Calgary Credit Check?
 

Hello, I'm new here

I apologise if this has been asked before,I have been searching the forum for a couple of hours but can't find an answer. I posted this on the main Canada thread, but thought this might be more appropriate ....

My husband and I are hoping to emigrate to Calgary, he is a uk police officer with Cheshire and has 6 years service. We've downloaded the application form but it says that you need to provide your credit history, and it also asks if you have ever had debt problems on the actual form.

I lost my job 3 years ago, long story but I was sacked for being pregnant, I sued the company and won, BUT in the year it took to go through with that we had problems repaying our debts. We went to the cccs who put us on a debt management plan. We have remained on this and have made our reduced repayments every month since. As a result of the money problems we got 5 defaults between the 2 of us.

So i'm just wondering, would you recommend:

1. Applying to Calgary Police and admitting to the problems.

2. Defer immigration for a couple of years, resume normal debt repayment and aim to partially repair credit problems before applying to Calgary police.

3. Apply for immigration under the skilled worker class and apply to police once out there? I've heard that credit history isn't checked when applying for immigration???


I'm sorry for the questions, or if any of my questions are stupid.

Thanks to anyone who can offer help,it will be much appreciated.

Helen

Re: Calgary Credit Check?
 

Hi Helen and welcome to you and your hubby. We are off to Calgary next saturday for all the testing for CPS, keeping everything crossed that Geraint does well and we (he) gets that job offer :thumbsup:

Firstly i would say if you do go ahead and apply - be totally honest with them at all stages. I am sure honesty plays a huge part in all job applications and personally i think that they would rather somebody have baggage and be honest about it than try to make out they are whiter than white - if you get my drift. life is life and i expect they have had all sorts of truths told to them in the past, so i would say tell them and be honest and upfront with as much info as you can.

Secondly why not get a credit report and send it with your application and a full covering letter - that way they will see that you are being open with them, i think that goes a long way to showing you are not trying to hide things from them.

Thirdly, we have been on this site for around8 months or so now, there are lots of very nice and helpfull folk on here ( lots going to CPS - well, hopefully:thumbsup: ) and its a great place to find out lots of info.

Good luck with your application and if you fancy a chat drop me a line.

Dawn (Mrs WDW)

Re: Calgary Credit Check?
 

Hi Helen - and another welcome to BE

1 - Yes ! Fill in all the forms. On any question that relates to debt, write "see appendix A" or whatever, and add an additional sheet outlining pretty much what you have written here - keep it simple, straightforward and unemotional. As an aside, did you have any case or recompense with your old employer - can you prove any unfair dismissal? It might simply show how the circumstances came to be ... it's not unheard of, it's nothing to be ashamed of, and unfortunately it can happen all too easily - but if you are muddling along and paying it off, what's the issue?

At a later stage in the process, ie, just before hire, they want a copy of your credit history anyway. If they ask you for one any earlier, simply print one from Equifax or Experian (about £14 I think) and forward it to them. It will easily show that you have followed the payment plan as you had already admitted .... the only thing that might arise is proof that you have completely paid off any outstanding debts before you join CPS. I guess they would not take too kindly to some kind of international hunt for you ;)

Do not try to hide this at all. It will come out somewhere, then you could face an issue of being 'banned for life' for not telling the truth ...

2 - You could defer your plans - but even the simplest way of emigrating to Canada using the PNP for Calgary Police, is still, in all likelihood going to take about 18 months in total, from when you first post off that application. It is very hard to 'put your life on hold' for that long, let alone 2, 3, 4 years.
Even the stup[id things annoy you, like 'should we replace the car?', 'my iron has just broken and I really don't want to buy another one' !! :p

3 - The Skilled Worker route is another option, but again, I would ask you to think about the timeline. These are currently taking in the region of 4-5 years to process. Then add the CPS application procedure, which you might be able to run concurrently towards the end of your permanent residency application, I would suggest you are looking at an absolute minimum of 5 years to get out here. That's tough on anyone. Once you get this emmigrating lark into your head, the hardest thing ever is to just put it to one side for a few years. It seems to affect and invade your every thought !
If you honestly think you can put it to one side, then again, it is an option.

The "plus" point about this route is that then you would not be tied to CPS - you could go anywhere in the country that tickles your fancy. You may still choose CPS and/or Alberta of course.

A crystal ball would be very handy at this point (and if you find one, let us know where you got it) - who knows where world economies, house prices and exchange rates will be in five years? Heck, who knows where they will be next month?! :lol:

Lots to think about - back over to you - only you guys can decide. [Personally, I'd go for option 1, if you are deadly serious about this move]

Best wishes .... :)

Re: Calgary Credit Check?
 

Hi Helen,

The advice you have from Dawn and Ann is tip top. You must be honest!!
I agree, apply and add a covering explanaton to the application. With the new/current form I can't see anywhere where you have to include a credit check, which i think you might have had to before. It might be worth doing a credit check now to see what the current damage is. But remember it can only get better.

I have a friend (no...honestly) from my own force that applied to CPS, his appliction was turned down beacuse he states he had some problems with his credit and also the fact he had slept with a lady of the night whilst on a lads trip to Amsterdam. I'm not sure which caused his application to be refused, how bad his credit problems were or whether he blamed his credit to save on some embarrassment of his latter actions. However the positive was that he was not disqualified from applying or just flat refused but he was told he would be reconsidered if he applied again in 12 months time.

HTH and good luck!

Jon

Re: Calgary Credit Check?
 

Thanks for the fab advice :)

We have decided to go for it, we are going to attach a covering letter as suggested and explain the reasons for the credit problems. I've got a letter from the court that explains I was unfairly dismissed so i'm going to attach that too.

Jon, i've downloaded the application form from the cps website. There's a section that asks about credit/debt problems. Is there a new form? Quite funny about your friend :)

Dawn and Ann, thank you so much for such brilliant help. I've taken it all on board. Fingers crossed.

Helen

Re: Calgary Credit Check?
 

Helen,

The form on the website is the current one, just make sure that it's the international applicant one.

The old application form I referred to was one that was from last year sometime. The current one has a few changes. But i think the old one you had to include an experian credit check, the one you have to pay for, as described by Ann. Yes the current one just has the few questions instead.

Sorry if I wasn't clear.

Jon