Canada: IEC 2012 Processing Time Nightmare

jaysuz · 14-03-2012 04:14PM #1

Has anybody got any advice on my situation. I am in Canada on my 1st IEC and it expires on the 1st of May. My application will be sitting in the pile in the London office 4 weeks tomorrow and it hasn't been looked at yet. I'm getting anxious as time is getting tight and I'm hearing nothing but horror stories about people being refused for the payment not showing up in their system after it is paid. Has anyone here in Canada got any success stories on getting their 2nd IEC visa in 2012 and an estimate on processing times? I'd also like to hear any advice on people in Canada who's visa's have expired before the 2nd has been issued. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

DazzlerIE · 14-03-2012 04:16PM

With the timescale you've mentioned, I reckon it'll be tight, but you'll have your visa just in time

not a lot of margin for error

Took them four weeks to acknowledge they had mine, and it's three weeks today since they have, so I posted on Jan 18th, and I haven't passed the first phase yet

it's a disgrace

jaysuz · 14-03-2012 04:27PM

Thanks for that, That's shocking, keep me posting on how it's going for you if you don't mind. Thanks again!

lindzation · 14-03-2012 05:22PM

jaysuz wrote: »

Has anybody got any advice on my situation. I am in Canada on my 1st IEC and it expires on the 1st of May. My application will be sitting in the pile in the London office 4 weeks tomorrow and it hasn't been looked at yet. I'm getting anxious as time is getting tight and I'm hearing nothing but horror stories about people being refused for the payment not showing up in their system after it is paid. Has anyone here in Canada got any success stories on getting their 2nd IEC visa in 2012 and an estimate on processing times? I'd also like to hear any advice on people in Canada who's visa's have expired before the 2nd has been issued. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

My boyfriends first visa expires may 4 - so he is in the same boat as you. He sent in his forms jan 31 and received conf of receipt on march 8.. now waiting on the payment email.. stressin. Like you - we cant really afford to have anything go wrong.

annm2812 · 14-03-2012 05:53PM

my application was deliverd on 20th Feb. hope to hear something this week. a friend of mine was delivered on 17th Feb and got receipt yesterday!
i have flights booked for May... already had a delay with them not being able to read the bar code so hopefully will got smoothly this time!!

Rejected · 14-03-2012 09:43PM

Just wondering has the payment issue been resolved yet or are people still having trouble with that now?

Eutow · 14-03-2012 10:42PM

annm2812 wrote: »

my application was deliverd on 20th Feb. hope to hear something this week. A friend of mine was delivered on 17th Feb and got receipt yesterday!
i have flights booked for May... already had a delay with them not being able to read the bar code so hopefully will got smoothly this time!!

So much for first come, first served. Mine was delivered on the 13th, no confirmation. These people don't give a fu*k. I can picture them now, sitting around watching Through The Keyhole, Deal or No Deal while eating Oh Henry Bars and Reese's.

lindzation · 14-03-2012 11:54PM

Eutow wrote: »

annm2812 wrote: »

my application was deliverd on 20th Feb. hope to hear something this week. A friend of mine was delivered on 17th Feb and got receipt yesterday!
i have flights booked for May... already had a delay with them not being able to read the bar code so hopefully will got smoothly this time!!

So much for first come, first served. Mine was delivered on the 13th, no confirmation. These people don't give a fu*k. I can picture them now, sitting around watching Through The Keyhole, Deal or No Deal while eating Oh Henry Bars and Reese's.

Ohh no - working hard on their computers!! Ie: playing around on facebook!

hellothere1 · 15-03-2012 05:10PM

jaysuz wrote: »

Has anybody got any advice on my situation. I am in Canada on my 1st IEC and it expires on the 1st of May. My application will be sitting in the pile in the London office 4 weeks tomorrow and it hasn't been looked at yet. I'm getting anxious as time is getting tight and I'm hearing nothing but horror stories about people being refused for the payment not showing up in their system after it is paid. Has anyone here in Canada got any success stories on getting their 2nd IEC visa in 2012 and an estimate on processing times? I'd also like to hear any advice on people in Canada who's visa's have expired before the 2nd has been issued. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Feeling your pain. Application was sent in January, tracking said it was delivered in January, didn't get receipt until February saying they hadn't received it until the second week of Feb. Then nothing, e-mailed questions, got no reply, you can't call the department. Eventually got a letter saying it had gone to next phase and to send payment, did that last week, nothing since. It's over 2 months since they received my forms at this stage.

jaysuz · 15-03-2012 05:34PM

I know its torture! Are you in Canada on applying for your 2nd iec work permit? or in Ireland? Best of luck!

hellothere1 · 15-03-2012 05:41PM

jaysuz wrote: »

I know its torture! Are you in Canada on applying for your 2nd iec work permit? or in Ireland? Best of luck!

