Maple News reports that skilled foreign professionals in Canada may have a strategic opportunity to dramatically increase their Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score—and therefore their chances at permanent residency—by earning both Canadian and foreign work experience simultaneously.
This dual work experience strategy allows eligible candidates in the Express Entry pool to accumulate up to 62 additional CRS points within a year, specifically in the ‘skills transferability’ section. For those on temporary work permits like the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), this can be a game-changer.
Take the case of Sanjay Reddy, a 28-year-old foreign national from India. He is working full-time as a full-stack developer in Canada under a valid PGWP after graduating from a Canadian university. Sanjay’s job falls under TEER 1 of the National Occupation Classification (NOC) system, qualifying him for the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) stream of Express Entry. Initially, Sanjay earned 38 CRS points in the skills transferability section based on one year of Canadian work experience.
Seeking to improve his prospects, Sanjay accepted a remote, full-time position as a User Interface consultant for a tech company in India—an eligible NOC TEER 1 occupation. He continued working for his Canadian employer during regular hours and fulfilled his responsibilities for the Indian employer at night.
Assuming Sanjay maintains all Express Entry eligibility criteria and continues to legally work in Canada under his PGWP, both his Canadian and Indian work experience are counted separately yet concurrently. Within one year, he will have added an extra year of Canadian experience and a full year of foreign experience.
By updating his Express Entry profile with the additional work experience, Sanjay becomes eligible for the full 100 points available in the skills transferability category, boosting his CRS score by more than 60 points—from 470 to over 530.
This substantial increase significantly raises Sanjay’s chances of receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence in future CRS draws, where cut-off scores often hover in the range of 480–520.
While this strategy won’t apply to everyone, it could be a viable path for candidates who have the capacity and legal ability to manage dual work commitments. As always, it’s crucial to ensure that all positions meet NOC and Express Entry eligibility requirements and that applicants remain within legal work authorization boundaries in Canada.
Maple News advises prospective immigrants to carefully evaluate their individual circumstances and consult immigration professionals when needed, especially when pursuing advanced CRS-boosting strategies like dual work experience.