Supporting doc question 18: letter from employer (outland, commonlaw)

[MDSB]

Hi there

A bit of background info first... my partner is Canadian and we both live together in Scotland (we are applying outland, common-law).  He has lived and worked in Scotland for 6 years and we have been in a relationship for 20 months - 14 months of which we have lived together.

I have been reading and familiarising myself with the application and have a couple of questions:
First question:
Number 18 on the document checklist A letter from your current employer stating period of employment, salary and regular working hours.  My partner is reluctant to ask for a letter from his employer as his employer does not yet know of his intention to retun to Canada.  He wasn't planning on informing his employer until our application has been approved.  The application process could take on average 8 months and we don't want to risk my partner losing his job in the meantime.  Has anyone else had this dilemma.  Do you think it would be fine to leave the letter out and instead provide something else e.g. current payslips, P60, screenshots from company website?

Second question:
Application for Permanent residence in Canada form.  Question 9. You current marital status.
The form states "provide the date on which you entered into a common law relationship.  Should I put the date we moved in together or the date our relationship began?

Thank you for taking time to read this and hope someone out there can help...

Much appreciated 

[malirca]

I'm also applying for commonlaw/
I have found a way to call the call center from outside of canada so have had a chance to ask alot of questions.
Pay stubs etc should be good to prove where he has worked. Also maybe if he has a contract he had signed from before stating his earnings.
As for question about the date. Put the date when you began your common law relationship. When you describe your relationship, in there you can say when you started going out.
Hope this helps

[AlieW]

The letter doesn't have to be addressed to the Canadian VO - it just needs to state the hours worked a week, how long the individual has been working at the company and the salary. Your partner can just say he need's a letter outlining these details (he doesn't have to say what for) and if the office pushes him, he can always say he needs it for is Canadian tax return or something to that effect. I know it's not completely honest but it's a way to get arround the stickey issue.

As for the date you common-law relationship started, put the date you moved in together. (Nice and simply - backed up by your lease) and then you can use the letter to describe how you met and your relationship before you moved in together.