As I see it, the security pass issue is one of the riskiest aspects of establishing or re-establishing an aviation career in Canada. The risk is that you leave a position overseas, move everything including forks and spoons to Canada, start the job, and then find out that you have no job because the RCMP is unwilling or unable to get records from where you have been. I heard this can be not only a problem with hard-to-spell "third-worldish" countries, but even for countries like Germany (they will not release records-- so I have been told) or South Africa-- where no records are kept on foreigners.
Whether all of this is true or not is really besides the point. The fact of the matter is, having lived outside of Canada and the United States will increase the waiting time, normally for months, and either make you unmarketable for a Canadian aviation job or in the meantime keep you in a situation of doubt on when the answer will come, and what it will be. I also understand that after two years of absence from Canada, Transport Canada flushes their records, so even though your red pass may have still been valid if you had one before, you will need to begin the process anew. Something to really consider before you make the move.
It's almost like the ideal Canadian is one who has lived in Fort Watapuchuk, Smallville and Toronto, and whose exotic foreign travel has been limited to two to three week vacations to Mexico, France and Hawaii.
Last edited by Panama Jack; 17th Apr 2006 at 05:01.