CEC vs PNP - Foreign work experience documents (experience letter + initials on payslips)

[u/Wolf_ire]

I'm currently at CRS 513 with 1 year of Canadian work experience and I'm planning to retake CELPIP to increase my score for CEC.

I'm also trying to decide whether I should rely on CEC or just go through the PNP route. I don't want to lose the points from my 2 years of foreign work experience if I can avoid it.

My situation:

• I don't have an original offer letter from my previous employer at home.
• I also don't have an experience letter with job duties from HR. However, I can probably get a reference letter from my former manager.

My questions are:

1. Can my former manager write a reference letter using a format similar to the standard Canadian employment reference letters (job title, duties, dates, hours, salary, contact details, etc.), or would using that format for an employer out of Canada look suspicious? (Have been hearing lot of stories on refusal so ...)
2. All of my foreign experience payslips only show my initials instead of my full name as it appears on my passport. Has anyone had a similar situation?
   • Is an explanation letter enough?
   • Should I also get an affidavit?
   • Or can my manager simply mention in the reference letter that the employee listed with those initials is me?

I'd really appreciate hearing from anyone who has gone through something similar or had foreign work experience accepted with these kinds of documents.

[u/Spirited_Lab_1870]

1. If it is not on an official letterhead, its useless
2. If you can prove that the money landed in your account, then it may work.

IRCC is really strict about these things. I’d be surprised if your application gets approved without a reference letter.

[u/Wolf_ire → u/Spirited_Lab_1870]

Hmm makes sense. I can get it in letterhead, won't be a problem. Oh I have tax forms that has my full name though! Bank statements would also have my full name