How long for permanent migrant visa to be processed?

[scrudu]

Can anyone tell me the average time from start to finish of an application for permanent migrancy (skilled) to Canada (EU citizen). A friend told me it can take 4 years for the process to be completed, but that seems just crazy. Does it really take that long?

[mal]

Hey scrudu

Greetings from a fellow Dubliner-why are we so desperate to get out?!
The estimate you heard is right. I applied in sept 04 and back then it was an estimated 18 months.Now its month 29 and I haven't even completed my medicals!
I estimate it will easily be another 6 months before I can think of leaving this fair city!
Are you gonna apply?

[scrudu]

Hey Mal,

I think if you have already applied, then you know why we are so desperate to get out The fact that it looks like I will never be able to afford to buy a house here, or afford to stay at home with future kids (or afford creche fees) kinda puts the nail in the Irish coffin for me! Add to that lack of summers (or decent winters) bad transport system, etc. etc!

I am trying to decide on Australia versus Canada. I have checked the points and stuff for Canada and it's definitely an option. But if we have to wait 2/3 years for the application to be processed, I doubt I'll go for it. How crazy that it can take that long to emigrate! I thought Canada was short of skilled workers. Obviously not too short!

[TRV]

Scrudu,

You sigh for three years processing time to get to Canada even before you got a job there and expecting them to let you work and live permanenetly?

Obviously in Ireland it takes three years to process your permanenet residence and that is "AFTER" you "WORK AND PAY TAX FOR FIVE YEARS", in total atleast eight years or more, until then you are a bonded labour to your employer as the work permit is tied yourself witht teh employer.

Ireland is better place for labourers and asylum seekers, not for working class people or high skilled workers like me and you...that includes Irish nationals as well as non irish nationals.

Propably you could add this to your list to convince why people are so desparate to get out from Ireland so quick.

No offence lads/lass..but please read Ireland forum for heart ache of Immigrants working in Ireland..Look for LTR or Long Term Residency titled discussions...

I am one of those immigrant living in Ireland for the last seven years and had enough with the immigration system here (although my employer is very good) and now moving to canada to start work in Mid March for some one else. I applied for Canadian Immigration three years after I come to Ireland and got it approved recently but still waiting Irish Immigration to make me a happy man for the last seven years..

cheers

[joesoap101]

In fact I would go as far as saying any Irish citizen shouldnt dare make any comments whatsoever on the speed of immigration services in other countries considering that the Irish system is so pathetic, to which they are blissfully ignorant. At least the Canadian system grants permanency to immigrants and a transparant path to citizenship without having to jump through a 1000 hoops- democratic values Ireland can only aspire to.

The Irish are very quick to complain about the plight of their illegals in the US but do absolutely nothing to make their immigration system fair and transparent. Typical really.

[scrudu]

joesoap101: what an appropriate name for you. Get off your soapbox sometimes and bother to research before you start off on another one of your rants. If you had bothered to check up, you would have realised that I have in fact being going through many of the issues you also face, as my husband is a non-national, and we have first hand experience of navigating the Irish Immigration system. Note, that I have also spent a LOT of time helping other immigrants via these boards to help them navigate the system based on what my husband and I have learned. So rather than categorise all Irish citizens as "supporting Irish illegals in the US", perhaps you should consider that we are not all simply as 1-dimensional as you would like to think.

Sometimes you should be less quick to jump on the bandwagon with your rants. Your post was quite unhelpful and completely unrelated to my question. Quite obviously you have far to much time on your hands and way too large a chip on your shoulder over your own situation.

TRV: While I would NEVER hold the Irish system up as a shining example of an immigration system, at least if you decide that Ireland is your longterm destination of choice, you can get here (if deemed a suitable migrant) within a few months/year and begin your life here. True, you must wait another few years to get long-term status, but at least if you decide that Ireland is where you want to be, you can get on with the move. On the other hand, Canada requires that you apply and wait for 3 years before you can even move there. Personally, I'd prefer the former option.

As I explained to joesoap101 already, I am very active on the Ireland boards, so am pretty familiar with the situation facing immigrants to Ireland.

As for your situation in Ireland, I do empathise. I think there are some major holes/gaps in the application process, and in the requirements placed on immigrants. This is something I have been campaigning to the Irish Immigration and local TD's about for the last year and a half. Best of luck with your Canadian application. I'm sorry your Irish experience didn't turn out to be a better one.

