Express Entry Work Experience Requirements

To be eligible for the Canada Express Entry program, aside from language ability and education, you must have previous work experience. Your work experience must be under skill type 0, or skill level A or B.

Important: Skilled work experience means that you have the required work experience for Express Entry under one of the following job groups in the National Occupational Classification (NOC).

1. Skill Type 0 (zero) – management jobs
2. Skill Level A — professional jobs
3. Skill Level B — technical jobs and skilled trades.

Work Experience can help you gain additional points for your application for Canada permanent residence through Express Entry. Different programs have different Express Entry requirements. The minimum requirements differ slightly for the 3 programs under Express Entry. We will discuss individual program level details specifics of document formats below:

What are the minimum work experience requirements for the Federal Skilled Worker Program?

In order to be eligible for the Federal Skilled Worker Program, you need to have:

• At least 1 year of continuous full-time/equivalent part-time paid skilled work experience (30 hours/week for 12 months or 15 hours/week for 24 months)
• Skilled work experience in an area that is not designated as a restricted occupation
• The skilled work experience should be in an area that you identify as your primary occupation in your PR application.
• This experience should have been within the 10 years preceding the date of your application.

You need to ensure that during your employment you have performed:

• All the duties in the lead statement of the NOC
• All the essential duties as set out in the occupational description of the NOC

Read Policy Guidance for Work Experience

What are the minimum work experience requirements for the Canadian Experience Class program?

To apply for Express Entry, the Work Experience :

• Should be at least 12 months of full-time/equivalent part-time skilled work experience in Canada in one or more NOC 0, A or B occupations.
• This work experience should be within the 36 months before the date of application receipt.
• Should be legal skilled work experience under a Canadian employer. Self-employment or jobs undertaken while on a student permit while acquiring full-time education cannot be counted for CEC.

You need to ensure that during your employment, you have performed:

• All the duties in the lead statement of the NOC
• Majority of the essential duties as set out in the occupational description of the NOC

Read Policy Guidance for Work Experience

What are the minimum work experience requirements for the Federal Skilled Trades program?

In order to be eligible under the Federal Skilled Trades program, you should:

• Have at least 2 years of full-time/equivalent part-time work experience in a skilled trade
• Meet all the job requirements of that skilled trade as listed under the National Occupational Classification
• The skilled trade experience should be in an area that you identify as your primary skilled trade occupation in your PR application.
• This experience should have occurred within the past 5 years preceding the date of your application.

You need to ensure that you:

• Are aware of the requirements to practise your trade in the chosen province/territory
• Provide evidence of how you met those requirements before you gained the necessary work experience

Important: Skilled work experience in a skilled trade means that you have worked in 1 of the following job groups under the Canadian National Occupational Classification.

• Major Group 72: Industrial/electrical/construction trades
• Major Group 92: For processing/manufacturing/utilities supervisors and central control operators
• Major Group 73: Maintenance and equipment operation trades
• Major Group 82: For supervisors and technical jobs in natural resources, agriculture and related production
• Minor Group 632: Chefs/cooks
• Minor Group 633: Butchers/bakers

These groups are subdivided into various occupations, all of which fall under the skill type B category.

Read Policy Guidance for Work Experience.

How to prove work experience for Canada Immigration through Express Entry?

To be awarded points for your work experience under the Express Entry system, you need to provide a reference letter or experience letter from your employers. As discussed earlier for Express Entry purposes only NOC 0/A/B experiences are considered valid. Submit separate proof of work experience for each job that you are claiming points for.

Express Entry Work Experience Proof Requirements

The employer reference letter/experience letter requested by CIC (IRCC) for your immigration application needs to meet the following requirements :

• Be on company letterhead.
• Must include the company’s contact information [address, telephone number and email address].
• Must include the applicant’s name.
• Must include the name, title and signature of the immediate supervisor or personnel officer at the company).
• Must include the job title and job responsibilities, which should match with the main duties for the NOC you stated in your profile.
• Must include your job status, whether or not the job is current.
• Must include the dates worked for the company, number of work hours per week and annual salary plus benefits for all positions held at the company.
• Must include for work experience in Canada: T4 tax information slips and notices of assessment issued by the Canada Revenue Agency for the duration of work experience.

Monitor the most recent express entry work experience requirements here.