Citizenship application dilemma

[SinghLovCan]

Im in a bit of dilemma. I landed in Canada in 2011, i plan to apply for citizenship this year, I never left Canada during the last 3 years. however I do not have any proper documents of my 1 year overseas employment, the pre-PR period. Things is that I worked in middle east and its common for workers to be abused and not have all reference letters or anything. We never got any pay stub. Could anyone advise. Can I not submit my work document for the pre-PR period? Is this required?

 

[FL1040]

Im in a bit of dilemma. I landed in Canada in 2011, i plan to apply for citizenship this year, I never left Canada during the last 3 years. however I do not have any proper documents of my 1 year overseas employment, the pre-PR period. Things is that I worked in middle east and its common for workers to be abused and not have all reference letters or anything. We never got any pay stub. Could anyone advise. Can I not submit my work document for the pre-PR period? Is this required?

Whatever you did BEFORE you became PR doesn´t count, according to the old citizenship law, still in effect, you calculate your days since the moment you entered Canada or landed as a PR, if you came as a student or temporary worker those days still count but whatever you did before does not count at all...relax

 

[SinghLovCan]

Whatever you did BEFORE you became PR doesn´t count, according to the old citizenship law, still in effect, you calculate your days since the moment you entered Canada or landed as a PR, if you came as a student or temporary worker those days still count but whatever you did before does not count at all...relax

So as per your say, I do not need to include proof of overseas work.. which is pre-PR time, but it still is within the 4 year time preceding the citizenship application. I became a PR in 2011 and plan to apply for citizenship this year. So I do not need to included proof of work documents from 2010-2011 ?

 

[Goldline]

Use a cover letter with your application and include this : I worked in middle east and its common for workers to be abused and not have all reference letters or anything. We never got any pay stub.
This will give them an idea of the situation.

 

[Empirical-Scientist]

Im in a bit of dilemma. I landed in Canada in 2011, i plan to apply for citizenship this year, I never left Canada during the last 3 years. however I do not have any proper documents of my 1 year overseas employment, the pre-PR period. Things is that I worked in middle east and its common for workers to be abused and not have all reference letters or anything. We never got any pay stub. Could anyone advise. Can I not submit my work document for the pre-PR period? Is this required?

If you plan to apply this year, you must include whatever period is applicable from 2010. And from that period in 2010 onward you must provide explanation as to what you were doing: school, work, etc. Provide the address WITH a valid zip code (if N/A, write it in a cover letter). CIC asks the applicants to be complete in what they declare: no gaps in residential address and work/education.

 

[SinghLovCan]

Okay let me be more specific and explicit here. Prior to coming to Canada, I use to work for a company in the Middle East. As per middle eastern culture you need to have a sponsor and be under the employ of a certain organization to be living in the country.

This company that I use to work for, was very abusive and they used fear and intimidation tactics to control their employees. For example our passports were held by the employer and they were not released to us unless we really needed them for some official purpose and that to we had to beg and plead for several days to get our passports. We could not quit the company , bcoz company used to threaten and said that they would cancel the visa and send back to India. At that point I decided that middle east is not the place to live and raise a family. I applied for Canadian PR , but I never told my employer for fear that they might cancel visa and send back to India. Going back to India was not an option, bcoz I had no work experience there and the entire process of PR would have to be restarted. Once I got my request for passport... I took my passport and sent a resignation letter and left ! My salary was paid in cash majority of the time and no receipt of document was offered. A work contract was made to sign , but never we were given a copy of it. I am not in good terms with my previous employer and at present I do not have any proper documents, plus if CIC contacts them, they would only bad mouth me. -Any Suggestions- How do I document the first year (pre-PR) of the 4 year period on my citizenship application?

 

[Empirical-Scientist]

Okay let me be more specific and explicit here. Prior to coming to Canada, I use to work for a company in the Middle East. As per middle eastern culture you need to have a sponsor and be under the employ of a certain organization to be living in the country.

