Archive - Canada Immigration Application Processing Times: Concerns and Solutions

You may be concerned about how long it will take to obtain your Canada Immigration (Permanent Resident) Visa

Citizenship and Immigration Canada posts application processing times for all Canadian Immigration Visa Offices, but unfortunately the published processing times are rarely up to date and the range of application processing times are so wide that they are of limited assistance. The information posted about application processing times in newsgroups and forums is even less trustworthy as there is no accountability for the messages posted. Lastly, be suspect of anyone who tells you that there is a way to get your visa quicker for an additional fee. It is not true.

The time it takes to process an application for a Canada Immigration Visa depends upon many factors, including the following:

1. The Canadian Immigration Visa Office to which the application is submitted. Some Canadian Immigration Visa Offices process applications faster than others.
Your application for a Canada Immigration Visa may be submitted to either of the following Canadian Immigration Visa Offices:

• The Canadian Immigration Visa Office that is responsible for processing applications from the country of which you are a citizen;  or
• The Canadian Immigration Visa Office that is responsible for processing applications from the country in which you are currently residing, if you were lawfully admitted to that country for a period of at least one year; or
• A Case Processing Centre in Canada.

You may have a choice as to where your application will be processed.

OUR SOLUTION

We Will:

• Determine which Canadian Immigration Visa Office(s) your application may be submitted to;
• Guide you in selecting the Canadian Immigration Visa Office that best suits your particular circumstances;
• Provide you with accurate current application processing times for each Canadian Immigration Visa Office under consideration;
• Advise you on ways to reduce processing times no matter which Canadian Immigration Visa Office processes your application.

2. The category of Canadian immigration under which you are applying. Choose the Category of Canadian Immigration that is best for you.
There are many categories of Canadian immigration and you may qualify for a Canada Immigration Visa under more than one category. Applications under certain categories of Canadian immigration are processed faster than others.

OUR SOLUTION:

We Will:

• Determine if you qualify for a Canada Immigration Visa under the different categories of immigration;
• Provide you with accurate current application processing times for each category of Canadian immigration under consideration;
• Advise you on ways to reduce processing times no matter which category of Canadian immigration your application is processed under.

3. If you have a Canadian job offer. Find Work in Canada and Get your Canada Immigration Visa Faster.
Under the federal economic immigration programs, a validated job offer from a legitimate Canadian employer, known as Arranged Employment, will greatly reduce the time it takes to complete the processing of your application for a Canada Immigration Visa.  A job offer will also likely qualify you for a Provincial Nomination Program, another fast-track option.

If you find work in Canada you can generally expect to receive your Canada Immigration Visa in less than one year; and at some Canadian Immigration Visa Offices, in less than six months. Canadian Immigration Visa Officers give priority to your application if you have Arranged Employment or Provincial Nomination because they know there is a Canadian employer waiting for you to start your job in Canada.

OUR SOLUTION

We Will:

• Allow you to access our real-time Canada Job Search Tool that will provide you with the names and contact information of employers all across Canada, who are currently hiring in the occupation(s) that you are qualified for and interested in;
• Communicate with your potential employer(s) on your behalf to explain the different ways in which they can get you to Canada quickly with a job offer;
• Advise you and your potential employer(s) on how to prepare a job offer that will succeed in getting you to Canada quickly;

4. The condition in which the file is submitted. A Perfected Application will Result in a Canada Immigration Visa Faster than an Application that is Deficient.
The manner in which your Canada Immigration Visa application and supporting documents are prepared is most important. Mistakes and omissions will always cause delays in the processing of your application and may even lead to its refusal.

OUR SOLUTION

We Will:

• Provide our Canadian law firm expertise of more than 25 years of experience in completing Canadian Immigration forms and reviewing supporting documents;
• Perfect your application forms to Citizenship and Immigration Canada standards;
• Ensure that your supporting documents match the information contained in your application forms and comply with Canadian Immigration requirements;
• Submit your application and supporting documents to the appropriate Canadian Immigration Visa Office along with our Cohen Immigration Law cover letter, which will clearly outline the reasons that entitle you to receive your Canada Immigration Visa;
• Inform you immediately of any additional information or documentation requested by the Canadian Immigration Visa Office during the processing of your application and assist you in complying with such request(s).

5. Whether or not you are required to attend a Canadian immigration selection interview. You may be Able to Avoid a Canadian Immigration Selection Interview.
You may or may not have to attend a personal interview (selection interview) with a Canadian Immigration Visa Officer as part of the application process. If you are called to an interview, it will usually add months of time to the processing of your application.

You can never be entirely certain of avoiding the interview stage of the application process because Canadian Immigration Visa Officers reserve the right to meet with all applicants when they feel it is necessary to do so. However, much can be done to minimize your chances of having to attend a personal interview.

OUR SOLUTION

We Will:

• Prepare your file (applications and supporting documents) in a proper and professional manner because perfected files are less likely to require interviews;
• Identify and resolve issues about your eligibility that may be of concern to the Canadian Immigration Visa Officer examining your application, before an interview becomes necessary;
• Obtain the Canadian Immigration Visa Office’s written notes about your application in the event that you are called to an interview, which  allows us to know the reasons for the interview and gives us the opportunity of communicating with the Canadian Immigration Visa Officer, in an effort to relieve the Officer of any concerns and to request a reconsideration of the necessity for an interview;
• Advise you of the reasons for the interview, if ultimately you must attend one;
• Prepare you for the questions you can expect to be asked;
• Communicate with the Canadian Immigration Visa Office to address any concerns about your eligibility that may have been raised during the personal interview in an effort to provoke a positive decision on your application.

6. Events beyond your control. Certain Factors may Delay the Processing of Your Canada Immigration Visa.
Some examples of events beyond your control that may cause delays in your Canadain immigration application process are as follows:

• During the application process, you may change addresses or even move to a country that is not serviced by the Canadian Immigration Visa Office to which your application was submitted;

• Applications and/or supporting documents may be misplaced or lost at the Canadian Immigration Visa Office;
• The Canadian Immigration Visa Office to which you application has been submitted may close, temporarily or permanently, causing your application to be transferred to another Canadian Immigration Visa Office.

OUR SOLUTION

We Will:

• Use our Canadian law firm address as your reliable mailing address for the duration of the application process. Correspondence received by us on your behalf will immediately be communicated to you, no matter where you are, and we will promptly respond to the Canadian Immigration Visa Office on your behalf;
• Track your application from the moment it leaves our Canadian law firm for the Canadian Immigration Visa Office until the time you receive your Canada Immigration Visa.
  We do this by measuring your application’s progress through the process against other applications submitted by our law firm, subsequent to yours, to the same Canadian Immigration Visa Office. If an application submitted after yours, moves through the process faster than yours, we will know about it and we will notify the Canadian Immigration Visa Office accordingly.

You can immigrate to Canada sooner than you think.