1. PROCESSING TIMES: 21 months because of workload and officers, targets etc.
2. ONE STEP PROCESSING: is still required in Manila – Manila has independent kits and family class kits, but no business kits, therefore use the Ottawa business kit.
3. PROCESSING OF OFF-SHORE CASES (INCLUDING PRC CASES): they neither encourage nor discourage them. Off-shore and local cases will be processed with equal vigour.
4. MANILA’S COMPLIMENT OF OFFICERS: 12 Canadian based officers: one doctor, Dr. Valerie Hindle who does meds for Korea, Japan and Philippines, plus they have engaged one contract physician to assist, 2 on management issues, one on fraud, 3 for visitors and 5 for immigration. The family class and economic units have been merged. Penny Fraser is responsible for
the immigration unit. Shannon Fraser is responsible for the visitor unit. John Burrows is responsible for the fraud unit.
5. MANILA’S PROCESSING STREAMS: when a client applies from Korea or Japan, he is asked where the interview is preferred. If he says Korea or Japan, then he is fit in by country. If he says Philippines, he is fit into the Manila case load. Arrangement of interviews and selection of cases depends only on the 6 month priority for FC spouses and children. All other cases are moved forward at the same rate roughly, and the interview dates are scheduled.
6. MANILA’S REDUCED RESOURCES: 2 Canadian based officers moved away, likely to Beijing, therefore 2 out of 8 officers were removed from processing, which hurt the office a lot. The LCP participation has increased dramatically, up 20%. Resources were shifted away from one-day
processing. Korea was hurt last year, business cases were up significantly, 1102’s up significantly, since 1993 they multiplied 10 times, were 800 per year, now 800 per month. Japan has an incredibly large temporary worker unit and lost staff. They have 2 Canadian based officers in each of Japan and Korea. Manila has an extra budget, just announced, for one officer to interview in Korea and one in Japan.
7. INTERVIEW SCHEDULE: for Japan = 5 per week, extras held until the next trip is scheduled. Korea = 25 per week. Manila = no numbers available as they just moved one officer out of that area into the visitor section to deal with the LCP more closely.
8. MANILA’S WEBSITE: is in the developmental stage, it is an internal set of files at the moment. The Trade section of the Canadian Embassy in Manila is responsible for developing the website. Use Ottawa’s guide on the website for now. The Manila staff will have trouble including the requirements for Korea and Japan within Manila independent guide and business immigration guide, but Manila has just been given funding for this task. By mid December the Manila kits should be done.
9. MANILA’S ONGOING PROJECTS: the quick step program was stopped, as it was too labour intensive. It was a one week to one month program for perfected immigration applications.
10. MANILA’S PROCESSING TIMES: as listed in Manila’s news letter are still essentially accurate, but add three months for processing offshore cases:
1. Acknowledgement of Receipt letter within 8 weeks (the newsletter advises clients that the mission will then be in contact with the applicant within the next 12 months;
2. During the first ONE YEAR Manila will not respond to any inquiries or representations;
3. Independent = 12 – 18 months;
4. Business = 12 – 18 months;
5. FC (Spouses) = 6 – 9 months;
6. FC (Parents) = 10-12 months;
7. Visitors = 24 hours;
8. Live In Caregivers = 6 months;
9. Students = 2 months; and
10. Returning Residents = 24 hours.
11. BACKLOGGING CASES: cases are not backlogged in Manila.