Applications filed through NS --> Buffalo (Filed from USA)

[torontonian2010]

Hi mainimehta, actually FSW 2 is supposed to be faster than 1 and 3, at least that is what some applicants under that category claimed with other visa offices like london. They received a letter from london visa office stating that their applications might be processed faster than the usual manner and asking them for more documents.

However, i have not seen any Buffalo applicant under category 2 received such a letter ! so i guess that Buffalo does not consider any difference between the three categories, they are just super slow office.

regarding your temporary residence status" the work permit", unfortunatly you will have to find your own way to extend the status in canada, they are not going to give you any exceptions in that regard(means they will not extend your stay in canada as a worker just because you have a PR application in Buffalo, you will have to meet the requirments for the renewal, and another bad thing in your situation is that they are asking applicants under category 2 to have their work permits valid at the time of their application and at the time of the visa issuance (i do n't know why did they change it this way to make it more difficult !).

Good luck.

Hi
I think what you just explained ,nobody cud feel dat more than me ryte now..
im going thru d same situation,and it is so hard to get the work permit extended,i might have to follow study permit soon..
but it is such an agony to be in such a state,,trust me guys,,i really can feel the pressure..
but i guess thats how it is suppose to be,the buffalo timeline is so long,,and my work permit is almost done..
it all seems like a dark end,,LMO rejected once..still trying for it second time..
the only hope i c now is p.r...
so all i cud say is neva give up ,dats all i have in my mind ryte now...
FSw2 luks like a sucessfull rate but jus like a snail from buffalo...and indirectly this is hitting professional life also..

Well in end
WIsh luck to every candidate for the canadian p.r from any part of the world..

[professional 1]

Hi
I think what you just explained ,nobody cud feel dat more than me ryte now..
im going thru d same situation,and it is so hard to get the work permit extended,i might have to follow study permit soon..
but it is such an agony to be in such a state,,trust me guys,,i really can feel the pressure..
but i guess thats how it is suppose to be,the buffalo timeline is so long,,and my work permit is almost done..
it all seems like a dark end,,LMO rejected once..still trying for it second time..
the only hope i c now is p.r...
so all i cud say is neva give up ,dats all i have in my mind ryte now...
FSw2 luks like a sucessfull rate but jus like a snail from buffalo...and indirectly this is hitting professional life also..

Well in end
WIsh luck to every candidate for the canadian p.r from any part of the world..

I feel sorry for your hard situation between Buffalo and the work permit renewal and wish the best of luck for you.

[torontonian2010]

I feel sorry for your hard situation between Buffalo and the work permit renewal and wish the best of luck for you.

thanks bud!!!!

[googleman]

No man what are you going to do ! people are dreaming of your situation "having a work or study permit while their applications are being processed at Buffalo and you want to lose your student status !

Bear in mind that changing your status from a worker or student to a visitor in canada is very easy process but vise versa is very difficult.

You are saying that your program is fully funded and you want to change to a visitor ? if you change to a visitor and your application in Buffalo takes longer than you expect, you will have to leave canada, whereas if you have a valid study permit, no one can ask you to leave the country as long as your study permit is valid.

changing from a worker or student to a visitor does not need to go to the borders, just send an application of change of status to the immigration department inside canada, and they will process it and change your status to a visitor for 6 months or less( you never know it is up to them). However, again if you do so, you will regret for losing the student status which is safer than the visitor.

