Why does the eTA application require employment information?

Published on: May 27, 2020 | Tags: Canada eTA Requirements, Canada eTA Application Form, Canada eTA Questions

Introduction

Canada Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) requests information on a traveller’s existing occupational circumstances to help demonstrate visitors are not coming to Canada to seek employment. Employment information also helps IRCC evaluate applications should they be manually reviewed for authenticity, immigration or security purposes.

Why does the eTA application require employment information?

What are the employment related eTA questions?

Occupation

The first question is regarding an applicant’s occupation. Applicants must select from a list of options. If their existing occupation is not listed, they are advised to choose an option that is most similar to their line of work. The options available for selection on the occupation list are as follows:

1. Art, culture, recreation and sports
2. Finance and administration
3. Education, law and social community and government services
4. Health
5. Homemaker
6. Management
7. Manufacturing and utilities
8. Military/armed forces
9. Natural and applied sciences
10. Natural resources, agriculture and related production
11. Retired
12. Sales and service
13. Student
14. Trades, transport and equipment operators
15. Unemployed

Job title

The job title question is also based on a dropdown select list from pre-determined options. The list displayed for available job titles will be based on the occupation the applicant selected in the previous question.

If you are student, homemaker or retired, you will not be requested to provide your job title.

Name of company, employer, school or facility

Canada eTA applicants that are working or studying will be requested to provide the name of the company, employer, school or facility where their job is based. The name should always be the entity that directly employs you.

Students should enter the name of the school, university or college in this field. If you are a homemaker or retired, you will not be requested to provider information on your company, employer or school name.

Address of company, employer, school or facility

Employer Country/territory – Applicants will need to select the country where their employer or school is located.

City/town – In this field, type the city where their employer or school is located.

If you are a homemaker or retired, you will not be requested to provider information on your company, employer or school address.

Start year for employment or school course

In this field eTA applicants will need to select the year they started their course or job from the dropdown menu.

If you are a homemaker or retired, you will not be requested to provider information on your start date for any existing or previous employment or academic occupations.

Conclusion

The employment questions on an eTA application are intended to assist IRCC with not only verifying traveller information but also assist in identifying instances where visitors may be arriving to Canada as economic migrants. Canada eTA applicants are advised to provide accurate information reflective of their occupation and employer or academic institution.