Work experience

1 year of continuous work experience (at least 1,560 hours) in the past 3 years.

NOTE: To calculate your hours of work experience

• Count the hours worked in part-time and full-time jobs
  • The hours must be in 1 occupation, but they can be with different employers.
  • The hours must be over a period of at least 12 months.
  • These working hours can be inside or outside Canada.
    • If you worked in Canada, you must have been allowed to work in Canada.
• Don’t count hours you weren’t paid for (volunteering or unpaid internships don’t count)
• Don’t count hours when you were self-employed

Work experience must include (we can determined this)

• Most of the main duties and all the essential duties listed in your National Occupational Classification (NOC)
• The activities listed in the lead statement of your NOC

Applicant is exempt from the work experience if they were an international student who graduated with

1. A credential from a post-secondary program of 2 years or longer and
   1. were studying as a full-time student for the full duration of the 2+ years
   2. received the credential no more than 18 months before your application for permanent residence
   3. were in the community for at least 16 of the last 24 months spent studying to get their credential
      or
2. A master’s degree or higher and
   1. were studying as a full-time student for the duration of degree
   2. got degree no more than 18 months before application for permanent residence
   3. were in the community for the length of their studies

You cannot apply as an international student if your credentials are from a program in which

• Studying English or French made up more than half of the program
• Distance learning made up more than half of the program
• A scholarship or fellowship was awarded that requires you to return to your home country to apply what you learned