UPDATED FOR 2015- IEC FAQ Thread - please read here first and ask any questions here!

circular flexing

stevenf17 wrote: »

I got refused an application for an IEC visa back at the start of June because I have already exceed the max number of years. That's fair enough because I have but the thing is I still haven't got a refund after 3 monthhs and I've have tried emailing them 4 times through my kompass account but so far they've all gone unanswered.

Does anybody have any experience with the refund process if it hasn't been automatically refunded or does anyone even have a contact number I could ring them on because I can't find anything on the website.

Thanks!

I don't have experience but I have heard that CIC can take up to 6 months to process refunds. There is a phone number for CIC but you can only call it from within Canada

+1 888-242-2100

Be aware this is often known as the CIC mis-information line :eek:

Adam!038

Hey having an issue
This is the second time this week i've gotten an email saying:

"Your application has been updated. Please sign in to your MyCIC account and check your application status and messages for more information."

But when i log in theres nothing?

Is this a common problem? Or even a problem at all?

stevenf17

circular flexing wrote: »

I don't have experience but I have heard that CIC can take up to 6 months to process refunds. There is a phone number for CIC but you can only call it from within Canada

+1 888-242-2100

Be aware this is often known as the CIC mis-information line :eek:

Thanks for the info.

I gave them a ring there this evening and after being on hold for 25 mins he just say's "A refund can take up to 16 weeks, thank you for calling" and then hung up on me. :rolleyes:

It'll be 16 weeks at the end of this week so I'll give them another call at the end of the week and see what they have to say then!

clareog

Hi guys,

Saw on the IEC website that there were 111 working visas left a week ago, I was shocked as I thought they were snapped up but applied. Anyway, got my World Tracking Number and a Confirmation of Submission in my inbox but did not get a 'Confirmation of Notice' which is supposed to tell you whether you made the quota or on the waiting list. So does anyone know what the story is with this? I paid my $150 fee and sent off my forms but it would be great to know where I was in the queue or if I'm even in the queue! Apparently there are now 15 people on the waiting list, whether I am one of them I have no idea.. Sent an email to the IEC but don't expect to hear back from them anytime soon. Did anyone else have this problem?

DsJewel

clareog wrote: »

Hi guys,

Saw on the IEC website that there were 111 working visas left a week ago, I was shocked as I thought they were snapped up but applied. Anyway, got my World Tracking Number and a Confirmation of Submission in my inbox but did not get a 'Confirmation of Notice' which is supposed to tell you whether you made the quota or on the waiting list. So does anyone know what the story is with this? I paid my $150 fee and sent off my forms but it would be great to know where I was in the queue or if I'm even in the queue! Apparently there are now 15 people on the waiting list, whether I am one of them I have no idea.. Sent an email to the IEC but don't expect to hear back from them anytime soon. Did anyone else have this problem?

I applied when there were a few hundred places left and I've been waiting almost 10 weeks now to hear back

clareog

So did you get your CAL in the end and submitted all of your documents? I got my CAL a few days after I posted this, I was surprised it was so quick. Have to submit my police cert etc by early October

DsJewel

clareog wrote: »

So did you get your CAL in the end and submitted all of your documents? I got my CAL a few days after I posted this, I was surprised it was so quick. Have to submit my police cert etc by early October

I got my CAL straight away,within a day. Uploaded all my documents and been waiting 10 weeks so far

Adam!038

DsJewel wrote: »

I got my CAL straight away,within a day. Uploaded all my documents and been waiting 10 weeks so far

everything went by within a week for me, now been waiting about 2 weeks on my letter of induction

clareog

Thanks for all the replies, it may not be as easy as I thought then. Hypothetically, if my visa does get granted in 8+ weeks time do you still think it would be worth heading over? I'm hoping to head to Whistler to do a ski season but would imagine the jobs would be snapped up by then. How long did it take for your garda cert to come through by the way? Thanks again

