicants due to new rules, so overall the process for FSW applications is more or less the same as before.
We think its long cose we see applications in other visa offices under the new rules are processed faster. However, its probably very unfair to the applicants who applied in 2007 and before.
Overall, I think Buffalo is working in a more fair manner if you are taking into consideration all the applicants.

 

[New2Canada]

Barabashka - Sorry i meant only FSW 1, not all FSWs. I don't really know much about FSW 2 and FSW 3. They may send pre Dec FSW 2 and 3 to Sydney because there was no rule for it. I don't think they will send the Dec to April FSW 2 and 3 applicants to Sydney.

I also agree that Buffalo is probably more fair. They are processing pre Dec applicants before the post Dec applicants as the rules said. Buffalo probably always had good applicants whereas the other visa offices sound like they have more applicants who are rejected at Sydney stage. With the old rules, those applicants may not have been rejected for their jobs, but it is an indication that people are applying even if their application is less solid (which is okay). This means that the new rules probably cut down applicants from the other visa offices more than Buffalo.

 

[rupeshhari]

Is this something like adverse selection....or maybe its positive selection due to the new rules at the other visa offices so shorter time for processing.

 

[maple]

Barabashka - Sorry i meant only FSW 1, not all FSWs. I don't really know much about FSW 2 and FSW 3. They may send pre Dec FSW 2 and 3 to Sydney because there was no rule for it. I don't think they will send the Dec to April FSW 2 and 3 applicants to Sydney.

I also agree that Buffalo is probably more fair. They are processing pre Dec applicants before the post Dec applicants as the rules said. Buffalo probably always had good applicants whereas the other visa offices sound like they have more applicants who are rejected at Sydney stage. With the old rules, those applicants may not have been rejected for their jobs, but it is an indication that people are applying even if their application is less solid (which is okay). This means that the new rules probably cut down applicants from the other visa offices more than Buffalo.

I know they started processing pre Dec applications, I am one of them and I am FSW3 and my application was not transferred to Sydney, it remained at Buffalo office, but what I can not understand is that why does it take up to six months after the medical was done. AND IN MY OPINION LIKE MANY OTHERS, YES, BUFFALO IS SLOW, VERY SLOW INDEED.

 

[rupeshhari]

I kind of agree with New2Canada and Barabashka. They are not slow. They are slower than the other offices.

Maple - maybe you should try contact them regarding your application. in other visa offices, i think they give a time period by when you should contact them if you hadn't heard from them. I don't want to scare you but is there any chance that your application is lost or misplaced. Did your doctor send your medical details to the right place?