Hi Pro 1, thanks for your advice. I'm a graduate of one of the top US programs in my field--I have an MA. I moved from the US to Canada a few years ago after learning I can apply for PR with only one year of study in Canada--I have some previous work experience. But Canadian graduate degrees are no good in the US and in my home country, at least in my field in humanities. There are very few jobs in Canada, and even Canadian universities prefer PhDs from top US programs to Canadian PhDs.  I've been planning to get into a top US PhD program, but I want to get my Canadian PR first, which will be helpful for me to get a job in the US. And I'm also wondering if it's worth trying to get a PhD degree in humanities, so I'm considering a career change if I can get a Canadian PR. So I'm staying here and in a wait-and-see mode, although it's a little frustrating. I have a valid study permit for the next couple of years but don't want to stay in my current program while accumulating meaningless credits from a not-so-good program which might look bad when I apply to top US programs later. I've considered learning French at a language school while maintaining my student status but I've learned it's not cheap. I applied for some jobs in Canada but so far no interviews. Does anyone know any cheap language school where I can learn French while waiting for my application to go through. I agree with you that it's not a good idea to change my status to visitor.

[professional 1]

Hi Pro 1, thanks for your advice. I'm a graduate of one of the top US programs in my field--I have an MA. I moved from the US to Canada a few years ago after learning I can apply for PR with only one year of study in Canada--I have some previous work experience. But Canadian graduate degrees are no good in the US and in my home country, at least in my field in humanities. There are very few jobs in Canada, and even Canadian universities prefer PhDs from top US programs to Canadian PhDs.  I've been planning to get into a top US PhD program, but I want to get my Canadian PR first, which will be helpful for me to get a job in the US. And I'm also wondering if it's worth trying to get a PhD degree in humanities, so I'm considering a career change if I can get a Canadian PR. So I'm staying here and in a wait-and-see mode, although it's a little frustrating. I have a valid study permit for the next couple of years but don't want to stay in my current program while accumulating meaningless credits from a not-so-good program which might look bad when I apply to top US programs later. I've considered learning French at a language school while maintaining my student status but I've learned it's not cheap. I applied for some jobs in Canada but so far no interviews. Does anyone know any cheap language school where I can learn French while waiting for my application to go through. I agree with you that it's not a good idea to change my status to visitor.

Unfortunatly, studying english or french in the private language schools is a very expensive process it is even more expensive than the regular programs of studies at the universities for international students in canada.

[googleman]

Unfortunatly, studying english or french in the private language schools is a very expensive process it is even more expensive than the regular programs of studies at the universities for international students in canada.

Yes, that's what I figured. They charge by month or so, it becomes quite a lot of money for half a year study. I heard the ESL business is what makes the Canadian economy tick.

[professional 1]

Yes, that's what I figured. They charge by month or so, it becomes quite a lot of money for half a year study. I heard the ESL business is what makes the Canadian economy tick.

That is 99% true

[rahmanrahat]

You can try Alliance Francaise - which is a French organization rather than a Canadian one. Their rates are quiet good. However they only have a few operations in some of the large cities.

Here's the link to the Toronto one:

http://www.alliance-francaise.ca/

[googleman]

You can try Alliance Francaise - which is a French organization rather than a Canadian one. Their rates are quiet good. However they only have a few operations in some of the large cities.

Here's the link to the Toronto one:

Yeah, I was wondering today if I am allowed to attend there with a study permit. I called their offices in Toronto but wasn't able to speak to anyone--just got the machine. I think I should study full time there to meet the conditions of study permit, right?

[jstar]

Hi
I think what you just explained ,nobody cud feel dat more than me ryte now..
im going thru d same situation,and it is so hard to get the work permit extended,i might have to follow study permit soon..
but it is such an agony to be in such a state,,trust me guys,,i really can feel the pressure..
but i guess thats how it is suppose to be,the buffalo timeline is so long,,and my work permit is almost done..
it all seems like a dark end,,LMO rejected once..still trying for it second time..
the only hope i c now is p.r...
so all i cud say is neva give up ,dats all i have in my mind ryte now...
FSw2 luks like a sucessfull rate but jus like a snail from buffalo...and indirectly this is hitting professional life also..

Well in end
WIsh luck to every candidate for the canadian p.r from any part of the world..

HI torontonian2010;
I read your post, I can feel how hard it would be for you. But as u said, never give up. I might also face the same issue after an year. Because my visa office is also buffalo and my post graduate work permit ends in june 2011. I just got my 2nd AOR from buffalo and i have no idea when and how long will take to move to next step. Any wayz.. May the almight, ease your difficulties..   