This company that I use to work for, was very abusive and they used fear and intimidation tactics to control their employees. For example our passports were held by the employer and they were not released to us unless we really needed them for some official purpose and that to we had to beg and plead for several days to get our passports. We could not quit the company , bcoz company used to threaten and said that they would cancel the visa and send back to India. At that point I decided that middle east is not the place to live and raise a family. I applied for Canadian PR , but I never told my employer for fear that they might cancel visa and send back to India. Going back to India was not an option, bcoz I had no work experience there and the entire process of PR would have to be restarted. Once I got my request for passport... I took my passport and sent a resignation letter and left ! My salary was paid in cash majority of the time and no receipt of document was offered. A work contract was made to sign , but never we were given a copy of it. I am not in good terms with my previous employer and at present I do not have any proper documents, plus if CIC contacts them, they would only bad mouth me. -Any Suggestions- How do I document the first year (pre-PR) of the 4 year period on my citizenship application?

Hard to say -- I'd rather explain this in a cover letter. Be as specific as you can, including writing the exact name of the company, the complete address of where it's located, as well as the residential address where you lived in that country. I don't see any other way besides explaining it.

I'd advise you submit your application -- Sydney just reviews it for minimum compliance with their requests and then sends it over for full review at your local office. But at least it will be under review, instead of being delayed under the unknown progression of C-24.

 

[Travel Dream]

You can call CIC and ask an officer about this ..... Don't forget to tell us about the officer's response.

 

[SinghLovCan]

I dont see the need to explain , unless it is really required. I was planning to put all my work history and attaching proof of canadian work history. For the middle east work history , i was thinking of mentioning it on the form , but not adding any documents. This would be only 5 months of the 4 year period. What do u suggest?

 

[Travel Dream]

I dont see the need to explain , unless it is really required. I was planning to put all my work history and attaching proof of canadian work history. For the middle east work history , i was thinking of mentioning it on the form , but not adding any documents. This would be only 5 months of the 4 year period. What do u suggest?

I strongly suggest to call CIC. Just tell them you don't have a letter from pre-Pr period . they will tell you to write a letter to explain why you can't provide the prove or it is not necessary because its pre pr time. I expect the second option.

 

[Oct13]

I dont see the need to explain , unless it is really required. I was planning to put all my work history and attaching proof of canadian work history. For the middle east work history , i was thinking of mentioning it on the form , but not adding any documents. This would be only 5 months of the 4 year period. What do u suggest?

I applied for citizenship on October 2013, and I did not provide any documents to prove the work history I wrote on my application. Has something not changed since then, you do not need to provide documents to prove your work history.

I had my citizenship test over a week ago, and I was never asked for documents to prove what I wrote as work history.

 

[Empirical-Scientist]

I applied for citizenship on October 2013, and I did not provide any documents to prove the work history I wrote on my application. Has something not changed since then, you do not need to provide documents to prove your work history.

I had my citizenship test over a week ago, and I was never asked for documents to prove what I wrote as work history.

The May 2014 form has slightly changed and they now require work/education supporting docs.

 

[SinghLovCan]

Okay I did contact the CIC agent, they told me whatever the case be, just to type it in an explanation letter (even if there is no proof). I also asked them for the C-24 implementation date and they said June 19,2015.

Mine is not an uncommon case. It is very typical of people who have worked in middle east, and it is common for workers there to get abused, intimidated and passports held. Its a type of a modern slavery that is grained in the arab culture. My work term there has left me psychologically scarred to a certain extent. No wonder arab/muslim people face so many problems in the West. Its all due to their bad karma. They treat expats and people of other nationalities like slaves in their own country.

Anyways, I have two options in front of me now. Option - 1 : I apply for citizenship this year, with an explanation letter. However my fear is that I don't want to be bad mouthed by my employer out of retaliation. My application and all my documents and information are completely accurate and true, there should be nothing to fear. However I do not want any misunderstandings to be created. Option - 2 : I just wait for a couple of more years and apply under the C-24 scheme and this way just avoid mentioning the pre-PR time. -What are your suggestions ?

 

[Empirical-Scientist]

Cover letters are necessary for any application whatsoever. That's best practice in the western civilization...

 

[SinghLovCan]

Good news.
Just spoke with the a top level manager and they will give a reference letter covering the entire work period. It was the immediate manager and the HR people that were being a pain !