Employment, family and home-country ties
Very recent or unstable employment is relied on as the main tie
Not a statutory bar. It affects whether the officer is satisfied, and better evidence can change that.
What this means
The applicant has only recently begun the job, has frequent job changes, or is in probation, and the application treats the employment as conclusive proof of return.
Why it matters to the officer
Recent employment can be genuine, but it may carry less persuasive weight than long-established employment unless the rest of the applicant’s circumstances are also strong.
What the officer compares
Employment chronology, previous jobs, salary pattern, probation terms, career progression and other ties such as family, residence and assets.
How to strengthen a new application
Disclose the employment history accurately. Explain legitimate career changes and support the broader profile rather than trying to make a new job appear older or more established than it is.
Common mistakes
Backdating employment letters; omitting recent unemployment; large salary jump with no supporting record.
- Backdating employment letters
- omitting recent unemployment
- large salary jump with no supporting record
Illustrative exampleAn engineer who changed employers two months ago can still have strong ties if the new role is genuine and the overall career history is well documented.
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?
