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How To Prove Work Experience From Family Owned Internet Media Business?

karenn1617

Hero Member
May 29, 2015
594
41
Visa Office......
NDVO
NOC Code......
1123
Hello everyone,

I have query about how to prove experience of working in a company owned by my family.

Here's my situation:
We own a company incorporated as Private Ltd, and shareholders of the company are my family members (mother, me and Sister etc. and most shareholders, if not all, bears same family name). I am also a shareholder in the company and owns a little less than 14% of total shares. The company is engaged in content based Advertising. I am working in the company since year 20011 from the time it got Incorporated and have been managing projects as a Chief Executive Officer and one of the Co-Founder, and have experience of independently completing under my supervision a total of 1000s of projects. Since June 2011 from starting up, I have been appointed as Director of the company.

In express entry I am using the following NOC Codes
NOC Code 0124 - Advertising, Marketing and PR

As company got only two physical employee - me and my mother. Rest we outsource wherever required.


The dilemma I face is how to prove my work experience and present my case. I see the following possibilities-

Option A:- Should i show myself as employed at the company. then the problem I face is that the experience letter of the company will be signed by my mother. I can provide Salary slips and Income tax return, as supporting documents along with experience letter.

Option B:- Should I declare myself as self employed? (Which currently I already did)

In either case I can submit the following documents to prove my experience:
1. Balance Sheets (for proof of Revenue) of the company from 2011
2. Constitution of company
3. List of shareholders certified by Auditor
4. Director Identification Number
5. Minutes of meeting attended by me during my work with company.
6. some Letters written to government offices on behalf of my company (only some because there are thousands of them)
7. Board resolutions of the company wherein I have been/was authorized to act on behalf of the company.
8. Minutes of meeting of different Arbitration in which i represented the company.

Please give me your guidance as to how should i proceed so that my work experience is considered.

In my personal opinion, I think I should go with option B, and provide a letter of experience myself listing all the projects done by me. and then substantiating the same with the above mentioned documents.

If I go with Option B, it is next to impossible to provide references from clients.

Reference Earlier Thread With Mine Similar Situation - http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/how-to-prove-work-experience-in-family-owned-company-t412381.0.html

Please guide, I am confused and cannot decide on how should I proceed.

Thanks in advance,
 

DelPiero07

VIP Member
Oct 2, 2016
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Option B with a declaration of your duties and responsibilities from a third party individual.
 

karenn1617

Hero Member
May 29, 2015
594
41
Visa Office......
NDVO
NOC Code......
1123
DelPiero07 said:
Option B with a declaration of your duties and responsibilities from a third party individual.
Mate check this - http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/how-to-prove-work-experience-from-family-owned-internet-media-business-t489255.0.html#new
 

karenn1617

Hero Member
May 29, 2015
594
41
Visa Office......
NDVO
NOC Code......
1123
karenn1617 said:
Mate check this - http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/how-to-prove-work-experience-from-family-owned-internet-media-business-t489255.0.html#new
Please suggest what option to consider now - after reading the thread - http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/how-to-prove-work-experience-from-family-owned-internet-media-business-t489255.0.html#new

Actually I was trying to find the solution of this issue from past couple of hours and found this thread which seems really useful BUT before taking the step, I need inputs from all of you.

As again saying in mine business, it is very hard to get the reference letters from clients.
 

jes_ON

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karenn1617 said:
As again saying in mine business, it is very hard to get the reference letters from clients.
It does not have to be clients, but "third party" as per instructions. Depending on the contents, the letters by government offices will probably do very nicely.
 

karenn1617

Hero Member
May 29, 2015
594
41
Visa Office......
NDVO
NOC Code......
1123
jes_ON said:
It does not have to be clients, but "third party" as per instructions. Depending on the contents, the letters by government offices will probably do very nicely.
Mate, please check this link too http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/how-to-prove-work-experience-from-family-owned-internet-media-business-t489255.0.html#new

Also, letters by Government - can you please elaborate a bit on this.

See, it is much easier on part to apply as an Employee of the company, even at senior position rather than to get into hurdle or self-employed.

Gone through numerous threads on this forum where people consider opting for being an employed rather than self-employed.

