Waiting 7 months for PAL

[u/miuyao]

I took the course and passed my test with 98% back in early September last year and immediately submitted my application, it was quickly marked as "completed initial review" (within a few days) and then it has just sat like that ever since. It has been 208 days as of today. I have called multiple times and the person on the phone simply tells me "we don't know anything either, they keep us in the dark too, call again in 4 weeks I guess" but before that it was "it's on the CFO's desk" ??? Rinse and repeat for the last 7 months.

My application was complete, I had one issue in my earlier years where I had to physically defend myself from an abusive partner with a cooking pot- but it was literally just one hit to get him off of me and I ran out. Otherwise I have never had any issues. I feel like if this was the cause, they've had a long time to interview me about it?

I am beginning to feel a bit ignored by them despite my calls it's like no one works there. It cannot possibly take this long to decide yes or no. I just want to go hunting. Is this normal??

[u/AnthoBMTH]

There's nothing you can do, i waited 13 months for mine, i don't have any criminal record or anything like that. I called 10+ times every time they told me there's nothing they can do i just need to wait, that it people told me to call my mp, i did, they said there's nothing they can do. Called another agency in quebec that deals with burocratic BS, they told me i need a wait at least 1 year before they can do anything The best answer i got from them is that they have 1 year+ of backup application and they were able to tell me that right now they were doing which month a which year of application

[u/miuyao → u/AnthoBMTH]

I just don't understand how they can say they have 1 year of backups when other people are applying and getting theirs approved in weeks. That sounds like a load of huey.

[u/groggygirl → u/miuyao]

I would guess that it's a one year backup for people who need a human to look into their file. If you pass the initial checks (ie no divorce, custody battles, police interactions, mental health treatment, lifelong Canadian resident, etc) you'll get it in 30 days.

But the second something in your application gets flagged and a human needs to do some research, it is at the mercy of how deep the pile of applications is. Not to mention the process for deciding if the red flag is a real concern or not (which I'm guessing takes more than one person to decide).

[u/AnthoBMTH → u/miuyao]

It sure does, one of my friend applied 2 months after me and got it within 8 weeks. There's something really off with the process

[u/AnthoBMTH → u/AnthoBMTH]

Also was pretty recent, did my course in 2024 and did my application the same day i received my results