christmasoompa

You're not alone, it's new to me too. There has never been a requirement for the funds to have been held a certain amount of time under the previous FSW program, so it must be a new requirement specific to EE. Previously, CIC could ask you to show previous bank statements if they were unsure as to the origin of the money, but that was very rare, and it certainly wasn't a standard requirement.

That doesn't really help at all, but just thought I'd say that I'd not heard of it either so it must be a new thing! My guess would be that if you cash in the PB asap and put the money in your bank account you should be fine, but that is just a guess.

HTH.

kswoosh

Just to follow up on this...

I have heard, from various sources (since asking this question), that you DO NOT have to have held the funds for the entire six months.

The six months' worth of statements serve the purpose of looking for any large payments into the account. Any large deposits need to be explained. For instance, if you are showing a balance of $100 for five months, then all of a sudden $12k drops into your account right before you apply, with no explanation, they might raise suspicion that you are borrowing the money.

If you have the required funds at the time of applying, can show them in liquid form (i.e. cash) in your account, and can explain any large deposits (sold my car, inheritance, cashed in an ISA, whatever) within the last six months, then you are fine.

EDIT:

One thing I have learned, and I think it's logic that can be applied to most questions/scenarios to help understand:

CIC, as disorganised as they may seem at times, are not trying to make it difficult for genuine applicants. If you have, in this case, the funds, and can prove their origin, they will not reject it. The CIC's main purpose is to catch fraudulent applicants.

What makes more sense - a requirement of holding the funds for six months? or showing six months worth of statements so they can see any large deposits which will need explanations?

I think that if I apply the logic of being as honest as possible, and that CIC aren't trying to 'catch me out' by springing random requirements up, then most questions can be answered fairly easily.

Many many people would get stung if there was a six month requirement, because without the use of forums, the six month statement thing doesn't come up until after you get your ITA, by which time it is too late to 'prepare' your account. Too many people would have invalid applications based on something which isn't explained anywhere in the 'open' site. That seems unreasonable, and like I say, as disorganised as they may seem, they're here to do a job, not make things difficult.

kswoosh

Does it matter if Work History and Personal History don't match? (Not clashing info, just not listing all jobs in Work History.)

As far as I was aware, Work History was where you put the jobs that count towards your score. Then Personal History is for literally everything... work, travel, times of unemployment.

What's the opinion on that? I'm starting to think maybe I have misinterpreted it and that I should just play it safe and include everything.

Will they ask for references for every job? Or just the ones that count towards my score?

Also - if your application is rejected, do you get refunded your processing fee? Or do you have to pay it for every app, whether approved or not? Furthermore, would they even reject it for something like the above, or would they just ask for more documents?

kswoosh

So... I potentially have a bit of a conundrum, and would appreciate if you guys could add some of your experience/logic to this situation.

I'll try to cut a long story short:

(As some of you will already know) I worked at BC Hydro from July 2011, to Sept 2012. 15 months in total. I was an Admin Asst, NOC 1241, and am using it for points in my application.

I was employed by Accenture, and contracted to work at BC Hydro. I have approached my boss at BC Hydro to confirm my duties (as Accenture won't confirm this) and he has done so. I have also contacted Accenture (to confirm employment information, such as dates etc) and they have done so.

The problem is, the dates don't match. I worked in my placement at Hydro from 04 July 2011 to 13 Sept 2012. But Accenture confirmed my employment dates as 19 Sept 2011 to 13 Sept 2012.

I was placed at Hydro by Apple One temp agency (although I didn't think they were actually my employer, I thought they were simply the recruitment agency, but maybe I just have bad memory).

I've now thought that there's a possibility that for the first three months I was in fact employed by Apple One, and then the contract was 'novated' to Accenture, once things like benefits etc kicked in (i.e. after 3 months probation?). I don't actually know, this could just be a mistake by Accenture, but I'm just trying to speculate.

The problems I have -

a) Accenture are showing 6 days short of 1 year's employment.
b) If I worked for just over 3 months under Apple One, and just under 11 months under Accenture, but was contracted to work at BC Hydro, in the same position for the entire 15 months, how do I show this on my residency application? As two different employments?
c) If I do show it as two employments, will it count as 'continual employment'? My issue is obviously that Accenture is showing 6 days less than 1 year. And I need at least 1 year in order to get the points. Technically I worked in the same role for 15 months, so it should still count, right?

What is the definition of the 12 months continual full-time work? Does it have to be with the same company? Or can it, in this example, be 3.5 months with 1 company, and 11.5 months with another, as long as there were no breaks, and it was the same role (which it was)?

I'm seriously concerned that this is going to ruin my application. I don't think it should, but I know rules are rules, and if I do show as having two employers, and the rules are that it must be one employer, then it doesn't look as though there are many ways around it

kswoosh

Also - how important are business cards? If some of the people signing my references don't have business cards, is that a major issue?

