If your invitation says Canadian Experience Class (CEC), your e-APR is built around one thing: showing that your skilled work in Canada was real, authorized and long enough. You already live this experience every day, so this part is mostly about collecting the right papers. Read this alongside our main e-APR guide, which covers the forms, police certificates, medical exam, fees and what happens after you submit.
What you need to prove
| Requirement | What IRCC asks for |
|---|---|
| Work experience | At least 1 year of skilled work in Canada (1,560 hours, counting up to 30 hours a week) in the 3 years before you apply |
| Type of work | Paid work in TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 occupations, doing the NOC lead statement and most of the main duties |
| Authorization | Gained while you were authorized to work in Canada under temporary resident status |
| Language | CLB 7 (NCLC 7) in all four abilities for TEER 0 or 1 jobs; CLB 5 (NCLC 5) for TEER 2 or 3 jobs; results less than 2 years old when you apply |
| Education | No requirement, though education can add CRS points |
| Where you will live | Outside the province of Quebec |
Work that does not count
- Work while you were studying full-time, including co-op work terms.
- Self-employment. IRCC’s instructions to officers are clear that self-employed time is excluded from CEC work experience, with a narrow exception for some physicians providing publicly funded medical services.
- Volunteer work or unpaid internships.
- Any period when you were not legally allowed to work in Canada.
- Remote work for a foreign employer. Remote work counts only if you were physically in Canada and working for a Canadian employer.
Reference letters: what they must contain
Your checklist gives you an upload field for each job you declared. For each one, IRCC asks for a reference or experience letter from the employer. A letter that leaves out key details can slow things down, so share this list with your employer before they write it.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Format | An official document on company letterhead |
| Your name | As it appears in your passport |
| Company contact details | Address, telephone number and email address |
| Signature | Name, title and signature of your immediate supervisor or a personnel officer |
| Every position you held | Job title, duties and responsibilities for each role at the company |
| Dates | The dates you worked there, and whether you still do |
| Hours | Number of hours worked per week |
| Pay | Annual salary plus benefits |
T4s and notices of assessment
For work in Canada, IRCC says proof may include your T4 slips and Canada Revenue Agency notices of assessment (NOAs) for the years that match your experience. If you claim work from 2023 to 2025, the documents for those years are the ones that matter.
Your permit history
Because only authorized work counts, it helps to make your status easy to follow. Keep copies of every work permit that covers your claimed experience, and be ready to upload them if your checklist or an officer asks.
- On maintained (implied) status: if you applied for a new work permit before your old one expired, IRCC’s help centre says to include a copy of your work permit application (and new LMIA, if any) with a letter of explanation in the optional documents section. You do not need to wait for the new permit before you apply.
- New permit arrived before you submit: update your e-APR with the new permit’s details first.
- Permit expired without an extension: your score may drop. If it falls below your round’s cut-off, IRCC says to decline the invitation, because an application submitted anyway will be refused and the fee will not be refunded.
- Permit ending after you submit: you may be able to apply for a bridging open work permit to keep working while IRCC decides.
Proof of funds: usually not needed
IRCC’s rule is that you do not need to show settlement funds if you are applying under the Canadian Experience Class. The online system still shows a proof of funds field to everyone, so upload a short letter explaining that you were invited to apply under the Canadian Experience Class and do not need to provide proof of funds.
Experience in Quebec
Work you did while living in Quebec counts, but you must plan to live outside Quebec. IRCC asks you to include proof that you do not plan to settle there, and an officer will review it.
Before you press submit
- 01
Count your hours
Add up your qualifying hours in the 3 years before the date you will submit, counting no more than 30 hours a week. Leave out any time as a full-time student.
- 02
Match every job to its letter
Each job in your e-APR needs its own reference letter with the same title, dates and hours.
- 03
Add T4s and NOAs
Upload them with the matching job, for the years you are claiming.
- 04
Check your language results
They must still be less than 2 years old on the day you submit.
- 05
Upload your funds letter
A brief, signed letter saying you were invited under the Canadian Experience Class.
Frequently asked questions
I left Canada. Can I still apply under the CEC?
Yes, IRCC says you can, as long as you meet the requirements, including at least 12 months of qualifying Canadian work in the 3 years before you were invited.
My former employer closed. What can I upload?
IRCC treats a reference letter as mandatory for each job you declare. If you truly cannot get one, explain why in a letter of explanation and include the other evidence you have, such as your T4s and NOAs. An officer decides whether it is enough, so this is a good moment to get advice from a licensed representative.
Does my spouse need reference letters?
Only if they claim Canadian work experience for points. In that case, IRCC asks for proof of their work too.
Can I count my self-employed contract work?
Not for the Canadian Experience Class. Self-employed time is excluded from CEC work experience and from Canadian work experience points, except for some physicians under a public policy.
You don’t have to face the wait alone.
Thousands of people have shared their real timelines so the next person isn’t left guessing in the dark. Add yours, keep your own application and your family’s together in one place, and see a grounded estimate of how long your decision might take, drawn from people who are walking the same path.
- Share your timeline and help the next applicant find their footing.
- Track your own and your family’s applications together, in one calm place.
- See a realistic estimate of your wait, based on people on the same journey.
It’s free, and what you track stays private to you. Sharing your timeline with the community is always your choice.
IRCC’s current estimate for an application submitted today. It is a guide to plan around, not a promise about your own file. Details
Key takeaways
- Upload a reference letter for every Canadian job, with your duties, dates, hours, and salary plus benefits.
- Self-employment, full-time student work and unauthorized work do not count toward the CEC.
- You do not need proof of funds under the CEC: upload a short letter saying so.
- IRCC: Canadian Experience Class (opens in a new tab)
- IRCC: Express Entry, language test results (opens in a new tab)
- IRCC: Express Entry, proof of funds (opens in a new tab)
- IRCC Help Centre: invited to apply while waiting for a new work permit (opens in a new tab)
- IRCC Help Centre: invited to apply but my work permit expired (opens in a new tab)
- IRCC program delivery instructions: Express Entry completeness check (opens in a new tab)
- IRCC program delivery instructions: assessing an Express Entry application (A11.2) (opens in a new tab)
Last reviewed: Nov 8, 2026