Expecting that EP status be granted immediately is unreasonable

The details need to be submitted to IB and then IB will have to confirm that it is eligible for credit and credit with the appropriate miles

At that point you will receive EP status

Given that the membership year runs from 1 March , you will still get 1 years worth of EP status even if it takes 30 days

The agent is not being unreasonable at all in not just granting the status. The flights that are being claimed may, for example, be ones that IB would not grant credit for