Immime Logo
View All Blogs

How Canadian and Foreign Work Experience Impact Your Path to PR

Why Work Experience Matters for Canadian PR

Canada’s Express Entry system is built around the principle that past employment demonstrates your ability to integrate and succeed in the labour market. Both Canadian and foreign work experience play pivotal roles—determining which program you’re eligible for and how many Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points you can earn.
Source: Express Entry overview, IRCC

Canadian Experience Class (CEC)

Eligibility & NOC Requirements

  • Minimum Experience: At least 1 year (1,560 hours) of skilled work in Canada within the 3 years before you apply.
    Source: Canadian Experience Class eligibility, IRCC
  • Skill Level: Your job must fall under NOC TEER categories 0, 1, 2, or 3. Source: National Occupational Classification (NOC) TEER, ESDC
  • Physical Presence: Remote work counts only if you were physically in Canada and employed by a Canadian company.
  • Paid Work: Must be paid—volunteer work and unpaid internships don’t count.

Counting Your Hours

  • Full-time: 30 hrs/week × 52 weeks = 1,560 hours.
  • Part-time: Any combination of part-time hours that totals 1,560 hours.
  • Multiple Jobs: Sum hours across different positions to reach 1,560 hours.

What Doesn’t Count

  • Self-employment and full-time student work (including co-op) generally don’t qualify for CEC.

Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)

Eligibility & NOC Requirements

  • Minimum Experience: At least 1 year (1,560 hours) of skilled work anywhere (Canada or abroad) within the last 10 years.
    Source: Federal Skilled Worker eligibility, IRCC
  • Skill Level: TEER categories 0, 1, 2, or 3 of the NOC.
  • Paid Work Only: Volunteer and unpaid work do not count.

Counting Your Hours

  • Same 1,560 hour equivalency rules apply.
  • IRCC caps counted hours at 30 hrs/week—any hours beyond that don’t add extra.

Proving Your Work Experience

  1. Reference Letters
    • Must be on official letterhead, include your name, job title, detailed NOC duties, start/end dates, hours per week, salary/benefits, and employer contact info.
  2. Supplementary Documents
    • Payslips, T4 slips (Canada) or equivalent foreign tax forms, employment contracts, bank statements.
  3. Translations & ECAs

Source: Documents required, IRCC Express Entry

Public Confusion & Misconceptions

  • “Part-time work must be exactly 15 hrs/week.”
    IRCC counts any combination of part-time hours so long as they total 1,560 hours; there’s no fixed weekly minimum.
  • “Volunteering and unpaid internships count.”
    Only paid work qualifies under both CEC and FSWP.
  • “Co-op terms count for CEC.”
    Student work (including co-op) is excluded from CEC eligibility.
  • “Self-employment always counts.”
    Generally not for CEC (few exceptions); FSWP may consider self-employment if it meets all criteria.
  • “Gaps in employment disqualify me.”
    IRCC focuses on total qualifying hours within the relevant window (3 years for CEC; 10 years for FSWP), not uninterrupted service.
  • “Bank statements are mandatory.”
    While not mandatory, bank statements can help officers verify salary payments more quickly.

Actionable Next Steps

  1. Audit Your Hours
    Tally your total paid hours against IRCC’s 1,560-hour requirement—break down full-time, part-time, and multiple jobs.
  2. Request Reference Letters
    Ask your employers to prepare letters on letterhead so you’re ready if you receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA).
  3. Gather Supporting Documents
    Collect payslips, T4s, contracts, bank statements, and arrange any necessary translations.
  4. Complete Your ECA
    Secure an Educational Credential Assessment for any foreign degrees.
  5. Plan Language Tests
    Aim for CLB 7+ to meet minimums—and CLB 9+ if you want additional transferable-skill points.
    Source: Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB), IRCC

At Immime — we're building tools that empower you to take control of your immigration journey.