NWO - Pre-Enrolment Security Clearance / Pre-Assessment Questionnaire

[jmico91]

Hello Everybody
I applied for NWO and have my CFAT a couple of weeks ago in Victoria, BC (November, 2023). They Recruitment Officer told me that I need a Pre-Enrolment Security Clearance Pre-Assessment Questionnaire. I am a Permanent Resident and have lived in Canada for 14 years. Have never leaved Canada for more than 1month during that time period. I completed my Post-Secondary studies, and I have never worked outside of Canada either.
They told me the process will likely take between 18-24 months, and that my file would show as closed until they get that Clearance. I was disappointed to hear the long waiting period but understood that it is a process that needs to be completed.

However, I got a called two days ago from from the recruitment office to schedule me to take the MOST test on January 11, 2024. Are they trying to just complete all the necessary testing until the Clearance comes back? (I know some of the tests have 1 year or so valid period) or is there any miraculously reason that the clearance came back way faster and they are moving me along the process?

PS. Any advice for the MOST test will be greatly appreciated as well.

 

[brihard]

Tough to gauge the ‘why’. You may never find out why they sequence it in a given way. Just play the game and show up and see how it goes. Might be that for an in demand trade they can try to speed up the clearance a bit if you’re suitable, or maybe they’re just ticking boxes.

 

[Winds]

The MOST test is ran periodically as it is only required by NWO applicants. Most likely they just wanted to test as many NWO applicants as they could and had capacity for that to include you. I wouldn't read into it too much.

While you may have lived in Canada for 14 years, there are other factors considered, such as the fact that you are still a citizen of a foreign country and whether or not you have family or other contacts living outside of Canada... such questions are aske of citizens as well. If a pre-sec assessment was deemed necessary, it would not miraculously be completed faster than normal. The processing is completed by a different government department and the majority of the wait is spent in a queue, waiting for your file to be considered... it is one queue for all federal government departments, whether new applicants or current members getting their clearances renewed.

 

[jmico91]

The MOST test is ran periodically as it is only required by NWO applicants. Most likely they just wanted to test as many NWO applicants as they could and had capacity for that to include you. I wouldn't read into it too much.

While you may have lived in Canada for 14 years, there are other factors considered, such as the fact that you are still a citizen of a foreign country and whether or not you have family or other contacts living outside of Canada... such questions are aske of citizens as well. If a pre-sec assessment was deemed necessary, it would not miraculously be completed faster than normal. The processing is completed by a different government department and the majority of the wait is spent in a queue, waiting for your file to be considered... it is one queue for all federal government departments, whether new applicants or current members getting their clearances renewed.

I understand all these, and having gone through something similar for Permanent Residency, I know there is now way around the waiting times. I was just curious as they told me at the beginning of the month that they will "Close" my file until the Pre-Assessment was completed. However, I got the called for the MOST test last week.
For now I am being patient as I know it will be a lengthy process, but one I am sure will be worth it (assuming I get in).
Cheers

 

[crypto_fan]

Hello Everybody
I applied for NWO and have my CFAT a couple of weeks ago in Victoria, BC (November, 2023). They Recruitment Officer told me that I need a Pre-Enrolment Security Clearance Pre-Assessment Questionnaire. I am a Permanent Resident and have lived in Canada for 14 years. Have never leaved Canada for more than 1month during that time period. I completed my Post-Secondary studies, and I have never worked outside of Canada either.
They told me the process will likely take between 18-24 months, and that my file would show as closed until they get that Clearance. I was disappointed to hear the long waiting period but understood that it is a process that needs to be completed.

Clearances take forever for even us already in. Not unheard of clearances taking 2 years.

However, I got a called two days ago from from the recruitment office to schedule me to take the MOST test on January 11, 2024. Are they trying to just complete all the necessary testing until the Clearance comes back? (I know some of the tests have 1 year or so valid period) or is there any miraculously reason that the clearance came back way faster and they are moving me along the process?

Clearances, never, I repeat never come back "way faster". As I mentioned above, even us members wait and wait and wait some more for our clearances, even after I 1st one.

PS. Any advice for the MOST test will be greatly appreciated as well.

Ships make me dizzy.... so have no advice.

 

[da1root]

I'd like to explain the term "closed" when it relates to Recruiting Files and Prior Learning Assessments (PLAR).

Closed never really means "closed", it's not like the door is shut and can never be opened. With Recruiting and PLAR's when a file is open without movement we have to report on why it's open. However when a file is closed (read this as "paused") the clock is paused on the department having an open file.

Using PLAR's as the example: I do this all the time as I"m waiting on documents to be returned to me from the individual requesting a PLAR. If it remains internal I leave the file open, the moment I return it for missing documents I state that the file is closed. However the file isn't really "closed", it's "paused" but the only options we have for files are "open" or "closed" - so "paused" becomes "closed".

Don't read too much into it when you're told that your file is "closed" while they're waiting on items to come back. And it doesn't mean that other things (like the MOST) cannot be completed.

 

[slingknees]

I'd like to explain the term "closed" when it relates to Recruiting Files and Prior Learning Assessments (PLAR).

Closed never really means "closed", it's not like the door is shut and can never be opened. With Recruiting and PLAR's when a file is open without movement we have to report on why it's open. However when a file is closed (read this as "paused") the clock is paused on the department having an open file.

Using PLAR's as the example: I do this all the time as I"m waiting on documents to be returned to me from the individual requesting a PLAR. If it remains internal I leave the file open, the moment I return it for missing documents I state that the file is closed. However the file isn't really "closed", it's "paused" but the only options we have for files are "open" or "closed" - so "paused" becomes "closed".

Don't read too much into it when you're told that your file is "closed" while they're waiting on items to come back. And it doesn't mean that other things (like the MOST) cannot be completed.

Oh man I just checked my application today and panicked a little to see it was closed. I'm waiting on medical approval from some unfortunate form delays but I really hope they just hit pause on it because it was waiting too long rather than a medical rejection. Application still says 'Ready for Medical/Interview" too