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>>>>>>>JANUARY 2020 AOR<<<<<<< Join here

legalfalcon

VIP Member
Sep 21, 2015
19,030
9,888
Montréal, Quebec, Canada
Category........
FSW
Visa Office......
Ottawa
NOC Code......
4112
App. Filed.......
03-09-2015
Doc's Request.
01-10-2015
AOR Received.
03-09-2015
Med's Done....
17-08-2015
Passport Req..
05-04-2016
VISA ISSUED...
12-04-2016
LANDED..........
05-05-2016
Wishing everyone a very happy new year and also a very happy and prosperous new decade.

As we enter a new year and start another decade, I am starting a new thread for all those who intend or have received their AoR in JANUARY 2020, or anticipate filing their application in JANUARY 2020.

Sharing some useful info here:

• 6 months processing time


IRCC states that most applications are processed within 6 months or less. The 6 months processing time starts when your application meets the completeness check and NOT from the AoR date. The completeness check is the first stage of the application processing, and usually happens around when your medicals are passed. To know the exact date of the completeness check (R10), you will need to see your GCMS notes.

• Tracking your application


Unfortunately the only thing that you see is your MyCIC account are:

a. Review of eligibility - Will continue to be in progress until you receive the COPR
b. Review of medical results - Will change to the date when the Medicals are passed, usually 20-45 days post AOR.
c. Review of additional documents - Will show "We do not need additional documents," unless you receive any documents request and submit documents, when it will change.
d. Interview - For most this is remain as "[Y]ou do not need an interview. We will send you a message if this changes"
e. Biometrics - Will change when you are requested for biometrics and later when you have submitted the biometrics
f. Background check - Will change twice for most applicants. First it will change in the initial few weeks, and then go back to not applicable and later in the processing again change to, "we are processing your background check. We will send you a message if we need more information." This happens because criminality and security are both a part of BGC, and when these checks happen, the status changes. It will continue to be in progress the second time until you receive the COPR.
g. Final decision - This will remain the same until you receive the COPR.


There has been a growing trend of speculation where change of status on MyCIC has been attributed to eligibility being passed, etc. The whole NA, IP IP2 is speculation and has no bearing on determining which stage your application is at. While any change of status is a good sign, but merely relying on NA and IP is not the correct way.

Most applicants will find it irrelevant, as their applications will be processed and approved within the first 3-4 months. It is those who wait for more than 4 months, where things go crazy as they keep relying on NA, IP etc, and see no movement or progress. Many other are stuck on so called IP2, and the PPR never seems to come.

So put these speculative theories to rest. As per the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, regulations and the ministeral instructions every application goes through the following stages:

R10 (Completeness check)
Medicals
Criminality
A11.2 Eligibility (The most important stage)
Security


• How to send a Case Specific Enquiry / Webform -

During the processing fo your application you may need to update your application and send additional documents. You can send updates and documents by webform (CSE) using the link - https://secure.cic.gc.ca/enquiries-renseignements/canada-case-cas-eng.aspx

When IRCC asks for any additional documents, and there is no upload slot in your MyCIC account, you will then once again have to send those documents via CSE using the link above.

You can also use this link to enquire about the status of your application if it exceeds 6 months.

• Visa Office

There has been an obsession of finding which visa office the application is at. Many threads on this forum start with explaining how to find your visa office. Let's get to the crux of it. Finding the visa office was very relevant pre- express entry. Even after the introduction of express entry in 2015, the same practice was followed which usually was for the paper based application, but that is no longer the case. Earlier all application followed the following trajectory:

Central Intake Office - Case Processing Centre - Local Visa Office

However, this has radically changed and for all express entry, all application follow the following:

1. Central Intake Office -
The R10 (completeness check) is done at the Central Intake Office for all classes (FSW / PNP / CEC). Now even the criminality and medicals are done at CIO.

2. Case Processing Centre - These are 4 CPCs in Canada

CPC in Edmonton



CPC in Mississauga

The case processing centre in Mississauga processes applications to sponsor family members living in Canada and abroad.

