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@Miss bee, can you please speak about Windsor PVO and SVO Winnipeg, criminality, info sharing, eligibility passed and medical passed but expired, while security is in progress. Application updated in progress and c-check since Feb 2025. March 2024 outland applicants. The delay is worrisome.
 
@Miss bee, can you please speak about Windsor PVO and SVO Winnipeg, criminality, info sharing, eligibility passed and medical passed but expired, while security is in progress. Application updated in progress and c-check since Feb 2025. March 2024 outland applicants. The delay is worrisome.
PVO and SVO offices
  • Windsor (PVO): Windsor is a smaller office, typically handling final stages like decision-making or quality control for non-Express Entry applications. They tend to have moderate processing speeds — not the slowest, but not as fast as, say, Centralized Intake Offices.
  • Winnipeg (SVO): Winnipeg handles a lot of background checks, security, and criminality verifications. It’s known to be slower especially for security screening. Many applicants have noted delays there — likely because of volume, staffing, and detailed security checks that require coordination with multiple agencies.
Why the delay?
It’s very common to see a gap once eligibility and medicals are done — the final bottleneck is usually security. Security screening involves coordination with agencies outside of IRCC (e.g., CSIS, CBSA), which takes time and is out of IRCC’s direct control.

Medical expired
If your medical has expired and they haven’t requested a new one yet, it usually means they’re prioritizing security screening before requesting a new medical. Once security is clear, they’ll either accept your previous medical or send an IMM 1017E form for a remedial exam.

Is this normal?
Yes, although it’s frustrating. Especially for March 2024 outland applicants, delays of 3–6 months (or more) at the security stage have been reported by many, particularly with Winnipeg handling it.

What you can do
  • If you haven’t done so, consider submitting a webform or GCMS note request to ensure there are no additional issues (like missing documents).
  • While waiting, there isn’t much direct action possible, but knowing the typical workflow can help reduce stress:
    Eligibility & criminality passed
    Medical renewed if needed
  • Security clear → final decision
 
Hello @Miss bee i hope you are doing well! a question if you dont mind. Does receiving pal have any meaning? Does receiving it mean you are close to the finish line and what else is there left. Thanks!
 
Hello @Miss bee i hope you are doing well! a question if you dont mind. Does receiving pal have any meaning? Does receiving it mean you are close to the finish line and what else is there left. Thanks!
Receiving a Pre-Arrival Services Letter (PAL) from IRCC is a positive sign in your permanent residence (PR) application process. It means:
Your eligibility has been assessed and is likely approved.
It suggests you meet the basic eligibility requirements for PR.
IRCC invites you to start preparing for your arrival in Canada (settlement services, etc.).
However, it does not mean your PR is fully approved yet. What’s left typically includes:

Security Screening: Final background/security check (e.g., CSIS, RCMP, or CBSA clearances).
Final Decision: An officer will ensure all other checks (like medical, biometrics, and criminality) are complete and satisfactory.
So yes—PAL means you’re in the final stages, but you’re not at the finish line just yet. It’s usually a matter of weeks to a few months from PAL to CoPR if there are no complications.
 
Hello everyone,


I've received a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) nomination under the health authority stream and am preparing to apply for Permanent Residence (PR) through the non-Express Entry route.


Personal Details:


  • I currently reside in Canada; my wife lives in India.
  • We do not have any children.

Medical Examinations:


  • I underwent a medical exam in May 2022.
  • My wife had her medical in March 2023.
    • She previously came to Canada on a Spouse Open Work Permit (SOWP) but did not work and returned to India.
    • She has visited Canada three times as a visitor since then.

Questions:


  1. Medical Exams: Given the dates of our previous medical exams, will we both need to undergo new medical examinations for the PR application?
  2. Birth Certificate: My wife does not possess a birth certificate. What alternative documents can we provide to meet the PR application requirements?

Any insights or guidance on these matters would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance!

Given your wife has not been living in Canada she likely will need to repeat her medical.
 
