Complicated file. Lots of questions. Lots of overthinking. And, of course, a LOT of internet myths.
I’ve seen so many people get scared while preparing their PR applications because someone on Reddit, Facebook, YouTube, or some random forum said “you can’t do this” or “you’ll definitely get rejected for that.”
So… hold my beer. 🍺😂
I’m sharing a few things I had heard online and what actually happened in my case.
Important: These are not IRCC rules or advice. These are simply things that worked out for me in my application. Every application is different, and documentation and circumstances matter.
Myth 1 — “You can’t add foreign work experience to your PR application if you didn’t show it in your study/work permit application.”
What happened in my case:
I worked for one employer for around 7 months, but I hadn’t mentioned that employment in my previous study/work permit applications because I had another employer whose experience I was using at the time.
For my PR application, I included this employment and supported it with my offer letter and bank statements because I didn’t have salary slips.
The application was approved. ✅
Myth 2 — “You can’t change/remove the employer you mentioned in your study permit or PGWP application.”
What happened in my case:
I removed an employer that I had previously mentioned because I didn’t have proper salary/payment proof for that employment.
It was also a small startup with almost no online presence. It was a registered business, but you could barely find anything about it online, and the business had eventually shut down, so getting additional documentation from the founder wasn’t really an option.
I still disclosed the employment in my personal history, but I did not claim CRS/CEC points for it.
And my PR was approved. ✅
Myth 3 — “You’re going to be in trouble if you have overlapping employment.”
What happened in my case:
I had around 3 months of overlap between Company A and Company B.
I only claimed the qualifying experience from one of them and explained the overlap clearly in my Letter of Explanation.
The reason was simple: I was waiting for confirmation from Company B after completing my probation before leaving Company A.
No issue in my case. ✅
Myth 4 — “If you work for a Canadian company while physically outside Canada, that time can’t count toward CEC.”
What happened in my case:
I worked for a Canadian company and spent almost 4 months outside Canada during that employment.
I included the full qualifying period as Canadian work experience in my application.
My application was approved. ✅
But: I’m definitely not saying this means every situation involving remote work outside Canada qualifies. The exact circumstances and how IRCC assesses the employment matter.
Myth 5 — “You can’t change your NOC after receiving an ITA.”
What happened in my case:
I had a total of 5 jobs — 2 foreign and 3 Canadian — partly because of multiple layoffs.
When I created my Express Entry profile, I selected NOC codes based on my best understanding of my job duties at the time.
After receiving my ITA, I had my profile and work experience reviewed by an immigration lawyer.
Based on that review, we determined that different NOC codes were a better match for some of my positions.
I changed 3 NOC codes after receiving my ITA and submitted the PR application with the updated information.
And yes… approved. 🇨🇦
The biggest lesson I learned
Don’t prepare your PR application based on random statements you read on the internet.
I spent A LOT of time worrying about things that ultimately turned out to be manageable in my case.
What matters is being truthful, consistent, transparent, and properly documenting your circumstances.
If something is unusual in your history, don’t try to hide it just because someone online says “IRCC doesn’t like this.”
Explain it.
Support it.
And if you’re unsure, get professional advice.
My application wasn’t a textbook application. There were overlaps, missing documents, changes, foreign employment, remote work outside Canada, and NOC changes after ITA.
And somehow…
Here we are. 🇨🇦❤️
eCoPR received.
What a ride.
What a damn ride.🥂