Overseas for RAIC

[sherryfly]

Hello,

Does anyone know if working in countries in the Middle East, or South Asia (Pakistan to be specific) can affect your chances of getting an RAIC in a negative way?

Thanks,
sherryfly

[Rudy]

I don't think so. I worked in some awful places and though it took a year I did end up getting a new RAIC for YYZ on my return. They may ask for some things on top of the usual places, addresses, and dates. Letters from employers, for example. If you have others that can vouch for what you were doing there it will help your application.

[rwm1273]

I spent many years living and working in foreign lands. When I tried to get my RAIC again I was turned down. They wanted me to get police record checks from each of the nations I had lived in. The UAE was easy, I did that by mail. But Libya, Chad, and Cameroon I would have needed to go to each country and get a police record check in person. I could not even have my former company do it on my behalf.

The only way I got my RAIC back was because I had recently worked on a Military contract where I needed an enhanced security clearance and it was due to this that I was issued a RAIC.

[plhought]

If you've worked/lived outside of Canada for any extended amount of time (>30 days) just make sure you have a certificates of good conduct/police record checks, proof of where & when you lived when abroad (ie proof of apartment/house whatever), any entry and exit visas, work permits...and anything else you may determine relevant. Every little bit of paperwork helps.

Get all this before you return back to Canada to eliminate serious headaches described above.

Make notarized copies of everything. Submit the originals with your RAIC application.

The onus is on you in most cases, to provide these things to Transport.

Local acquaintance spent around 9 years in UAE, along with relatively short stints throughout Africa and Europe with his UAE based employer. His RAIC application foundered around for about a year and half before recieving a letter stating that he had not submitted enough information for TC to grant him a RAIC. He had two weeks to submit the above (I was surprised he hadn't already). His (very good) job back in Canada depends on it.

It only resulted in boat loads of stress and expense flying to consulates/embassies to get the documentation.

The outcome is still not certain now.

[hamstandard]

Is there any way to check in advance, prior to being hired back in Canada, if there will be a problem. A security check before actually being hired.

[FL410AV8R]

Gather as much information as you can, character references, police reports, accident/violation history (hopefully blank) from the relevant government and law enforcement authorities for ALL the places you have lived and worked.

It is usually easier to get that information while you are still overseas in the relevant countries rather than via phone/email/letter at a later date. Even with that, you will likely be short of something that some bureaucrat deems essential.

Good luck.

[tferguson]

One more side of it, wondering if anyone's had this situation..
I traveled for approx 9.5 months through Central & South America. Longest I stayed in one spot was 4 nights, typically only 1 or 2. So I never "lived" anywhere during that time. Maintained my old licensing address for documents as I traveled, with mail being sent to my parents place.
I'm presently working. Forgot to turn in my old RAIC before I left, so when I got back to Canada, I just did the paperwork for an employer swap. When I come up for renewal, I'm being told varying stories if I need to supply all the places I stayed at, a general "out of country" story, or one of my maintained addresses.
Yes I know I can contact the office, but curious if anyone has dealt with a similar situation. Thanks

[losercruiser]

You'll be fine. I backpacked for a year through Europe and Asia and you just make a list of the countries you visited and list it as a vacation. It was a non issue.

[tferguson]

You'll be fine. I backpacked for a year through Europe and Asia and you just make a list of the countries you visited and list it as a vacation. It was a non issue.

Ok great. Thanks. Nice to know from someone who's dealt with it beforehand