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PVO and SVO offices
  • Windsor (PVO): Windsor is a smaller office, typically handling final stages like decision-making or quality control for non-Express Entry applications. They tend to have moderate processing speeds — not the slowest, but not as fast as, say, Centralized Intake Offices.
  • Winnipeg (SVO): Winnipeg handles a lot of background checks, security, and criminality verifications. It’s known to be slower especially for security screening. Many applicants have noted delays there — likely because of volume, staffing, and detailed security checks that require coordination with multiple agencies.
Why the delay?
It’s very common to see a gap once eligibility and medicals are done — the final bottleneck is usually security. Security screening involves coordination with agencies outside of IRCC (e.g., CSIS, CBSA), which takes time and is out of IRCC’s direct control.

Medical expired
If your medical has expired and they haven’t requested a new one yet, it usually means they’re prioritizing security screening before requesting a new medical. Once security is clear, they’ll either accept your previous medical or send an IMM 1017E form for a remedial exam.

Is this normal?
Yes, although it’s frustrating. Especially for March 2024 outland applicants, delays of 3–6 months (or more) at the security stage have been reported by many, particularly with Winnipeg handling it.

What you can do
  • If you haven’t done so, consider submitting a webform or GCMS note request to ensure there are no additional issues (like missing documents).
  • While waiting, there isn’t much direct action possible, but knowing the typical workflow can help reduce stress:
    Eligibility & criminality passed
    Medical renewed if needed
  • Security clear → final decision
Thank you very much for your detailed explanation.
 
Dear @Miss bee,

Hope you can enlighten me with this situation:
I applied as Principal Applicant for PR under PNP with 3 dependents (wife and two kids)
Today we have all received an email requesting for some personal information.
My confusion is that I thought that I would just received ONE letter and therefore I will reply on behalf of my dependents.
In addition, the letter also gives me the alternator request the creation of a PR account for everyone of my dependents. Would that be a good option considering that my kids are currently in Canada while my wife and I are abroad visiting family?

Can each of my kids reply directly to IRCC with their specific information? And will they receive a P2 and therefore have their own timeline to receive eCoPR and PR card?

Thank you for your kind response.
 
Dear @Miss bee,

Hope you can enlighten me with this situation:
I applied as Principal Applicant for PR under PNP with 3 dependents (wife and two kids)
Today we have all received an email requesting for some personal information.
My confusion is that I thought that I would just received ONE letter and therefore I will reply on behalf of my dependents.
In addition, the letter also gives me the alternator request the creation of a PR account for everyone of my dependents. Would that be a good option considering that my kids are currently in Canada while my wife and I are abroad visiting family?

Can each of my kids reply directly to IRCC with their specific information? And will they receive a P2 and therefore have their own timeline to receive eCoPR and PR card?

Thank you for your kind response.
It’s common for IRCC to issue separate requests for information for each dependent in a family PR application, even if there’s a single principal applicant. Although you can reply on behalf of your dependents (especially since your kids are minors), IRCC also offers the option for each dependent to create their own PR portal account. This is optional and mainly intended for dependents over 18, as minors typically don’t manage their own PR applications. In your case, since your children are in Canada and you and your wife are abroad, it’s more practical for you, as the principal applicant, to coordinate and respond to IRCC on behalf of your kids. If your kids create their own PR portal accounts, they could indeed receive separate P2 (Portal 2) invitations, leading to individual eCOPR timelines, which might complicate things unnecessarily. Therefore, unless your dependents are adults and prefer to manage their own accounts, it’s best to respond to IRCC with one consolidated reply on behalf of your family to ensure the process remains streamlined and consistent
 
It’s common for IRCC to issue separate requests for information for each dependent in a family PR application, even if there’s a single principal applicant. Although you can reply on behalf of your dependents (especially since your kids are minors), IRCC also offers the option for each dependent to create their own PR portal account. This is optional and mainly intended for dependents over 18, as minors typically don’t manage their own PR applications. In your case, since your children are in Canada and you and your wife are abroad, it’s more practical for you, as the principal applicant, to coordinate and respond to IRCC on behalf of your kids. If your kids create their own PR portal accounts, they could indeed receive separate P2 (Portal 2) invitations, leading to individual eCOPR timelines, which might complicate things unnecessarily. Therefore, unless your dependents are adults and prefer to manage their own accounts, it’s best to respond to IRCC with one consolidated reply on behalf of your family to ensure the process remains streamlined and consistent
My kids are 19 and 22. Could there be any issues if I ask for their own accounts. It is more important for them (study wise) to receive their eCOPR as soon as possible. The thing is that my wife and I will be getting back to Canada in one month. That is why I was thinking of allowing my kids to have their own accounts and timeline to receive eCoPR before us.
 
