Job change during citizenship application

[mukund01]

I submitted my citizenship application in March 2020, but have not recieved the AOR yet. Recently, I changed my job. But my home address has not changed. Do I have to inform IRCC about job change? If yes, how should I do that?

 

[duckduckgoose]

That shouldn't matter they only care about details during the a 5 year window. The address change requires you to inform them because they might send correspondence and materials to your permanent address during the application process - including your citizenship certificate at the end.

 

[mukund01]

Perfect! Thanks a lot!!

 

[dpenabill]

I submitted my citizenship application in March 2020, but have not recieved the AOR yet. Recently, I changed my job. But my home address has not changed. Do I have to inform IRCC about job change? If yes, how should I do that?

Changing jobs after applying does NOT change any information in the application. The only job information asked for in the application is employment HISTORY. Past tense, up to the date of the application. History does not change. So there is no change to notify IRCC about.

The application separately asks for the applicant's home address, where the applicant actually lives. If that changes, that is a change in the information provided in the application and would fall under the applicant's obligation to notify IRCC of such a change, as the applicant verifies he or she will do in the signature box on the application.

Applicants may be, and it seems fairly often are (I was), asked about *current* employment in the interview. Obviously, the applicant is obligated to give a current, truthful answer at that time.


By the way, this is NOT at all true:

That shouldn't matter they only care about details during the a 5 year window.

There are many details the applicant must provide that are outside the five year time period that is relevant to calculating actual physical presence. Several prohibition items ask about periods BEFORE the five year "eligibility period" and some of these items may require notifying IRCC if there is a change AFTER applying. Among other questions for which the five year "eligibility period" does NOT define the scope of the question . . . for one example, applicants are required to divulge immigration status in other countries even if that was BEFORE the five year eligibility period.

It is also NOT correct to say that

The address change requires you to inform them because they might send correspondence and materials to your permanent address during the application process

That is ONE reason why the applicant should keep IRCC informed as to their contact information.

But as noted above, the application asks for the applicant's "home" address, the applicant's place of "residence." This is in item 7, separate and apart from the address history to be disclosed in item 10. The latter is, again, historical information, so it cannot change (it could include an error to be corrected, but does not change).

The applicant's "home address" can change. And the applicant verifies, in the signature box, that the applicant will notify IRCC if any information in the application changes.

There are many indications that IRCC does not aggressively enforce this. It may be said, thus, it is akin to speeding on the 401. Very, very common. Which it warrants emphasizing, however, is no defense if and when the OPP stops someone for speeding. Except making misrepresentations in the citizenship application process, even by omission, tends to have more at stake than a fine and points on one's drivers license.

 

[mukund01]

Changing jobs after applying does NOT change any information in the application. The only job information asked for in the application is employment HISTORY. Past tense, up to the date of the application. History does not change. So there is no change to notify IRCC about.

The application separately asks for the applicant's home address, where the applicant actually lives. If that changes, that is a change in the information provided in the application and would fall under the applicant's obligation to notify IRCC of such a change, as the applicant verifies he or she will do in the signature box on the application.

Applicants may be, and it seems fairly often are (I was), asked about *current* employment in the interview. Obviously, the applicant is obligated to give a current, truthful answer at that time.


By the way, this is NOT at all true:



There are many details the applicant must provide that are outside the five year time period that is relevant to calculating actual physical presence. Several prohibition items ask about periods BEFORE the five year "eligibility period" and some of these items may require notifying IRCC if there is a change AFTER applying. Among other questions for which the five year "eligibility period" does NOT define the scope of the question . . . for one example, applicants are required to divulge immigration status in other countries even if that was BEFORE the five year eligibility period.

It is also NOT correct to say that


That is ONE reason why the applicant should keep IRCC informed as to their contact information.

But as noted above, the application asks for the applicant's "home" address, the applicant's place of "residence." This is in item 7, separate and apart from the address history to be disclosed in item 10. The latter is, again, historical information, so it cannot change (it could include an error to be corrected, but does not change).

