I misread your question.

Actually, I've played one Imperial and somehow got to echelon 3 or 4 awhile back. I remember you could only check down on oathes within your sect, but not others.

If you're talking about those non-sect "citizens", it sort of makes sense that they can't check oathes' donations.

Maybe it's just to limit and frustrate those floater classes who want to be in the Empire, compelling them to go elsewhere.