[joesoap101]

Scrudu what exactly makes you think I was referring specifically to you? All the Irish seem to do of late is bicker about immigrants and blaming them for everything when in reality immigrants are better educated and earn higher salaries than the Irish. Perhaps this is the problem- the age old problem in Ireland of begrudging those who achieve something.

A recent article suggested that Irish parents are scrambling to enrol their children into Irish-speaking schools to avoid having to mingle with immigrants- keeping in mind that about 99% of these parents dont speak any Irish, much like the rest of the population. This is shocking but if you chose to go down this road you do so at your own peril- I see riots and burning cars in the streets a few years down the line, like in France.

And my personal experience suggests that an unfortunately large part of the Irish population is rather 1 dimensional.

[scrudu]

joesoap101:
You ask why I think you were referring to me? I asked a question in a post on a Forum and your answer was

"I would go as far as saying any Irish citizen shouldnt dare make any comments whatsoever on the speed of immigration services".

Who exactly should I think you are commenting about?

Once again, I think you _seriously_ tend to overgeneralise. Perhaps it makes good tabloid news to write about people complaining about new immigrants, but if you speak to the majority of Irish people, they are perfectly happy with the changes to Irish society and welcome the new immigrants. The only thing I personally have heard Irish complaining about is related to some asylum seekers/ those granted asylum's abuse of the system. Personally I think if a system has as many holes as the Welfare system in Ireland, it is bound to abuse, so rather than blame those who abuse it, I blame the Government.

As for immigrants being better educated and earning higher wages than the Irish, I dont know where you get your facts from! For sure there are plenty of "overeducated" immigrants working in lower end jobs, but often lack of the command of English is the main restriction. I work with a number of immigrants and they got their jobs because they were similarly educated and are earning similar wages. This seems to be the case in a most "skilled" areas.

As for your comment about Irish parents scrambling to avoid their kids mixing with immigrants, I think its really "grappling at straws" that you even bring this up. I do not believe whatever article you read pertains to any significant percentage of the population. There are ignorant people in every country, and Ireland is no different in this regard. You should also consider the fact that it is a typical phenomenen of Immigration, that the natives people begin to reconsider what it means to be "Irish" (or whatever nationality). I think that the influx of so many other nationalities who all retain strong bonds with their own countries (language, culture, food etc.) has made many Irish begin to realise what it means to be Irish, and personally I think that this is a good thing.

The sensational stories you mention pertain to such a small minority of Irish people and it's ridiculous that you cast all Irish people with the same dye.

If your experience of Ireland has been so bad, and you dislike the Irish people so much, why are you still here? Perhaps you need to make some new friends and shatter some of your stereotypical views of Irish people.

[joesoap101]

And why exactly are you so sure that I am not Irish? Such ignorance is hardly surprising! Is it beyond the means of your narrow mind to consider that perhaps Irish people could be critical of themselves?

If you knew anything about the Irish immigration system you would realise that for a number of years it has only been possible to immigrate here if you were highly skilled, thus higher salaries and better education. I was not referring to EU migrants. A substantial proportion of Irish people have dearly beloved views and are generally ignorant- yes it is a generalisation and an appropriate one at that.

Either way I'm not going to go into a debate with ignorant half-wits.

[scrudu]

joesoap101: I didn't presume you were not Irish. I have read other posts by you and you claim to be South African. I presumed you weren't lying. Perhaps I was wrong?

If you had actually read my earlier posts on this topic, I think you would have realised that I too am critical of the Irish immigration system. I think the person who has displayed ignorance is you since you obviously didn't read my posts before responding.

Just because Ireland has like many other countries targeted skilled migrants, it doesn't mean that these migrants are "better educated and earn higher salaries than the Irish". As before I'd like to see your evidence for this claim.

Feel free to name call if this is really the best response you can give to my comments. Nothing hurts credibility like resorting to vulgarity!

[joesoap101]

joesoap101: I didn't presume you were not Irish. I have read other posts by you and you claim to be South African. I presumed you weren't lying. Perhaps I was wrong?

This is the kind of statement you make when you realise how ignorant your previous assumptions were so you try to save face by accusing the other person of lying.

So is it not possible to be both British and Australian, or both Irish and South African at the same time. Just when I thought you couldnt be more ignorant you proved me wrong. I may be Irish, but I can also be South African. I know this concept might prove to be particularly difficult for you to understand.

Let me guess, scrudu is the only Irish word you know- and yet you managed to get the spelling wrong.

Finally, I couldnt be bothered reading your previous posts because I dont want to expose myself to ignorance if it's not absolutely necessary.