PROOF OF EMPLOYMENT: JOB REFERENCE LETTERS
To be successful for either LMIA or LMIA exempt Work Permit application as well as any Canadian Economic Immigration program, you need to demonstrate some work experience. Our firm collects this evidence during the Work Permit application process and makes subsequent Permanent Residency applications easier.
You can prove work experience by collecting Job Reference letters (Employment Confirmation letters) from current and previous employers, Employment Contracts, Paystubs, and even statements from previous supervisors or co-workers.
- It needs to be on the company’s letterhead
- It needs to contain the employee’s full name and last name (middle name if applicable) as per the passport
- The job title with the job status (if current job)
- Dates of employment
- A detailed list of duties/responsibilities
- Number of working hours per week
- Income: annual salary or an hourly rate of pay, any bonuses or benefits (volunteering will not be counted as an experience)
- The company’s contact information should be clearly visible, either at the top or bottom of the page, such as:
- Full company address (including city/town, postal/zip code, and the country)
- Telephone number
- E-mail address
- Website address
- Signed by an authorized representative such as your immediate supervisor, manager or similar (if your immediate superior no longer works there, have someone sign the letter who knew you and can confirm your employment if IRCC requests it)
- Business card of the person signing the letter (recommended but not a must)
As an optional but desirable proof of employment, we suggest professional work photos, any employment-related certificates, competition of courses, or training.
You would need to first find your NOC code (National Occupation Classification). There are many NOC codes in Canada, and you can find some examples on the national website: https://noc.esdc.gc.ca/ Please don’t just copy-paste job duties from this website as this will decrease the credibility of your experience.
PROOF OF EMPLOYMENT: SELF-EMPLOYED
In many instances, self-employees can’t obtain simple Employment confirmation letters from immediate supervisors or managers. In this case, the goal is to clearly prove to IRCC the position title, job description, income, and all other elements mentioned previously. The following documents would be desirable to prove the work experience of self-employees:
1. Evidence of business ownership:
- Certificate of registration of a company (Incorporation documents)
- City or State Licences
- Screenshot of a corporate website with a link
- Screenshot of your professional LinkedIn account
- Photos of the workplace
- Awards, Licences, Import-Export permits, Trade permits, Confirmation of payroll, Number of employees working for the company etc
2. Evidence of self-employment income:
- Business bank accounts
- Proof of Payroll or Dividends
- Agreements and contracts with customers or suppliers
- Invoices
- Work completion certificates
- Pension fund certificates containing the amounts of contributions
- Tax reports
3. Reference letters:
From third parties (e. g. customers or suppliers) that list the services provided and contain
information on payment for these services. The client or supplier must indicate their contact details in the letter so that the immigration officer can contact them and verify the
authenticity of the document. Documents can be in a form of a Written Affidavit (our preference) or simply confirmation letters.
All documents in English or French made by a certified translator, as well as:
- Translator’s affidavit
- Copies of original documents
SAMPLE: JOB REFERENCE LETTER, COOK
To Whom It May Concern:
This is to confirm that __________ worked with us as a Cook on a full-time basis, min 40h per week. He joined the company on ________ and worked till _________. He was getting paid ______(per hour or annually)
The job duties and responsibilities were as follows:
- Setting up workstations with all needed ingredients and cooking equipment
- Preparing ingredients to use in cooking (chopping and peeling vegetables, cutting meat etc.)
- Cooking food in various utensils or grillers
- Check food while cooking to stir or turn
- Ensure great presentation by dressing dishes before they are served
- Keep a sanitized and orderly environment in the kitchen
- Ensure all food and other items are stored properly
- Check the quality of ingredients
- Monitor stock and place orders when there are shortages
Should you have any questions or need further information, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Employer’s Name/Last name:
Title:
Email:
Phone number:
Website: