US work experience...docs needed?

[fbf2006]

To prove one's experience, CIC's checklist asks for a reference letter from all employers and an employment contract (offer letter).

I have also noticed on these boards that some people have been asked for more documents, like their W2 and pay stubs. Is this usually asked of everyone or is it a case by case basis? I'm trying to get all my W2s together but can't find one year for me and my husband, so i'm wondering if it is even needed since it's not included on the checklist. I have all the tax returns (1040s).

Please let me know what you think. Thanks.

[Regina]

It is enough to have Tax Returns (and references, of course)

[thaiguy]

To prove one's experience, CIC's checklist asks for a reference letter from all employers and an employment contract (offer letter).

I have also noticed on these boards that some people have been asked for more documents, like their W2 and pay stubs. Is this usually asked of everyone or is it a case by case basis? I'm trying to get all my W2s together but can't find one year for me and my husband, so i'm wondering if it is even needed since it's not included on the checklist. I have all the tax returns (1040s).

Please let me know what you think. Thanks.

The W2 helps establish your annual salary.  The pay stubs usually list your job title.  References and job descriptions help establish your duties.

You should understand that no single document is required.  But you are trying to build a case to prove to CIC that you worked certain jobs, with certain responsibilities, at such-and-such pay, etc.  So the better the job you do of documenting your experience, the more likely you'll be approved and/or waived for an interview.

Overall, it won't matter if you're missing a W2 here or a pay stub there.  You should try to have a few documents from when you started working each job, a few from the middle, and a few from the end.

[fbf2006]

Thanks.

I believe reference letters are pretty much required though. To me getting pay stubs together is unreasonable just because my company actually didn't send us pay stubs, they did direct deposit and our pay stubs were stored online in their system. I don't work there anymore so I can't access that but I'm not worried about pay stubs.

My reference letter actually lists all my titles, my duties and my last salary and it's from a well known professional firm so I'm not worried about that. I just wanted to know if all W2s were 100% needed. I'll go with what I have and document that a W2 is missing but not the tax return form.

Thanks.

[thaiguy]

I believe reference letters are pretty much required though.

Some employers won't provide a reference letter.  And some have gone out of business.  So it comes down to making the case in any way you can.

You sound like you're in good shape, though.

[fbf2006]

thaiguy, that makes sense. I didn't think of companies that are out of business.