DsJewel

clareog wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies, it may not be as easy as I thought then. Hypothetically, if my visa does get granted in 8+ weeks time do you still think it would be worth heading over? I'm hoping to head to Whistler to do a ski season but would imagine the jobs would be snapped up by then. How long did it take for your garda cert to come through by the way? Thanks again

I got my Garda cert in just over a week I think. I had it all ready to upload when I got my cal. Now the wait for the reply to my application continues. I'm not planning to head over til next year (assuming I finally get approved and get the POE) so the wait isn't a big issue for me , just an annoyance

newg300

Flying out next week so getting down to the finer aspects now. WIth regard to the proof of funds, is a print out of current balance when leaving Ireland enough, or should I be looking at some sort of letter from BoI branch?

DsJewel

Been waiting 14 weeks after uploading everything and just got an "there have been no updates to your application since you last checked" email. I may possibly have the longest wait in iec history at this rate, haha. Good thing I'm in no major hurry

DsJewel

got a message this weekend and my application has been approved! Hopefully my POE letter will come in a few days. Hoping to move to Canada around the end of next summer

juansheet

Anybody know if any left for this year?

circular flexing

juansheet wrote: »

Anybody know if any left for this year?

No they have started the 2016 process - thread here

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=97917910

Shauna14

Starting to panic a bit, wondering if anyone can help.
I was granted my visa and work permit etc. a few months ago. My passport expires in september but, because I have lost a previous passport, I can't renew it early so I have to wait until at least August.
What happens when I renew it? Who, if anyone, do I need to inform about my new passport information, as it is not the same passport that I uploaded when applying? Will having a different passport cause hassle when I'm trying to enter Canada?
Any help/advice is greatly appriciated.

Mcjmetroid

Is there any link to required forms needed after you get into the pool?

They give a link but it's a broken link and I can't find it on google anywhere

NeedinHelp

Hey, If you have activated your visa but had to go home for a couple months
Is your insurance still fine if you want to head back for the remainder of the visa?

Or basically is there any known issues if you go back home for a couple months?

circular flexing

NeedinHelp wrote: »

Hey, If you have activated your visa but had to go home for a couple months
Is your insurance still fine if you want to head back for the remainder of the visa?

Or basically is there any known issues if you go back home for a couple months?

Your insurance policy might be invalidated if you return home for an extended period. You would need to check terms and conditions.

NeedinHelp

NeedinHelp wrote: »

Hey, If you have activated your visa but had to go home for a couple months
Is your insurance still fine if you want to head back for the remainder of the visa?

Or basically is there any known issues if you go back home for a couple months?

Depends entirety on who you booked your insurance with and their own policy.
Some places allow 5 visits home at 28 days per trip, others have different options. You would need to go to who ever you booked with and find out their policy on returning home.

Juan8

I have been invited to apply but haven't recieved my Garda clearance yet does anyone know what I should do about this?

WhatYaSay

Hi folks, long time reader here. I received my visa last summer to be used on first entry before July this year. I think I already know the answer but does anyone have any idea if they will allow me to postpone it for a year and still keep the 2 year visa?

circular flexing

WhatYaSay wrote: »

Hi folks, long time reader here. I received my visa last summer to be used on first entry before July this year. I think I already know the answer but does anyone have any idea if they will allow me to postpone it for a year and still keep the 2 year visa?

No extensions are possible, you need to enter Canada by the date specified.

tradhead

This is probably me just being a pure dope but I'm really confused about the difference between travel insurance and health insurance.

I know that I need 2 year's travel insurance to get the visa, and that this should cover emergency health care, repatriation, and all that craic. So what would normal health insurance cover? Would that be like doctor and dentist visits, and smaller things like that?

Also, is it true that a lot of employers will provide health cover after the first few months? I'm sure it varies from area to area within Canada, so I'm wondering about Toronto specifically.

circular flexing

tradhead wrote: »

Also, is it true that a lot of employers will provide health cover after the first few months? I'm sure it varies from area to area within Canada, so I'm wondering about Toronto specifically.

