boxerdog03

You could train as a nurse (3 yrs), and be working there in less time than waiting for SW route.

I must admit I do feel a bit guilty, knowing people are having to wait 20 wks

scottandsara

A bit more news (looks like good news for you gryph!) :-

I phoned HRSDC Edmonton & they said that they are working on lmo's from the end of April - they said May should be started in about 2-3 weeks.

Not much useful information, but information none the less!

Scott

gryphea

Brilliant news- well done Scott for chasing up! So it sounds like for us it could be any time between now and three weeks! Which is pretty much what they had said but its nice to know its not a load of porkies.

Gryph

scottandsara

I was just looking for consistency in there information - it seems a lot more realistic now that they've stopped saying they're processiung the 1st week in April!

gryphea

I know and the timeline is the same as the 19-20 weeks timeline they told our employer two/three weeks ago now. So it looks like it may be reliable!!!

Judeandandy

We are now on Week 18, our LMO application was put in around the 19th April. The immigration lawyer that my husband's boss-to-be uses estimated 8weeks... If we hadn't found this website and seen how long it was taking everyone else, I think we would have gone mad checking the emails every night.

So hopefully we'll all get there soon. Looking on the bright side, I have bought a ski jacket, should be there in time for the start of the ski season!

geo4

Which Labour office did you send it off to in Canada? Or was it done through London?

Judeandandy

I assume it was Edmonton. The employer sorted it all out, he is based in Calgary.

geo4

Right-O. Not many going through Ontario it seems, and the wait times seem alot less severe.

You'd think they would try and leverage Ontario and the other less backlogged offices to get some effieciencies going. It must be awful for those already in the country who are coming to the end of their current Visa's.

Limbo is never fun.

Judeandandy

I know, or maybe draft in extra staff short term to work through the backlogs.

Playing the waiting game is not fun at all. Can't imagine what is happening with those already in Canada waiting for renewals. People must be applying 6months in advance for a year's permit? We are hoping that if Andy's job works out, his employer will help us with the Alberta Provincial Nominee Program.

gryphea

Ahh you are 8 days ahead of us, which means like scot we are now watching you to know what our chances are!!!

I see you are going to calgary so maybe we'll be arriving around the same time as you!

Judeandandy

Yeah, it's all very exciting! We chose Calgary so we can be near the Rockies. Thought we'd get a bit of camping / hiking in over the summer but it looks like we'll be skiing when we arrive instead!

Have you applied for work permits yet? That is taking 4-6 weeks apparently. I have noticed that some people have applied concurrently with the LMO application but we didn't realise you could do that.

gryphea

WE have applid concurrently but as of 7th spetember they can, if they are being arsey , throw it out due to 90 day limit from their letter. We have written to them and hope they don't. You could sling a concurrent application in now and it would save you a couple of weeks

Gryph

Judeandandy

Yeah, I saw that about the 90 day limit. Hope it works out, there must be a lot of people in the same boat so I am sure that they will take that into account.

We can't really do anything now about putting the application in, unfortunately. Andy is self employed here and has booked in work to cover us for the next two months. I wish I had realised sooner that we could do that. It is pretty hard finding all the relevant info, it seems to be spread all over the place. After your last post I googled 'concurrent LMO workpermit Canada' and like magic the appropriate CIC page appeared!

I have to say, we only found this British Expats site about a month ago, if we had known about it before I think we would have picked up a lot of useful information.

peachgary

This is good news for me as well because i was starting to get stressed
with not knowing my timeline.
I was filed on the 9th of june so i guess i will still have about 6-8 weeks
left which is good news for me as i give me more time to sell my home
Lethbridge here i come yehaa!