kat-b

Yay!! :-))

heading-west

We didnt seem to get an email update on 2nd May, so only noticed it when we were notified of 'decision made'.
We feel quite apprehensive waiting for a letter to explain what will happen to our file :-(
Not sure what we will do to be honest, OH is thinking we will jack it in and go back to UK if we get refused, I'm thinking we will go PNP. Not sure if we will sit tight waiting the additional 6-12 months.

Crystal Ball anyone??

kat-b

Oh wow I just clicked on your 'alkalise me' link. I'm definitely going to read more. My mum is diabetic (she controls it by diet) and I have blood sugar issues too. Anywaaaay back on point.

I hope it isn't bad news but on the plus at least you are already there. Can you extend your work permit or apply under the new system with a job offer? It would be a nightmare to come home when you are already settled. What do you both work as there. Where do you live and do you love it? So many questions!! Hopefully some good news for you. Keep us updated :-)

I don't seem to receive any emails from cic. I didn't check ECAS until I got the 6-12 month wait letter in the mail.

Good luck! :-)

Kaye5

Crystal Ball indeed...! We were in a similar situation last summer (not living in NS, but on a visit and deciding whether to sit out FSW1 or go PNP). We decided to go PNP. Guess what happened? FSW1 started moving! What we have lost really is that we paid two application fees (we can't now withdraw FSW1 and get refund).

I feel that at our stage, PNP will come through first. For you? Not sure what stream of PNP you are looking at but they seem to be moving fast right now. Have a word with Anne Fownes at L&Q RDA and see what she thinks (though I just emailed her and got her out of office saying back May 23rd).

Way back in summer last year, we were weighing up whether we should sit it out FSW and go PNP if we were declined OR just bung in PNP right away. At that point, we were in the "don't contact us for 8 months" stage. Contacted them after 8 months - a few weeks later we were getting a 6-12 month letter so I am glad we started our PNP when we did as we are now six months into that process.

The gamble for us was on losing the fee - which we did.

If you are able to sit it out on TWP indefinitely then that might be enough for you. For us, we threw another application in as we are struggling with life on hold here and just need to get a decision asap.

Good luck with whatever you decide!

misskatpaw

Yes, our ecas was updated to 'decision made' the other day...4 months after doing medicals and 2 months after getting Visa's!

I managed to get an email to CIC and having been away from the internet for 5 days, i returned to find the reply, "Processing is complete and as you say, visas have been issued. We do not administer ecas, but can confirm that there are no changes to your application that require any attention."

Phew

misskatpaw

Hiya,

We are over on a 22 day holiday and haven't activated visa's yet. We are moving over in Sept. I am making employment enquiries while we're hereand am arranging meetings etc. also looking at places to live. Husband has a job to start upon arrival which takes the sting out of it.

Overall though, probably drinking too much beer and spending too much time doing leisure activities

heading-west

I signed up here https://ecas.carroll.org.uk for email updates, it was setup by an expat who was going through all of this and got sick of checking ecas 8 times a day for themselves. Its quite handy ;-)

Sorry to hear you lost your FSW fee, but I'll bet it was worth it to finally have Visa's after such a long and stressful wait. Congratulations.

I'm not feeling to stressed but OH is not eating or sleeping. Poor guy continues to be eaten alive by pesky Blackfly and mosquito. Working outdoors with a net over you is the norm here, but the buggers still get inside to have a good chew on your tasty flesh.

OH has is main applicant as NOC 7215, he is currently working in a woodshop as a machinist.
My SOWP gave me the flexibility to work for myself (metaphysical work), and also land myself a full time job at Laughing Whale Coffee. I love what I do.

Our TWP status is good until Jan 2014 so we still have pleny of time regarding our FSW file. And at the end of the day we are here living in Canada which we love!

Kaye5

Sadly we don't have visas yet - we are merely in two queues rather than one! Tough about the lost fee, we could have done with the money, but that's just the way it goes.

I am hopeful of getting the PNP decision before 2012 is out, though.

Well, given you have TWP until Jan 2014 the optimist in me says that's enough time to get FSW1 through to decision stage. You could always look into PNP in the meantime, so you can be ready to roll with it if FSW decision is negative - or if there's more news increasing the timescale for processing.

Good luck - maybe we will see you in the south shore one day soon!

heading-west

My mistake about your PNP visas, must have you confused with someone else. I would expect you to be processed quite quickly through that route though.

re: Meeting up...that will be awesome! we are living in the New Germany area, and I work in 'Downtown' Lunenburg We love the South Shore

Kaye5

Here's hoping! Just grateful we were given an alternative route.

You're on for a meet up! If/when we get visas - you'll probably be able to hear me all the way from Scotland to Lunenburg.

Watch this space!

kat-b

[QUOTE=heading-west;10061553]I signed up here https://ecas.carroll.org.uk for email updates, it was setup by an expat who was going through all of this and got sick of checking ecas 8 times a day for themselves. Its quite handy ;-)



Hi. Thanks for that. I just signed up :-) wish I would get an email alerting me to a med request! ;-)

james.mc

I signed up with ecas.carroll.org.uk about a year back. It as that system that alerted me by email the moment e-CAS was updated on 08/05/2012 by CIC (or whomever administers e-CAS ) Still didn't stop me physically checking e-CAS from time to time though

Still waiting for the letter from the Visa office on 'Decision made' on 08/05/2012

Talk about being left out on a limb feeling in a state of flux!

kat-b

I see you went into process a few days before decision made so I guess mine could still change to decision made later...... Think we are all feeling out on a limb a bit! I am definitely going to ask for my CAIPS notes, see if that gives me any additional info as to what this recent 'in process' actually means! Good luck :-)

james.mc

Cheer kat-b

Good luck to you too.

Asabani

I don't know what to make of this:

Federal Skilled Worker Cap Reached
As of yesterday, 8 May 2012, the maximum number of 10,000 Federal Skilled Worker applications has been reached. This cap on applications has been put in place for individuals applying under one of the 29 eligible occupations being targeted by Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
Unless new Ministerial instructions are received, the cap will re-open on 1 July 2012.

This limit does not apply to all applicants to the Federal Skilled Worker program. Those with an offer of arranged employment are still welcome to apply. Individuals who are pursuing or have completed a PhD program in Canada may still apply as well. The cap for PhD applicants is 1,000, and currently 657 applications to this stream have been received.

I suspect with new ministrial code the priority will change to new applicants and this waiting game will go on again and again..............