In order to qualify for one of the Canadian Immigration programs, you need to have work experience. For most of the streams, the work experience should be ‘skilled’. This means that you must be working under NOC Skill Level, A, 0 or B. So how to draft a reference letter for Express Entry?
But, before you offer a reference letter, you need to find out the right National Occupation Classification (NOC) codes. These codes should be associated with the positions you have worked for in the past.
For Canadian Immigration, the letter of reference is not the same as the one you may use to apply for jobs. This document actually confirms that you have worked for a particular employer. It also presents the duration and the position matching the NOC code you select from the list.
However, the officials don’t accept each and every reference letter. So, with this in mind, let’s go through what you need to include in the document. The tips stated below would surely help you earn points for the foreign work experience.
- When you are trying to get a reference letter, it’s actually vital to prove skilled work experience. If you don’t have the desired experience, then the officials may or may not accept the Express Entry application.
It may seem good enough when you claim that the information is true and accurate. But, that doesn’t work when you plan for permanent residence in Canada.
- When you draft a reference letter that works for Express Entry, you should include critical information. As time passed by, you should be careful with the layout of the reference letter. A few components should be kept in mind for the document.
Make sure you get the document printed on the company’s letterhead. There’s no option other than presenting a soft copy of the letter. The officials wouldn’t accept a confirmation sent across through an email.
For the full name, the name on the document should match with one printed on your passport.
At some instances, the employer may tend to state your nickname. But, that would seem unprofessional. Instead, it’s better to state the full name to rule out the confusion.
With regards to the contact details of the company, the letter should have a full address. Don’t forget to include the postal code for the location. Moving forward, it’s better to mention the phone number, official email address and the company’s website link.
In the end, ensure that the reference letter has a stamp of the official seal.
Many people join and leave the company. So, if you have been reporting to someone in the firm, then the officer should sign the letter.
In case the personnel officer has left the firm a long time back, then seek the signature of someone who you know. At this point in time, the person should be authorized to sign the document.
When a person has signed the letter, request him to give his business card. This card is what you would have to upload as a digital copy for the profile in the Express Entry system. However, you should not throw away the business card even when you’ve finished creating a profile.
If you miss including the things as stated above, then the reference letter may not be genuine. This tip has to be considered even when you’ve sought assistance to draft a reference letter that works for Express Entry.
Do make a note that you need to draft separate reference letters for all the job positions. This applies only when you have worked for different firms.
In case you wish to include the positions in just one document, then do break up the employment history.
In the end, you need to confirm the positions you have held earlier. For every position, you need to be clear with the job title and the NOC.
Later, you need to be state responsibilities in detail and job status. Besides, you should state the time period for which you have worked with the organizations. Make sure you state the duties in brief and avoid using terms related to your industry. This tip has to be considered as the visa officer is not acquainted with different industries.
Never try to include a job description exactly similar to the NOC description. This may seem doubtful as the officer would think that you have created the document just to match with the NOC.
The officials would then consider the letter as ‘self-serving’. It may be considered as a fraud with the only aim of immigrating to Canada. The officer would overlook the document and wouldn’t process it further.
After checking the positions and tenure, you should state the number of hours worked every week. You should also be clear with the annual salary you had been drawing. In case the companies have offered perks, then you shouldn’t forget to mention them as well.
What to do when you can’t get a reference letter?
If the employer is not ready to offer a reference letter, then you need to present some other documents. While you convince the visa officer, you can present contracts, payslips or letter of promotions. You may also think about presenting sworn declarations from people you know in the company.
If you are unable to show any of the above documents, then you can present photos of working at the office.
Later, you need to produce a signed letter stating the reason why you couldn’t present a reference letter. Regardless of what you do, you should present the record of employment clearly. Once the official is convinced that the work experience is genuine, then the person would easily accept your profile.
Finally, you should be honest when you draft a reference letter that works for Express Entry. In case the work experience doesn’t match with the reference letter, then you may land up into trouble later on. To ensure that the letter meets the immigration standards, you need to approach an attorney. But, while you prepare for immigrating to the country, you can discover numerous options through an immigration consultant team.