Former Lancastrian

Personally I wouldn't put too much emphasis on a business card as opposed to someone attesting their credentials on letterhead.
Just go to Vistaprint and for a few dollars I can have any business card made up and I have always dreamed of having Phd, Bsc or a host of others after my name There again letterhead can be reproduced so what is a person to believe.
I can probably have several degrees made up and authenticated for the right price.

withabix

I don't know why they even refer to Business Cards. All they require are the contact details for the employer, on company letterhead and this will usually be a random bod in the HR Department anyway unless you worked for a very small employer.

Business cards are becoming less common in the UK particularly these days.

kswoosh

Thanks for confirming that Former Lancastrian. I kind of thought the same thing. Good to have it confirmed.

Just to summarise on the above - because I'm guessing it's too long winded for people to want to read...

I was a temporary contract Admin Assistant placed in one role at BC Hydro from 04 JUL 2011 to 13 SEP 2012.

My employer from 04 JUL 2011 to 27 SEP 2011 was Apple One.

My employer from 19 SEP 2011 to 13 SEP 2012 was Accenture.

I have references from both documenting the above dates.

I have a reference from BC Hydro (outlining the duties that I undertook) and he confirmed that I was placed at Hydro for the entire period from 04 JUL 2011 to 13 SEP 2012.

a) Is there an issue that the Apple One and Accenture dates overlap?
b) Should I enter it onto my profile/application as two separate employments?
c) Assuming I put it as two employments, will it count as being over 1 year, as neither on their own are over 1 year, yet it is continuous employment.
d) Assuming I put it as two employments, can I attach the same BCH reference to both, along with the individual references from Apple One and Accenture respectively.
d) Should I attach a letter explaining that it was one placement, but my employment was switched from Apple One to Accenture after 3 months.
e) Does it matter that the original profile I submitted shows as 1 employment with Accenture from July 2011 to September 2012, but the application profile (post ITA) shows as two separate employments?

I really appreciate any help people can give on this I'm paranoid that an auto-calculation system will kick out the employments as ineligible as neither are over 1 year.

Former Lancastrian

My suggestion is to write a covering letter explaining your employment history.
With contracting out which can involve several companies I would find it a pain in the arse and in my job it does become a pain in the arse trying to establish who a person is actually working for when they apply for work permits if its been sub contracted out.
Im sure CIC have seen many situations similar to yours where you are doing the same continuous job in the same location but looks like you have had several employers because of the contracting out.

kswoosh

Ok, sounds good.

I guess as long as it can be explained, and they don't have to work it out for themselves, then they'll be happy enough with it.

Is there an auto-bot that'll kick out the fact that I've not got 1 employment of over 12 months? Or is it collectively calculated? I.e. if I did 12 x 1 months vs 1 x 12 months, it wouldn't make a difference, as long as they were back to back?

Thanks, by the way. Appreciate your input.

kswoosh

Hi Again all...

For the employment period where I was contracting at BC Hydro I have got three references. One from the recruitment company who handled my payroll during my probationary period, one from the company who handled payroll for the remaining period of my contract, and one from BC Hydro (to confirm my role responsibilities).

My job was an Admin Assistant - based on the tasks I performed. I didn't know what the official title was, so just went with something logical/representative.

The reference from BCH says Admin Assistant on it (my boss edited and signed off on a reference that I wrote for him).
The reference from Accenture says Level H (which I assume is just a generic contractor 'grading' system they use).
The reference from Apple One (the original recruitment agency) says Engineering Services Clerk.

I'm guessing it's going to look a bit odd having three different job titles on the three references? I'm guessing that the job title given by Apple One is the 'official' title, but I don't think it's indicative of the job I performed, and sounds like an engineering role.

Should I:

a) Ask Apple One to use Admin Assistant?
b) Get my former boss at Hydro to re-do the reference with Engineering Services Clerk (and that the responsibilities will override the job title), but this won't match the job title I used in my profile pre-ITA?
c) Just submit it as is and explain in the covering letter?

dishwashing

What were your actual duties (as opposed to the title)

Personally, I would go with what is closest to actual duties (Admin Assistant sounds generic enough perhaps?)

If the above reasoning sounds reasonable to you, I would ask Apple One to change it - always easier to ask agencies to help on that stuff IMO.

And it doesn't change the actual duties/content of your job

I would explain the Accenture one on the letter - but basically I think the clearer it is for CIC the better. (IMO)

Good luck with everything!

kswoosh

Thanks for your help dishwashing.

I've basically gone with exactly that - change the reference to Admin Assistant (which is the correct job title for the tasks I performed) and then added a comment regarding the "Level H" thing from Accenture.

I'm sure they've had loads of temp Admin Assistants go through the system, so no doubt seen it all before!

kswoosh

Hi All,

I didn't really intend on this thread being solely for me... but never mind. I'm gonna keep my stuff here to save starting new threads.

On the website for the medical centre I'm using for my medical, it says when I call to make an appointment I should have "An IME number for each applicant, which can be found on the “Medical Report – Client Biodata and Summary” form. (This does not apply to applicants who are allowed to undertake an Upfront Medical – see link below*)"

Anyone know what this is? Is it just my application number?

beckiwoo

Can someone tell me if for CEC I can combine different jobs for the 12 months of full time work or does it have to be through one employer only?