Create an IRCC-Approved Reference Letter with Work Hours & Salary

Why these two fields matter

IRCC uses your employment reference letter to verify two things: that your work experience was paid (not volunteer or unpaid), and that it meets the minimum hours threshold for your Express Entry program. Both the work hours and salary fields serve as proof of paid, qualifying employment.

Missing either field — or filling them in incorrectly — is one of the most common reasons reference letters get flagged by immigration officers. A letter that says 'full-time employment' without specifying hours, for example, is not sufficient.

Number of work hours per week: what to write

IRCC defines full-time work as 30 hours per week or more. Your reference letter must state a specific number — not a range, not a vague description.

Accepted format

• "The employee worked 40 hours per week."
• "The employee worked 37.5 hours per week on a full-time basis."
• "The employee worked 30 hours per week." (minimum threshold for full-time)

Common mistakes that get letters rejected

• "35–40 hours per week"

  Ranges are not accepted. IRCC requires a specific number. Ask your employer to use a single figure.

• "Full-time employment" with no hours stated

  Stating 'full-time' without a number is insufficient. The officer needs the actual figure to calculate your eligible hours.

• "As per company policy"

  Vague references to company policy don't satisfy IRCC's requirements. A number must appear in the letter.

What if you worked more than 40 hours?

IRCC caps countable work experience at 30 hours per week for eligibility purposes — but your letter should still state your actual contracted hours (e.g. 40 or 45). Working 50-hour weeks does not give you more experience points than someone who worked 30. The cap is applied internally by IRCC; you report the real number.

What if you worked part-time?

If you worked part-time (under 30 hours per week), the letter must still state the exact hours. IRCC will calculate whether your part-time hours add up to the equivalent of one year of full-time work (1,560 hours total). You can combine hours from multiple part-time jobs — but each letter must state that job's specific hours.

Annual salary plus benefits: what to write

This field confirms your employment was paid — it's not about the amount. IRCC is not checking whether your salary is high or low. They are checking that you were a paid employee, not a volunteer or unpaid intern.

Accepted format

• "Annual salary: $65,000 CAD plus benefits including health insurance and RRSP matching."
• "Annual salary including benefits: $72,000 CAD."
• "Hourly wage of $28.50 CAD, 40 hours per week, with standard benefits package."

If your salary was in a foreign currency, state it in the original currency. You don't need to convert to CAD.

What counts as 'benefits'?

Benefits means non-wage compensation — things like health insurance, dental, RRSP or pension contributions, paid vacation, and so on. If your employer offered no benefits, the letter can simply state the annual salary with a note that no additional benefits were provided. IRCC does not require a specific benefits package — only that the field is addressed.

Do you need to break down every salary change?

If you held multiple positions at the same company (e.g. promoted from coordinator to manager), your letter should ideally note the salary for each role. In practice, many officers accept a letter that states the most recent or final salary. If in doubt, ask your employer to include each position's compensation separately — it removes ambiguity.

What if your employer won't include all the details?

This is a common problem — especially with large employers whose HR departments use templated letters. If your employer's standard letter omits hours or salary, you have a few options:

• Ask HR specifically to add the missing fields — share IRCC's requirements directly with them. Many HR departments comply once they understand it's an immigration requirement.
• Supplement with pay stubs. IRCC accepts pay stubs alongside the reference letter as supporting evidence for salary and hours.
• Supplement with a contract or offer letter that states your hours and compensation.
• Write a Letter of Explanation (LOE) acknowledging the gap and providing the missing information with supporting documents.

Note: A Letter of Explanation alone is not a substitute for the reference letter — it supplements it. The reference letter itself must still come from your employer.

Frequently asked questions

How many hours per week does IRCC consider full-time work?

IRCC considers 30 hours or more per week as full-time work for Express Entry. Your reference letter must state a specific number (e.g. 40), not a range like '35–40'.

What should the 'annual salary plus benefits' field include?

State the annual salary in the currency you were paid (no need to convert to CAD) and list non-wage benefits such as health insurance, dental, RRSP or pension contributions, and paid vacation. If no benefits were provided, say so explicitly.

Can I count part-time work toward Express Entry?

Yes. Part-time hours count toward the 1,560-hour equivalent of one year of full-time work. Each reference letter must state the exact weekly hours for that job, and you can combine hours from multiple part-time jobs.

What if my employer's letter omits hours or salary?

Ask HR to add the missing fields and cite IRCC's requirements. If they refuse, supplement with pay stubs, your employment contract, or a Letter of Explanation. The reference letter itself must still come from your employer.

Do I need to convert foreign salary to Canadian dollars?

No. State the salary in the original currency you were paid in. IRCC officers do not require a CAD conversion on the reference letter.

Do I need to add the NOC code to my reference letter?

IRCC does not require the NOC code to be printed on the reference letter. What matters is that your listed duties clearly match the lead statement and main duties of your claimed NOC. You or your employer can add the NOC code as a helpful label, but it is the duty overlap that officers check, not the code itself.

What should I do if my employer added the wrong NOC code to my reference letter?

Ask your employer to issue a corrected letter with the right NOC code, or add a Letter of Explanation explaining the discrepancy. The more important fix is to make sure the duties described in the letter actually match the official NOC 2021 profile for your claimed code. You can verify that match quickly with a NOC checker before you submit.