You know, I was just thinking today that it would be nice if they would at
least let you change your temporary resident visa to a study permit while
you await your long PR process.
I have a Bachelor of Business Administration, but I don't know how to use JD
Edwards or Simply Accounting. Both seem to be widely used in Canada, based
on the classified ads I've read. I'm in Calgary, and I could have taken a
couple of courses pretty inexpensively at Bow Valley College. Not only
would it have helped passed the time while I couldn't work, but it would
have helped me to better integrate into the Canadian job market once I
finally got my PR. I guess I could have tried to change to a study permit,
but I thought that would constitute dual intent. Now that I will have my PR
soon, I can't afford to take more time and go to school. I need to find a
job ASAP.
Anyway, I understand your frustration completely, especially because I got
stuck in such a long processing period. I admit that I'm annoyed that they
somehow lowered the estimates so quickly after my case went through.
There's nothing any of us can do to speed it up though, so I just try to
look beyond the year of transition and think how grateful I am about the
rest of my life. I still had my grumbly days when I was far from the CIC
estimate, but I think we all do. It's rough when it feels like someone else
is controlling your life in so many ways. It would have probably been worse
if my husband decided to move to the U.S. for me. I love Calgary so much
that there was never any question that I would be moving.
I understand your frustrations about income too. We've been living on one
income for a year now, and our savings account is half of what it was when I
moved here. Add to that the money I left in my U.S. checking account
because I didn't have a Canadian credit card yet. It's a good thing I had
some money from selling a U.S. property, because otherwise it would be very
difficult to live for this long on one income. Not everyone is a corporate
executive - and neither of us are. We're both administrative support
personnel, and we need two incomes to cover all the bills. We live very
spartanly too. I fret over whether I should spend two bus tickets if I
might be able to walk somewhere. We're not cheap, we're just wanting to
live within our means, and for the past year, that ain't much if we don't
want to drain our savings.
Best wishes for your case!
Renee :)
__________________
Inland Spouse Timeline so far (U.S. Citizen):
19 Feb 2003: Moved to Calgary from U.S. on 6 month TRV
12 May 2003: Did medicals in Calgary
20 June 2003: Applied for TRV extension
5 July 2003: Wedding Date
18 July 2003: CIC received inland spouse PR application
15 Aug 2003: Received 6 month TRV extension
20 Aug 2003: CIC request for work history dates (which were sent with
application)
21 Aug 2003: CIC received work history reply by overnight post
4 Sept 2003: CIC e-Client finally shows "in process"
21 Nov 2003: Applied for second TRV extension
16 Jan 2004: Received second 6 month TRV extension
17 Feb 2004: e-Client says DECISION MADE! 215 days wait - in line with
processing estimates
23 Feb 2004: Received AIP & application completed letters by mail
25 Feb 2004: Chris received sponsorship approval letter
9 Mar 2004: Received landing interview date (April 1)
"Kandice" <> wrote in message
news:eI84c.780508$ts4.294753@pd7tw3no...
> Well thanks a lot for the answer..I still would call them anything but
> quick...in fact I find it appaling that for 1500 dollars they give you a
> sleazy service like that...What do they expect me to do? I cant work but
> they dont want me to be criminal. There is only one choice then..my wife
has
> to work for both of us. So practically they punish her that she married a
> foreigner....nice multicultural canada eh?
> I wish you all the best on your interview
> "Renee" <reneeno.spam.@shaw.spamguard.ca> wrote in message
> news:l334c.777089$ts4.328850@pd7tw3no...
> > My timeline is below. I will not be finished with the entire PR process
> > until my landing interview occurs on April 1.
> >
> > Good luck. For what it's worth, I just got my AIP and application
> completed
> > letters issued on February 16 (215 days after my application date), and
> the
> > CIC estimate at that time was 216 days. I don't know how they've
managed
> to
> > reduce the wait to 157 days so quickly....but I think that's a good sign
> for
> > other inland applicants. I seem to have gotten stuck in the longest
> > processing time since the inland spouse category was created. Lucky
> me...no
> > matter, I'm just glad to be almost done, and thankful for a positive
> > decision. My case may have taken longer, but I truly am lucky on a
> grander
> > scale than just counting days.
> >
> > As Andrew Miller rightfully says in this forum on a regular basis - each
> > case is different. Your timeline may not be the same as mine. I am
only
> > offering it as an example of a recent inland spouse case.
> >
> > Renee :)
> >
> > --
> > Inland Spouse Timeline so far (U.S. Citizen):
> > 19 Feb 2003: Moved to Calgary from U.S. on 6 month TRV
> > 12 May 2003: Did medicals in Calgary
> > 20 June 2003: Applied for TRV extension
> > 5 July 2003: Wedding Date
> > 18 July 2003: CIC received inland spouse PR application
> > 15 Aug 2003: Received 6 month TRV extension
> > 20 Aug 2003: CIC request for work history dates (which were sent with
> > application)
> > 21 Aug 2003: CIC received work history reply by overnight post
> > 4 Sept 2003: CIC e-Client finally shows "in process"
> > 21 Nov 2003: Applied for second TRV extension
> > 16 Jan 2004: Received second 6 month TRV extension
> > 17 Feb 2004: e-Client says DECISION MADE! 215 days wait - in line with
> > processing estimates
> > 23 Feb 2004: Received AIP & application completed letters by mail
> > 25 Feb 2004: Chris received sponsorship approval letter
> > 9 Mar 2004: Received landing interview date (April 1)
> >
> >
> > "Kandice" <> wrote in message
> > news:1w24c.26620$Up2.9192@pd7tw1no...
> > > Could somebody tell me how long it will take to get the actual PR
status
> > > nowadays...Not the posted AIP , i see its 156 days but the whole
thing.
> > > I heard so many different numbers that im confused
> > > THanks a lot for the help everybody
> > > And good luck for all
> > >
> > > Arpi
> > >
> > >
> >
> >