Candidates in the Express Entry pool can build eligible work experience in several ways to qualify for category-based draws. The chance of receiving Canada immigration ITA (Invitation to Apply) is higher through category-based draws, as they often have the lowest CRS cut-off scores when compared to other selection types.
As of February 2026, to qualify under the Express Entry categories, the eligible work experience requirement has been raised from six months to 12 months in an eligible occupation. The Express Entry category based draws work experience can be gained through full-time work or an equivalent amount of part-time work, and it does not need to be continuous.
This offers flexibility to candidates who are seeking Canada immigration ITA (Invitation to Apply) through Express Entry category-based draws.
Calculation of eligible Express Entry work experience
Candidates can also gain foreign and Canadian work experience together at the same time through remote work; whether this work experience will be accepted depends on the decision of the immigration officials.
Candidates applying through Express Entry have to:
The work experience for PR Canada eligibility that is required can differ based on the program; for example, the Canadian Experience Class requires one year (1,560 hours) of skilled work experience in Canada within the last three years. As per the CRS system, CRS points may be added for both the Canadian and foreign work experience gained within the last 10 years.
The easy way to qualify for a Category-based selection Canada immigration under the Express Entry system is by completing a full-time, continuous one year of work experience in the eligible occupation. The Canada PR requirements work experience is full-time work usually 30 hours per week (1,560 hours) in 12 months within the past three years. The candidate must be working in a single eligible occupation, and the work need not be with the same employer. For example, candidates wanting to qualify under the education category can choose the occupation Early Childhood Educators and Assistants. Even though work experience need not be continuous, the candidate can choose to work full-time continuously. The candidate can work with two different employers in the same occupation with a short gap in between. Thus, work experience gained with 12 months of paid, eligible, full-time work experience within the last three years in the same occupation makes the candidate eligible for the education category draw.
For category-based draws, candidates can work 12 months of full-time work (or equivalent part-time) within the past three years, but it does not have to be continuous. Also, Canada immigration work experience can be gained in Canada or abroad (except for the Physicians with Canadian Experience category), with multiple employers, with the condition that it must
This flexibility allows the candidates to take breaks, change the employers, and work contract-based roles and still meet the eligibility requirements of the category.
Candidates can work in an eligible occupation part-time for work hours equivalent to the 12 months of full-time work requirement within the past three years to qualify for the category-based occupation draw. This provides the candidate with the possibility to balance any other obligations, such as studies, family, etc. Also note, the candidate’s job duties must match the NOC description.
For knowing in-depth about how to build work experience for Express Entry, you can get in touch with ImmiLaw Immigration. We will evaluate your profile and suggest the fastest way to get Canada PR.
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