Lots of Issues with ITA

[abbeycrombie]

I have been sent an invite twice now but have been having endless issues thus far.

The first ITA was for the August 7 draw. I was trying to fill out the application but it was asking for information regarding my common law spouse that is a Canadian citizen who was born in Canada. I was told by an agent that the questions being asked should not be happening. I guess that it should only be there if you are applying with your spouse who will also be coming with. I contacted support via e-mail twice about this. The first time, I got no response and when I had an opportunity to follow up after 10 days they said that they had no backlog and asked me to send another message to support. I did that and was waiting on another 10 days before following up. In the meantime, the August 21 draw has already taken place.

When I finally heard from them it was a message saying that they had mistakenly given me an ITA for FSW. They had pulled my invitation, but I figured that because they sent me the wrong ITA that they would have replaced it with the correct one. Just a note, I was not qualified for FSW because I didn't meet the funds required. Anyway, I contacted another area for support about the situation and what had happened. For this, it said that I should hear back within 30 days.

So, here I am waiting for a reply which is supposed to be within 30 days. I knew that there was going to be another draw at some point so there was a chance I'd get another invite again before getting a response. Low and behold, there was one today. I got another invite...for FSW. Again.

My EE profile says that I'm qualified for both CEC and FSW. They've already contacted me saying I am not eligible for FSW and why I am not. I'm not sure how to make it so that it doesn't show me as eligible for FSW so that they can stop sending me an ITA for FSW. I figured they'd just turn this off when they realized that I'm actually not qualified. I feel like I really need to speak to someone personally about these problems I'm having, but the only methods available are online and my experience has not been stellar so far. I have already phoned in and they've asked me to send yet another enquiry, but I will still have to wait to hear from them, however long that will be, or wait for yet another draw. I've already missed out on three draws due to these issues. My post grad work visa is expiring in November so I'm under a time crunch.

Does anyone have any advice on what to do? Should I put a zero dollar value in the savings? Maybe that's why it keeps flagging FSW for me? Also, does anyone have any advice on how to extend my stay so that I can continue to work here so that I have more time to deal with the issues I'm having with EE and getting the correct ITA? My original plan was to get that ITA sent in so that I can apply for the open work permit, but I need a backup plan in case I don't get this ITA issue fixed before my visa runs out...

 

[dobes]

I have been sent an invite twice now but have been having endless issues thus far.

The first ITA was for the August 7 draw. I was trying to fill out the application but it was asking for information regarding my common law spouse that is a Canadian citizen who was born in Canada. I was told by an agent that the questions being asked should not be happening. I guess that it should only be there if you are applying with your spouse who will also be coming with. I contacted support via e-mail twice about this. The first time, I got no response and when I had an opportunity to follow up after 10 days they said that they had no backlog and asked me to send another message to support. I did that and was waiting on another 10 days before following up. In the meantime, the August 21 draw has already taken place.

When I finally heard from them it was a message saying that they had mistakenly given me an ITA for FSW. They had pulled my invitation, but I figured that because they sent me the wrong ITA that they would have replaced it with the correct one. Just a note, I was not qualified for FSW because I didn't meet the funds required. Anyway, I contacted another area for support about the situation and what had happened. For this, it said that I should hear back within 30 days.

So, here I am waiting for a reply which is supposed to be within 30 days. I knew that there was going to be another draw at some point so there was a chance I'd get another invite again before getting a response. Low and behold, there was one today. I got another invite...for FSW. Again.

My EE profile says that I'm qualified for both CEC and FSW. They've already contacted me saying I am not eligible for FSW and why I am not. I'm not sure how to make it so that it doesn't show me as eligible for FSW so that they can stop sending me an ITA for FSW. I figured they'd just turn this off when they realized that I'm actually not qualified. I feel like I really need to speak to someone personally about these problems I'm having, but the only methods available are online and my experience has not been stellar so far. I have already phoned in and they've asked me to send yet another enquiry, but I will still have to wait to hear from them, however long that will be, or wait for yet another draw. I've already missed out on three draws due to these issues. My post grad work visa is expiring in November so I'm under a time crunch.

Does anyone have any advice on what to do? Should I put a zero dollar value in the savings? Maybe that's why it keeps flagging FSW for me? Also, does anyone have any advice on how to extend my stay so that I can continue to work here so that I have more time to deal with the issues I'm having with EE and getting the correct ITA? My original plan was to get that ITA sent in so that I can apply for the open work permit, but I need a backup plan in case I don't get this ITA issue fixed before my visa runs out...

The spouse thing is just not a problem. Many people have had that problem before, and the application isn't really set to deal with it. You just list your spouse as non-accompanying, and then, in the Letter of Explanation, you explain that s/he is Canadian and include his or her birth certificate or PR or naturalization card or whatever you have. You did not need to reject an invitation on that account, and I doubt that CIC has fixed the issue!

For the other - what, exactly did their letter say when it indicated you were not eligible for FSW? What did you write on your EE application concerning having a job and having funds? And - is there really no way that you and your partner, in a joint account, have the funds you need? You cannot apply for the open work permit on the basis of an EE profile alone. You have to have sent in the application, or have another way to apply.

