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Topic: Speeding up the process - is it possible!?
Our application was received in November 2005 (the forms took a year to finalise with a Toronto lawyer!!!).
We own a house in Canada, have a car there, have found a school for our young children ... we are ready to go!!!
Then we found out (sadly, not from our lawyer - who is since sacked!) about the 36 month waiting list before the application is even processed.
Is there a quicker way to get over there and begin our new lives?
If we decided to go down the visa route, would we apply for a visa then look for work, or the other way around?
Can we go over there and wait whilst we are being processed?
Any information would be gratefully received - we are very anxious for it NOT to be 2010 when we finally get there!!!
Thanks
AmandaUK
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Hi Amanda
Can you tell me what type of application you made? Have you applied as a skilled worker? I take it from your message that your application has been acknowledged.
I applied as a skilled worker in December 2004 and am still waiting. I am told by my immigration people that the process can take between 3 and 5 years.
The only way to speed this up is to get an approved offer of employment from an employer in Canada. Whats your profession? I have been looking for work in Canada for a couple of months. Its hard work but not impossible, I've had a couple of offers of employment. I think you can make it happen before 2010.
Gary
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Hi Gary
Fab to get a reply, thanks!
Hubby is a UK qualified lawyer (he'll need to requalify under Canadian law to practice) so we applied as a skilled lawyer.
We've since discovered (tho we may be wrong) that it may be quicker to apply for a student visa for him (I'd hopefully get a work visa) and we all go out together, and wait it out over there, this would be more preferable to us!!!
Yes our application has been acknowledged but we've heard nothing further from the High Commission.
We were told 3-4 year waiting list, then once we enter the processing system it can take a further year - having set the wheels in motion in 2004 we aren't too happy to wait til 2010 or so!!
Someone else told me to look into types of jobs which aren't easily filled (can't think of an easier way to put it, but basically look for less popular jobs?) but I wouldn't quite know where to begin to identify what those may be?! Any suggestions?!
Have you used an immigration lawyer? You say 'my immigration people' ... ?
Good luck with your application and thanks again!
AmandaUK
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Whooops!!
Obviously I meant we applied as a Skilled Worker (tho of course hubby is a skilled lawyer, haha!)!!!!
D'oh!
AmandaUK
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Amanda
I would just start applying for any positions that are a good fit for your skills. Some areas of Canada have more difficulty attracting workers - Manitoba and Saskatchewan are good examples - but it doesnt help if this isnt the place in Canada you want to live. Be specific in your search, look for work you would like to do in an area you would want to live in.
From what I can see on the CIC website http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/times%2Dint/02a-skilled-fed.html 70% of federal skilled workers applying through London are completed in 37 months. So worse case for you may be 2008.
We used an immigration consultancy that came highly recommended, they have been OK and are generally really helpful.
You could use the student visa route - its something we considered- if you have the finances in place to go this route have a look for courses that you could take.
It might take some effort but you can make it happen before 2010.
Gary
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Thanks for that, I do check out the cic.gc site for the timescale periodically but it's too depressing!
One question there, you know how you can log in your file number to see how it's going? When I do this, I get a message that basically tells me that they were 'unable to identify' me from the information, it says that that service is only available to clients with applications in process. If we are only at the AOR stage, then I guess we aren't yet in the process, would you think?
However, even just from the trackitt site here, it seems that most folk are entering the process sooner than the 37 months (we were told we'd have to wait for 37 months before the process even began). So it seems the 37 months is in fact from the date of application, not from the intial assessment?
I think the student visa thing may be our best option. I'm a Legal Secretary but would happily consider other secretarial/admin roles, sadly though there is nothing in the area we'll be in (we already have a house, waiting for us, which is all the more frustrating!).
Thanks again for your input, much appreciated.
AmandaUK
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Hi amanda
We applied in Sept 06, AOR Oct 06.
I'm in the same line of business as your hubby and would be pleased to hear of his experiences or plans - I'm headed to ontario but am considering seeking work elsewhere (eg. nova scotia or bc) in the hope that we can speed up the process on some basis or other, has hubby been assessed by the NCA yet?.
Jamie
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No, he's only now getting his resume etc together to apply to the Ontario Bar Association (? re: NCA). You will no doubt know, then, that once re-qualified under Canadian law, you then have to work for another practice for three years before setting up your own business (if that's your intention).
Interesting to hear that it may be quicker to look elsewhere other than Ontario. I'd be very interested to hear of your progress (as it happens)!
Good luck.
AmandaUK
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hi:
have you looked into the PNP option for skilled workers? in most cases it is faster than the general category if you qualify [for example, 80% of PNP cases in London are finalized within 12 months].
Applications Processed at Canadian Visa Offices || Provincial Nominees
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/times-int/04-provincial.html
which area in toronto/ontario are you hoping to reside/work in? depending on the locality there could be specific work/education options.
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Thanks for your post. Yes, I heard of the PNP option but as luck would have it, we're headed for Ontario which hasn't yet got their PNP up and running, I hear it's in the pipeline but have no idea when that could be effective as far as we are concerned! Bummer, eh!
I've looked at the secretarial - and legal secretarial - jobs sites in the area but there's nothing.
Are you out there from the UK?
AmandaUK
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Hi Amanda,
I totally sympathise with you. We were initially told we would be no more than 24months going through the process, but then the reality kicks in. We're headed for the GTA and as ontario is oversubscribed we have to sit it out and wait. We're thinking of job options and have decided that if we're no further forward, January 2008 is the employment onslaught. I'm fortunate that I have good quals and the other half is qualified in child counselling which is in demand apparently! But we are not too sure. If we get nowhere on the employment front then we are going to try the counselling route.
It has been suggested to me that if I go over on the student visa and then my partner can get work then we can request a transfer of the processing from London to Buffalo which would speed the PR pprocess up immensely. Might be a thought for yourself.
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