Well more inputs are good.
 

jes_ON

VIP Member
Jun 22, 2009
12,091
1,421
Category........
Visa Office......
New York
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
06-May-2010
AOR Received.
13-Aug-2010
File Transfer...
01-Mar-2011
Passport Req..
30-Jun-2011
VISA ISSUED...
12-Jul-2011 (received 25-Jul-2011)
LANDED..........
03-Sep-2011
karenn1617 said:
Mate, please check this link too http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/how-to-prove-work-experience-from-family-owned-internet-media-business-t489255.0.html#new

Also, letters by Government - can you please elaborate a bit on this.

See, it is much easier on part to apply as an Employee of the company, even at senior position rather than to get into hurdle or self-employed.

Gone through numerous threads on this forum where people consider opting for being an employed rather than self-employed.

Well more inputs are good.
It is not a "choice" - you are either employed or self-employed, and stating something that you are not is misrepresentation.

The additional information you provided in this thread indicates that your company is neither sole proprietorship nor partnership, it is actually incorporated, which does in fact make you an employee (in Canada, at least). (This is not automatic - if you held a large share of the company, you could still be self employed, but your share is relatively small). You do appear to be an employee of a family-owned business. Your mother can write the letter, but you should provide some of the extra documentation (just because she is family).

BTW the links just bring me back to this thread.
 

karenn1617

Hero Member
May 29, 2015
594
41
Visa Office......
NDVO
NOC Code......
1123
jes_ON said:
It is not a "choice" - you are either employed or self-employed, and stating something that you are not is misrepresentation.

The additional information you provided in this thread indicates that your company is neither sole proprietorship nor partnership, it is actually incorporated, which does in fact make you an employee (in Canada, at least). (This is not automatic - if you held a large share of the company, you could still be self employed, but your share is relatively small). You do appear to be an employee of a family-owned business. Your mother can write the letter, but you should provide some of the extra documentation (just because she is family).

BTW the links just bring me back to this thread.
Seriously, it seems mine brain is stop working after all this employment thing understanding -

Here is the correct link - http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/how-to-prove-work-experience-in-family-owned-company-t412381.0.html (It was a post from 2016)

Can you please brief me on what extra documentation will work here, apart from the one I listed OR -

1. Incorporation Certificate
2. Director Identification Number
3. Bills / Invoice via PayPal (about 400 page of date)
4. Shareholder Certificate as I owe 14% shareholding in the company
5. Mine own ITR (from last three years at least)
6. Mine hiring letter as CEO
7. Reference letter indicating mine duties although it will be similar to that of point 6 above.

Thanks again.
 

karenn1617

Hero Member
May 29, 2015
594
41
Visa Office......
NDVO
NOC Code......
1123
Any more inputs please? As it will definitely helps a lot of people on this forum.
 

shinnun

Member
Jan 18, 2019
11
1
Seriously, it seems mine brain is stop working after all this employment thing understanding -

Here is the correct link - http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/how-to-prove-work-experience-in-family-owned-company-t412381.0.html (It was a post from 2016)

Can you please brief me on what extra documentation will work here, apart from the one I listed OR -

1. Incorporation Certificate
2. Director Identification Number
3. Bills / Invoice via PayPal (about 400 page of date)
4. Shareholder Certificate as I owe 14% shareholding in the company
5. Mine own ITR (from last three years at least)
6. Mine hiring letter as CEO
7. Reference letter indicating mine duties although it will be similar to that of point 6 above.

Thanks again.
Hi. Can tell us what did u do about work experience. I have the same problem. My husband is sort of my employer! I am working in his pharmacy! What extra documents do i need to provide? I appreciate your answer
 

shinnun

Member
Jan 18, 2019
11
1
Seriously, it seems mine brain is stop working after all this employment thing understanding -

Here is the correct link - http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/how-to-prove-work-experience-in-family-owned-company-t412381.0.html (It was a post from 2016)

Can you please brief me on what extra documentation will work here, apart from the one I listed OR -

1. Incorporation Certificate
2. Director Identification Number
3. Bills / Invoice via PayPal (about 400 page of date)
4. Shareholder Certificate as I owe 14% shareholding in the company
5. Mine own ITR (from last three years at least)
6. Mine hiring letter as CEO
7. Reference letter indicating mine duties although it will be similar to that of point 6 above.

Thanks again.
Hi. Can you tell us what did u do about work experience pld. I have the same problem. My husbsnd is sort of my employer. What extra documents do i need to provide?