That discrepancy needs resolution before relying on the start date. A contract cannot establish a qualification that has not yet been earned.
Ask about a lawful revised sequence
Confirm the institution’s records and whether the employer can adjust its timetable. Describe any proposed preliminary visit accurately; relabelling work as orientation does not authorize it. Reassess eligibility and the appropriate process on the facts that exist when the application is made.
Identify the latest date the employer could actually accommodate a delayed start without cancelling the position, and avoid non-refundable travel or equipment commitments tied to an assumed entry date. The first review should produce a dated sequence of evidence collection, travel or petition steps, and a lawful contingency for delay.; each conclusion should point to the record that settles it. If the engagement is expected to continue past it, start gathering the employer's updated letter and any refreshed evidence weeks ahead, since collecting documents from a different country on short notice is what most often causes a gap. Field seasons create their own pressure: an employer that needs someone in the woods for a specific window will resist a slipping start date, so agree the schedule inside the offer rather than around it.