₦airaland Forum

As I have said in other answers, I am a retired visa officer (Canadian overseas immigration officer). I worked for CIC and its predecessors for many years.

Concerning “slow”, are you speaking of applications for visitor visas or applications to immigrate to Canada? Processing procedures and processing times are very different depending on what sort of visa you are applying for.

Visa applicants so often seem to imagine that CIC and its programming must be the most important activity conducted by the Government of Canada. It’s not even close. Historically immigration and visas have been much lower priorities than other Government of Canada activity, such as Employment Insurance, National Defence, international trade relations, income tax collection, implementing bilingualism legislation, regulating and ensuring the safety of the transportation industry, the pharmaceutical industry etc. After all, immigration applicants don’t vote.

The Government of Canada has a central budgetary agency called the Treasury Board. Each fiscal year every Government of Canada department must apply to the Treasury Board for its funding. The Treasury Board is responsible for advising the Prime Minister and the federal Cabinet about priorities for disbursing Government of Canada funds. The Government of Canada never has anything near the funds to resource every department to the hilt. There is no real reason to identify CIC as a special priority to receive large amounts of funding and resources.

The funds paid by visa applicants do not go into a special CIC account. Those fees are paid to the Receiver General for Canada. The Receiver General ‘s accounts are a central repository for all sorts of fees paid to the Government of Canada. It is mostly there where the Treasury Board finds the funds it will disburse.

I would almost suggest that the revenue producing parts of CIC ( principally the skilled worker program) be spun off into what in Canada we call a “Crown Corporation”.

Wikipedia describes what a Crown Corporation is:


Essentially a crown corporation acts in some ways like a private company but is owned by the Canadian federal or a provincial government. They operate “at arms length” from the federal or provincial bureaucracy and make most of their own business judgements. Unlike federal departments they collect and allocate their own revenues. Were a crown corporation operating the federal skilled worker selection program you might see much more efficient and timely operations.

The visa application program operated by CIC happens in the context of a rather rigid, hierarchical bureaucracy. Also, since the 1960’s a strong objective of Canada’s immigration selection legislation has been to limit the discretion of visa officers in order to reduce subjectivity and restrict the ability of visa officers to make such subjective and racist decisions. Even in the case of visitor visa applications visa officers are expected to note up the reasons for their decisions in the GCMS electronic visa processing system. This takes time, sometimes a lot of it.

I should note that, due to technical and infrastructural limitations GCMS sometimes stops and does not work. (Perhaps it could work better if more resources were devoted to operating it but there aren’t such resources.) In a situation like that the visa officer has no alternative but to stop work and look helplessly at their computer screen.

When I became a visa officer in 1978 the immigration program was to a large extent beyond the Canadian public eye. There was little attention in the Canadian media to visa matters. The immigration bar (those lawyers who specialize in immigration matters) was small and not always very professional. Now things are very different. In particular litigation is now very common. A visa officer’s notes have to be adequate enough to withstand review by the Federal Court. A visa officer would want to think very carefully and take extra time with their notes, and never have them become a source of derision by the Canadian media. This type of publicity can easily destroy your career.

I have mentioned in another Answer that, in my opinion, there has been intense pressure to reduce the cost of Canada’s visa operations. One of the results is to take as much as the processing as possible and “dumb it down” so it can be done by lower-paid clerical staff in Canadian processing centres, not more experienced and better paid visa officers. One of the unintended results is a substantial number of processing errors. This increases processing time.

So many applicants do not understand that CIC does not have full control of the visa application process. CIC has to rely heavily on CSIS, the RCMP and CBSA for security and criminal clearances. These federal agencies have many other, more important priorities than visas.

Visa applicants do not always understand that immigration visas are subject to rationing by the annual immigration levels system. CIC has to allocate resources to each visa office according to the contribution that office is expected to make to the annual level. A given visa office is only expected, or allowed, to issue a certain number of immigration visas per year. They are not allowed to issue as many visas as they can. At times they must delay or stop processing certain categories of visas.

I have alluded in the Answer I mention above to problems in the working environment and career system for visa officers. Put yourself in a visa officer’s shoes. How productive would you be?