Canada, they're an absolute disaster, the worst part of it is there doesn't seem to be anyone you can make a complaint with!

I'm really worried about the payment thing, people have been rejected even though they paid the fee. I sent my payment from TD and I'm just hoping everything is ok.

jaysuz · 15-03-2012 05:49PM

I hear ya, I hear there is a problem with the payment not showing up on their system and people are getting refused on this. When does your 1st visa expire if you don't mind me asking? Weather it comes through or not for me, theres one place I'm not going back to! All the best!

hellothere1 · 15-03-2012 05:53PM

jaysuz wrote: »

I hear ya, I hear there is a problem with the payment not showing up on their system and people are getting refused on this. When does your 1st visa expire if you don't mind me asking? Weather it comes through or not for me, theres one place I'm not going back to! All the best!

End of April

Same as that.
Best of luck!

hmmquite · 15-03-2012 06:52PM

I applied at the end of December and still waiting on my LOI

hellothere1 · 15-03-2012 11:01PM

hmmquite wrote: »

I applied at the end of December and still waiting on my LOI

That's unreal, did you get a letter of receipt of application at least? Or did you get a payment request?

hmmquite · 15-03-2012 11:27PM

hellothere1 wrote: »

That's unreal, did you get a letter of receipt of application at least? Or did you get a payment request?

Yesh, all the forms sent off, etc. Since Jan 25th (the final of the forms sent off) I haven't heard a peep

DazzlerIE · 16-03-2012 02:06PM

Just got rejected because my family composition form is missing a signature

I posted my forms two months ago

Now I'm in real danger of not qualifying due to the 18 month rule

ARRGGGHHHHH

Realistically it'll now be May before a decision is made on my app

hellothere1 · 16-03-2012 02:25PM

DazzlerIE wrote: »

Just got rejected because my family composition form is missing a signature

I posted my forms two months ago

Now I'm in real danger of not qualifying due to the 18 month rule

ARRGGGHHHHH

Realistically it'll now be May before a decision is made on my app

Don't panic! When you send the forms back include a letter saying that you had already sent them at a previous date.

When you do get them back make sure you print out a new family composition form, don't just sign it and return it because they won't accept that, it has to be a new form.

DazzlerIE · 16-03-2012 02:28PM

hellothere1 wrote: »

Don't panic! When you send the forms back include a letter saying that you had already sent them at a previous date.

When you do get them back make sure you print out a new family composition form, don't just sign it and return it because they won't accept that, it has to be a new form.

I'm basically going to re-do the entire package, making sure I don't balls anything up

cheers for the advice on the new form though, cool heads are needed right now, and I'm fuming

LYDIABANK · 17-03-2012 08:54PM

Oh god I only sent mine off yesterday! Hope to be going in June. So much for that! :eek:

ninijackson · 22-03-2012 12:43AM

O god i am so stressed! My boyfriend and I both sent off our forms for the IEC on the same day, 4 weeks ago to be exact, I recreived an email today confirming that they got my forms but my boyfriend didnt, should i worry? Also, is a wire transfer difficult to do? ....for paying the participation fee? I heard so many nightmare stories about this participation fee!!! ggrrrr!! aannnd to top it all off, USIT gave both of us a qoute for our flight and insurance and we must pay it by june 30th! but at this rate, and by reading the threads here, im afraid that we wont know if we have been accepted or not by june 30th and theres no way we are going to fork out over a grand for flight and insurace if we dont knoe for certain about our visas!!!!

rant over.........

sorry about the length of my post haha!

rojorolo · 22-03-2012 02:03PM

ninijackson I am totally in the same boat but still waiting for a reply from IEC for a form sent in maybe even a week before yours eeek! When this thing does seem to get sorted *fingers crossed I am planning to use airtransat for flights. They seem inexpensive and the prices dont seem to ramp up so close to the time you fly. maybe try sort your travel insurance out yourself? That way you can bypass USIT or is it too late because you went through them for the visa?