[maoist]

hi googleman

do you have enough points to apply for canadian PR as a skilled worker?

if so, start applying for the PR and at the same time proceed with your PHD studies at a top US university.
the canadian PR application takes a year or two to complete.
and after you've gotten your canadian PR, you can wait for 3 years before going to live in canada.
hopefully by then, you would have completed your PHD in the top US university -- which should stand you in good stead in your job search in canada.

if you don't have enough points and need French to get enough points, you can also proceed with your PHD studies in the USA and at the same time study French in the USA.   there are many foreign language schools in USA, and in some parts of the USA, there are French speakers you can hang out with.   some cities, like New York and San Francisco, have people from all over the world.  finding french speakers is quite easy.

yes, if u want to do PHD, do it at a top world-famous university.  the university brand name makes a lot of difference.

Hi Pro 1, thanks for your advice. I'm a graduate of one of the top US programs in my field--I have an MA. I moved from the US to Canada a few years ago after learning I can apply for PR with only one year of study in Canada--I have some previous work experience. But Canadian graduate degrees are no good in the US and in my home country, at least in my field in humanities. There are very few jobs in Canada, and even Canadian universities prefer PhDs from top US programs to Canadian PhDs.  I've been planning to get into a top US PhD program, but I want to get my Canadian PR first, which will be helpful for me to get a job in the US.

[googleman]

hi googleman

do you have enough points to apply for canadian PR as a skilled worker?

if so, start applying for the PR and at the same time proceed with your PHD studies at a top US university.
the canadian PR application takes a year or two to complete.
and after you've gotten your canadian PR, you can wait for 3 years before going to live in canada.
hopefully by then, you would have completed your PHD in the top US university -- which should stand you in good stead in your job search in canada.

if you don't have enough points and need French to get enough points, you can also proceed with your PHD studies in the USA and at the same time study French in the USA.   there are many foreign language schools in USA, and in some parts of the USA, there are French speakers you can hang out with.   some cities, like New York and San Francisco, have people from all over the world.  finding french speakers is quite easy.

yes, if u want to do PHD, do it at a top world-famous university.  the university brand name makes a lot of difference.

No, I already applied for PR last year, been initially approved by CIO, and received the AOR from Buffalo in July 09. The reason I am trying to learn French is that it's essential in my field to read French. After getting my Canadian PR, I am not sure if I want to pursue a Ph.D. in my field. Like I said, I am considering a career change, and so I am in a wait-and-see mode until my status changes from Received by Visa Office to In Process, which I hope will happen soon around and after July this year. While waiting for this, I need to stay legally in Canada, and I have a study permit that is valid for the next two years. Currently I'm in a Canadian graduate program. The only reason I'm staying in this program is to wait for my FSW application to be approved. But I don't think I can do this anymore and so I am trying to leave the program soon...hopefully as soon as my status changes to In Process, and trying to find an alternate way to stay legally in Canada. I thought studying French is one of the options...

[googleman]

Skilled Worker applications received after November 26, 2008 (Federal)
January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2009 (New Updated Processing Times)

Processing Times at Individual Visa Offices in the Americas     
30% of cases finalized in: (months)    50% of cases finalized in:(months)    70% of cases finalized in: (months)    80% of cases finalized in: (months)

Buffalo    6                                                        6                                                  8                                                    8

Hard to believe these time lines. We, who applied in 2009, are told that it takes 64 weeks for Buffalo to start processing our applications. Applications sit in their office for at least a year before being processed. Six or eight months to finalize? Are you kidding me?

[torontonian2010]

Guys
The Federal skilled processing time has just been updated on the cic website
hard to believe but they have some estimation times now for the app.. in 2009

[jamesbond]

That is what googleman said in the previous post.

Guys
The Federal skilled processing time has just been updated on the cic website
hard to believe but they have some estimation times now for the app.. in 2009