Martin Levine

Additional Answer

It is September 11, 2017. I received a question about my Answer in the form of a comment. The question was to the effect of why CIC does not provide details about the reasons for refusals when it issues refusal letters to Study Permit applicants. Here was my response:

Study Permit processing is mass processing which has to be done within the couple of months before the start of the Canadian academic year. This doesn't allow for much detail in refusal letters. Nor is it clear in Canadian law that there has to be much. The applicants are meant to be given procedural fairness during the application process but not so much at the end.

The study permit program has had substantial difficulties with fraud and misrepresentation. Above all the applicants have to show that they are credible visitors to Canada, not elicit immigrants. Many can't.

I should point out that refused applicants may find out more about the refusal reasons if they know a citizen or permanent resident of Canada who will submit a Privacy request on their behalf.

This isn't to say that all refusal decisions are adequately documented by the deciding officer. Not infrequently the Federal Court decides that they weren't.

Again, remember that study permits are just one more Government of Canada program. The resources to operate it are limited.

Martin

There is something else that frankly I find a little disturbing in some of the questions I see that relate to immigration to Canada. Many of those comments come from the developing world.

Many of those who ask questions about visas do not seem aware that Canada is essentially land stolen by colonizing European countries. They invaded North America and attacked and brutalized and in some cases attempted to exterminate the indigenous peoples, all of them people of colour. Some of those countries were the same ones that attacked most of what is now the developing world and subjugated, exploited and humiliated the peoples who were there.

Please remember that Canada was established on a terrible historic justice. There is nothing that immigrants can do about it other than be aware and be understanding and supportive of Canadian aboriginal people who are trying to recover what is left of their heritage and their resources. If you do not you are essentially accepting the rationalizations of European colonizers who asserted it was their destiny to rule the developing world.

Good morning everyone,
Trust we are all doing great in spite CIC's attitude towards applications.

Am here 15weeks counting with no single update after submission.... And all enquiries didn't make sense. I have decided to just say word of prayer about it when it cross my mind- although I know it will end in praises.

I came across a post online by a former CIC Visa officer stating reasons which CIC are slow with Visa application.- I will post it after this,and am sorry is a long post.

I pray God favours each and everyone of us applications. Amen

Amen

wealth360:
I cant wait to see good news updated on this thread. God open doors for every applicants here we pray. Its taking too long seriously.

Evening guys

Only God knows what actually they are checking.....14weeks counting and is only background processing, no update since 3rd of April.....I sent various email and CSE this week, all I got is your "application is still processing, always check your CIC account for update ".

Hubby also checked in at his MP office, he was asked to come back 10working days for update.

Am here waiting patiently

All I know is that it will end in praise.

Application timeline
Submitted online 3rd of April 2018
Biometrics 6th of April 2018
No medical request yet!
Just background processing!
Almost 14 weeks counting....

Anyways I will send Case specific enquiry(web form) and emails to them tomorrow(Monday).

Tough I don't know which office its being processed, feel I should use Lagos where I submitted. Also please kindly drop emails of various processing office you might know so I can copy them.

Thank you.

.... I don't usually log out, guess that's why you saw me online..I check the forum for new info like every two days.

Thank you. Am a lady wishing you a great month ahead.

wealth360:
@Bab5 what are u doing up at dis time. calm down God will do it for u this month. happy new month bro

Amen. I will share the testimony soonest by God's grace.
Applied April 3rd....its 12th week counting now - no medicals request yet, just background processing. Only God knows what they are looking at....anyways I know I will be favour.

Otn34:
Good Evening guys,



Never mind, you will be called soon by his grace. Did you apply in april? I know a friend you applied since april too but he is yet to be called for medicals. I believe it will end in praise God's willing

Thank you @mikel88 I really appreciate. Amen! We will all hear good news by Gods grace.

mikel88:
based on past applicants experience and coincidentally one of them was also on this thread @gymme, he had both applications on at the same time he was successful on both. Also, i read on the Express Entry thread about a particular moniker who had both applications on at the sametime. In a nutshell, your husband can confidently go ahead and put in for your PR application without any fear. I pray your SOWP ends in praise.

Good evening guys. Please I need your views on this.....

My husband wants to put in our application for PR but has been waiting for a while now for the decision of my work permit before going ahead. Can one put in another application while one is ongoing?

The main reason for the wait is so I won't have dual intention ( one being temporary stay with plans to come back home and other being permanent stay) which might impact the others.

I really appreciate your views. Thank you

Thank you. I will let her know.

wealth360:
Advise her to do medical here before going, let her go and do upfront medical get the receipt and travel with it.