Health insurance in Canada is split into provincial and private

Information about the OHIP for IEC holders is here

http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/public/publications/ohip/temp_foreign.aspx

Premiums are paid from income tax

http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/public/publications/ohip/temp_foreign.aspx

(not 100% sure if the details are correct as I'm not in Ontario)

The provincial coverage covers most day to day things but it doesn't cover optical, dental. Your employer may provide private health insurance to cover these things.

In BC, for example, the premiums for MSP are paid monthly (not from income tax) and most employers would cover the MSP premiums at a minimum.

hippoparty

Sorry if this is in the wrong thread, will remove if so. But anyway when i moved over to Vancouver last year the IEC mega thread on here was a god send so I thought this might be a good place to post this.

Anyway I'm coming home in May for two and a half weeks for a wedding and my gf and I are hoping to rent out our apartment in the False Creek area while we are away. When people first move to Vancouver you typically have to airbnb it or stay in a hostel from anywhere to a week to a month, which can end up costing a few hundred dollars. Our apartment is pretty class, if i may say so myself, an is an amazing location right in the heart of the transport system and walking distance to downtown. Its a huge one bedroom apartment on the top floor of an apartment building. It has a queen bed, huge sofa bed, and a blow up mattress too. So it can fit 6, but 4 comfortably.

Economically it would make sense for someone moving over as staying in hostel can quickly add up. Not just for the nightly fees, but even little things like not having a kitchen means your eating out three meals a day. Also of course it would be good as it has wifi, tv with all the channels, soaps and towels, desk and space to work on your resume, and im pretty sure we will be leaving a half full pantry of tea bags, cofffee and food that you will be welcome to

One huge advantage though is that you would have an address to use from day one, which is crucial for getting your SIN, a phone contract, bank account, licence, etc). Also of course we would be happy to help you set up, as we only went through it all ourselves last year. Can you give you the name to recuirters, cheap eats, or whatever you might want to know.

It is our home so we definitely won't be taking anyone rowdy, ideally a couple. If anyone wants to see the apartment on airbnb let me know and i can send you the link.

circular flexing

hippoparty wrote: »

One huge advantage though is that you would have an address to use from day one, which is crucial for getting your SIN, a phone contract, bank account, licence, etc). Also of course we would be happy to help you set up, as we only went through it all ourselves last year. Can you give you the name to recuirters, cheap eats, or whatever you might want to know.

It is our home so we definitely won't be taking anyone rowdy, ideally a couple. If anyone wants to see the apartment on airbnb let me know and i can send you the link.

I'd be careful with this as many stratas don't allow short term sublets like this.

Also, you don't need an address to get a SIN, bank account etc.. as they will happily accept hotel or hostel addresses. We were in a hotel for the first month and had no problems getting any of the above.

hippoparty

circular flexing wrote: »

Also, you don't need an address to get a SIN, bank account etc.. as they will happily accept hotel or hostel addresses. We were in a hotel for the first month and had no problems getting any of the above.

Somewhat true, banks don't accept hostels/hotels if you want to open an account with a credit card. If you've lived in Van you will know that credit cards are king over here. Christ when i came over our laundry cards could only be topped up credit cards, so we had to use our Irish ones for the first two months. We had to pay crazy fees for using our Irish card just to do laundry.

tradhead

If either of you are on Facebook I'd recommend putting it on the Irish and New in Vancouver group, those groups seem to have a lot more readers than this thread and I've found them really helpful.

circular flexing

hippoparty wrote: »

Somewhat true, banks don't accept hostels/hotels if you want to open an account with a credit card. If you've lived in Van you will know that credit cards are king over here. Christ when i came over our laundry cards could only be topped up credit cards, so we had to use our Irish ones for the first two months. We had to pay crazy fees for using our Irish card just to do laundry.

Not in our experience, BMO quite happily gave us a credit card when we still had only a hotel address.