February 2012 Visa Bulletin - Are You Ready For Ministerial Instruction 5?
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Are you ready for Ministerial Instruction 5 (MI-5)?
On or before July 1, 2012, a new Ministerial Instruction is expected to be issued by Canada's Immigration Minister. This Ministerial Instruction 5 (MI-5) will provide details about the priority occupations to be processed under the Federal Skilled Worker program.
Good News Might Be On The Way, Are You Ready?
Anybody who wants to have a bright future has to make plans. They plan how they are going to get ahead in life. They take charge of their life. They use the resources available to them to their advantage to get ahead in life.
For the Federal Skilled Workers (FSW) program, a new list of priority occupations will be identified. The sentiment is, more occupations will open in the future but they will also close quickly. You will be competing against millions of applicants around the world for immigrant visas to Canada. You need to be ready!
Let Us Get Your Application Ready for July 2012
Here’s what you must do to get your application ready for filing on July 1, 2012.1. Fill up the online application forms using CIC Client Portal (http://clients.go2canada.com). If you don’t have your online access or you forgot your password, please get in touch with your assigned Agent.
2. Submit required documents for checking. Attached is a checklist for your reference.
3. Send your job description for review. You need to document your work experience within the last 10 years and your employment certificate must include a detailed job description. We need to review and enhance your job description before you have it signed by your employers. Please use the attached JD format.
4. Schedule your IELTS Examination. Take the General Training Module. It is highly recommended for you to undergo formal IELTS review before taking the exam.
5. Get your settlement funds ready.
6. Your target should be to get your application forms and documents ready for filing as early as June 2012.
Option for Applications Filed Before Feb 27, 2008
If your application permanent residence in Canada under Federal Skill Worker program was filed before February 27, 2008, you are understandably disappointed the way Citizenship and Immigration Canada treated your application. Current processing time for your application is now 82 months.
If you are still interested to Immigrate to Canada and you want an expedited process, you should also get your application forms and documents ready. Without withdrawing your application, you may file a new application if your job classification is included in the 2012 priority occupations. Once approved, you may then withdraw the previous application and possibly get a visa processing fee refund.
What's NEW?
Damascus Visa Office Temporarily Closed
Because of the continuing violence in Syria, the government of Canada decided to close the Visa and Immigration Section at the Canadian Embassy in Damascus is losed and services have been transferred to neighbouring visa offices.
How To Get Police Certificate From Australia
For purposes of Immigrant Visa application to Canada, a police certificate or police clearance from Australia is required if you stayed there for 6 months or more. You need to get Standard Disclosure – name check from Australian Federal Police, not the police certificate issued by state police authority.
Manila Visa Office FSW Processing Updates
Pre-Feb 27, 2008 FSW Applications
Applications filed before February 27, 2008 are those filed mostly using the Simplified Application Process. Current proceesing period for this batch is 82 months. Canadian Visa Office in Manila is currently processing applications filed November 25, 2004.
Ministerial Instruction 1 (MI-1)
MI-1 applications are those filed at Centralized Intake Office from Feb 28, 2008 to June 25, 2010. Applicants under this batch are those with at least one year experience in of the 38 high demand occupations. They were originally promised 6-12 months processing period. The promised processing period materialized only during the first few months but since there's no limit on the number of applications to be received, it resulted to unanticpated backlogs. Current processing time under this batch is 17 months. The latest notice we received under this batch was for application filed (documents submitted to Visa Office after CIO assessment) November 20, 2010. . Also noted is the delay in passport request/visa notice after the medical examination is done. The latest to received visa for this batch was an application submitted to Visa Office on Sept 27, 2010.
Ministerial Instruction 2 (MI-2)
MI-2 applications are those filed at Centralized Intake Office from June 26, 2010 to June 30, 2011. Applicants under this batch are those with at least one year experience in any of the 29 in-demand occupations and were promised 6-12 months processing period. There's a cap of 1,000 applications per occupation, and the Canadian Visa Office in Manila is current so far. The latest who received Medical Examination requests under this group are those who received posistive assessment from CIO dated September 1, 2011. No movement for almost a month now.
Ministerial Instruction 3 (MI-3)
MI-3 applications are those filed at Centralized Intake Office from July 1, 2011 to present. The latest assessment notice we have received so far are for those filed November 11, 2011. The latest application which received Medical Instruction was application filed September 24, 2011. The said medical notice was received February 3, 2012, less than 2 months after the assessment notice was recived from CIO.
Under this batch, several applications under the job classification of Registered Nurses, Pharmacists and Professional Occupations in Business Services to Management that were returned unprocessed due to the cap being already reached at the time application was received by CIO.
