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FSW Queries

Sharan_2489

Member
Jul 4, 2019
10
2
Hello Dear Members,

I have a few immigration issues that need some insightful answers. I have graduated from George Brown College majoring in Marketing Management back in August 2015. My PGWP got issued in Feb 2016 and I had almost 1.5 years of work permit. I started working at a restaurant (let's call it Restaurant A) as a Line Cook 6322 and In Restaurant B I was doing the same kind of job. I started working in Restaurant A from August 2015 to November 2015 and in Restaurant B, from September 2016 to March 2017. Since my PGWP issued in February 2016, only work experience would be counted from that time period (Feb 2016-March 2017). So my questions are the following

1. Can I combine both work experiences (From Restaurant A + Restaurant B) to show that I have 1 year of experience and mention Restaurant A as my principal work experience?

2. I can manage a reference letter (and I have T4s) from Restaurant A. From Restaurant B, I may have the most trouble to get it because currently, I am not in Canada, and it was always difficult to get in touch with the owner or manager as most of the time either the owner of Restaurant B is not there or the Managers as they change very quickly. I even asked the owner once to send me the T4 over e-mail and he never replied back to me. However, I have the Paystubs of Restaurant B (Month to month mentioning my hours and pay rate). Will it be okay if I mention my work experience for Restaurant B and add my paystubs to convince the immigration officer?

Sadly, when I was in Canada, I hired an immigration consultant who never looked into my file properly, and I had CEC experience with these restaurant jobs. After these two jobs, I had an official desk job where I remained till my PGWP expired and I had to come back to my home country leaving my job and the prospect of getting the PR. This took a toll on my physical and mental well being. So I am asking your kind support to guide me on what I need to do next? I have my credentials done and I have my IELTS copy as well.

Thank you and I am looking forward to your guidance.
 

Islander216

Champion Member
Nov 27, 2019
2,110
1,338
Did you have some kind of implied status when you were working at Restaurant A? I'm not sure it's wise to include it if you didn't have a valid work permit at the time.

Anyhow, it seems you have at least year of Canadian work experience if you add experience from Restaurant B and your subsequent desk job, would that be correct? So you still qualify for CEC and the bonus points for Canadian work experience.

It will be a bit difficult for Restaurant B, IRCC is usually strict about requirements for proving work experience especially if it's a Canadian employer, i don't think only paystubs will be enough, but maybe someone else can comment on this.
 

canuck_in_uk

VIP Member
May 4, 2012
31,554
7,201
Visa Office......
London
App. Filed.......
06/12
Hello Dear Members,

I have a few immigration issues that need some insightful answers. I have graduated from George Brown College majoring in Marketing Management back in August 2015. My PGWP got issued in Feb 2016 and I had almost 1.5 years of work permit. I started working at a restaurant (let's call it Restaurant A) as a Line Cook 6322 and In Restaurant B I was doing the same kind of job. I started working in Restaurant A from August 2015 to November 2015 and in Restaurant B, from September 2016 to March 2017. Since my PGWP issued in February 2016, only work experience would be counted from that time period (Feb 2016-March 2017). So my questions are the following

1. Can I combine both work experiences (From Restaurant A + Restaurant B) to show that I have 1 year of experience and mention Restaurant A as my principal work experience?

2. I can manage a reference letter (and I have T4s) from Restaurant A. From Restaurant B, I may have the most trouble to get it because currently, I am not in Canada, and it was always difficult to get in touch with the owner or manager as most of the time either the owner of Restaurant B is not there or the Managers as they change very quickly. I even asked the owner once to send me the T4 over e-mail and he never replied back to me. However, I have the Paystubs of Restaurant B (Month to month mentioning my hours and pay rate). Will it be okay if I mention my work experience for Restaurant B and add my paystubs to convince the immigration officer?

Sadly, when I was in Canada, I hired an immigration consultant who never looked into my file properly, and I had CEC experience with these restaurant jobs. After these two jobs, I had an official desk job where I remained till my PGWP expired and I had to come back to my home country leaving my job and the prospect of getting the PR. This took a toll on my physical and mental well being. So I am asking your kind support to guide me on what I need to do next? I have my credentials done and I have my IELTS copy as well.

