I got many helpful info. here during our application, so i would like to share ours with those who may be interested:
Our situation: I, a graduate student, came into Canada in the summer of 2000. No work experience at all at that time. Just finished my undergraduate study in Beijing. Went back to China and married my wife in the summer of 2001, and she came to Canada in March 2002 on her third time visitor visa application.
Application submitted: April 2003 (my master degree in progress)
No english test taken. RA & TA experiences for english
ability proof, RA for working experiences.
File number: July 2003
M.Sc. defence in Nov. 2003
Second letter: April 2004 (interview waived)
Employment update,
medical exam
and finger print: June 2004. (I changed to work permit in May, and there was
some delay of my wife's medical exam because of her
pregnancy and i had a cut on one of my fingers)
Third letter: Sept. 2004 asking for passports.
We didn't send our passports until the end of Sept., because
i was travelling in the middle of Sept.
Our passports was mailed back to us yesterday, and we are going to landing tomorrow.
Hope our experiences helpful for you guys who are preparing or waiting in some step. And good luck for all.