CPC and CIO in Sydney



CPC in Ottawa

The case processing centre office in Ottawa (CPC-O) processes:

visitor visa (temporary resident visa) applications from within Canada for applicants with valid status (students or temporary foreign workers only).
permanent resident visa applications from the United States and Canada, after they have been received and deemed complete by CPC-M or CIO-S.


OSC in Ottawa

The Operations Support Centre (OSC) processes the following applications:

International Experience Canada work permits
In-Canada temporary resident applications submitted online
Verification of Status (VOS)
Replacement of valid temporary resident documents
Amendment of immigration documents and of valid temporary resident documents


Local Visa Office - This is the office where you will be asked to submit your passport after your application has been approved. Usually the consulate in your home country.

These days all application after starting at CIO (where R10 is met), either start the processing of eligibility at CIO itself, or move to CPC (wither Ottawa, Sydney, or Vegreville), or are straight sent to the LVO. The trend has been to complete most of the processing between CIO and CPC. Since the applications are electronically stored, there is no movement of physical files.

SUGGESTION - There is no point sending emails to ask which VO your application is at, as that process is moot since the eligibility can even start at CIO. So save yourself some time and efforts and also save the human resources of IRCC and stop sending emails. Even if you know which VO your application is at, it means nothing. Most applications which are processed within weeks and get PPR, are processed at CIO, and this is a much faster way.

A few applications will see eligibility passed, and then go to not started when the application is sent to the LVO. This is because the final review is done at the LVO, and the local agent may decide to conduct additional review, or identification before the eligibility is finally set to PASSED.



• ECAS (Electronic Client Application Status) -

This was the most important tool pre EE to track an application and provided much more in-depth status than what MyCIC does. However, after the IRCC moved to the Global Case Management System (AKA GCMS) applications are no longer linked to ECAS.

So there is no point going there and checking.

• Letter of Explanation -

As the name suggests, the LoE is exact what it sounds like. It is not an idea for the documents and you do not have to explain each document you are submitting in your application.

The simple rules to follow for LoE -

  • Should be 1-2 pages in length. If you cannot explain it in 1-2 pages, it is probably not worth it.
  • Only use LoE to explain an issue. Eg. you could not obtain a reference letter on letterhead, could not meet PoF 6 months avg balance, seeking exemption or extension from PCC, or to explain something in your application which is not clear.
  • IRCC Agents do read LoE, but if its too long and not to the point, it loses its importance.
  • You DO NOT need an index for your documents. There are placeholders for the documents just put each document there and when it is stored on the IRCC system it is names and stored in an organized way.

All the best!!


THESE ARE MY VIEWS AND YOU DO NOT HAVE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THESE. IF YOU HAVE CONTRARY VIEWS, JUST IGNORE IT AND DO WHAT YOUR CONSULTANT ASKED YOU, OR WHAT YOU DEEM FIT.
 

legalfalcon

VIP Member
Sep 21, 2015
19,030
9,888
Montréal, Quebec, Canada
Category........
FSW
Visa Office......
Ottawa
NOC Code......
4112
App. Filed.......
03-09-2015
Doc's Request.
01-10-2015
AOR Received.
03-09-2015
Med's Done....
17-08-2015
Passport Req..
05-04-2016
VISA ISSUED...
12-04-2016
LANDED..........
05-05-2016
January 1, 2010 (New Year's Day) is a statutory holiday in Canada. However, anyone submitting their e-APR will get an AoR immediately or within 24 hours post submitting.
 
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legalfalcon

VIP Member
Sep 21, 2015
19,030
9,888
Montréal, Quebec, Canada
Category........
FSW
Visa Office......
Ottawa
NOC Code......
4112
App. Filed.......
03-09-2015
Doc's Request.
01-10-2015
AOR Received.
03-09-2015
Med's Done....
17-08-2015
Passport Req..
05-04-2016
VISA ISSUED...
12-04-2016
LANDED..........
05-05-2016
2020 is all geared towards seeing a policy shift in Immigration. Prime Minister's mandate letter addressed to the Minister of Immigration highlights the following priorities:

I will expect you to work with your colleagues and through established legislative, regulatory and Cabinet processes to deliver on your top priorities. In particular, you will:

