Shorten PAL Approval Times

Amazing how some people get a faster response compared to someone else from the same province. Totally unpredictable, it seems that their system is pretty much like a stack of cards and applications are randomly pulled out and verified, whther it is yours or mine it's pure luck.
 
Just an update - it has been 9 weeks since my test results were sent in. I have gotten my Restricted test results back (last week). Waiting on my Non-Restricted results. This Thursday will be 10 weeks since they got the results. So after I get the final results, who knows how long it will be for the licence.
What a gong show this is. So discouraged, it isn't even funny anymore.
 
How long should it take for my card to arrive? I was fully approved last Monday... I called in last Friday to get my license number and they said the license was printed on Thursday and will be mailed on Friday? Make sense?
 
How long should it take for my card to arrive? I was fully approved last Monday... I called in last Friday to get my license number and they said the license was printed on Thursday and will be mailed on Friday? Make sense?

Well, my RPAL was issued on the 15th (last Wednesday) and it arrived in the mail this morning. So I'd expect around a week, assuming no screwups.
 
I pretty much did exactly what you should if you want your application processed as quickly as possible. Here is how it went for me:

It took approximately 3 weeks before it showed up online. As soon as it did, I started calling in to do my interview. However, I was told a few times that they were not ready for my interview, so I should call back later. This was the case for about another week. Once they were ready for my interview, it went off with no issues. I asked my references to call in immediately and do theirs as well.

Application received at CFC: April 8, 2013
Application appears online: April 29, 2013
Interview Completed: May 9, 2013
Application Processed: May 13, 2013
Currently in the mail somewhere, I assume. They say to allow 2 weeks, or call them otherwise.

Therefore, an update to processing times for PAL/RPAL at this time is approximately 45 days, which is what the CFC says anyways. However, I am sure this will take longer if you do not call in and push your application.
 
Here's the latest from me lol - Got my restricted test results back last week (9 weeks after they were submitted), so I called Tuesday to find out where my non-restricted results were. "Let me look into it for you"....surprisingly I got a call back a yesterday saying oh I found them after looking for an hour. "Very strange, they are stamped as being mailed to you on April 4th". So she said she would mail them out right away - WEEK 10 for just my test results. Speaking to a nice lady at the CFC, as I got another letter saying my application was missing information. Told her about the situation and we had a nice little conversation about the hoops that Ontario residents have to go thru.....ridiculous.
So a quick question from those in Ontario - once I fax the non-restricted to them, I will give them a day to process, then I will call for my interview and have my references call.....the question is, does the application then have to go back to the Ontario CFO for approval? GOD please tell me no!
 
Here is my processing time.

Application received Feb 20th.
Interviews done by April 12th.
Application sent to Ont CFO April 13th.
Application sat in there for 1 month, nothing happened, nor any feedback had been given to me in regards to my app (called every week).
May 20th I have been told that a letter of good conduct is needed (this is their fault since the letter had been sent, they just could not find it).
May 21st sent a copy of the letter.
May 23th the called to ask me for my PR card (I am a permanent resident). NOTE: When sending the copy of my letter I had specified that this was the 2nd time I was doing so, thats is why I think, they were so attentive with me.
May 23th Five minutes later after submiting a copy of my pr card. My license has been issued. Total time approx 95 ish days. (I am sure it would have been longer IF I wasn't following up as I did).

Stay safe everybody!
 
Here's the latest from me lol - Got my restricted test results back last week (9 weeks after they were submitted), so I called Tuesday to find out where my non-restricted results were. "Let me look into it for you"....surprisingly I got a call back a yesterday saying oh I found them after looking for an hour. "Very strange, they are stamped as being mailed to you on April 4th". So she said she would mail them out right away - WEEK 10 for just my test results. Speaking to a nice lady at the CFC, as I got another letter saying my application was missing information. Told her about the situation and we had a nice little conversation about the hoops that Ontario residents have to go thru.....ridiculous.
So a quick question from those in Ontario - once I fax the non-restricted to them, I will give them a day to process, then I will call for my interview and have my references call.....the question is, does the application then have to go back to the Ontario CFO for approval? GOD please tell me no!

That depends sometimes.. Whats happens is if all your paper work is in good order they will forward it to the CFO for approval.. After the approval is received from the CFO you can do your interview and you will be fully approved.
 