How i wish I did medicals upfront too.....still waiting for medical request at 11th week ooo.....I just hope nothing goes wrong. CIC can't really be predicted.... I know a lady that just got study visa approval without medicals, I pray she shouldn't have issue at POE too.

OK. That's like 13 weeks. Hoping and believing.

ChrisBanksO:
Submitted March 16, 2018
Sometime in April, upfront medical passed
Passport request June 14, 2018

Congratulations! More of approval. Please what's the timeline or profile?

ChrisBanksO:
PPR for my spouse after 2 refusals.
Pra pra pra pra pra praaaaaaaise the Lord.
The sleepless nights are over after one year
Keep praying and believing. Cheers

Congratulations dear. Its worth the wait. I will testify by God's grace. More of this great news.

ami05:
I'm soo happy.. Passport request mail received today and before my husband could have access to his mail I opened the mail first, I was in class when the email dropped because I always look forward to any email he received. My heart was beating fast and I started crying in class that my professor came to hug because I couldn't hold back my tears of joy.

Please do not give up and keep trying, he has been denied 4 times (rejected twice for study permit and twice for visitor visa) we just gave SOWP (5 attempt) a try and Alhamdulilah it was approved .

Submitted: Feb 25
Upfront medical
Medical passed March 25
Passport request June 12

Ignore my writing error��

Thank you @ wealth360. It was 12weeks processing time then. I will get favourably response by God's grace (Amen). Our expectations won't be cut short.

wealth360:
No cause for alarm. Its system upgrade that changed it. If you remember the processing time as at when you applied, then if your application has exceeded that time then you can send them a message on application update through their CSE form

Hello guys....check my account yesterday and noticed some changes in IRCC web, most especially the date I read the messages sent into my account (it showing read on may 14) I hope this is not a problem. And am I the only one with this changes.

My application is 2month counting now(9weeks to be precise)....no updates except biometrics completed and background checking in progress.

I also noticed the processing time has changed to 14weeks now.....

This question should be for paper application, which I don't know the price. If you opt for online application, you will pay CAD$335 online, you won't pay at VFS except you opt for their SMS which was N460 as at early April 2018.
I hope this helps.

OtunOba15:
Good day

please what's the current cost VSF charges for Open work permit application?

Online application.... I didn't do medicals upfront. Still waiting for request, surprised nothing till now.

wealth360:
paper or online? If online did you do upfront medical?

Thinking same too @mikel88. Maybe for those of us with application in process can state our timelines.

My timeline
Submitted April 2nd
Biometrics April 6th
7weeks counting now....

Thank you. Am sure it will end well by God's grace.

StudentsNG:
Hi, it simply means that there was no changes in your account within the month. This doesn’t call for alarm. Relax and keep believing.

My SOWP application is a month today and all I got is email from CIC stating....

"There have been no updates to your application (Xxxxxxxxxx) since you last checked your account. Thank you for your patience."

Any clue please?

That is what came up in my application(online), submitted already, still waiting.

Aghatise:
Please is IMM 1295E the correct form to fill for SOWP.. I appreciate any advise.

Thank you. I will just continue to pray it comes out positive.

ChrisBanksO:
Nice. If you want to update his job, you could use the case enquiry link below but I doubt if the Visa officer is gonna look at it cos they process what was initially submitted. You are definitely fine since ur hubby had a Noc A job b4 u applied. It doesn't hurt, you could go ahead and update.

https://secure.cic.gc.ca/enquiries-renseignements/canada-case-cas-eng.aspx

Thank you @chrisbankso
My husband jobs is a NOC A categories but he just moved to another company and a better position still a Noc A and a much better pay. Though his initial job pay which we used to apply is OK and above the LIcOs cut off but his new pay doubles and I feel might help the application better. Thank you

ChrisBanksO:
Was your husband doing a job that fell within NOC O, A or B b4 you applied? If no, I advise you to cancel your application and reapply.
If he had no job b4 u applied, you should cancel as well cos these people don't look at additional documents after submission except you were requested to submit them

Hi all. I am a newbie on nairaland.
I just applied for SOWP online recently, submitted on 1st of April and biometrics on 6th of April.

My husband got a new job few days after I submitted my application, I want to know if their are ways I can inform IRCC of this changes or I should just wait till I am been asked. Thank you.