There is no guarantee that there will even BE another draw this year, so rejecting ITAs too soon could be a real mistake.

 

[Fitztorious]

You need to make sure you do this correctly as you are running out of time. Stop waiting for responses from CIC to respond as they give inconsistent and sometimes incorrect responses.

I'm a Canadian citizen and in a common-law relationship with my GF who just received her CoPR after going through the express entry process so I am in a very similar situation as you. I was also getting FSW ITA's instead of CEC invites at the beginning too. If you qualify for both you will be given an FSW ITA. You need to set your profile up in a way where you only qualify for CEC.

Why do you qualify for FSW with funds at $0?
This is a bug in the system. To unqualify yourself from FSW, answer 'No' to 'Do you have a valid job offer?' Assuming you do not have an LMIA job (you would know if you did). If you are working full-time with your PGWP, still answer 'No'. This will disqualify you from FSW. Put down your actual funds in the box where it asks. This could be $1 million or $0, you will still only qualify for CEC. Check at the end to ensure that you just qualify for CEC.

The agent you talked to was misinformed. You will still be asked about your common law partner. Obviously s/he won't be coming with you because s/he is a Canadian citizen but you still have to enter his/her information. Note: When you do get an ITA it will ask you to upload a Police Check and Medical Exam for your common-law spouse. This is another glitch and simple upload letters instead stating that your partner does not need these documents as s/he is a Canadian citizen. Yes, applying with a Canadian citizen common-law partner is actually a bigger pain than if you were single. A big oversight on CIC's part.

From what I can gather, you have at least 471 points. You are almost guaranteed to get an ITA in the next couple of draws. By this Friday or sooner make sure your profile only qualifies for CEC. Once you submit all your documentation your ITA requests, you can then apply to extend your stay (BOWP) until a final decision is reached. But be very careful with everything as you will only have one shot. Please do not hesitate to ask for help for anything along the way. It is essential that you understand everything before you submit all your documents because after that if something is incorrect you will likely be rejected and have to leave Canada.

 

[abbeycrombie]

The spouse thing is just not a problem. Many people have had that problem before, and the application isn't really set to deal with it. You just list your spouse as non-accompanying, and then, in the Letter of Explanation, you explain that s/he is Canadian and include his or her birth certificate or PR or naturalization card or whatever you have. You did not need to reject an invitation on that account, and I doubt that CIC has fixed the issue!

For the other - what, exactly did their letter say when it indicated you were not eligible for FSW? What did you write on your EE application concerning having a job and having funds? And - is there really no way that you and your partner, in a joint account, have the funds you need? You cannot apply for the open work permit on the basis of an EE profile alone. You have to have sent in the application, or have another way to apply.

There is no guarantee that there will even BE another draw this year, so rejecting ITAs too soon could be a real mistake.

Hi Dobes,

I was not rejecting the application. I had partially filled out the application and saved it while waiting for a response from their support team about the spouse forms. An agent over the phone said that all the questions regarding spouse should not be showing up since they are not part of the application since she was born and raised in Canada. They advised me to send an enquiry. However, in the weeks that I was waiting for a reply to that enquiry, they realized that I was not eligible under FSW. In their letter, they said that they mistakenly sent me an invitation to apply under FSW in which I'm not qualified due to not having enough funds. It then said that I may be eligible for CEC, which I am. They, for some reason, didn't replace the FSW with the CEC when they took it away so now I'm at the point where I'm at now...

 

[abbeycrombie]

You need to make sure you do this correctly as you are running out of time. Stop waiting for responses from CIC to respond as they give inconsistent and sometimes incorrect responses.

I'm a Canadian citizen and in a common-law relationship with my GF who just received her CoPR after going through the express entry process so I am in a very similar situation as you. I was also getting FSW ITA's instead of CEC invites at the beginning too. If you qualify for both you will be given an FSW ITA. You need to set your profile up in a way where you only qualify for CEC.

Why do you qualify for FSW with funds at $0?
This is a bug in the system. To unqualify yourself from FSW, answer 'No' to 'Do you have a valid job offer?' Assuming you do not have an LMIA job (you would know if you did). If you are working full-time with your PGWP, still answer 'No'. This will disqualify you from FSW. Put down your actual funds in the box where it asks. This could be $1 million or $0, you will still only qualify for CEC. Check at the end to ensure that you just qualify for CEC.

The agent you talked to was misinformed. You will still be asked about your common law partner. Obviously s/he won't be coming with you because s/he is a Canadian citizen but you still have to enter his/her information. Note: When you do get an ITA it will ask you to upload a Police Check and Medical Exam for your common-law spouse. This is another glitch and simple upload letters instead stating that your partner does not need these documents as s/he is a Canadian citizen. Yes, applying with a Canadian citizen common-law partner is actually a bigger pain than if you were single. A big oversight on CIC's part.

From what I can gather, you have at least 471 points. You are almost guaranteed to get an ITA in the next couple of draws. By this Friday or sooner make sure your profile only qualifies for CEC. Once you submit all your documentation your ITA requests, you can then apply to extend your stay (BOWP) until a final decision is reached. But be very careful with everything as you will only have one shot. Please do not hesitate to ask for help for anything along the way. It is essential that you understand everything before you submit all your documents because after that if something is incorrect you will likely be rejected and have to leave Canada.

