IMM 5257 Schedule 1

This is the travel history form that we call “pain in the ass form” as it is requested as an additional form from every applicant that left a gap in the work history in the application. 

It is requested after you provided the biometrics, when a real human looks at your application and just when you thought biometrics was the last step in the process. It creates a ton of errors and will delay your application. This form is completely preventable if applicants fill out the work history section and resume 

  • without ANY gaps
  • back to their 18th birthday

If you followed the exact Working Holiday application steps and tips  > here < you will be spared from this particular form.

If the form is requested from you:

The requirement in the letter is: IMM5257 – Schedule 1 – Section 8

The letter also:

  • states a period of time that you have to fill out,
  • provides a link to download the form,
  • provides a deadline by which you have to submit the document.

You must fill out the exact time frame requested in the letter. Without any gaps and including the home stays.

  • The form must be the most recent form. The link to download will be provided in the letter. 
  • It must therefore be downloaded via the link in the letter or from the official canada.ca homepage. Since the location of forms is constantly changing, please  enter IMM5257 Schedule 1 in Google. See if > this link< works. 
  • The form cannot be filled out on a mobile phone or iPad. Only on a PC or laptop.
    • If you’re on the road and don’t have a laptop, you’ll need to go to a library and fill it out.
  • If you’re having trouble downloading the form, please follow the steps >here< in this guide.
  • List everything first on a piece of paper until you have filled everything without a gap. Then transfer to the form. 
  • Start with the month/year and end with the month/year that is requested in the letter.
  • Only the travel history is required. You have to list all the countries where you have traveled.
  • The form cannot be printed out and filled out by hand. You have to fill it out directly on the PC, validate it with “Validate“.
  • All questions from 1-8 must be answered in the form. 

You can save yourself the entry of weekend trip or a short trip of a few days within Europe. This is not so important and can be omitted. But if it went on for more than 1 month, you have to list it.

In any case, all trips must be indicated where the passport was used, because this data is recorded in the system.

Example of how the rows under “from to” should look if you have only traveled once:

  • Period at home
  • Period of the trip
  • Period at home
  • If the default rows aren’t enough, you can add more rows with the + at the bottom right corner. 
  • It should be possible to add around 30 additional rows. 
  • The form cannot be combined with other PDFs into a document.
  • The form does not need to be printed or signed.
  • The form cannot be renamed when saving. You must keep the same file name. Therefore save it under the same original file name with “Save” instead of “Save as…” 

If you did not travel during the period that is requested:

  • You still have to answer “Yes” to question 8, otherwise the rows will not open up.
  • List the entire period requested in the letter
  • Under “country” you enter your home country and under “location” your hometown
  • Unter “purpose of travel” you enter: “Not travelling, in my home country”

Help, the rows in the form are not enough!

  • If your trips were so many that even with “Add more rows” there are not enough rows, you will need to submit the extra information on a separate form via the IRCC web form.
  • In the last row of the first form, please write “see more rows via webform” in purpose.
  • Fill out a second form, in the first row please write “continued from first form”.
  • Print out the first form + the second form as a PDF and submit it via the web form >here<.  
  • In the web form, explain in the empty field that there was not enough space in the form and that you will submit both forms.
  • Select “International Experience Canada” from the drop-down in the web form, fill in all the necessary input fields and upload the document in the next step.

When you're done with the form:

  • Save it to your PC.
  • Upload it into the provided spot in the document list in the GCKey account.
  • Very important! You have to go through all the steps in the account again with “Next” until the end until the status of the document is set to “Replacement Provided“.

Here is how you can find the upload spot and upload it (quoted from the Canadian government website here ): 

  1. Sign in to your account.
  2. Look for your application under View the applications you submitted.
  3. Under the Action column, click Check full application status.
  4. At the top of the page, click View submitted application or upload documents.
  5. Scroll down the page and click Continue.
  6. Under Documents submitted by the client, you can find
    • Document Name: the document we need
    • Instructions: more information on the type of document and how to get it
    • Required by: the latest date by when we need to receive the document
  7. Click Upload file and follow the steps to upload your document to your account.
  8. Make sure the Details column shows the message Uploaded – not submitted to IRCC.
  9. Click Next.
  10. Provide your Signature by entering your Given name(s) and Last name(s).
  11. Answer the Security Question.
  12. Click Sign.
  13. Click Transmit.
  14. The following message should appear on your screen: “Congratulations! You have successfully submitted your application or profile. You have successfully transmitted your additional or replacement document(s).”
  15. After you see the message, you’ll receive an email confirming you’ve added a new document.
Back to the main page
Share this information