Vwera

Draft? That doesn't mean payment does it? You do know you don't pay for the NS part of the immigration right?

Jaydog

I think he means he's done the draft copy for us to check before submitting.

Smudger75

[QUOTE=Vwera;10654341]Wow!!! I guess we all just have to pray and keep our
The RDAs have indeed been shut down. That much I know cos the lady at the RDA that gave us the letter of identification is out of her job now because her RDA was shut down!
I think your friends did the right thing! Do they already live in NS perhaps on a work permit or they are just visiting?
When we heard they were shutting down at the end of March, my hubby jumped on a plane and headed to NS but couldn't submit till 2nd of April due to the Easter hols.
I am crossing my fingers for us and your friends. I do hope we get a letter acknowledging receipt of our applications soon!
Best of luck![/QUOTE
Hi I read your post and I'm shocked to hear the RDAs have shut down. We had megatons with Truro, Halifax and East Hants back 2009!

wbexpat

[QUOTE=Smudger75;10658512] In terms of my friends, they were already living here due to earlier work permit. The job didn't work out but the work permit remained. They didn't pass muster for any of the other classes (not even Canadian Experience) hence CI to the rescue. They have loads letters of support. Their community really rallied round when it mattered.

The RDAs will formally be replaced by things called RENs ("Regional E-something Network"s?) sometime in Q2 or Q3 it seems. Right now there are people answering the phones at the RDAs but functionally they are finished and their people are being transitioned into other govt jobs, the embryonic RENs, retirement or the street depending on their seniority and skills.

I liked the work my local RDA did not only for us newcomers but also for local business and the community. Of course there are always things that could have been done better but in general terms they did good work.

6 weeks until community identified ends, folks. Get busy with those forms.

Vwera

Get on with it then! There are loads of forms to fill. Have you filled them? He can't do those for you!
You heard expat...six weeks before the CI route closes for good! Get cracking mate! for you. Cheers

Vwera

[QUOTE=wbexpat;10658671] Well, here's to hoping Regional E-something Network works as good as the RDA. The lady at our RDA was super! Now she is out of work . I feel terrible for her because she didn't see it coming. Others were transitioned but maybe her age didn't help much. Shame though!
Anyway, hope we all get our nominations soon and move on to the federal stage.

christmasoompa

He should do, that's what immigration consultants are there for!

wbexpat

I filled them in myself.
It's the only way to be sure and it save the forms waiting in the consultants inbox, outbox etc. Also saves timezone snafus and proof-read cycles. Immig consultants will send you the forms to proof read and sign off. By mail. Meanwhile the days go by...

If you like the consultant route, by all means use it. But fill in a set of forms yourself too in case he doesn't come through for you. This is too important to leave to someone else IMHO.

Vwera

Yup!!!

Vwera

Good news everyone! The NSNP sent us a mail that our application has reached the processing stage! It's small news but its exciting all the same!

Vwera

But you still have to send him all the details though and it's a lot! Your travel history, additional family information etc
We had very little sleep for days putting all those together! A lot of work!

wbexpat

Update:

So my friends' pack which went in on April 13th has been accepted and given a case number. The ETA for a decision is 8-12 weeks "due to a backlog" - presumably due to everyone trying to beat the May 31 deadline.

But get this: my friends were initially denied because they did not have an RDA letter. The following conversation ensured (I paraphrase):

Friend: "denied?"
Clerk: "Yes because you don't have a letter from the RDA".
Friend: "The RDA is closed".
Clerk: "Yes, I know".
Friend: "So how do I go about getting a letter from the RDA if it's closed".
Clerk: "?"
Friend: "What do you need me to do? Tell me what you need me to do and I'll do it".
Clerk: "Putting you through to my manager".
Manager: "Ive flicked through your application and it looks good, here's a case#"
Friend: "Thanks"

The point I'm trying to get across is that there still appears to be some miscommunication and/or confusion about what exactly the process is now the RDAs are gone.

So here's what I would do if I were applying again:

(a) get it in before May 31 2013, obviously.
(b) be sure you qualify (ie, no job offers etc in the pipelines - meaning skilled worker)
(c) in lieu of RDA get as many direct community support letters as you can
(d) be super-organised, neat and complete with the application pack
(e) enclose an additional explanatory note (where the RDA letter should be) that acknowledges and apologises for the lack of an RDA letter and that goes into why, so the clerk gets a headsup.
(f) stick to your guns and ask the clerk to double check with regard to the RDA letter.

Good luck folks. 5 weeks left.

Vwera

Wow!!! There sure is a lot of confusion about it!
Congratulations to your friend though. A little step in a very right direction!
Thanks Wbexpat

Paul Wildy

[QUOTE=wbexpat;10658671] I just wanted to add to this for the benefit of those who might be panicking...

My understanding (having spoken to NS Immigration a few times now) is that the Community Identified Stream is NOT going to close.

Yes, the RDAs have closed and that means there is at the moment nobody to interview applicants or to write a "letter of identification". Therefore as an interim measure Nova Scotia Immigration are accepting applications without the approval of the RDA and are expecting applicants to supply the sort of information and supporting documents that would have been shown to an RDA to demonstrate community connections to them along with the application instead.

I believe that a new agency is going to be appointed to assume the role of the RDAs and possibly interview applicants and write letters of identification and who this will be has yet to be announced. The program will also be revised as of the beginning of June and some new criteria will be introduced. But in general most people who were eligible under the current program will still be eligible under the new program.

Hope that helps.

wbexpat

[QUOTE=Paul Wildy;10686866]
This is generally what I've heard except for the May 31 date.

The impression I was left with was CI in its current form was going away to be replaced by something CI-like but that takes into account local labour markets and that uses the RDA replacement quangos as applicants' first point of contact into the new process.

However May31 is only 4 weeks away and I haven't heard any concrete plans/details/dates about what comes after.

Therefore, as I see it, the options are:
(a) apply now using the familiar NSPNP-CI or
(b) wait an indeterminate amount of time for an as yet unelaborated new-CI

Paul and I therefore have slightly different information. My credentials are an a 2008 CI "winner" and helper of friends with their recent CI. Paul is an immigration consultant. This on balance makes his information more reliable than mine.

However my observation is that there is a lot of confusion even amongst the RDAs and NSPNP staff. So anyone applying not only needs to be sure they know the process. They also need to be prepared to potentially deal with someone who doesn't or is mistaken.

My instinct as an applicant would be to find out:
(a) when NSPNP-CI will cease to be in its current form (if not May31)
(b) when the new CI and RDA replacements ("RENs") will be up and running
(c) what the NSPNP-CI involves exactly. Paul says "most" people should be good to it would be good to know what "most" means in practical terms.