If you’ve received an invitation to Apply (ITA) through Express Entry, you have to submit a work reference letter as part of your application for permanent residence. In fact, you may be required to submit multiple work reference letters, depending on your employment history. This guide tells you exactly how to prepare your work reference letter for Express Entry, to make sure your application has the highest possible chance of being accepted.
When do you need a work reference letter for Express Entry?
Express Entry immigration to Canada is a two-step process.
First, candidates must prepare and submit an Express Entry profile. Eligible candidates are accepted into the Express Entry pool of candidates.
- Create your Express Entry profile.
Second, the most competitive candidates in the pool, based on their score under the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) in an Express Entry draw. Candidates have 60 days from the date they receive their ITA to submit a complete electronic Application for Permanent Residence (eAPR).
The work reference letter is only required as a part of the final application for permanent residence, so you do not need the letter in order to submit your initial Express Entry profile. However, if you expect to receive an ITA, it is a smart decision to try to get your work reference letter(s) for Express Entry ready ahead of time. This way, you will be able to have it, or them, ready by the end of the 60-day deadline for your eAPR submission.
Pro-tip: For your previous jobs, the date the reference letter was issued simply has to be after your last date of employment, so you can collect these letters far in advance and don’t have to worry about an expiry date.
For which jobs do you need a work reference letter for Express Entry?
As part of your application for permanent residence, your account with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will prompt you to submit supporting documentation for all work experience you claimed during the last 10 years. This will be requested for both the principal applicant and your accompanying spouse or common-law partner, if applicable.
When preparing your application for permanent residence, you should include all requested documents. IRCC is extremely strict about supporting documents for permanent residence applications. Even a single missing document often results in an application being rejected as incomplete.
That said, there are certain situations in which your application may be approved, even if you cannot submit work experience documents for every job in your employment history. Bear in mind that any document that deviates from IRCC’s requirements will only be accepted at the discretion of the immigration officer assessing your file, so there is a risk of refusal.
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