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unemployment question

ronmcguire3425

Star Member
Sep 6, 2017
57
12
Hi, I landed on July 13, 2013, started working right away after 2 weeks of landing and worked until Nov 2013. Then I was unemployed from Dec 2013 to March 2014, searching for job. and after that since May 2014 I have been working full time.

I sent my application yesterday. But I am getting very scared because people have been telling me that any period of unemployment within 4 years will definitely lead to RQ and I was unemployed for 4 months. But I don't understand this because as a new immigrant there are times of unemployment.

Would appreciate your views on this.
 

shmak2016

Hero Member
Sep 2, 2016
290
52
No need to worry. There is always ups and down in life cycle specially in Canadian economy . ( Eg. AB: Big laid off due to Oil drop.)

What is RQ?

Hi, I landed on July 13, 2013, started working right away after 2 weeks of landing and worked until Nov 2013. Then I was unemployed from Dec 2013 to March 2014, searching for job. and after that since May 2014 I have been working full time.

I sent my application yesterday. But I am getting very scared because people have been telling me that any period of unemployment within 4 years will definitely lead to RQ and I was unemployed for 4 months. But I don't understand this because as a new immigrant there are times of unemployment.

Would appreciate your views on this.
 

dpenabill

VIP Member
Apr 2, 2010
6,252
3,018
I landed on July 13, 2013, started working right away after 2 weeks of landing and worked until Nov 2013. Then I was unemployed from Dec 2013 to March 2014, searching for job. and after that since May 2014 I have been working full time.

I sent my application yesterday. But I am getting very scared because people have been telling me that any period of unemployment within 4 years will definitely lead to RQ and I was unemployed for 4 months. But I don't understand this because as a new immigrant there are times of unemployment.
No need to worry.


The longer answer:

There are no indications that some periods of unemployment will trigger RQ these days. Of course this is so long as there are no other circumstances which IRCC might perceive to be a reason to question your presence in Canada.

There was a brief period of time (less than a year), beginning in April 2012, when IRCC was employing very strict triage criteria and virtually any period of unemployment resulted in RQ (technically the risk indicator was self-reported unemployment and any absence from Canada during the relevant period of time, but in practice, from April 2012 until sometime in early 2013, any unemployment appeared to trigger RQ; note, the version of triage criteria employed in 2012 is the last version the public has had an opportunity to see, the last version I have seen distributed on the Internet, and that was probably accidentally disclosed to a client who in turn shared it with the rest of us). And indeed, that criteria contributed to huge, huge numbers of RQ'd cases, so many cases it almost brought CIC's processing of citizenship applications to a standstill. It was crazy. That was the minds of Harper, Perrin, and Kenney at work. That's all just history, for now at least, until the next election anyway.

Obviously, in some circumstances, periods of unemployment may somewhat increase the risk of RQ. But as you apprehend, a pattern which fits in with the expected lifestyle of immigrants should not raise any concerns at all.

Good luck.
 
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ronmcguire3425

Star Member
Sep 6, 2017
57
12
No need to worry.


The longer answer:

There are no indications that some periods of unemployment will trigger RQ these days. Of course this is so long as there are no other circumstances which IRCC might perceive to be a reason to question your presence in Canada.

There was a brief period of time (less than a year), beginning in April 2012, when IRCC was employing very strict triage criteria and virtually any period of unemployment resulted in RQ (technically the risk indicator was self-reported unemployment and any absence from Canada during the relevant period of time, but in practice, from April 2012 until sometime in early 2013, any unemployment appeared to trigger RQ; note, the version of triage criteria employed in 2012 is the last version the public has had an opportunity to see, the last version I have seen distributed on the Internet, and that was probably accidentally disclosed to a client who in turn shared it with the rest of us). And indeed, that criteria contributed to huge, huge numbers of RQ'd cases, so many cases it almost brought CIC's processing of citizenship applications to a standstill. It was crazy. That was the minds of Harper, Perrin, and Kenney at work. That's all just history, for now at least, until the next election anyway.

Obviously, in some circumstances, periods of unemployment may somewhat increase the risk of RQ. But as you apprehend, a pattern which fits in with the expected lifestyle of immigrants should not raise any concerns at all.

Good luck.
Thank you so much for this info. You have relieved my stress.
 

samax

Newbie
Mar 6, 2018
7
1
Hi, I landed on July 13, 2013, started working right away after 2 weeks of landing and worked until Nov 2013. Then I was unemployed from Dec 2013 to March 2014, searching for job. and after that since May 2014 I have been working full time.

I sent my application yesterday. But I am getting very scared because people have been telling me that any period of unemployment within 4 years will definitely lead to RQ and I was unemployed for 4 months. But I don't understand this because as a new immigrant there are times of unemployment.

Would appreciate your views on this.
Hi ronmcguire3425,
based on your experience, did unemployment period had resulted in RQ request or you had a smooth process? Thanks alot
 

sns204

Champion Member
Dec 12, 2012
1,236
373
I was laid off and had about 8 month's of unemployment, maybe a little longer. It's on my application and hasn't had an impact.