Ministerial Instruction 3 and the application backlogs

The Canadian Visa Office in Manila is yet to finish applications filed in 2004. Yes, there are applicants who have been waiting for more than 6 years now. Imagine how many applications are pending between 2005 and 2007. There's a huge backlogs there.

Then recently, the visa office in Manila was explaining that there is a delay in processing for applications filed under Ministerial Instruction 1 (MI-1). The office said it may take about two years to process them all. The visa office also said they are prioritizing applications filed under MI-2 because they are the ones needed in Canada. But who are they kidding? Nurses, Electricians, Physicians filed under MI-1 should not be delayed following their own logic. In fact, because of such explanation, some applicants (nurses and physicians for example) are thinking of withdrawing their application filed under MI-1 with the end in view of filing it under MI-2. Citizenship and Immigration Canada created this mess, the application should not be punished by letting them wait longer than promised.

And then a new Ministerial Instruction will be issued on or before July 1, 2011. What do you think will be the directives under Ministerial Instruction 3 (MI-3) this time?

Considering the backlogs, there could be fewer list of occupations to be identified as priority list. Furthermore, the number of applications to be received (cap) could also be dramatically reduced. Currently, the cap is set at 1,000 per occupations. These are just speculations but highly possible. So you better be ready to file your application immediately once your occupation is included in the priority list.

The visa office needs to address its backlogs badly. But I'm concerned in the trend I'm seeing in the way the visa office in Manila is refusing an application due to insufficient documents to support employment and or relatives in Canada. Sometimes you will wonder how did they come up with such a conclusion because the documents were actually there. In some cases, their explanation as to whay an application was refused doesn't even match the actual points awarded. The applicants can of course appeal their case but it will take time. And it isn't fair. I just hope that this isn't the visa office's way of cleaning up the backlogs. Not good.