  • Ensure the effective implementation of Canada’s increased annual Immigration Levels Plan for 2020-2022, attracting more than a million new permanent residents to Canada over that time. This continues our modest and responsible increases to immigration, with a focus on welcoming highly skilled people who can help build a stronger Canada.
  • Advance the full implementation of the new professional governance regime for immigration and citizenship consultants under the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants Act, bringing strengthened government oversight and new compliance and enforcement tools into effect.
  • Work with the provinces and territories to ensure a renewed focus on the delivery of high-quality settlement services to ensure the successful settlement and integration of new Canadians. This will require a rigorous approach to data in order to accurately measure outcomes.
  • Work on reducing application processing times, improving the department’s service delivery and client services to make them timelier and less complicated, and enhancing system efficiency, including in the asylum system.
  • Complete the legislative work on changes to the Canadian Oath of Citizenship to reflect the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action.
  • Introduce a dedicated refugee stream to provide safe haven for human rights advocates, journalists and humanitarian workers at risk, with a target of helping resettle as many as 250 people a year.
  • Introduce a Municipal Nominee Program that will allow local communities, chambers of commerce and local labour councils to directly sponsor permanent immigrants. At least 5,000 new spaces will be dedicated for this program.
  • You will also take the steps required to make the Atlantic Immigration Pilot permanent. At least 5,000 new spaces will be dedicated for this program.
  • Bring forward a plan to eliminate fees for citizenship for those who have fulfilled the requirements needed to obtain it.
  • Support the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness on irregular migration, including the new Border Enforcement Strategy and continued work with the United States to modernize the Safe Third Country Agreement.
  • With the support of the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development and the Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Youth, work to implement pilot programing to encourage more newcomers to settle in rural Canada.
  • Work with the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness to continue to advance reforms and investments in the capacity of the asylum system to ensure it is efficient while meeting Canada’s international legal obligations.

From the above we can conclude that this year we can expect the following:

a. Increased immigration targets for all categories.
b. Crackdown on ghost consultants and those practising Immigration law without license.
c. Induction of more workforce and technology to decrease processing times.
d. Higher involvement of Provinces and Municipal Governments in PNP nominations. This indicates that the CRS is not likely to decrease and the focus would be on PNP nominations and other programs driven towards NOC specific immigration.
e. Complete or partial elimination of fees for citizenship applications.


With an exciting year ahead, packed with anticipated policy change and changes to regulations, immigration to Canada will become more complicated and tilted towards Provincial needs. As and when the changes happen, the discussion around them would be exciting.
 
Jan 1, 2020
10
1
Thanks for the information. I received ITA in December and I am almost ready to file my application. I had a question.

If I do not have all the documents ready, can I submit them later, or all documents have to be submitted with the application.
 
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Mike@2019

Hero Member
Oct 13, 2019
815
250
Thanks for the information. I received ITA in December and I am almost ready to file my application. I had a question.

If I do not have all the documents ready, can I submit them later, or all documents have to be submitted with the application.
From my understanding, all mandatory documents MUST be submitted with the application except the PCC in which case you MUST write a explanatory letter mentioning that you have applied for it and is beyond your control. You must however provide proof of your PCC application.
 

bhargav218

Full Member
Dec 4, 2019
25
7
Hello.

I submitted my E-APR today (2nd Jan) and received an instant AOR.

My medicals were completed on 27th December 2019 and the clinic had given an ETA of 14 days to upload them to IRCC.
If Medicals is the first eligibility check, Will asking the clinic to upload me records sooner help reduce overall PR processing time?

Any help is appreciated.
 
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legalfalcon

VIP Member
Sep 21, 2015
19,030
9,888
Montréal, Quebec, Canada
Category........
FSW
Visa Office......
Ottawa
NOC Code......
4112
App. Filed.......
03-09-2015
Doc's Request.
01-10-2015
AOR Received.
03-09-2015
Med's Done....
17-08-2015
Passport Req..
05-04-2016
VISA ISSUED...
12-04-2016
LANDED..........
05-05-2016
Hello.

I submitted my E-APR today (2nd Jan) and received an instant AOR.

My medicals were completed on 27th December 2019 and the clinic had given an ETA of 14 days to upload them to IRCC.
If Medicals is the first eligibility check, Will asking the clinic to upload me records sooner help reduce overall PR processing time?

