According to Maple News, a significant number of Express Entry candidates may be unintentionally leaving Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points on the table due to a lack of clarity around Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s (IRCC) rules.
As competition grows tougher within the Express Entry pool, even small increases in CRS scores can make the difference between receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA) or waiting months longer in the pool. Candidates often miss out on potential points by not fully accounting for all eligible work experience or by miscalculating factors related to spousal applications.
One of the most common oversights is misunderstanding which types of work experience qualify. While work performed in Canada during full-time studies does not count toward your CRS score or Express Entry eligibility, work carried out abroad—even while studying full-time—can be recognized as valid foreign work experience. Depending on the length and type of this work, it could significantly boost your CRS ranking.
In addition, remote work from within Canada for a foreign employer may also be eligible as foreign work experience, subject to IRCC’s case-by-case assessments. Candidates are encouraged to thoroughly document these roles to ensure accurate consideration.
Here is a useful distinction for how work experience is generally classified for CRS purposes:
– Work inside Canada for a Canadian employer counts as Canadian work experience.
– Work done remotely inside Canada for a foreign company can count as foreign work experience.
– Time spent working while on vacation outside Canada, but still employed by a Canadian firm, qualifies as Canadian work experience.
– Conversely, remote work performed outside Canada—even for a Canadian employer—counts as foreign work experience.
Spousal factors can also be strategic. If you have a spouse or common-law partner, jointly applying and factoring in their language skills, education, or Canadian work experience could further enhance your overall score.
Maple News recommends thoroughly reviewing recent guidelines and using accredited immigration assessments to ensure you’re maximizing your Express Entry potential. With the right planning, many candidates may already have what they need to reach the competitive score threshold for Canada’s top economic immigration pathways.