CEC work experience: remote work, vacation, contractors and Quebec

The basic rule

IRCC says CEC work experience must be gained by working in Canada, including Quebec, while authorized to work under temporary resident status. The work must be paid (wages or earned commission). It must total at least 1 year of work, or 1,560 hours (30 hours per week), in the 3 years before you apply. See IRCC’s CEC page.

For how hours, gaps and reference letters are counted, see our guide on work experience hours and reference letters.

Some of the points below come from IRCC’s staff guidance. It tells officers how to assess applications. It is not on the public CEC page. It says each application is considered on its own merits, so officers decide case by case.

1. Remote work

IRCC says: “If you worked remotely, you must have been physically in Canada and working for a Canadian employer.” IRCC’s wording requires a Canadian employer. So remote work for a foreign employer does not meet this wording.

IRCC’s pages do not say whether such work counts as foreign experience for CRS points.

2. Paid vacation

The staff guidance says: “An allowance for a reasonable period of vacation time will generally be made in calculating the period of qualifying work experience (for example, a 2-week period of paid vacation leave within a given 52-week period).”

This is guidance with the words “generally” and “for example”. It is not a fixed rule. Vacation also cannot be used as a substitute for meeting the in-Canada requirement. For example, it cannot stand in for time worked outside Canada. IRCC’s pages do not address unpaid leave or parental leave.

3. Contractor or employee

IRCC says any period of self-employment is not included. Officers look at factors such as:

• the degree of the worker’s control or autonomy
• whether the worker owns or provides tools and equipment
• whether the worker can subcontract
• the degree of financial risk the worker takes

The guidance says: “Generally speaking, consultants or contractors are considered to be self-employed.” People who hold substantial ownership or have management control of a business where they are also employed are generally considered self-employed.

A Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) ruling on employment status (Form CPT1) “will be given due consideration”, but it “will not constitute conclusive evidence”.

4. Working in Quebec

IRCC says: “Yes, you can count work experience you got while living in Quebec.” But you must plan to live outside Quebec. IRCC says you must include proof that you do not plan to settle there. IRCC reviews that proof. It says Quebec selects its own skilled workers.

Proof of work

IRCC’s guidance says applicants are asked for a copy of their most recent work permit, their most recent T4 slips and Notice of Assessment (NOA), or a sufficient combination of other supporting documents. It also mentions employer reference letters.

The guidance also says there is no obligation under the regulations to provide a T4 or NOA. Without them, helpful documents could include a record or letter of employment, work contracts and pay stubs. So T4 and NOA are the usual proof, but not the only option.

For work done on maintained status under paragraph 186(u), IRCC says the work can be eligible if you kept working under the same conditions as your original work permit.

What this means for you

• You work remotely: check that you were in Canada and that your employer is Canadian.
• You are a contractor: expect the work to be treated as self-employment unless the factors show employment.
• You worked in Quebec: plan to live outside Quebec and include proof with your application.
• You are missing a T4 or NOA: gather contracts, pay stubs and an employer letter.

What to do next

1. Read IRCC’s CEC page and check your work against it.
2. Collect your proof of work.
3. See our Express Entry guide and the document checklist generator.

Frequently asked questions

Does remote work for a foreign employer count for the CEC?

IRCC says you must be physically in Canada and working for a Canadian employer. A foreign employer does not meet that wording.

Does paid vacation count toward CEC work experience?

IRCC staff guidance generally allows a reasonable period of vacation, for example 2 weeks of paid leave in 52 weeks.

Does contractor work count?

No. Self-employment does not count. IRCC says consultants and contractors are generally considered self-employed.

Can I use work from Quebec for the CEC?

Yes, but you must plan to live outside Quebec and include proof with your application.

Do I need a T4 or NOA?

The regulations do not require them. Contracts, pay stubs and an employer letter can help instead.

Sources

• IRCC: Canadian Experience Class
• IRCC: CEC qualifying work experience (program delivery instructions)

Facts as provided in our research brief dated October 21, 2026.