(Recruitment in Ottawa) Pre security check and ECA for Educational credentials from outside Canada

[Forever Fighter]

Hi All,
Here is my background. I came to Canada as an international student in 2018 to do my masters degree. I completed my bachelor's degree in engineering and high school/secondary school from Bangladesh. I became a PR (Permanent Resident of Canada) this year and I gave CFAT exam few weeks ago. The recruiter told me that I did well in the CFAT based on the job I chose (i.e. marine system engineer/signal engineer) but to process further, they need my bachelor's degree and high school diploma to get evaluated by WES (World Education Service). Also, they told me that they will run a pre security check as I have been living in Canada for less than 10 years which will take them to 1.-2 years to complete!! Just the pre security check!! Even though I have Valid Reliability Security Clearance from the Govt of Canada. Seems like they cannot even trust reliable security clearance provided by their own government.

Before enrolling to a Canadian university to do my Masters degree, they evaluated all my previous educational qualifications/credentials and after passing their requirement, I got admission to a Canadian high ranked university. It is a common sense that wiithout completing high school/bachelor degree in engineering, I will not be able to get admission to a Canadian University for Masters program.

Why do CAF require my degrees aquired from outside Canada to get evaluated even though I have a Canadian Masters degree? Also, I got my Bachelor's degree evaluated and guess what? The equivalency result is a Canadian 4 years Bachelor degree in engineering which is expected. But still, CAF require my high school diploma to be evaluated?? Come on! How come I became an Engineer with taking maths, physics in my high school? I am writing these because this is extra hassle and CAF requires these and only after I submit my evaluated educational credentials, they will start pre security check for me which will take 1-2 years, then medical then security clearance then interview lol. It seems like it will take 2-3 years to get the process done.

I strongly believe that CAF nreally eeds to update their requirement criterias and shorten processing time and make the future aspirants military recruitment journey as smooth as possible since I would love to serve my new HOME, CANADA till my last breath. MAY GOD BLESS CANADA.

 

[ModlrMike]

I appreciate your frustration, but you have to realize that different agencies don't talk to one another. It's not that they won't, it's often that they can't. One of the limitations of the Privacy Act is that information can only be used for the purpose for which it was collected. Additionally, whoever assessed your credentials in the first place, has no link to the CF, and no way to provide the assessment information. The recruiting system applies the same process to everyone, so sometimes rules that prevent misrepresentation adversely affect those with no ill intent.

 

[da1root]

"Why do CAF require my degrees aquired from outside Canada to get evaluated even though I have a Canadian Masters degree?"

The CAF requires this for those educated in Canada also. I've been in for 25 years and my transcripts for high school, college and university are all on record. Par of the documents required to join the CAF is all education.

Also please note for the CAF that there is no "Valid Reliability Security Clearance" - there is an Enhanced Reliability Check that happens before a Security Clearance, but the only levels of security clearance are "Confidential", "Secret" and "Top Secret".

The reason why the CAF won't process you further until one stage is done is that there are thousands of people who apply to the CAF every year. There are only so many people to process the files, and certain parts of the processing is only good for a certain amount of time (for example medicals are only good for 1 year, PLAR's - depending on the occupation can also be valid for only a certain time period - medical occupations (minus nurses) are only valid for 1 year, nurse PLAR's are only valid for 6 months).

A Canadian born applicant, who has never been outside of Canada and has no health issues can take several months to a year+ to get in; so yes, being born outside of Canada and being here for under 10 years is going to delay your file. While new regulations allow for PR's to apply, they still have to meet the same requirements as a Canadian citizen to join.