MikeBrit

Presumably with just 144 places remaining, according to the website, it is too late to apply now, as would also have to apply for an ACRO certificate first?

BritishExpatriate

The ACPO certificate needs to be less than 12 months old. That means if you put time and money into getting an ACPO certificate now and you're application isn't successful because you're too late, you wouldn't have lost anything because you could use the same one to apply for IEC 2013 in December/January when it opens up again. Also, if you are too late, you're application pack will be sent back to you, which means you can then use it if you want to apply instead for a working holiday in New Zealand or Australia.

If you want to apply for IEC 2012 I it's still worth trying. But pay the extra £35 for the premium ACPO service and send it tomorrow with RM Special Delivery, ideally guaranteed for Monday delivery by 9am. You could have it back + you're application at the High Commission by Wednesday to Thursday next week, at which time there may well still be a few IEC places left. Good luck!

MikeBrit

Sadly I think circumstances mean I would not be able to apply until June 1st.

Is there any likelihood of further places being made available later in the year, or is it the case that once those 144 run out, that's it until January?

Jennika

It is £80 for the premium service, £35 for regular service I'm pretty sure!

I sent away for my police certificate on tues, got it on fri the same week (using the premium service and 1st class delivery) and sent my whole application away by saturday - so it is possible if you are quick!

dan09uk

do people who are applying for a second IEC visa have to wait longer for their LOIs than people getting their first IEC visa? Do they run more checks on people who have been in canada longer?

Meialin

I thought the LOI would look different but today I got an email saying my work permit was here! So YAY!!!!

BritishExpatriate

Premium service is £70, according to the application form.

http://www.acro.police.uk/police_certificates.aspx

BritishExpatriate

Congrats! What did you think it would look like?

Meialin

I thought it would mention the scheme and say welcome to IEC that kind of thing.

BritishExpatriate

It's possible they will run a check against the Canadian criminal records system. The reason I say this is because I believe Canada is the only country whereby if you've lived there for 6 months or more you don't need to provide a criminal record check with your application, which seems to imply that they'll run a check themselves.

Then it's a question of whether or not that check will delay your application. Thinking about it logically, there seems to be no reason at all why the Canadian visa section staff based at the High Commission in London wouldn't have direct access via the internet to Canadian criminal records information.

Unless anyone can suggest a reason why the London based visa staff wouldn't have direct access to Canadian criminal records information and would have to send off for it, I would suggest that they can check it immediately from Grosvenor Street and that your application will take exactly the same amount of time for processing as that of someone who is applying from the United Kingdom.

BritishExpatriate

So did I, but I found out today (10 or so days after receiving the LOI) that the IEC team do send you a welcome letter afterwards with a link to this:
http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca...14_02_2012.pdf

I thought it would look different too, even though it is issued by visa section and not the IEC team, I don't understand why they call it a 'letter of introduction' and not something like 'provisional work/study permit', because what does it introduce you to? The Canadian flag is also in grey, but I assume this is so that people don't worry about going out of their way to get it colour printed, which is fair enough as all the BSO (border services officer) will likely really require will be the UCI number, once he/she has got that I'm sure they can get all the info. about your application including the passport you applied with up on their computer screen...

Meialin

I'm going to be doing the drive down to the border sometime next week so I can re-enter. All I'll need is the letter, passport and bank statement so I'm all set now. Then I can start job hunting :P

BritishExpatriate

Good luck + don't forget they may require proof of medical insurance too!

Former Lancastrian

Once the 144 have gone then thats it until next year.

Meialin

Right, yes I forgot that bit. Thank you.