Well, we finally heard from CHC re. my hubby's TEF results, and the answer is no. He didn't pass the TEF. CHC have closed our file now, so we've come to the end of the road for our SW application after 2 years and 4 months.

We're not sure where we go from here. We were 2 points short of the passmark. When we've got over the initial shock we'll look at other options such as WP and PNP in other Provinces. We were originally looking at Calgary, but seeing the way property prices are shooting up there at present we may well look elsewhere.

I want to thank peeps on this forum for their support over the past year, when things first started to look rocky regarding our application. You know who you are I've had a few tonight. Still feel like s**t though Life sucks sometimes........

I'm sorry to hear your news, yes life does suck sometimes.

maybe once you have regrouped you can find another way.

take care

Sorry to hear of your knock back. It's hard to get so far down the road and then get rejected.
Don't give all hope just yet.
Do look at the PNPs they are willing to accept us lesser mortals.

Pennyhp

Really sorry to hear your sad news.
Sleep on it, get over the hangover and then see what other options are open to you.
Chin up.
Take care
Sonia

Sorry, it happens. But are you sure that you didn't have any other option to raise your points score? Did you prepare application for substitute evaluation? It really sucks being only 2 points short and got rejected. Please don't get me wrong here, but I think that you missed the boat, maybe more than once...

Claiming French rarely works in getting enough extra points if proficiency is not good in French. You had so much time (and so much support here) to make it right that it is hard to digest bad news now.

Really Sorry to hear your News.. ..We wish you Luck and hope that you eventually make it.

Best Wishes

Frankie and Family

I am absolutely gutted for you .. don't really know what else to say, except that it's Canadas loss ...

Oh what awful news!

I am so upset for you. You have tried so hard and to have waited so long and then to be refused really stinks!

Take some time out now and then when you are ready, have a look at some of the other ways of achieving your dream.

Good Luck Michelle.

Thanks to everyone for your kind words, I really appreciate them at the moment.

Andrew, thank you also. I will say we were naive in some aspects of our application, but will put that down to experience.

What I don't expect (and have kept quiet about until now) is to be given the wrong information by a visa officer, which is what happened to us. Before we applied in 2003, we had our points assessed by a VO at Sandown to see if we reached the required passmark. The VO told us that my husband would get 20 points for his education because he had stayed on at school until the age of 18 and had taken A Levels. DH told her that he had failed these A Levels but she said it didn't matter as "It showed he had reached that level of education" to quote the exact words spoken. DH also attended College p/t over 2 years for a HNC in computing. When asked about my education I said I'd reached A Level standard, having studied at College a few years previous, so I was told I would get 3 points for that. As you already know, this is incorrect as A Levels are not seen as post-secondary education by CHC. I didn't know this as I believed the VO and didn't check further (which I should've done). She said we had 70 points so would get in. So, we filled out the forms and sent off our application. DH also said he had basic French Proficiency, to make sure we were past the pass mark.

Our problems began a year ago when CHC wrote to us for more info. about our education and we got a rejection letter in April. They knocked DH down to 15 points for his education as he had not passed his A Levels at school. He even sent in school reports from the 6th form, but they still wouldn't budge on the points and treated him like he'd left school at 16. In the same letter they said they wouldn't give me the 3 points as my A Levels were not post-secondary (contrary to what I was told by the VO). Luckily, I had another card to play. I had also studied for an NVQ, which was post-secondary and sent them a letter from the college and exam board to prove this. They agreed and awarded us the 3 points. However, DH still had to sit the TEF, which he did twice. CHC didn't have to give us 2 chances but they did and we appreciated that. It is a very hard test, above A Level standard.

So, what did we learn from this?

It's brought hubby and I closer together.

CHC are human and make mistakes - usually to the applicants cost (frustratingly so).

Check and double check what they tell you in person by looking at the forms/handbook, otherwise you will end up wasting precious time like us.

Make sure you really do have the education to gain the points. If not, study to make sure you do over the next 4 years. This is more than enough time to get a degree. Make sure it is compatable over there and you can get a job. If you can't take the time out then go for WP (not as secure as PR though).

When we first applied, we should've tried to get a WP and get 10 extra points that way.

You find out who your true family and friends are. We're currently estranged from my hubby's parents. We've seen them in their true colours and they're not pretty. Things will never be the same with them.

I think we have 3 options left open to us. We can apply for a transfer via DH's work (his company was recently taken over by a US co.) and they have offices in Calgary and Toronto). Or we look at WP and PNP routes.

Enough rambling from me now. Any other ideas out there?

Hind sight is a wonderful thing.
Don't beat yourselves up too much though. Keep that positive attitude. Research all those options and work out which would be best for you and your family.

I admire your tenacity! People like you deserve to succeed.

Take care.

Hi Michelle - echo Woodstock's comments. So sorry to read your news - hope you find a solution. You really do deserve to win through.

J x

Thanks for posting what should be a huge warning to all attending various seminars (not only Sandown) and rely on any information provided there by "visa officers" - the sad reality is that those guys and gals running shows in many cases know even less than phone operators in CIC Call Centre (phone operators are not even immigration officers).

Intra-company transfer is a great option to get your foot here, providing that you guys can qualify.

I am so sorry to hear that! I hope you guys are able to get hold of another way and make it to Canada.... Cheer up and hopefully things will start to look bright!!!!
Good Luck.

Thanks for enlightening me Andrew. I really 'was naive'. I hope others read this as I was under the illusion that I was speaking to a 'real visa officer' at the shows my family and I attended Instead they unleash a bunch of peeps on us unknowing public who think they are a 'mine of info'. That really sucks!

Does this menagere of staff include the CHC office cleaner and admin. assistant who attend Sandown for a staff jolly? Can I do them under the Trades Descriptions Act for misrepresentation? (sorry, dry humour coming out there)

I feel for you. We are just waiting for our rejection to come through in about 18months / 2 years time if I don't get a job in the meantime so I can understand your feelings. For us, life is going on as we are moving to the Cotswolds shortly ( hopefully ) and if the big C doesn't come through then we are well placed to carry on enjoying life. That's the way I look at it. We are still in constant contact with my cousins in New Brunswick and will be until we die.

Have another on me