My latest interactions with IRCC have been with regard to Medicals. I decided to follow up after reading a bit regarding COVID related instructions to IRCC here -
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/publications-manuals/operational-bulletins-manuals/service-delivery/coronavirus/permanent-residence.html
Given that my application had previously been approved (they too confirmed that), I told them that the panel physician in my area is available and that I could get a medical done if needed. They reverted within five days with a one liner to tell me that the validity of my Medical Results have been extended. I have two takeaways from this:
1. An immigration officer can extend validity of medicals results for up to 12 months - Hopefully they are expecting to complete this whole thing within that time frame
2. I was previously asked to get a re-medical (May 2019). On this occasion, however, they have given an extension - I can only assume that they didn't extend it the last time as I was being put in Security Screening with no real certainty on when that process would be completed, whilst this time it is post clearance of all those checks. Again, this is cautiously optimistic of me, but perhaps they consider it likely that the process will be completed soon (in this lifetime maybe??).
In the end we all (including the IRCC/ CIC) are at the mercy of an uncertain beast and will need to wait it out. The good news is that they are working on our applications. Now it's probably a question of when Canada will consider it safe to permit "Discretionary Travel" and that is subject to many variables. I think PPRs can be expected after they permit the same.
Till then, do stay home and stay safe; there is nothing to be gained by falling ill and including a fresh issue that may mark you out for special treatment (especially considering some suggestions that immunity in recovered COVID-19 patients is not a long term thing).