Thank you and I am looking forward to your guidance.
Did you not work between Nov 2015 and Sept 2016?

You can claim work experience from the date that you applied for your PGWP. Assuming that was around Sept 2015, you only have 10 months of restaurant experience.
 

Sharan_2489

Member
Jul 4, 2019
10
2
Did you not work between Nov 2015 and Sept 2016?

You can claim work experience from the date that you applied for your PGWP. Assuming that was around Sept 2015, you only have 10 months of restaurant experience.
Sorry for some error in months. I fixed it: Restaurant A from August 2015 to November 2016 and in Restaurant B, from September 2016 to March 2017.

I worked from August 2015 to February 2016 (Since I have finished my studies in August 2015, and at that time, I had a valid study permit and student work permit. I applied for PGWP back in Nov 2015 (At that time they had some backlog issues so it took them a while to send me the PGWP). PGWP came back in Feb 2016. So if I count from Feb 2016 (As PGWP was given on that month), In restaurant A, I have 9 months from (Feb 2016-Nov 2016) and 5 Months in Restaurant B (from Sep 2016-March 2017).

As I can deduce from your reply, that you are advising me to include work experience from Nov 2015 to Nov 2016 for restaurant A? since I applied for my PGWP in Nov 2015 or Should I use my experience from August 2015? It is mentionable that in between finishing my studies and applying for my PGWP my status was still valid and I applied before my study permit expired back in late November.
 

Sharan_2489

Member
Jul 4, 2019
10
2
Did you have some kind of implied status when you were working at Restaurant A? I'm not sure it's wise to include it if you didn't have a valid work permit at the time.

Anyhow, it seems you have at least year of Canadian work experience if you add experience from Restaurant B and your subsequent desk job, would that be correct? So you still qualify for CEC and the bonus points for Canadian work experience.

It will be a bit difficult for Restaurant B, IRCC is usually strict about requirements for proving work experience especially if it's a Canadian employer, i don't think only paystubs will be enough, but maybe someone else can comment on this.


I cannot apply under CEC as back in 2017, I worked in Restaurant B from Jan 2017 to March 2017 and my desk job March 2017-October 2017 that is roughly 9 months, not 1 year. So my option is under FSW.

I am planning to write in that Restaurant B if they do not reply me back, should I use the correspondence mail to show the immigration officer that I tried to get a hold of LOR, but they didn't respond me back. If they do not want to give me all I have left is paystubs that I worked there.
 

Islander216

Champion Member
Nov 27, 2019
2,110
1,338
I got you, yes the experience for Restaurant A has just moved out of the last 3 years range, so CEC is out of reach.

But you'll still get the bonus points for Canadian education and work experience under FSW.

I don't know what other option you have, but to try to contact them and see how it goes. It's worth a shot, to include it and whatever documents like paystubs you have and see what IRCC says. It's important for you to mention this in your LOE if they don't get back to you with a work reference. Then you can add whatever communication you sent as supporting evidence that you tried to obtain the work reference.

So if we calculate from August 2015 to October 2017, you have over 2 years of experience, which means you will earn quite a few points for Canadian experience.

I would try to obtain the 3 years of foreign work experience that would give you 50 points as well, so by the time you apply you have some leeway in case in the worst case scenario they disqualify your Restaurant B experience.
 
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canuck_in_uk

VIP Member
May 4, 2012
31,554
7,201
Visa Office......
London
App. Filed.......
06/12
Sorry for some error in months. I fixed it: Restaurant A from August 2015 to November 2016 and in Restaurant B, from September 2016 to March 2017.

I worked from August 2015 to February 2016 (Since I have finished my studies in August 2015, and at that time, I had a valid study permit and student work permit. I applied for PGWP back in Nov 2015 (At that time they had some backlog issues so it took them a while to send me the PGWP). PGWP came back in Feb 2016. So if I count from Feb 2016 (As PGWP was given on that month), In restaurant A, I have 9 months from (Feb 2016-Nov 2016) and 5 Months in Restaurant B (from Sep 2016-March 2017).

