Here's my theory (I'M JUST SPECULATING, TAKE THIS WITH A SPOON OF SALT): other similar programs such as PNP or the AIPP let you either apply for a BOWP or give you a work permit support letter which allows you to continue working for your current employer until you get PR. If this program doesn't, that means either that they're going to leave thousands of applicants in an immigration limbo, on their own or that they expect short processing times.
It's sounds unlike IRCC to leave people stranded, especially after having helped quite a bit during covid with the PGWP extensions and the visitor to work permit policies. It just doesn't add up. CEC processing times are around 8 months right now because for some reason, at the beginning of the pandemic they "stopped" processing applications and when they resumed processing normally the newer applications and backlogged ones mixed.
So if you stop by the CEC forum you'll see January/February 2021 applicants with simple applications that got COPR in 3-4 months and people from January 2020 still waiting. Current applicants with simple applications have shorter processing times than applicants from 2020.
For this stream, rumours say around 6 months but the requirements are so ridiculous I can't see eligibility section lasting more than 1 or 2 weeks.
