Qualifying Canadian Work Experience for Immigration

When applying for Canadian immigration, having the right amount of work experience is crucial. The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) program considers up to two weeks of paid annual vacation as part of qualifying work experience. These absences, whether taken inside or outside Canada, are viewed as standard employment benefits. However, longer vacations, such as three or four weeks, may not be fully counted and fall into a grey area. In such cases, applicants are advised to work additional weeks to meet the full 52-week requirement.

Important Considerations

• Statutory holidays and overtime hours do not affect how the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) calculates work experience.
• Express Entry, the system used for managing applications for permanent residence, considers a maximum of 30 hours per week, even if the individual works more.
• Work performed outside Canada, even if paid by a Canadian employer and taxed in Canada, does not qualify as Canadian work experience. Applicants must be physically present in Canada and actively engaged in the Canadian labour market to meet the requirements.
• Similarly, work done in Canada for a foreign employer is not considered Canadian experience.
• Maternity leave, sick leave, and other extended paid absences are not included in the calculation of Canadian work experience. Applicants relying on the CEC program should ensure they have sufficient weeks of actual work performed in Canada to meet the eligibility criteria.