I am so incredibly grateful to you for your reply. I wasn't sure if anyone experienced the same thing.

The ITA is still sitting there so I'm not able to update my profile. I'm nervous to decline it, but I know that if I just leave it there they might take a month to realize it's incorrect to remove it. Did you decline your FSW invitation so you could make your updates? Also, should it update to "CEC only" immediately after submitting the changes or do I have to wait a few minutes?

This little bit of info has been so helpful, and I will definitely be in touch with you once I hopefully get another ITA.

Thank you SO much!

***UPDATE: I declined the invitation and am now updating my profile.

 

[dobes]

I am so incredibly grateful to you for your reply. I wasn't sure if anyone experienced the same thing.

The ITA is still sitting there so I'm not able to update my profile. I'm nervous to decline it, but I know that if I just leave it there they might take a month to realize it's incorrect to remove it. Did you decline your FSW invitation so you could make your updates? Also, should it update to "CEC only" immediately after submitting the changes or do I have to wait a few minutes?

This little bit of info has been so helpful, and I will definitely be in touch with you once I hopefully get another ITA.

Thank you SO much!

***UPDATE: I declined the invitation and am now updating my profile.

I really feel you are making a mistake. I also work on an open work permit, qualified for both FSW and CEC, and got an FSW invitation. In fact, I did have barely the required amount of money in the bank. But I also answered 'yes' to job offer (I have a job! They didn't ask if it was a VALID job!) and 'no' to LMIA. I called CIC and they said that my Canadian salary could count toward my proof of financial means of support, and I should go ahead and submit my tax forms as evidence of my ability to support myself. Recently I got my GCMS notes, which indicated - for unexplained reasons - that I was exempt from the Proof of Funds requirement, though I did in fact send that in the form of bank statements, T4, and NoA.

If CECs working on open work permits in Canada are exempt from showing funds, why wouldn't it be the same for FSWs also in Canada, also working?

I didn't need to apply without the funds in the bank, but others have - they haven't gone far enough through the process to say whether they were rejected for this reason.

Of course, it's your call. I guess you are not that worried about being caught without a work permit. But in case you get to that point, I also want to mention that if your partner is willing to sponsor you through the family option, it is possible now to get a work permit while you wait for an answer. Good luck!

 

[abbeycrombie]

I really feel you are making a mistake. I also work on an open work permit, qualified for both FSW and CEC, and got an FSW invitation. In fact, I did have barely the required amount of money in the bank. But I also answered 'yes' to job offer (I have a job! They didn't ask if it was a VALID job!) and 'no' to LMIA. I called CIC and they said that my Canadian salary could count toward my proof of financial means of support, and I should go ahead and submit my tax forms as evidence of my ability to support myself. Recently I got my GCMS notes, which indicated - for unexplained reasons - that I was exempt from the Proof of Funds requirement, though I did in fact send that in the form of bank statements, T4, and NoA.

If CECs working on open work permits in Canada are exempt from showing funds, why wouldn't it be the same for FSWs also in Canada, also working?

I didn't need to apply without the funds in the bank, but others have - they haven't gone far enough through the process to say whether they were rejected for this reason.

Of course, it's your call. I guess you are not that worried about being caught without a work permit. But in case you get to that point, I also want to mention that if your partner is willing to sponsor you through the family option, it is possible now to get a work permit while you wait for an answer. Good luck!

Hi Dobes,

Thank you for sharing your experiences. The only reason why I decided not to submit the ITA under FSW is because they had already withdrawn my ITA once, on their own, even before I submitted the PR application. I didn't want to chance it by going through with this ITA, waiting until October (or whenever) only to find that they would deny me again for the same reason they withdrew my ITA the first time.

 

[Makolutus]

I really feel you are making a mistake. I also work on an open work permit, qualified for both FSW and CEC, and got an FSW invitation. In fact, I did have barely the required amount of money in the bank. But I also answered 'yes' to job offer (I have a job! They didn't ask if it was a VALID job!) and 'no' to LMIA. I called CIC and they said that my Canadian salary could count toward my proof of financial means of support, and I should go ahead and submit my tax forms as evidence of my ability to support myself. Recently I got my GCMS notes, which indicated - for unexplained reasons - that I was exempt from the Proof of Funds requirement, though I did in fact send that in the form of bank statements, T4, and NoA.

If CECs working on open work permits in Canada are exempt from showing funds, why wouldn't it be the same for FSWs also in Canada, also working?

I didn't need to apply without the funds in the bank, but others have - they haven't gone far enough through the process to say whether they were rejected for this reason.

Of course, it's your call. I guess you are not that worried about being caught without a work permit. But in case you get to that point, I also want to mention that if your partner is willing to sponsor you through the family option, it is possible now to get a work permit while you wait for an answer. Good luck!

. Dear dobes, the job offer you declared in your application is permanent or seasonal (e.g. Valid for 2 -3 years)?.this is really urgent as i have only 3 days left in my hand before submitting my application... Appreciate your help