Spring Inland applications affected by strike?

[MonikaR]

Hi everyone!

Just curious if anyone who applied for inland spousal/common-law PR at the beginning of this year has been affected by the strike at all? Processing time on the site is still listed at 6 months, but it still says "working on applications received October 8th" so really it's been 9 months for those folks. (Anybody here one of those whose app was received on October 8th? I would lose it!)

I guess I'm just wondering if I just settle in for the long haul here. My app was received on March 22, so I've been anxiously waiting for September to get here... is this a realistic hope at this point? Are they moving forward with any part of processing any applications or has everything stopped altogether? Has anyone whose app was received from October 8th on heard anything as for as AIP/OWP or anything like that, and if so was your response on time? A little delayed? Very late?

Just hoping to get some real facts about what's really going on!!

Hope everyone is doing well

-M ???

 

[Spikey92]

I would love to hear an answer to this as well.
We sent my application out on May 1st this year.

 

[PMM]

Hi

Hi everyone!

Just curious if anyone who applied for inland spousal/common-law PR at the beginning of this year has been affected by the strike at all? Processing time on the site is still listed at 6 months, but it still says "working on applications received October 8th" so really it's been 9 months for those folks. (Anybody here one of those whose app was received on October 8th? I would lose it!)

I guess I'm just wondering if I just settle in for the long haul here. My app was received on March 22, so I've been anxiously waiting for September to get here... is this a realistic hope at this point? Are they moving forward with any part of processing any applications or has everything stopped altogether? Has anyone whose app was received from October 8th on heard anything as for as AIP/OWP or anything like that, and if so was your response on time? A little delayed? Very late?

Just hoping to get some real facts about what's really going on!!

Hope everyone is doing well

-M ???

For about the 20th time, PAFSO members don't work at Vegreville, the CIC employees there are members of PSAC and they are not on strike.

 

[MonikaR]

Sorry for being the 20th person to ask! I just browsed around the forum a little ad then thought it would be better to just directly ask. I'm just confused because on the site it says they're still processing applications from October 8th... And I haven't heard of anyone who applied 6 months ago getting their AIP/OWP yet.

 

[opmama]

For about the 20th time, PAFSO members don't work at Vegreville, the CIC employees there are members of PSAC and they are not on strike.

This is absolutely true. However, the part no one is sure about is how the work is being shuffled internally. CIC workers may be covering some duties normally handled by PAFSO members, for example. There are at least some hints that things have slowed down even in the in-Canada processing centers.

OP, this is the thread for 2012 inland applicants, and yeah, it sounds like plenty of October 2012 applicants are still waiting... http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/inland-applications-2012-t90875.7245.html (We can't be sure the strike is the cause, but it does look like something's causing a big delay).

 

[MonikaR]

Thanks so much! It seems really hard to find reliable information on exactly what's going on. Even if the inland applications are handled by a different union it seems like the strike is having an effect on all kinds of applications, just from what I can tell. I'll just keep looking for whatever info I can get! I appreciate your reply

 

[Sweden]

it's not necessarily the strike that is delaying. CIC also only updates the figures (6 months etc) 4 times a year, so most likely it's not accurate anymore, but not updated yet. The "working on application received on" is probably more accurate as that's updated frequently.

So to answer your initial question, given the trend in Inland applications, September seems to be optimistic.

Good luck,
Sweden

 

[CdnandTrini]

Hi

For about the 20th time, PAFSO members don't work at Vegreville, the CIC employees there are members of PSAC and they are not on strike.

PMM, knowledge is a tool not a weapon. If you do not feel like answering a question for the 20th time then don't!! No need to bully people because you think you have all of the answers. Shame on you....especially when you can clearly see by the question that the poster does not have your expertise.
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Quote from: amikety on July 16, 2013, 12:56:04 am

The diplomats on strike are not immigration officers.

Quote

Hi Amikety, I know that you and PMM and another senior keep stating that the PAFSO strike is not affecting immigration applications but I am confused and keep wondering why you folks are so vehement on informing forum members that it has nothing to do with PR applications when the media seems to keep saying the contrary. Please see below, this info. goes as far back as mid-June 2013. I am happy to be corrected by the way. I will post this in the other threads as well where the confusion continues. The link is:

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2013/06/21/canadas_tourism_industry_could_take_hit_during_strike_by_visa_staff.html

"More than 320 of the 1,350 foreign affairs union members are immigration officers. So far, PAFSO members have been on legal strike, disrupting the visa processing services in Beijing, Shanghai, Delhi, Chandigarh, Mexico City and Manila."

Citizenship and Immigration Canada said the department has designated visa officer positions overseas as essential but the union said they account for only 25 per cent of all immigration officers.

“Contingency plans are already in place to ensure all offices remain open and are providing at least a minimum level of service,” said immigration spokesperson Nancy Caron.

“Priority will be placed on urgent humanitarian applications. Anyone applying for a visa should submit their application as far in advance as possible.”

"Although 1,060 non-union local employees continue their work in visa offices, the majority of them are support workers and not decision-makers, said Edwards."

 

[MonikaR]

Sweden: on the processing times page it says it was updated July 3, 2013


Thanks both of you for your replies!! That article was an interesting read.

 

[Sweden]

Sweden: on the processing times page it says it was updated July 3, 2013

I think it's for outland, because the first stage processing time is updated every wednesday, and it's pretty accurate. For Inland, there are more checks for stage 1, and it takes much longer - I don't think the update is that frequent as they would need to get more data together - so I don't think it really reflects what's going on...

Good luck,
Sweden

 

[Mimence777]

Hi me and my husband have applied for spousal sponsorship inland since Nov/16/2012. The website was changing the date up until about 3 months ago, when it stopped on the date of Oct,8th. I have no idea what is going on...everybody keeps on saying the strike doesn't affect us but I beg to differ. I am at a pickle right now, because my work permit expired so did my SIN. We have applied for an extension of the work permit but they wouldn't decide on it until they review my husband's application for sponsorship. I am currently employed, may or may not loose my job....and have been looking for better job opportunities. One immigration officer told me that I can apply for another position and just send in the new info about my new workplace in before they decision the file, while another told me completely the opposite....Has anyone who applied on Oct/8th or before has received a decision, if they are apparently working on applications from that date? Has anyone after Oct/8th has by any chance received a notification? And has anyone heard of my aforementioned problem which one of the immigration officers would be correct? Thank you for your reply!

 

[charliem]

The processing dates on the CIC website are not accurate.
I applied for visa extension in May 2013 and got a response two months later. But the website still showed that they have not reached my application (considering when I submitted).

 

[Mimence777]

Hi Charliem, if you don't mind me asking,when have you applied for sponsorship, basically what does your application to PR time looks like, I am just trying to deterimine approx what is my chance getting my phase 1 sponsorship application approved anytime soon. application received on nov/16/2012, they started processing it on Jan/10/13 and 8 months after application time,still no answer. I would def appreciate your answer!