As I can deduce from your reply, that you are advising me to include work experience from Nov 2015 to Nov 2016 for restaurant A? since I applied for my PGWP in Nov 2015 or Should I use my experience from August 2015? It is mentionable that in between finishing my studies and applying for my PGWP my status was still valid and I applied before my study permit expired back in late November.
As I said, you count your work experience from the day you applied for your PGWP.
 

Kawar47

Member
Nov 3, 2018
16
1
I have 3 years experience in job as Laboratory personnel, and 2 years experience as a financial analyst. I have Lmia for financial analyst position. But the problem is, if i chose financial analyst as my primary job in Express entry profile, i get 467 points, But if select laboratory personnel job as primary occupation, and financial analyst as secondary job with lmia, i get 492 points. What should i do? I am stuck in this dilemma. Can i post laboratory personnel job as primary occupation and lmia in financial analyst position? Please help me.
 

Sharan_2489

Member
Jul 4, 2019
10
2
As I said, you count your work experience from the day you applied for your PGWP.

Thank you for clearing that. So I ask for my employer from restaurant A to provide the date August 2015 for joining. And in the explanation letter to IRCC, I tell the immigration officer I am counting my work experience from 7 November 2015 as its that time I applied for my PGWP?

So my work experience counting is like this now:

Nov 2015-Nov 2016 (1 Year in Restaurant A)
Sep 2016- March 2017 ( 6 Months in Restaurant B)
March 2017-Oct 2017 (6-7 Months in Desk Job)

So I click on 2 years' experience in Canada and use Restaurant A as my primary job?

I again thank you for giving me hope.
 

Sharan_2489

Member
Jul 4, 2019
10
2
I got you, yes the experience for Restaurant A has just moved out of the last 3 years range, so CEC is out of reach.

But you'll still get the bonus points for Canadian education and work experience under FSW.

I don't know what other option you have, but to try to contact them and see how it goes. It's worth a shot, to include it and whatever documents like paystubs you have and see what IRCC says. It's important for you to mention this in your LOE if they don't get back to you with a work reference. Then you can add whatever communication you sent as supporting evidence that you tried to obtain the work reference.

So if we calculate from August 2015 to October 2017, you have over 2 years of experience, which means you will earn quite a few points for Canadian experience.

I would try to obtain the 3 years of foreign work experience that would give you 50 points as well, so by the time you apply you have some leeway in case in the worst case scenario they disqualify your Restaurant B experience.

" I would try to obtain the 3 years of foreign work experience that would give you 50 points as well, so by the time you apply you have some leeway in case in the worst-case scenario they disqualify your Restaurant B experience."- You said foreign work experience is it suppose to be the experience in Canada or experience in my home country?

Thank you for your reply.
 

Islander216

Champion Member
Nov 27, 2019
2,110
1,338
Your Canadian and foreign work experience are counted separately, it also means you can get points for each category.

So if you have CLB 9 and 3 years or more of foreign work experience you can get 50 points for that, in addition to the points you will get for Canadian experience.

That will put you in a good position, and it will offset any points you may lose if your Restaurant B experience is not accepted.
 

Sharan_2489

Member
Jul 4, 2019
10
2
Your Canadian and foreign work experience are counted separately, it also means you can get points for each category.

So if you have CLB 9 and 3 years or more of foreign work experience you can get 50 points for that, in addition to the points you will get for Canadian experience.

That will put you in a good position, and it will offset any points you may lose if your Restaurant B experience is not accepted.
My question is if I ask for reference letter from restaurant A should i tell them that they hired me back in Nov 2015 since IRCC will count work experience from Nov or should i tell them they write the month that they hired me which was back in August 2015? Also, Does express entry automatically calculates this or do I need to explain them although i was hired in August 2015, I am counting my experience from 7 of Nov 2015 as at that time I applied for my PGWP