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New TRV measures from IRCC for spouses having sponsorship application

PrivateComstock

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Aug 4, 2018
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On May 26, IRCC announced new measures to strengthen family reunification including:
  • faster temporary resident visa (TRV) processing times for spousal applicants
  • new and dedicated processing tools for spousal TRV applicants
  • a new open work permit for spousal and family class applicants
  • open work permit extensions for open work permit holders expiring between August 1 and the end of 2023
Minister Fraser announced faster temporary resident visa (TRV) processing and more considerate application measures so that families can be together sooner while they wait for their permanent residence to be finalized. Going forward, most of these applications will be processed within 30 days, and applicants will benefit from processing measures specific to their circumstances as spouses and dependants. Many applications have already been processed using these new tools. Within this cohort of applicants, we have seen an approval rate of 93%.

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2023/05/canada-is-reuniting-loved-ones-through-new-immigration-measures-new-measures-also-address-labour-shortages-in-canada.html
Is anyone planning to apply for TRV after this announcement?
Let's discuss.
 
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scylla

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wahab7

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Do we need to apply using existing TRV application process or would they announce a new Spousal TRV process?
 

PrivateComstock

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Aug 4, 2018
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Absolutely, currently waiting to receive the AOR as we've applied back in March. The moment the AOR gets here we are submitting the TRV immediately. My question is whether we can apply without having received the AOR or we should have received the AOR before applying for the TRV under the new mandates?
I think it's best to wait for AOR. I read somewhere that IRCC wants this new system to sift through the person's PR application and determine how likely it is that they will be granted permanent residency and then approve their TRV more quickly.
 
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canuck78

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What Fraser neglects to point out that many spouses will not qualify for healthcare in Canada until they are PRs or have a work permit and are working in Canada full-time and in some case need proof of jobs that will last over 6 months.
 
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remy2023

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Jan 10, 2023
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I also dont know if there is a dedicated portal for for that or do you just submit a regular trv application and let them know that you already applied for PR ?
 

PrivateComstock

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Aug 4, 2018
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I also dont know if there is a dedicated portal for for that or do you just submit a regular trv application and let them know that you already applied for PR ?
This is the info that I'm not sure of yet. They quoted in their announcement that around 98% of applications have been successfully approved using this new measures. I don't know how they got this data. I guess it wouldn't hurt to wait for next few days to see if they give detailed write-up for these questions.
 

comarxx

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This is the info that I'm not sure of yet. They quoted in their announcement that around 98% of applications have been successfully approved using this new measures. I don't know how they got this data. I guess it wouldn't hurt to wait for next few days to see if they give detailed write-up for these questions.
I think what they are saying is around 98% will get approved with this new trv for faster family reunification as long as you have a current application and the chances is high you will eventually get approved.
 
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PrivateComstock

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I think what they are saying is around 98% will get approved with this new trv for faster family reunification as long as you have a current application and the chances is high you will eventually get approved.
That makes more sense. The question still remains on how to apply cause there's no dedicated portal. Regular TRV application desn't show an option to let them know that your PR application is also in progress. Anyway, it's confusing but never hurts to try.
 

Aish####a

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Jan 6, 2022
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That makes more sense. The question still remains on how to apply cause there's no dedicated portal. Regular TRV application desn't show an option to let them know that your PR application is also in progress. Anyway, it's confusing but never hurts to try.
[/QUOTE
I started an application through the ircc portal and there is a section where it asks you to put your IME number if you have one.
 

canuck78

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That makes more sense. The question still remains on how to apply cause there's no dedicated portal. Regular TRV application desn't show an option to let them know that your PR application is also in progress. Anyway, it's confusing but never hurts to try.
You’ll just need to wait and see if there are any changes to the current TRV application for spouses. Is assume there may be a drop down menu to select if you are a spouse of a Canadian PR or citizen. It is highly unlikely that there will be separate application program just for spouses. What politician say and what actually happens in reality often differ so we will have to see if the majority get approved and what steps will be taking to prevent abuse of the system by those trying to commit immigration fraud. In cases where there are red flags will spouses be given TRVs. Once in Canada it is very difficult and expensive to deport people unlike other countries. That was one of the reasons screenings were done while outside of Canada. The other big issue will be healthcare. The federal government is making the announcement but it falls on the provinces to deal with spouses living in Canada as visitors that don’t have healthcare. Ontario and Quebec will receive a large percentage of spouses and in both cases the spouses will not qualify to healthcare until they get PR (or AIP with some additional steps which is right before PR) unless they receive a WP and are working full-time and in the case of a Ontario working full-time with proof they will be working for 6 months or longer. I have seen so many cases of spouses who are in Canada waiting for sponsorship discover that they don’t qualify for healthcare. They assumed that having a spouse who is a PR or citizen guaranteed access to public healthcare. They only discover after they need access to healthcare that they will have to pay out of pocket. Most do not have the funds to pay for care.
 
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armoured

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This is the info that I'm not sure of yet. They quoted in their announcement that around 98% of applications have been successfully approved using this new measures. I don't know how they got this data. I guess it wouldn't hurt to wait for next few days to see if they give detailed write-up for these questions.
My guess would be that they either did some unseen pilot testing on some existing apps (who may have had visas approved) or some (hypothetical) testing on some selected files (eg would these applicants be approved for TRV if we ran this through our algorithm)?

Pure speculation on my part, though.

Unfortunately, that's not real world.
1) They say 98%, but compared to what? Did the files they tested have a different approval rate before? How much different? Yes, it would be a classic govt thing to neglect to mention that the same test beforehand had an 89% approval rate - see my other comments for why that can be the case.
2) If they select files to test, they selected files according to some criteria - and that is / was almost certainly criteria that is different from what spousal sponsors and applicants think is the class of 'eligible spouses.' If they choose a subset, it is very, very likely that there will be some difference from the entire class of applicants. As a very simple example, I'd guess that they might have excluded any TRV applicants who had previous refusals (because those refusals could have been for serious reasons and would skew the results of the algorithm etc.)
3) I believe all of the IRCC processes repeat (constantly) that there is always a human involved (although possibly only rejections? at least for some things like ETA). Well, did they test this process with humans doing the approval? [Does it require training for IRCC staff responsible? How long will that training take? Have they tested the results after training?]

Not to be overly skeptical, I welcome their attempts to change things, but there are serious reasons - beyond the small points i've made about the announcement - that within current law the rejections will usually/always be higher than hoped (by spousal applicants anyway). It can still be a net increase in approvals, even a significant one, and yet still lower than the tenor of the announcement implies (no way it's going to be 98%).

That's without getting into the issues after program goes into action, two of which are inevitable and the only question is how significant it will be:
1) Announce a program like this, and many will apply that wouldn't have before - because they assumed it would be rejected. And many of them were right - but even so, doesn't matter, because the characteristics of these new 'shadow' applicants will be different.
2) Any new program will be gamed by the unscrupulous, that is, fraudsters - and then the cycle of IRCC trying to detect/understand who are the risky ones, and new measures (internal, unannounced) get brought in start to take effect. And those new measures will pick up new and different false positives - in short, the cycle begins anew.