WORK VISA STUCK

[tenk87]

Good day, friends.

I started my (work permit) visa application last year in February of 2023 from outside Canada
Confirmation of Online Application Transmission on 27 Feb 2023. Which is the same date as the Submission confirmation.
28 Feb 2023: Biometrics Collection Letter
3 March 2023: Biometrics completed
From 3 March 2023, there has been no update. The whole of last year ended with numerous requests for an update but nothing came. We tried an ATIP request, Webforms, and local MP but nothing materialized.
Now a year later on 13 March 2024, a new notification came (but only after submitting yet another web form): YOU HAVE PASSED YOUR MEDICALS.
May I please know what the next step is and how close I may be to getting a final "decision" from IRCC?

 

[Naturgrl]

Good day, friends.

I started my (work permit) visa application last year in February of 2023 from outside Canada
Confirmation of Online Application Transmission on 27 Feb 2023. Which is the same date as the Submission confirmation.
28 Feb 2023: Biometrics Collection Letter
3 March 2023: Biometrics completed
From 3 March 2023, there has been no update. The whole of last year ended with numerous requests for an update but nothing came. We tried an ATIP request, Webforms, and local MP but nothing materialized.
Now a year later on 13 March 2024, a new notification came (but only after submitting yet another web form): YOU HAVE PASSED YOUR MEDICALS.
May I please know what the next step is and how close I may be to getting a final "decision" from IRCC?

Has eligibility and background checks been completed? What country did you apply from? Why would local MP be involved as you don’t even live in Canada?

 

[tenk87]

Has eligibility and background checks been completed? What country did you apply from? Why would local MP be involved as you don’t even live in Canada?

Both eligibility and background checks are still under review and processing respectively (since March last year). I am applying from Zimbabwe. About the MP I do have a relative who lives there so they were trying to assist as we had noticed we can do so as per the IRCC website.
It has been a year

 

[Naturgrl]

Both eligibility and background checks are still under review and processing respectively (since March last year). I am applying from Zimbabwe. About the MP I do have a relative who lives there so they were trying to assist as we had noticed we can do so as per the IRCC website.
It has been a year

You are more or less within normal processing times. Background checks usually take a long time as IRCC needs immigration/security information from your government, and need to verify if all documentation is authentic. MP cannot really help you as MP can check on your file and you already know status.

 

[tenk87]

Thank you for the information.
So basically is there any timeframe here or it is still a game of waiting and waiting? Based on the IRCC website, the timeframe usually ranges from 9 weeks to 16 weeks.

 

[Naturgrl]

Thank you for the information.
So basically is there any timeframe here or it is still a game of waiting and waiting? Based on the IRCC website, the timeframe usually ranges from 9 weeks to 16 weeks.

Processing from Zimbabwe is over 260 days so not sure where you are getting your info. Not much you can do if in background check since your government/bank/employers could be holding up the gathering of authentic immigration/security/work information.

 

[tenk87]

Once in a while, I do check on the IRCC website for processing times. and just now it says 14 weeks.
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/check-processing-times.html
But now that you have mentioned 260 days it is all now making sense. So what exactly do the timeframes in the link above represent?

 

[scylla]

Once in a while, I do check on the IRCC website for processing times. and just now it says 14 weeks.
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/check-processing-times.html
But now that you have mentioned 260 days it is all now making sense. So what exactly do the timeframes in the link above represent?

Estimated processing times. 80 percent of applications are processed within this time frame and 20 percent of applications take longer.

 

[Naturgrl]

Thank you for the information.
So basically is there any timeframe here or it is still a game of waiting and waiting? Based on the IRCC website, the timeframe usually ranges from 9 weeks to 16 weeks.

Processing times fluctuate from week to week. If you click on the ? mark, it lists what can take more time and that is verifying documents and background checks. IRCC has no control over when your government submits and confirms your security/immigration information. So if it is 14 weeks today, that is the current processing time. Next week it could be 40 weeks. Times are not a good indicator. If background and eligibility checks change to completed then you are very close to a response. They could change to completed one day, and get response within days or weeks. The NOC has something to do with it. Assume this is not a GTS NOC (high skilled) application.

 

[tenk87]

Well, I guess something is holding the application back from my end, who knows? As I mentioned, from the start of my application, the IRCC processing time has been ranging from 9 to 16 weeks, I assumed that if at least it would extend beyond that it would go maybe to 20 weeks and not the whole 52 calendar year weeks(haha).
Now I am beginning to realize that I need some education on this issue because all I know is my visa was going through a Labor Impact assessment.

 

[Naturgrl]

Well, I guess something is holding the application back from my end, who knows? As I mentioned, from the start of my application, the IRCC processing time has been ranging from 9 to 16 weeks, I assumed that if at least it would extend beyond that it would go maybe to 20 weeks and not the whole 52 calendar year weeks(haha).
Now I am beginning to realize that I need some education on this issue because all I know is my visa was going through a Labor Impact assessment.

You applied with a LMIA so have you talked to your employer about the delay.

 

[tenk87]

You applied with a LMIA so have you talked to your employer about the delay.

Yes, I have, but someone can only wait so long.
Do you have any way that I can let the IRCC know that my employment is now in jeopardy because of the delay? Other people from Africa (Nigeria) have already started working, some 5 months now, others 3 months now. And all of them applied after me. haha

 

[canuck78]

Yes, I have, but someone can only wait so long.
Do you have any way that I can let the IRCC know that my employment is now in jeopardy because of the delay? Other people from Africa (Nigeria) have already started working, some 5 months now, others 3 months now. And all of them applied after me. haha

What type of job is this (NOC) and why are there so many foreign employees from Africa? This is fairly unusual situation.

 

[tenk87]

It is an engineering job. The company is quite big and it allows diversification.
But if having 3 qualified Africans is something that is considered as many and unusual then I'm also now getting to understand why my VISA is taking long. It might be a matter of limiting Africans into the country.