How Remote Jobs Can Help You Get Canadian PR

Double the Work Experience, Double the Points!

Did you know that you can significantly boost your chances of Canadian Permanent Residency (PR) by gaining both foreign and Canadian work experience at the same time? When planned correctly, this strategy can add a substantial number of points to your Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score and improve your chances of receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA).

Why This Strategy Works

Simply put, combining Canadian and foreign work experience is one of the smartest ways to increase your CRS score quickly. In fact, by doing both simultaneously, you could gain over 60 additional CRS points in just one year.

As a result, your Express Entry profile becomes far more competitive, especially during high-cutoff draws.

How Can You Work for Canada and a Foreign Employer at the Same Time?

Here’s how it works. You can legally hold two jobs at once:

• One job with a Canadian employer
• Another job with a foreign employer

As long as both roles meet Express Entry eligibility requirements, you can claim Canadian work experience and foreign work experience simultaneously.

This approach is particularly effective if you:

• Live and work in Canada for a Canadian employer, and
• Perform remote work for a foreign employer while physically present in Canada

Most importantly, the foreign work experience still counts—as long as it meets IRCC’s rules.

Key Eligibility Rules for Claiming Both Experiences

Before claiming dual experience, you must ensure the following:

• Both jobs meet the eligibility criteria of the Express Entry stream you choose
• Your Canadian work experience meets Express Entry requirements
• Your foreign work experience also meets IRCC’s standards

In other words, both roles must qualify independently.

Different Express Entry Streams, Different Rules

Each Express Entry program has specific work experience requirements. Therefore, understanding the differences is essential.

1. Canadian Experience Class (CEC)

To qualify under the CEC:

• Your job must fall under NOC TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3
• The work must be paid and completed in Canada
• You must complete at least one year of Canadian work experience within the last three years

However, keep in mind:

• Work done while studying full-time
• Co-op or internship experience

Does not count under CEC

2. Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)

To qualify under the FSTP:

• Your experience must be in an eligible skilled trade
• The work must be paid and properly authorized
• You must complete two years of full-time work (3,120 hours) in the last five years

As a result, this stream strongly benefits trades workers who plan carefully.

3. Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)

For the FSWP, your experience must:

• Fall under NOC TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3
• Be paid and full-time
• Include at least one continuous year of work (1,560 hours)

Interestingly, work completed while studying full-time can meet eligibility requirements. However, it does not earn CRS points, which is an important distinction.

Understanding the NOC and TEER System

Canada uses the National Occupation Classification (NOC) system to categorize jobs based on skill and training.

• Jobs fall into TEER levels 0 to 5
• TEER 0 represents management roles
• TEER 1–3 represent skilled professional, technical, and trade occupations

Because of this, your TEER level directly affects both eligibility and CRS scoring.

How Express Entry Calculates Work Experience

To avoid confusion, here’s how IRCC calculates work experience:

• Full-time work: 30 hours per week × 12 months = 1,560 hours
• Part-time work: Counts as long as total hours reach 1,560
• Extra hours: Working more than 30 hours per week does not add extra credit

For example, working 40 hours per week still counts as 30 hours only.

What Counts as Canadian Work Experience?

To qualify as Canadian work experience:

• You must be physically present in Canada
• The employer must be Canadian
• The work must be paid and legally authorized

If you work remotely for a Canadian employer, you must still be inside Canada. Otherwise, IRCC will not count it as Canadian experience.

What Counts as Foreign Work Experience?

Foreign work experience must:

• Be paid
• Be authorized under the laws of the employer’s country
• Be completed outside Canada

However, if you work remotely for a foreign employer while living in Canada, IRCC still treats this as foreign work experience.

Therefore, always keep:

• Employment contracts
• Pay slips
• Experience letters

to support your claim.

Maximize Your CRS Score Strategically

In conclusion, combining Canadian and foreign work experience is a powerful and legal strategy to boost your CRS score faster. By meeting eligibility rules, tracking hours correctly, and choosing the right Express Entry stream, you can dramatically improve your PR prospects—sometimes within a single year.

Work smart, plan strategically, and let your experience work twice for you.

Get in touch with SPS Global

Receive professional advice on any of your questions regarding Canadian immigration. get in touch with us, experienced immigration consultants from SPS Canada. For additional information, contact support@spscanada.com (Canada) or support.amd@spscanada.com (Ahmedabad), or by phone at (1) 905-362-9393 (Canada) or +919586226232 (Ahmedabad).