Employment, family and home-country ties
Approved leave and return-to-work plan are not demonstrated
Not a statutory bar. It affects whether the officer is satisfied, and better evidence can change that.
What this means
The applicant says they have a job but does not show that the employer has approved the exact travel period or expects them back.
Why it matters to the officer
Leave evidence can connect employment to the specific proposed trip rather than merely proving that the applicant has a job at some point in time.
What the officer compares
Leave dates, proposed travel dates, return-to-work date, employer letter and whether the duration is reasonable for the role.
How to strengthen a new application
Where available, include approved leave and a clear expected return date. If the employer does not issue formal leave letters, explain the normal process and provide alternative evidence.
Common mistakes
Leave dates shorter than the trip; using an old NOC for a new travel period; claiming unpaid leave for months without explanation.
- Leave dates shorter than the trip
- using an old NOC for a new travel period
- claiming unpaid leave for months without explanation
Illustrative exampleA stable job plus 14 days approved leave is a clearer temporary narrative than a stable job plus an unexplained 90-day absence.
Before you apply again
IRCC now sends the officer’s decision note with most temporary-resident refusals since 29 July 2025, so check what came with your refusal first. The decision note or GCMS notes guide explains the difference, and the decoder explains the codes in them.
Scope noteIRCC does not publish an official ranked list of refusal reasons. This is a research-based classification of the legal grounds and evidence weaknesses that recur in real refusals. A weak itinerary or a new job is not itself a statutory ground — it affects whether the officer is satisfied under IRPR 179(b). This page is general information, not legal advice.
Where this comes from
Drawn from the Government of Canada’s published law and guidance. Check us against these pages:
Questions about this refusal
Not sure this is why you were refused?
Check first whether IRCC sent you the officer’s decision note with the refusal. For the fuller record, we can request your GCMS notes for you, or you can request them yourself, free, subject to what IRCC withholds.
Have us request them for youDo it yourself or let us do it?
