Fixed-term contract or fellowship: does it earn the new Express Entry job-offer points?

The short answer: check the end date, hours and occupation

IRCC’s backgrounder says: “A qualifying job offer must generally be for full-time, continuous work in Canada for at least one year after the candidate becomes a permanent resident. Specific requirements apply to certain occupations, including skilled trades and physicians providing publicly funded medical services.”

IRCC’s changes page adds: “To get job offer points, your offer must: be valid under Express Entry, and be for a position in an eligible high-wage occupation.” A job that is not in a high-wage occupation earns 0 points.

So a fixed-term offer is read against these words. We do not decide for you whether your offer qualifies.

What IRCC’s job-offer page says

IRCC’s job offer page sets out the wording for each program.

• Federal Skilled Worker (FSW): a valid job offer has to be “from 1 employer; continuous; paid; full-time (at least 30 hours a week); not seasonal; for at least 1 year if you’re accepted as a permanent resident; in a NOC TEER category 0, 1, 2 or 3.”
• Federal Skilled Trades (FST): the offer is “made by up to 2 employers; for continuous, paid, full-time work (at least 30 hours a week); for at least 1 year.” IRCC’s example says two employers each offering 16 hours a week “for a minimum of one year” is valid. A plumber offered 25 hours a week is not: “A job must be for at least 30 hours a week to be full-time.”

The wording differs slightly between pages. The backgrounder says “after the candidate becomes a permanent resident”. The FSW list says “if you’re accepted as a permanent resident”. We quote each as written and do not merge them into one rule.

Rules for every job offer

On the same page, IRCC says all offers “must: be recent; be in writing; not be from an embassy, high commission or consulate in Canada; set out details … such as: your pay and deductions; your duties; the conditions of employment, like your hours of work.”

IRCC also says: “A work permit on its own is not a job offer, even if it is an open work permit.”

On the changes page, IRCC says officers check whether the employer “can fulfill the terms of their offer” and “made an offer that meets their needs”, and whether you “are likely to accept the offer and carry out the job”. The backgrounder adds: “A job offer that is revoked will no longer qualify.”

What this means for a fixed-term offer

Read your offer letter for these four things:

1. End date. IRCC’s wording is about at least one year of work after you become a permanent resident. Compare the end date with that wording.
2. Hours. IRCC’s FSW and FST wording says full-time, at least 30 hours a week.
3. Seasonal. IRCC’s FSW wording says the job must be “not seasonal”.
4. Occupation. The job’s NOC must be an eligible high-wage occupation to earn points.

As IRCC words the rule, an offer that ends before you would have one year of work after becoming a permanent resident does not meet it. That includes a 12-month offer that starts now, if it would end before or soon after you become a permanent resident. A seasonal offer or one under 30 hours a week does not match the wording either.

If you want a longer or open-ended offer, that is a question for you and your employer. We only report what IRCC’s rule says. We do not advise you to ask for one.

The one exception IRCC names: physicians

Under a temporary public policy, a physician’s offer to provide publicly funded medical services “is valid under the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) even if the job being offered is not continuous and does not last for at least 1 year after we issue your permanent resident visa”. IRCC says it “allows you to earn points … toward your total Express Entry score in the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS)”. It applies to physicians invited on or after April 25, 2023 who submitted an application (IRCC job offer page).

What IRCC has not said

• Fellowships, postdocs, residencies, training or internship positions are not addressed in the points rules. They are judged by the same duration, full-time and genuineness tests as any other offer, plus the NOC list, as far as the pages we checked show.
• Whether a fixed-term contract “with possibility of renewal” counts.
• How officers treat a stipend compared with wages.
• Which duration rule applies for points to Canadian Experience Class (CEC) or Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates, beyond the backgrounder’s “generally” sentence.

One caution: IRCC’s job offer page lists “post-doctoral fellows, medical residents” only as a category exempt from a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) under current rules. It is not a statement that fellowships qualify for points.

What to do next

1. Read your offer letter for the end date, weekly hours, seasonal wording and NOC.
2. Check whether your NOC is high-wage in our article on NOC versus your pay.
3. For the steps before November 3, read our what to do now guide and the article on the new CRS points.
4. Check your score with our CRS calculator, and read the Express Entry guide.

Frequently asked questions

Does a one-year contract earn job-offer points?

IRCC says a qualifying offer must generally be for at least one year of work after you become a permanent resident. A contract that ends before then does not meet IRCC’s wording.

Does a fellowship or postdoc count?

IRCC does not mention fellowships, residencies or training positions in the points rules. The usual duration, full-time and genuineness tests and the NOC list apply.

Is part-time work allowed?

IRCC’s FSW and FST wording says full-time, at least 30 hours a week.

Is there any exception?

Yes, one that IRCC names: physicians providing publicly funded medical services, under a temporary public policy.

Sources

• IRCC: Job offer documents
• IRCC: Changes to Express Entry
• IRCC backgrounder: Changes to Express Entry for high-wage occupations
• IRCC: High-wage occupations

Facts as provided in our research brief dated October 17, 2026.