RQ discussions.

Another piece of analysis on what could trigger RQing the applicant. My partner and I submitted citizenship application which were almost identical – same landing date, absence from Canada for 7 consecutive months  right after landing, same addresses, both employed, both traveled a lot (In fact my partner travelled much more than I), both filed taxes etc.

Difference. Shortly after we returned to Canada after 7 months of absence he went to English classes for three months and utilized some other settlement services prior to getting his first job. In his citizenship application he mentioned that and did not disclose two less than a month periods of “doing nothing” taking advantage of old citizenship application form date format (MM-YYYY). He did not get RQ. I had three months “blank” period as I did not take English classes and did not use settlement services the way he did. So, I had no choice but to identify myself as “unemployed” for three months.  I got RQ.

Conclusion – RQ in my case was triggered exclusively by “self-identifying as unemployed with any travel” clause of the OB 407 operation check list.

Lesson learnt – avoid self-identifications which trigger RQ, use settlement services and mention them in your application. It can actually cover months of your life here – let us say you went to an agency providing employment support for newcomers. They did intake with you and you attended few workshops and wrote them a couple of e-mails. Until they close your file, usually after 6 months, you are a client there and if need be this agency can generate  a letter which will cover the entire period of you involvement with them – they usually go by  “intake” and “discharge” dates.

NB! Unfortunately, new citizenship application form date format has been changed to DD-MM-YYYY format, so it makes it more difficult to jump over short periods of unemployment.