The applicant's "home address" can change. And the applicant verifies, in the signature box, that the applicant will notify IRCC if any information in the application changes.

There are many indications that IRCC does not aggressively enforce this. It may be said, thus, it is akin to speeding on the 401. Very, very common. Which it warrants emphasizing, however, is no defense if and when the OPP stops someone for speeding. Except making misrepresentations in the citizenship application process, even by omission, tends to have more at stake than a fine and points on one's drivers license.

Thanks dpenabill

 

[Praveena544]

Changing jobs after applying does NOT change any information in the application. The only job information asked for in the application is employment HISTORY. Past tense, up to the date of the application. History does not change. So there is no change to notify IRCC about.

The application separately asks for the applicant's home address, where the applicant actually lives. If that changes, that is a change in the information provided in the application and would fall under the applicant's obligation to notify IRCC of such a change, as the applicant verifies he or she will do in the signature box on the application.

Applicants may be, and it seems fairly often are (I was), asked about *current* employment in the interview. Obviously, the applicant is obligated to give a current, truthful answer at that time.


By the way, this is NOT at all true:



There are many details the applicant must provide that are outside the five year time period that is relevant to calculating actual physical presence. Several prohibition items ask about periods BEFORE the five year "eligibility period" and some of these items may require notifying IRCC if there is a change AFTER applying. Among other questions for which the five year "eligibility period" does NOT define the scope of the question . . . for one example, applicants are required to divulge immigration status in other countries even if that was BEFORE the five year eligibility period.

It is also NOT correct to say that


That is ONE reason why the applicant should keep IRCC informed as to their contact information.

But as noted above, the application asks for the applicant's "home" address, the applicant's place of "residence." This is in item 7, separate and apart from the address history to be disclosed in item 10. The latter is, again, historical information, so it cannot change (it could include an error to be corrected, but does not change).

The applicant's "home address" can change. And the applicant verifies, in the signature box, that the applicant will notify IRCC if any information in the application changes.

There are many indications that IRCC does not aggressively enforce this. It may be said, thus, it is akin to speeding on the 401. Very, very common. Which it warrants emphasizing, however, is no defense if and when the OPP stops someone for speeding. Except making misrepresentations in the citizenship application process, even by omission, tends to have more at stake than a fine and points on one's drivers license.

Hello @dpenabill ,

Do I have to inform the office about my h4 visa which I got after submitting the citizenship application?

 

[dpenabill]

Hello @dpenabill ,

Do I have to inform the office about my h4 visa which I got after submitting the citizenship application?

I am NOT an expert and I am not qualified to offer personal advice. I should not, cannot, and will not try to advise what you should do in your particular situation. For lots of reasons. One obvious reason is that I have not reviewed the entirety of the application you submitted, and without doing that any personal advice would be based on insufficient information.

But this is not a difficult question and is one you should be able to answer for yourself. Regardless which version of the application form you submitted, they all require the applicant to verify they will notify IRCC of any changes in the information submitted. The observations I posted above, back in August 2020, still cover this subject and that should be more than sufficient for you to answer this question for yourself.

I will reiterate one key distinction: some of the information asked for and provided in the application is historical. History does not change. Other information in the application can change while the application is pending. Applicants verify they will notify IRCC of changes. Failures to timely do so constitute misrepresentation by omission, even if this is rarely enforced.

So, information regarding work history, address history, or travel history, for example, does not change because it cannot change. Current home address, in contrast, can change and applicants are obligated to notify IRCC if this changes (even if the failure to do so often does not trigger a problem, and perhaps typically does not even result in concerns about the applicant's credibility, or not by much anyway, so long as the applicant continues to get communications from IRCC and responds appropriately).

How does this apply to information about immigration status in other countries?

Question 13 in the application varies depending on which version of the application was submitted. The most recent version, compared to older versions, being:

Current version: "13. Do you currently, or have you ever held immigration" . . . [status in another country]?​

2018 version (just for example): "13. Have you ever held immigration" . . . [status in another country]?​

My sense is that the change in the application form indicates IRCC wants applicants to inform IRCC if they obtain immigration status in another country after applying. I do not know, no clue actually, how IRCC responds to an applicant's failure to timely give notice of the change.