Any help is appreciated.
Even if you ask the clinic to send the meds sooner, it won't make much of a difference. Usually 1-2 weeks are required for the blood work reports and x-ray results to come back.
 

legalfalcon

VIP Member
Sep 21, 2015
19,030
9,888
Montréal, Quebec, Canada
Category........
FSW
Visa Office......
Ottawa
NOC Code......
4112
App. Filed.......
03-09-2015
Doc's Request.
01-10-2015
AOR Received.
03-09-2015
Med's Done....
17-08-2015
Passport Req..
05-04-2016
VISA ISSUED...
12-04-2016
LANDED..........
05-05-2016

legalfalcon

VIP Member
Sep 21, 2015
19,030
9,888
Montréal, Quebec, Canada
Category........
FSW
Visa Office......
Ottawa
NOC Code......
4112
App. Filed.......
03-09-2015
Doc's Request.
01-10-2015
AOR Received.
03-09-2015
Med's Done....
17-08-2015
Passport Req..
05-04-2016
VISA ISSUED...
12-04-2016
LANDED..........
05-05-2016
@Avneet2183, @call4all

Have your filed your application or do you intend filing it this month. If you have already filed, please port your AoR and keep your progress posted here.
 
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legalfalcon

VIP Member
Sep 21, 2015
19,030
9,888
Montréal, Quebec, Canada
Category........
FSW
Visa Office......
Ottawa
NOC Code......
4112
App. Filed.......
03-09-2015
Doc's Request.
01-10-2015
AOR Received.
03-09-2015
Med's Done....
17-08-2015
Passport Req..
05-04-2016
VISA ISSUED...
12-04-2016
LANDED..........
05-05-2016
Application Number

An application number, as the name suggests is assigned to each application an applicant files with IRCC. Every application, even when filed by the same applicant, will have a different number and will be categorized by the type of application filed by the applicant. An application number starts with an alphabet followed by digits eg: E12345678. The alphabet signifies the type of application.

Permanent Residency – E12345678

Student Visa – S12345678

Work Permit – W12345678

Visitor’s visa – V12345678

UCI Number

UCI – “Unique Client Identifier” is a numeric reference which is unique to a client. It is assigned by Immigration Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) an applicant whose case is being processed. Each client is given a different UCI. The UCI number remains the same, even when you file multiple applications with IRCC. If you have previously applied for a tourist visa, you have already been issued a UCI number. Similarly, if you applied for a student visa, you were assigned a UCI, and when you subsequently apply for a Permanent Residency, the UCI will remain the same.

UCI consists of digits only, usually there are eight or ten digits which may or may not be separated by a hyphen, eg: 1234-5678 or 12345678 | 12-1234-5678.

The UCI differs from an application number in the context that an applicant can have multiple applications, each having a different application number, UCI number. Thus, UCI is client specific and not application specific.
 
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sraman

Newbie
Jan 4, 2020
1
0
Received AOR on January 3rd immediately after submitting. Please send me whatsapp group link .
 

legalfalcon

VIP Member
Sep 21, 2015
19,030
9,888
Montréal, Quebec, Canada
Category........
FSW
Visa Office......
Ottawa
NOC Code......
4112
App. Filed.......
03-09-2015
Doc's Request.
01-10-2015
AOR Received.
03-09-2015
Med's Done....
17-08-2015
Passport Req..
05-04-2016
VISA ISSUED...
12-04-2016
LANDED..........
05-05-2016
Received AOR on January 3rd immediately after submitting. Please send me whatsapp group link .
Hope 2020 brings you faster processing. Keep your application progress posted on the thread here. All the best.
 
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legalfalcon

VIP Member
Sep 21, 2015
19,030
9,888
Montréal, Quebec, Canada
Category........
FSW
Visa Office......
Ottawa
NOC Code......
4112
App. Filed.......
03-09-2015
Doc's Request.
01-10-2015
AOR Received.
03-09-2015
Med's Done....
17-08-2015
Passport Req..
05-04-2016
VISA ISSUED...
12-04-2016
LANDED..........
05-05-2016
I received AOR on 2nd Jan 2020. Can you please share link to join WhatsApp group? Thanks.
Did you apply as a FSW / CEC or PNP?