Canadian work experience can contribute to your Express Entry CRS score, but the number of points depends on more than how long you have held a job. Under the rules effective November 3, 2026, eligible high-wage employment can also affect the calculation.
Start by checking which employment periods qualify. Then calculate the duration-based points, assess any high-wage component and compare the result with any qualifying job offer.
The Canadian-experience option under the Labour Market Integration factor combines:
The combined maximum is 150 points without an accompanying spouse or common-law partner, or 140 with one.
IRCC compares this result with the qualifying-job-offer option and uses the higher score. These figures concern one CRS factor, not your complete Express Entry score.
Two candidates with the same number of years in Canada may receive different employment-related scores.
One may have qualifying high-wage experience, while the other has eligible experience outside that list. Their spouse circumstances can also affect the duration-based calculation.
A careful assessment starts with your employment records. Do not assume that every month spent in Canada, or every position held there, produces points.
Qualifying experience generally must:
Work performed while studying full-time, unauthorised employment and self-employment generally do not count. Specific provisions apply to certain physicians providing publicly funded medical services.
Remote employment can count where you were physically in Canada working for a Canadian employer. Working abroad for a Canadian company is not automatically Canadian experience.
Review each employment period separately, especially where your location, status or study circumstances changed.
Duration-based points depend on your qualifying experience and whether you have an accompanying spouse or common-law partner.
IRCC uses the without-spouse scoring arrangement where your spouse or partner is not accompanying you, or is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. Do not choose the table solely from your marital status.
The additional component requires at least one year of qualifying Canadian employment in listed high-wage occupations.
Check the high-wage occupation levels associated with your correct NOC codes.
The experience component provides:
These amounts are alternatives. You do not add 70, 40 and 20 together.
The occupation’s classification determines its wage level. Your personal salary does not determine which level applies.
Eligible CRS experience does not have to be continuous. You can combine qualifying periods, but must apply the relevant hours and time requirements.
Hours from simultaneous jobs count only up to the full-time equivalent of 30 hours a week. Working extra hours cannot turn six months into a year.
For the high-wage component, qualifying experience can be part-time, non-continuous or spread across more than one eligible occupation.
Keep a timeline showing each job’s dates, weekly hours, NOC and wage level. Remove overlaps before calculating the total.
List each period you intend to claim. Record its location, authorisation, duties and hours.
Start by matching your duties to a NOC code. A job title alone is not enough to classify the work.
Use the applicable spouse arrangement and the total eligible full-time-equivalent experience.
Do not round up because you are close to another anniversary.
Check whether enough eligible experience falls within the listed levels. Identify the highest component you actually satisfy.
If you also have a qualifying job offer, compare its score with the combined experience result.
Use the higher option within this factor. Calculate the rest of your CRS separately.
These simplified examples assume all employment requirements are met.
A candidate without an accompanying spouse has:
The experience-based result is 80 points.
This is not the candidate’s complete CRS score.
A candidate without an accompanying spouse has:
IRCC uses 100 within the Labour Market Integration factor, rather than 193.
Compared with the experience option, the offer changes this factor by seven points.
A candidate with an accompanying spouse has three years of eligible Canadian employment but no qualifying high-wage component.
The experience-based result is 56 points. Absence from the high-wage list does not erase otherwise eligible duration-based points.
These examples apply IRCC’s published duration, high-wage and comparison rules.
Prepare evidence that allows the employment history to be checked.
A detailed employment reference letter can explain dates, duties, hours and remuneration. Follow your application checklist and keep relevant employment records available.
For preparation, compare the letter with your contracts, pay records and profile entries. Ask for clarification if dates or responsibilities differ.
If you changed roles within the same organisation, record when each change occurred. A single employer does not necessarily mean one occupation throughout the entire period.
For CRS, eligible Canadian experience generally falls within a 10-year assessment period.
The Canadian Experience Class generally requires at least one year of eligible Canadian employment within the three years before applying. It also has other requirements.
Therefore, an older employment period may remain relevant to CRS while falling outside the CEC window.
Do not treat a calculated score as proof that you qualify for CEC or another Express Entry program.
No. Canadian employment can also interact with education or foreign experience through skill-transferability factors.
The November 2026 changes do not replace those separate calculations with the high-wage rules.
Review language results, education and other eligible factors when assessing your full profile. Our broader guide explains other ways to increase your CRS score.
Keep the employment calculation in its own section of your notes so you can update it without losing track of the wider score.
Before updating your profile, reconcile the calculation with the documents you can provide.
These guides explain the connected occupation, offer and evidence requirements:
No. Eligible periods can be combined, provided they meet the relevant requirements. Check program eligibility separately because its rules can differ.
Yes, where it meets the applicable full-time-equivalent requirements. Keep accurate hours and dates rather than counting calendar months alone.
Potentially. The component depends on the qualifying experience accumulated at each threshold. You cannot claim the highest component simply because one short employment period was in that level.
No. Duration-based points reach their maximum at five years. Other requirements and the comparison with an offer-based score still matter.
No. You must qualify for an immigration program and satisfy the relevant invitation and application requirements.
Canadian work experience can affect CRS through duration-based points, a qualifying high-wage component and separate skill-transferability calculations. Your occupation, employment circumstances and supporting evidence determine which periods can be counted.
Before claiming points, check your employment timeline, apply the correct scoring arrangement and compare the experience result with any qualifying offer. Since immigration requirements and procedures can change, always check the latest guidance on the official Government of Canada website.
If you need support assessing your Canadian employment history or preparing your Express Entry application, book a consultation with Canada GMC.
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