http://www.airtransat.co.uk/en/index.aspx?_$ja=kw:Air+Transat|cgn:Brand|cgid:635160459|tsid:5855|cn:Brand|cid:19182759|lid:97427443|mt:Exact|nw:search|crid:8922541719&gclid=CK-xua_V-q4CFQITfAodK2pRyA

ninijackson · 22-03-2012 04:14PM

rojorolo wrote: »

ninijackson I am totally in the same boat but still waiting for a reply from IEC for a form sent in maybe even a week before yours eeek! When this thing does seem to get sorted *fingers crossed I am planning to use airtransat for flights. They seem inexpensive and the prices dont seem to ramp up so close to the time you fly. maybe try sort your travel insurance out yourself? That way you can bypass USIT or is it too late because you went through them for the visa?

http://www.airtransat.co.uk/en/index.aspx?_$ja=kw:Air+Transat|cgn:Brand|cgid:635160459|tsid:5855|cn:Brand|cid:19182759|lid:97427443|mt:Exact|nw:search|crid:8922541719&gclid=CK-xua_V-q4CFQITfAodK2pRyA

I contacted usit and they said I can change the date of my flight, it's so annoying though! I'm so confused at the whole thing!!!! I'm just hoping it will all work out

this participation fee is freaking me out too !

hellothere1 · 22-03-2012 04:23PM

ninijackson wrote: »

I contacted usit and they said I can change the date of my flight, it's so annoying though! I'm so confused at the whole thing!!!! I'm just hoping it will all work out this participation fee is freaking me out too !

Ignore USIT entirely, you don't have to book your insurance and travel with them. Call them and tell them that you want to arrange these yourself. You will be able to find cheaper options. When I first moved here I arranged that myself and the total cost of a one-way plus insurance plus visa worked out at about 650 quid compared to well over 1000 with USIT at the time. Everyone I know here has a bad story about them. It will take a load of stress off if you do this yourself as you won't have any deadline and it will work out cheaper. That way you can book the flight and insurance after you get your letter of introduction.

ninijackson · 22-03-2012 04:29PM

hellothere1 wrote: »

ninijackson wrote: »

I contacted usit and they said I can change the date of my flight, it's so annoying though! I'm so confused at the whole thing!!!! I'm just hoping it will all work out this participation fee is freaking me out too !

Ignore USIT entirely, you don't have to book your insurance and travel with them. Call them and tell them that you want to arrange these yourself. You will be able to find cheaper options. When I first moved here I arranged that myself and the total cost of a one-way plus insurance plus visa worked out at about 650 quid compared to well over 1000 with USIT at the time. Everyone I know here has a bad story about them. It will take a load of stress off if you do this yourself as you won't have any deadline and it will work out cheaper. That way you can book the flight and insurance after you get your letter of introduction.

Ya that's a good idea actually!! I just feel like I'm trapped now and have to go with usit!! Grrrrr. In going to give them a ring soon and say it to them, see what happens! What's the letter of introduction?? I'm clueless!!

hellothere1 · 22-03-2012 07:19PM

ninijackson wrote: »

Ya that's a good idea actually!! I just feel like I'm trapped now and have to go with usit!! Grrrrr. In going to give them a ring soon and say it to them, see what happens! What's the letter of introduction?? I'm clueless!!

You get the letter of introduction once all the drama is over and your visa is approved, you bring the letter with you when you're entering Canada and you show it to the immigration officer and they print your visa there.

Just call usit and tell them that you are going to organise flights and insurance yourself, they are probably going to attempt to persuade you to buy with them or make it sound like you have to buy with them but just put your foot down, they are a complete joke.

ninijackson · 22-03-2012 08:09PM

im literally going to snap!!! USIT are a WASTE OF SPACE! i cant believe that they are legally allowed to treat people the wat that they do!! I emailed them earley today asking can the deadline to pay my flight etc can be extended, they said yes, then i jsut received an email saying that tax on my flight and insurance has gone up and in order to avoid this increase i must pay my flights and insurance in FULL in 5DAYS TIME!!! i was so angry i dont even know if my response to them made sense!!

