schedule for tests in next year? Edmonton office.

[sondo]

Is it possible to find out about possible schedule of tests for the next year or at least 6 months?
I have to travel for my work, and travels have to be arranged 3-6 months in advance.
I can schedule them in advance such that they would not overlap with any of possible tests dates, but I can not stop traveling
Is there a way to find out about tests schedule? (I read that they send a notice only a couple of weeks in advance, which makes impossible to reschedule planned travels)

 

[edmonton2011]

You can notify CIC about your travel plans and hopefully they won't schedule your test when you are away. There is not much you can do even if they do, but at least you can tell them that you have notified them and knew about your trip ...
Otherwise if you miss your test date you might have to wait a year for the next invitation.

BTW, we received the notice 1 month in advance.

Would you mind sharing your timeline? When did you apply and when did your status change to "in process"?

 

[sondo]

I just applied, and I know that my question is too early (and other problem will come out, and my application is not even received yet), but I got stressed out when I read that there they send a notice too short before (month would not do good for me either) and that if one failed to come twice, then you are in troubles. I do not travel *that* often, but on average I have to be away 3-4 times a year for one or two weeks each time, and if I cancel my travel not for medical reasons, its on my pocket (for transatlantic flights its expensive...). So that's why I asked...

 

[Swede]

I honestly don't think CIC cares about offering test and oath dates that are convenient to the applicant - as far as they are concerned citizenship is very important to the applicant, so it takes precedence over everything else. So, plan financially for having to cancel that flight. Just in case.

 

[sondo]

I pretty honestly also do not think that they can offer a test at a convenient date. But if they *do* have a schedule, and they definitely do not do it every day, but only few times a year, I can fit my schedule to their. E.g., it is possible to find a schedule for citizenship oaths. But it looks like that none came across such a schedule for tests

 

[edmonton2011]

You won't be able to find the test dates online. Only oath dates are posted (but even they are not complete).

You should also know that you need to notify CIC if you leave Canada for 2 weeks or more anyway. Usually they put your application on hold while you are away, so there is a good chance you won't receive the test invitation for those days. It is not guaranteed though!

What you can do is to avoid travel plans around the time you expect to receive the test notification. But this is not fool proof either. You can check out the current timelines for Edmonton office here:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/lv?key=0Ai9o70015IRPdFl6MnhXV0VZbnN1YnZWLXpld0Vya1E&type=view&gid=4&f=true&colid0=1&filterstr0=Edmonton&sortcolid=-1&sortasc=true&rowsperpage=250

 

[Desert Lion]

 

[uzas]

You won't be able to find the test dates online. Only oath dates are posted (but even they are not complete).

You should also know that you need to notify CIC if you leave Canada for 2 weeks or more anyway. Usually they put your application on hold while you are away, so there is a good chance you won't receive the test invitation for those days. It is not guaranteed though!

What you can do is to avoid travel plans around the time you expect to receive the test notification. But this is not fool proof either. You can check out the current timelines for Edmonton office here:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/lv?key=0Ai9o70015IRPdFl6MnhXV0VZbnN1YnZWLXpld0Vya1E&type=view&gid=4&f=true&colid0=1&filterstr0=Edmonton&sortcolid=-1&sortasc=true&rowsperpage=250

edmonton2011, based on what do you say that they put your application on hold?

I called recently with this question, and the agent told me that I should notify the CIC with firm travel dates, and that they would not schedule the test during that time. He said that this would not affect the overall length of processing an application, which according to him is the 24 months regular processing time reported by the CIC.