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H143 and Dozzzy.......

Based on little calculation I guess you both should get your passport by tomorrow. CHC require 10 working days to complete the visa process. Beside sat and sun, 28th was the off day for CHC so 10 working days completed on 30th and another 2 day can be considered for dispatch section and transit.

MY passport has reached CHC on 29th so I have to wait little longer further 4th Sept. is a not a working day

Be happy and enjoy.....

regards,

dsquared

Hi H143

We've just got our visa letter and we're also planning on Whistler!

We're here right now, going back to the UK in October to see family and stuff (and of course sort passports and visas out - we'll definitely hand the passports in in person after hearing what you guys are going through...)

Whistler's such a small place - wonder if we've bumped into each other? What do you do here?

Dsquared

H143

Hi, Whistler great, isn't it! I'm so excited to go back and not have to leave this time. I was working for ResortQuest last year but then bummed it for the winter as my visa ran out. How about you?

Hayley

dsquared

Ski school for the winter, golf club for the summer! Took a year 'out' on a BUNAC one year working visa while waiting for the REAL visas.

We LOVE Whistler. You can do everything and more here...how different from the UK?!!!

Well, let us know when you get back! You got somewhere to live yet? Got another job lined up?

Danielle

H143

I know, you don't realise just how much there is to do there until you spend a whole year. Winter is still my favourite, but I love summer too.

I will probably going and work for my old company but I would like to see if I can negociate snowboarding-friendly hours with them! It would kill me if I was working 9-5, 5 days a week when I could be up the hill.

Are you going back to Ski school for the winter?

drwoodsy

We are heading to Whistler too! Well CIC dependant that is. I have a job lined up for when we get our PR through a few contacts as a snowboard instructor for the winters, probably with Whistler Kids.

They ay that people come for the winter and stay for the summers.

H143

Nice. Have you spent a season there already? Did you do the Bunac thing?

I have to say, although the summers are nice, I came for the winter and stayed for the winter!!!

drwoodsy

Not spent a season all in one go but over the last 6 or so years it adds up to a season. I ended up making friends with a few instructors and just took a Canadian Assoc of Snowboard Instructors course, whammo qualified to teach.
In the summer hiking the high alpine is just amazing. You must get up to Flute peak and checkout the view of Cheakamus glacier/lake/Black Tusk etc.

dsquared

Yea - both of us are doing ski school again - we had sponsorship from them for another season if we didn't get our residency visas in time, but we don't need them now...yay!!!

And as for the summers - oh my word - they are incredible! I've never known so many days of sunshine in a row. It's unreal. And working at the golf course we got free golf (which I'd never played before) which is awesome. The views! Wow!

So, came for the winter (a couple of times ) and knew we were staying for the summer, but didn't expect to enjoy it as much as we have.

But must say I'm looking forward to the winter now

KGM

Hi Dozzzzy

As I am about to embark on the PPR route i wanted to check with you about the timings. Were you told it would be about 18 months from the date of your AOR? If so, what was being said on the web-site? At the moment the CIC web-site for London is saying it will be 39 months before they even look at any applications and request documents.

Also, what changed your mind about Toronto? I am planning on Toronto and would be interested to know your reason for changing to Vancouver.

Thanks

dozzzzy

Hello KGM

I don't remember what wait time was detailed on the CIC web site, but at the time I applied 18 months was the general waiting time that people were quoting. The 39 months is probably optimistic, it is all down to the numbers of cases verses the number of visas, Andrew Miller on this forum has quoted in other threads that there are somewhere around, I think, 1.4 million cases in the queue for the 250,000 visas issued each year. Now I am unsure if that figure includes all the dependents of the main applicant, if so you looking at around 6 years for cases submitted to day to be finalized. The whole system is in groaning at the knees, and will probably have to be over hauled at some point before too long. So if you are serious about going to Canada it would be worth getting your application in ASAP, in the hope that the number if visas is increased to clear the backlog or you if have 90+points they raise the pass mark to exclude lots of cases that only just cover the current pass mark, like me. I worked out that I had 73 points, so was very grateful when the dropped the pass mark from 75 to 67 as I could apply, but because of that, many others could too, and that is why the waiting times are growing exponentially.

As for why I have switched from Toronto to Vancouver, I have a few friends in Vancouver and I loved the scenery especially up in the mountains, the weather year round is not as cold in the winter nor as hot and humid in the summer. OK it's damp, but I'm large enough that I need to shrink in the rain anyways.

Very good luck with your application. Can you look at other classes of application or even getting a work permit so at least your in Canada while you PR application is processed.

Dozzzzy

Applied Skilled Worker (London)
Application submitted - 05th July 2004
AOR Dated - 21st July 2004 (18 Months)
Delay Letter - Arrived Jan 2006 (Delayed till June 2006)
Medical Request - 26 May 2006 (NO Interview or Updated Docs Required)
Medical Taken - 28th May 2006
Medical Received - 4 July 2006
Info Request - 17 July - Update Available Funds
PPR - 14 Aug 2006 !!!!!

H143

Yeah it's absolutely beautiful up there in summer. We did the musical bumps/singing pass hike down the mountain. It felt like we were in the Sound of Music or something! Snow capped peaks, sunny blue skies and 'meadows' of wild flowers...

I'm looking forward to that new lift this year. It'll make the Flute hike somewhat different but I think all in all it's a good thing. There should be some nice little tree runs at the bottom too.

H143

It's here, it's here, it's here, it's here!!!....ok we'll it's not here but it's at the post office ready to be collected on Monday!

Anyone else heard?

Almost Canadian

Whey hey - great news

Here's to the start of your "new life"

dsquared

Congratulations!!!

You'd better be celebrating!