Ok so, my partner and I have gone through USIT so far, we had a meeting with them where they checked our our forms etc, they gave us a cover letter which we included with our forms.....does any1 know if it is too late now to back out of USIT? what I want to do is wait to see if we are granted the visa, then ring USIT...give them a piece of my mind, and book my own flights and insurace? or would the fact that our visa application included a cover letter from USIT mess that plan up??

hellothere1 · 22-03-2012 08:46PM

ninijackson wrote: »

im literally going to snap!!! USIT are a WASTE OF SPACE! i cant believe that they are legally allowed to treat people the wat that they do!! I emailed them earley today asking can the deadline to pay my flight etc can be extended, they said yes, then i jsut received an email saying that tax on my flight and insurance has gone up and in order to avoid this increase i must pay my flights and insurance in FULL in 5DAYS TIME!!! i was so angry i dont even know if my response to them made sense!!

Ok so, my partner and I have gone through USIT so far, we had a meeting with them where they checked our our forms etc, they gave us a cover letter which we included with our forms.....does any1 know if it is too late now to back out of USIT? what I want to do is wait to see if we are granted the visa, then ring USIT...give them a piece of my mind, and book my own flights and insurace? or would the fact that our visa application included a cover letter from USIT mess that plan up??

They're full of ****, ignore that **** about the tax on flights, complete bull! they have nothing to do with your visa application, all you have to do is pay them for checking over your forms and that's it. E-mail them and tell them that you will be taking care of your flights and insurance yourself and you won't be needing their services for this. Your visa application is completely out of their hands, the only thing you paid them for is to review your forms to make sure everything was ok. They are in the embassy's hands now, nothing to do with usit.

hellothere1 · 22-03-2012 08:48PM

ninijackson wrote: »

im literally going to snap!!! USIT are a WASTE OF SPACE! i cant believe that they are legally allowed to treat people the wat that they do!! I emailed them earley today asking can the deadline to pay my flight etc can be extended, they said yes, then i jsut received an email saying that tax on my flight and insurance has gone up and in order to avoid this increase i must pay my flights and insurance in FULL in 5DAYS TIME!!! i was so angry i dont even know if my response to them made sense!!

Ok so, my partner and I have gone through USIT so far, we had a meeting with them where they checked our our forms etc, they gave us a cover letter which we included with our forms.....does any1 know if it is too late now to back out of USIT? what I want to do is wait to see if we are granted the visa, then ring USIT...give them a piece of my mind, and book my own flights and insurace? or would the fact that our visa application included a cover letter from USIT mess that plan up??

In fact hold on to that e-mail, I've never known government tax on flights to 'suddenly jump' and that if you pay within 5 days this would somehow stop flight taxes going up, complete nonsense.

ninijackson · 22-03-2012 08:53PM

hellothere1 wrote: »

ninijackson wrote: »

im literally going to snap!!! USIT are a WASTE OF SPACE! i cant believe that they are legally allowed to treat people the wat that they do!! I emailed them earley today asking can the deadline to pay my flight etc can be extended, they said yes, then i jsut received an email saying that tax on my flight and insurance has gone up and in order to avoid this increase i must pay my flights and insurance in FULL in 5DAYS TIME!!! i was so angry i dont even know if my response to them made sense!!

Ok so, my partner and I have gone through USIT so far, we had a meeting with them where they checked our our forms etc, they gave us a cover letter which we included with our forms.....does any1 know if it is too late now to back out of USIT? what I want to do is wait to see if we are granted the visa, then ring USIT...give them a piece of my mind, and book my own flights and insurace? or would the fact that our visa application included a cover letter from USIT mess that plan up??

They're full of ****, ignore that **** about the tax on flights, complete bull! they have nothing to do with your visa application, all you have to do is pay them for checking over your forms and that's it. E-mail them and tell them that you will be taking care of your flights and insurance yourself and you won't be needing their services for this. Your visa application is completely out of their hands, the only thing you paid them for is to review your forms to make sure everything was ok. They are in the embassy's hands now, nothing to do with usit.

Ok thank you!! I totally regret going through them! Do we have to book return flights or just one way? When the time comes I'll be searching on here for good insurance websites and flights, I think I would have gone insane if it wasnt for this board haha

hellothere1 · 22-03-2012 08:57PM

ninijackson wrote: »

Ok thank you!! I totally regret going through them! Do we have to book return flights or just one way? When the time comes I'll be searching on here for good insurance websites and flights, I think I would have gone insane if it wasnt for this board haha

You can book a one-way but you have to have a certain amount of funds in your account and you have to show proof of funds at the border when you enter, forgotten how much those funds are supposed to be but you can find out later! I came into Canada on a one way flight. I booked my travel insurance with backpackers.ie but I'm not sure if they're operating anymore so you might have to look elsewhere!

Canada: IEC 2012 Processing Time Nightmare

Comments