You know which version you submitted.

Probably safe to say that for applications using an older version, one of those from before this question referenced status currently, the failure to notify IRCC cannot be the basis for denying the application for misrepresentation, let alone pursuing a criminal charge. And my sense (without really knowing) is that it is not likely there will be a formal allegation of misrepresentation even for those whose application asked for current information about status in other countries; however, the failure to timely notify IRCC probably has some impact on the how IRCC officials perceive the applicant's credibility.

Overall: again, how you personally approach this is a decision for you to make. Best I can offer is that if you failed to timely notify IRCC of a change in the information you provided in the application, doing so sooner rather than later is probably better.

Collateral Observations: In other posts you indicate your spouse has a Canadian PR application pending. If you are sponsoring that application but living outside Canada, that could mean you are NOT eligible to sponsor and could jeopardize that application. Additionally, I am not certain but there is at least a significant chance that IRCC already knows about any status you have obtained in the U.S., because of the information sharing protocols between the U.S. and Canada.

 

[Praveena544]

I am NOT an expert and I am not qualified to offer personal advice. I should not, cannot, and will not try to advise what you should do in your particular situation. For lots of reasons. One obvious reason is that I have not reviewed the entirety of the application you submitted, and without doing that any personal advice would be based on insufficient information.

But this is not a difficult question and is one you should be able to answer for yourself. Regardless which version of the application form you submitted, they all require the applicant to verify they will notify IRCC of any changes in the information submitted. The observations I posted above, back in August 2020, still cover this subject and that should be more than sufficient for you to answer this question for yourself.

I will reiterate one key distinction: some of the information asked for and provided in the application is historical. History does not change. Other information in the application can change while the application is pending. Applicants verify they will notify IRCC of changes. Failures to timely do so constitute misrepresentation by omission, even if this is rarely enforced.

So, information regarding work history, address history, or travel history, for example, does not change because it cannot change. Current home address, in contrast, can change and applicants are obligated to notify IRCC if this changes (even if the failure to do so often does not trigger a problem, and perhaps typically does not even result in concerns about the applicant's credibility, or not by much anyway, so long as the applicant continues to get communications from IRCC and responds appropriately).

How does this apply to information about immigration status in other countries?

Question 13 in the application varies depending on which version of the application was submitted. The most recent version, compared to older versions, being:

Current version: "13. Do you currently, or have you ever held immigration" . . . [status in another country]?​

2018 version (just for example): "13. Have you ever held immigration" . . . [status in another country]?​

My sense is that the change in the application form indicates IRCC wants applicants to inform IRCC if they obtain immigration status in another country after applying. I do not know, no clue actually, how IRCC responds to an applicant's failure to timely give notice of the change.

You know which version you submitted.

Probably safe to say that for applications using an older version, one of those from before this question referenced status currently, the failure to notify IRCC cannot be the basis for denying the application for misrepresentation, let alone pursuing a criminal charge. And my sense (without really knowing) is that it is not likely there will be a formal allegation of misrepresentation even for those whose application asked for current information about status in other countries; however, the failure to timely notify IRCC probably has some impact on the how IRCC officials perceive the applicant's credibility.

Overall: again, how you personally approach this is a decision for you to make. Best I can offer is that if you failed to timely notify IRCC of a change in the information you provided in the application, doing so sooner rather than later is probably better.

Collateral Observations: In other posts you indicate your spouse has a Canadian PR application pending. If you are sponsoring that application but living outside Canada, that could mean you are NOT eligible to sponsor and could jeopardize that application. Additionally, I am not certain but there is at least a significant chance that IRCC already knows about any status you have obtained in the U.S., because of the information sharing protocols between the U.S. and Canada.

Thank you very much for your reply. I replied to the email about my new status. Will see what happens.