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Working while you study full time won’t boost your CRS points

Posted on 10/12/2020

Are you an international full-time student who’s hoping to add to your CRS points total by working while you study?

You might be disappointed, unfortunately.

If you are doing full-time studies in Canada as an international student and you are also working while you study (on a valid study permit or work permit of course) you should know this:

Your work experience will not count towards either:

  • the Canadian Experience Class points
  • Nor towards Express Entry’s CRS (Comprehensive Ranking System) points system.

In Section 87.1(3) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR) it states:

Application

(3) For the purposes of subsection (2),

(a)any period of employment during which the foreign national was engaged in full-time study shall not be included in calculating a period of work experience;

(b)any period of self-employment or unauthorized work shall not be included in calculating a period of work experience; and

(c)the foreign national must have had temporary resident status during their period of work experience.

 

As you can see, the rules are very clear. While your work experience gained during studying might be quite useful on your resume, it will not boost your score for CEC or in Express Entry’s CRS.

But, what your work experience while studying might help with is improving your chances of being qualified for the FSWP or FST programs under Express Entry. Remember, however, that it won’t add to your CRS points total in your Express Entry profile.

Interestingly, if you have any foreign work experience acquired while a full-time student might be eligible for what are called transferability points under Express Entry’s Comprehensive Ranking System. In other words, foreign work experience while a full-time student may add points to your CRS total. But not Canadian work experience.

The bottom line is: by all means work while you study (on a valid study permit or work permit and meet all other eligibility requirements of course) as it will add to your experience and will interest potential employers. Just don’t bank on it adding to your CRS points total in Express Entry.

Posted in Tips and tagged Express Entry, Work Experience

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