Here's the latest from me lol - Got my restricted test results back last week (9 weeks after they were submitted), so I called Tuesday to find out where my non-restricted results were. "Let me look into it for you"....surprisingly I got a call back a yesterday saying oh I found them after looking for an hour. "Very strange, they are stamped as being mailed to you on April 4th". So she said she would mail them out right away - WEEK 10 for just my test results. Speaking to a nice lady at the CFC, as I got another letter saying my application was missing information. Told her about the situation and we had a nice little conversation about the hoops that Ontario residents have to go thru.....ridiculous.
So a quick question from those in Ontario - once I fax the non-restricted to them, I will give them a day to process, then I will call for my interview and have my references call.....the question is, does the application then have to go back to the Ontario CFO for approval? GOD please tell me no!

This is what I would do in this case:
I would fax the results, and call right away to have someone picking them up. It's a fax, not an email and if it is not picked up right away only god knows where that piece of paper has gone. Send it and call, make sure they got it. Once you call, what happens is that they have to RECORD in your file that you have called to say it has been faxed. At that point, it is their responsability to look for it, if you think they will just take care of it after you sent it without checking, well, they asked me for information I had sent once, so I would not trust them. It takes only 5 more minutes to confirm.

Once they get the paperwork, they have to scan it to put it in the system. Non restricted files/applications do not require INTERVIEWS, and in contrary as you have been told earlier today, applications are only forwarded to your LOCAL CFO (Ontario) once the call center in Miramichi or wherever it is has completed all 3 interviews. Ontario CFO will not contact you for interviews under any circumstances, they will review the application once it is completed and they might ask you for more stuff if necessary. At this point in time, you will dealing with them directly and not the people from the call center.

Anyway, interviews are only for RESTRICTED. NON RESTRICTED licenses do not require (most of the time) any interviews and are issued faster than RPALS. I got my PAL in 40 days last year, and my RPAL in 95 this year.
 
So a quick question from those in Ontario - once I fax the non-restricted to them, I will give them a day to process, then I will call for my interview and have my references call.....the question is, does the application then have to go back to the Ontario CFO for approval? GOD please tell me no!

That's what happened to me. I called two days after the interviews were done and was told that my application had gone to Ontario CFO. That created two weeks between the date of the final interview and the date that the license status went to "issued". I've seen posts where Ontario residents were issued the license immediately after the interviews.

In my case, I could not answer NO to all of the bad questions, since I separated from my wife last year. Maybe that's a flag for it going back to CFO. I think I've heard of OPP doing further reference calls, but that did not happen to me.
 
My app has been held up due to answering YES to one of the questions.
I already did the interview and so did my references.
RCMP called last week and asked about anti-depressant drugs I'm taking.
I had to get a note from my Dr. stating I was stable and of sound mind.
I just sent it to the RCMP, after talking with him today.
He said that letter would be good enough.
I wonder how long I will have to wait now.
 
Here's my timeline...RPAL first time application. I'm now sitting at day 37 and still waiting.

CFSC and CRFSC taken on April 12, 13 and 14;

Application mailed in without course reports on April 15;

Application received by Central Processing in Miramichi on April 17;

Appeared online May 16;

References interviews May 17;

Received course reports May 20;

Faxed in course reports May 21;

Applicant Interview May 22;

I'm hoping that the status will change to "issued" in the next little while...

Ben (Ottawa, Ontario)
 
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Here's the latest from me lol - Got my restricted test results back last week (9 weeks after they were submitted), so I called Tuesday to find out where my non-restricted results were. "Let me look into it for you"....surprisingly I got a call back a yesterday saying oh I found them after looking for an hour. "Very strange, they are stamped as being mailed to you on April 4th". So she said she would mail them out right away - WEEK 10 for just my test results. Speaking to a nice lady at the CFC, as I got another letter saying my application was missing information. Told her about the situation and we had a nice little conversation about the hoops that Ontario residents have to go thru.....ridiculous.
So a quick question from those in Ontario - once I fax the non-restricted to them, I will give them a day to process, then I will call for my interview and have my references call.....the question is, does the application then have to go back to the Ontario CFO for approval? GOD please tell me no!


Yes it does unfortunately, your app gets its frequent flyer miles for sure :)
Nice to see you making progress though
 
My app was received in Miramichi about 6 weeks ago. Online it says it has completed initial processing so I called and asked about my interview. Was told no interview needed and that my app was with the CFO. Is there anything more for me to do now but wait? It is agony at its finest.
 
Update on my RPAL (new app). After posting my timeline here, I called in to check the status of my app. (on May 24). Turns out it was sitting in the queue for someone to look at in the interview department even though all my interviews had been completed already. After seeig this, the gentleman who took my call pressed the magic button and issued my license on the spot. Boom! A quick check online immediately after the call confirmed same. So all and all it took 37 days for me (in Ontario). That includes having to wait for my course reports to come in and also rectifying an issue with the payment method info provided initially. Not bad at all!
 
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