SchnookoLoly

The 7 months quoted is a slightly misleading stat - it's something like 80% of applications are approved within 7 months... or something along those lines. Actual timings are more like 3ish months, and as I said, recent timelines appear to be more like 2 months (look at the last 10 or so pages of this thread).

For time to land in Canada, you have to do your landing, in person, in Canada, either within 1 year from when you had your medicals done, or the expiry of your passport, whichever comes first. (In our case, my husband had his medicals done on December 13th 2011, and his passport is valid until 2021, so we have until December 12th 2012 to land.)

Don't forget the distinction between landing and actually moving - there are differences, basically you can land and then return to the UK to wrap up affairs etc (which we will be doing - planning to move summer 2013), but the clock to keep your residency starts when you land (the 730 days in Canada within 5 years of activating residency). All this information is on the wiki if you need more detail; would be a good place to start reading more about the specifics, then feel free to ask more detailed questions!

JakeCanada

I noticed that some people have had their sponsor approved who sent theirs in june, mine was sent in may.. is this normal for me to be waiting longer than someone who sent later? Or should I be worrying?

SchnookoLoly

Nope, don't start worrying until the date reported on the CIC website has passed. I don't have the link handy, but if you look at their "progress" page, it will have something like "Current processing time: x days. Working on applications received on [date]."

Ignore the first part about x days processing because even CIC will tell you it's not accurate. Instead, look at the date for "Working on applications received on [date]" - once your date passes (that's the date CPC-M received your application, NOT the date you sent it), then phone up CIC and ask for an update. Calling before your date passes won't get you anywhere.

HTH!

exenglishman

Best advice I can give you for this whole process - Dont base your applications timelines using timelines of others. I did this and you just worry yourself silly something is wrong when it quite probably isnt (right, schnookololy? lol). There a alot of factors that could mean you application takes longer than someone else's who sent theirs after you, be it their situation, the pile its in, the visa officer processing it, visa officer vacations/days off.

A good average timeline for sponsorship approval is 2/3 months and a good avergae for London PR approval is also 2/3 months. As long as your in these your proably fine, the official timeliens are much longer but most dont ever have theirs take that long

SchnookoLoly

Pretty much spot on, this one. Basically, the only way to survive is to NOT obsess about it - as hard as that is! Keep an eye on other people who have similar timelines to you... back in Octoberish last year, CIC was processing applications really quickly - sponsor approval was coming in in as little as 2 months in some cases. Those of us who applied in January (coughchriscough) then pretty much OBSESSED over timelines. Really, it was just that they'd slowed down around Christmas, and timelines went up to about 3 months. They do seem to be really good about processing applications chronologically, hence my comment to keep an eye on people with similar timelines.

However, everyone's cases are different, and sometimes, CIC makes mistakes - Chris can talk LOTS about that part!

And anyway, for my husband receiving his COPR, he received the email a full two days before ECAS updated - so my checking completely didn't matter as it told me nothing.

Honestly, ECAS just causes more problems than it helps!!

exenglishman

I can second that eCas shouldnt be followed for accurate timelines and the updates that go on there vary for all applications. For example mine didnt updated with 'medical results have been received' until about 3 days before it started processing. Other people have seen theirs on there as soon as sponsorship approval is done, so no pattern!

Anyway COPR arrived in a big brown envolope yesterday. A rather un-exciting document for the amount of time/money/effort that was put in. But I guess its the future prospects that count!

Going to Flagpole tomorrow at Ogdensburg/Prescott (closest entry point to Ottawa) tomorrow. A quick trip to Walmart in the states then back to get my PR. Hoping that they dont charge me duty on my beer again, last time I activated my IEC here they didnt make me pay as sort of a congrats thing

Former Lancastrian

Pick a busy time of day to flagpole then less chance of having to pay the taxes on the beer Scratch that idea you are already in the office so might as well make you pay

exenglishman

haha well this is what I thought last time, its two different line ups though, and I said to the guy after he activated my IEC 'now do I line up and pay for my duty?' and he said 'nope your good, you can leave'. I doublechecked and he said, nope just go before I change my mind and smiled lol.

exenglishman

Flapoled yesterday. Was in the states literally 45 minutes (all spent in Walmart) and then returned. I didn't mention Landing on the way over as I didn't want a administrative refusual on my passport to the states, said we were going over to shop (was with 2 Canadians too) On re-entry to Canada it was a very simple process, just said I was landing. Had to go inside and wait for the guy that saw us a the booth. Was probably waiting around 15-20 minutes (I guess they had to find someone to cover him). It was dead quiet (this was at 9am on a Sat morning) 3 other officers punching things into computers but couldn't help, had to be the original guy we saw. He called me up, Took my papers and my address for PR card, made me sign COPR, sat me down for another 5 minutes, called me back up, stapled COPR in my passport, he congratulated me and that was it. He didn't question me about the fact my IEC had run out a week earlier.. and my Visitor record application wouldn't of even been opened yet as I only submitted it on the 12th July and the waiting period is over 30 days - Was surprised this wasn't mentioned really!

Couple of things, he had never seen COPR like this before, he was used to the the visa copies in the passports he said, guessing this was because of the port of entry I used though (Prescott/Ogdensburg). He also said with the COPR in my passport I'm fine for land border crossings but by plane it wont be accepted - will have to wait for my PR card. Question about this (which I should of asked) Do I have to keep that gigantic folder bit of paper in my passport permanently now?

Oh and most importantly he did make me pay taxes on my beer Got a 6 litre keg for $17 and 12 bottles for $10, saved a fair amount!

carley_jackson

Congrats! We've heard NOTHING and was received in Mississauga the same day.......*feels terribly sick*

stuabroad

Still shows April 30th...best not to look at the clock

stuabroad

Just had the email to confirm First Stage Sponsor Approval!

Hopefully not long to go!

Happy Days!!!

usewes

Just got PR approval! London just sent us an email today. COPR is in the post. Great timing too, as we are going on holiday to Canada in a few weeks! Glad its finally over.

Good luck to everyone else still waiting!

BTW...eCas is still showing as 'Application Received'

JennyFox

Congrats!! Hopefully this means ours will be next

Former Lancastrian

Once you get your PR card you can remove the COPR form from the passport but DONT throw it away as you will need it in about 35 years when you start claiming OAS etc.