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Hello @Miss bee
I am reaching out as you are my last hope in understanding my situation. I have applied for the PNP non-express program along with my dependent (spouse). Simultaneously, I had another application in progress for an open work permit(spouse).

My spouse received approval for the work permit and was issued Portal 1 at the same time. I responded to Portal 1 with the same email ID details for both of us in a single reply. However, today I received Portal 2, but my spouse was not included.

I have already booked my flight based on the work permit visa, and I am now uncertain about how to proceed. Could you please guide me on the next steps? Why have I received Portal 2 without my spouse, and do you have any insight into this case?

I would greatly appreciate your assistance. please
 
Hello @Miss bee
I am reaching out as you are my last hope in understanding my situation. I have applied for the PNP non-express program along with my dependent (spouse). Simultaneously, I had another application in progress for an open work permit(spouse).

My spouse received approval for the work permit and was issued Portal 1 at the same time. I responded to Portal 1 with the same email ID details for both of us in a single reply. However, today I received Portal 2, but my spouse was not included.

I have already booked my flight based on the work permit visa, and I am now uncertain about how to proceed. Could you please guide me on the next steps? Why have I received Portal 2 without my spouse, and do you have any insight into this case?

I would greatly appreciate your
The Permanent Residence (PR) Portal and the Open Work Permit (OWP) processes are separate. Although you and your spouse are included in the PR application, the OWP application is a different process.
  • Portal 1 and Portal 2 are related to the PR Confirmation of Permanent Residence (CoPR) process, not the work permit.
  • If you received Portal 2 without your spouse, it might mean that IRCC has not yet finalized your spouse’s PR status.
Why is your spouse missing in Portal 2?
This could be due to
The OWP approval is separate from the PR process.
For PR, IRCC may be finalizing dependents separately—it’s common for spouses to get Portal 2 a bit later, even if you replied for both.
Sometimes IRCC misses dependents when sending Portal 2, or your spouse’s details need to be updated manually.
Your Next Steps: Step 1: Double-check your Portal 2 invitation
  • Log in to the PR Portal account and check if your spouse’s name appears anywhere.
  • If they do not, your spouse has not yet been issued a Portal 2 invitation.
  • Step 2: Contact IRCC Immediately
  • Use the Permanent Residence Portal webform (or general IRCC webform) to report the issue:
Step 3: Mention your travel plans
  • In the webform, note that you’ve already booked flights based on the spouse’s open work permit visa, so you’re concerned about synchronizing the PR landing process for both of you.
Will your spouse’s OWP affect PR Portal 2
No, the Open Work Permit approval does not automatically ensure the PR Portal 2 invitation. They are two separate streams
  • The OWP lets your spouse work in Canada, but they must wait for PR Portal 2 separately.
  1. Send the webform (do this today!).
  2. Wait a few days for a response from IRCC.
  3. Check if a separate Portal 2 is issued for your spouse (they sometimes do it in staggered steps).
  4. If you’re traveling soon, ensure your spouse enters Canada on their OWP visa—no issue there. Their PR landing can be done later.
 
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hello - just asking for some advice. i lodged my non EE application last aug 2024 and i see that most applicants in august tracker has received their medical/pal updates. I haven't received mine.. should i request for gcms notes now? or should i wait for several more days? any advice is appreciated. thanks!
so i called ircc and there is no update on my file.. im not sure if theres gonna be any difference if i request for gcms notes. However they also said my PVO is Etobicoke and SVO is Sydney, any thoughts on this pvo/svo @Miss bee? Its my first time seeing etobicoke office mentioned, i usually see winnipeg/sydney/ottawa/windsor mentioned though
 
I have a question.
If I'm going to receive my P2 tomorrow, can I use my friend's address to receive my PR card instead of mine?

I am planning to visit my family right after getting my eCoPR, and this way my friend can ship me my PR card so I won't need to apply for a PRTD.

Will it be a problem to use a different address?