Immigration agents may utilize a variety of approaches to verify your work experience history when you apply for permanent residence in Canada. After you have filed your permanent residency application, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) verify all of the information you have supplied. You will need to provide supporting documents for your work experience history for most economic immigration applications, such as Express Entry.
IRCC may verify the information you have supplied in the following ways:
Letter of Reference
In general, you will need to submit paperwork to support each period of job experience for the last ten years when completing an economic immigration application. A reference letter from your employer is the most significant way to demonstrate your work experience. A letter of recommendation for immigration is not the same as a letter of recommendation for a job application.
A reference letter will not be enough if you are self-employed. Instead, you will need to submit documentation like:
- Articles of incorporation or other proof of ownership of a firm
- Proof of self-employment earnings
- Third-party documentation proving your services (including payment details)
Call your workplace
Canadian immigration agents may call your company to validate the data in your application when validating your job experience. However, there is no guarantee that IRCC will contact your employer; it is always up to the officer’s discretion to examine your case.
Check the information on the company’s registration.
When checking your employment history, immigration agents may also check your employer’s business registration records. During this procedure, they may check details such as the business address and contact information to ensure there are no red flags (ex. residential address provided for business address, private email address included with contact information).
NOC code Verification
An immigration officer will need to authenticate your NOC code to assess whether you fit the conditions of an economic immigration program. They will compare the duties in your reference letter to the principal duties of your chosen NOC code.
It is important to note that if the duties your company offers in your reference letter are verbatim from the NOC code, the immigration officer would most likely raise red flags. The letter should provide an accurate and complete list of your responsibilities in your work at the organization.
Obtain further documentation
If immigration agents need more information about your job experience throughout the verification process, they may issue a request for more paperwork. The documents requested by IRCC are dependent on what you have already submitted and your unique situation.
Verifying employment experience in Canada
Immigration agents would undoubtedly request your tax records when validating your Canadian employment experience (T4s, Notice of Assessments). That will assist the officer in determining whether or not the employment experience in Canada was self-employed. Self-employed Canadian job experience will not count toward eligibility for the Canadian Experience Class.
Candidates who have worked in Canada should additionally present a copy of their work and study permits. That will assist the officer in determining if you worked on legitimate authorization and not while enrolled in full-time study.
What if I don’t submit a reference letter with my application?
If you do not offer a reference letter that proves your job history, IRCC may reject your application once you submit your permanent residency application. The immigration officer will look through all supporting documents to ensure they are presented and complete during the completeness check. If the officer returns your application as incomplete, you must resubmit it. If you’re applying through Express Entry, you may have to wait for another Invitation to Apply (ITA).
Information misrepresentation
Misrepresentation is defined as writing your reference letter or presenting false paperwork. Misrepresentation is a serious charge that can lead to a five-year ban from Canada. To minimize issues during the immigration process, it is critical to be honest and upfront on your immigration application.
Not sure if you are submitting the correct documents? Hiring a professional immigration lawyer will take the guesswork out of your immigration application. Contact Nest Seekers Immigration Services today.