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Canadian work experience calculator: count the hours that really count
Add each job with its dates and weekly hours. The calculator applies IRCC’s rules (30 hours a week at most, 1,560 hours for a year, the 3-year window) and tells you whether you qualify for the Canadian Experience Class, and on what date you will.
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- Part-time and multiple jobs
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How many hours is one year of Canadian work experience?
1,560 hours. IRCC counts a year as 30 hours a week for 52 weeks, so full-time work of 30 hours or more takes 12 months. Part-time hours add up too: 15 hours a week takes about 2 years. Hours over 30 a week do not count, even across two jobs. For the Canadian Experience Class, the hours must be skilled (TEER 0 to 3), paid and done in the 3 years before you apply.
- One year
- 1,560 hours
- Weekly maximum
- 30 hours
- CEC window
- 3 years before you apply
- CRS window
- Last 10 years
How long it takes at your hours
| Hours a week | Weeks | About |
|---|---|---|
| 40 (counts as 30) | 52 | 1 year |
| 30 | 52 | 1 year |
| 25 | 63 | 1.2 years |
| 20 | 78 | 1.5 years |
| 15 | 104 | 2 years |
| 10 | 156 | 3 years |
What counts as Canadian work experience
Counts
- Paid work in a TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 occupation. Check your TEER.
- Work done in Canada with temporary resident status and a work permit or authorization.
- Full-time or part-time, at one job or several at once.
- Work on a PGWP, a spousal open work permit or an employer-specific permit.
Does not count
- Self-employment, including freelance and contract work through your own business. (Some physicians providing publicly funded care are an exception.)
- Work done in Canada while you were a full-time student, including co-op terms. Student work outside Canada can count as foreign experience.
- Hours over 30 a week, unpaid internships and volunteer work.
- Work without authorization, or TEER 4 and 5 jobs.
Three years for the CEC, ten years for the CRS
Canadian Experience Class: 3 years
You need 1,560 hours in the 3 years before IRCC receives your application. Older work drops out of this window over time. CRS for CEC candidates.
CRS points: 10 years
Canadian and foreign work in the last 10 years earns points: up to 80 for five years in Canada, and skill transferability points for foreign work. See the points.
How to prove your hours
- A reference letter from each employer on company letterhead: your title, dates, hours a week, salary and main duties, signed by your manager or HR.
- Duties that match the lead statement and main duties of your NOC code. Find your code from your duties.
- Pay stubs, T4 slips and notices of assessment back up the hours and pay.
- Your work permits, to show you were authorized for the whole period.
Where this information comes from
Work experience rules come from the IRCC program pages for the Canadian Experience Class and the Federal Skilled Worker Program.
The calculator counts each day at one seventh of the weekly hours, capped at 30 hours a week across all jobs. Your count can differ by a few hours from IRCC’s for jobs that start or end mid-week.
CVMaple is not affiliated with IRCC. This calculator gives an estimate; your official score is the one in your Express Entry profile. Rules change, so check the IRCC pages before you rely on a number.
Frequently asked questions
Does overtime count toward 1,560 hours?
Only up to 30 hours a week. A 45-hour week counts as 30, so full-time work still takes 52 weeks to make a year.
Can I combine two part-time jobs?
Yes. Hours from jobs at the same time add up, to a maximum of 30 a week together.
Does work during my studies count?
Not if you were a full-time student. Co-op terms and part-time jobs during a full-time program do not count as Canadian work experience for the Canadian Experience Class or CRS points.
Does contract or gig work count?
Only if you were an employee. Self-employed work, including freelance and delivery app work where you are an independent contractor, does not count as Canadian experience.
When should I update my Express Entry profile?
The day you reach 1,560 hours. That first year adds 40 CRS points for a single applicant, and can make you eligible for the Canadian Experience Class.
Do I need continuous work?
Not for the Canadian Experience Class: the hours can come from different jobs with gaps between them, as long as they fall in the 3-year window. The Federal Skilled Worker Program needs one continuous year in the same occupation.
Hours counted? Make them count on paper.
Your resume and reference letters should describe the same duties as your NOC code. CVMaple helps you write them in the Canadian format.
Express Entry tools and guides
- CRS Calculator for CEC: Canadian Experience Class rules, sample scores and your CRS as a worker in Canada.
- CRS Calculator 2026: Your Express Entry score from real test scores, and the changes that would raise it. Free.
- NOC Code Finder: Describe your duties and get your NOC 2021 code, TEER and Express Entry eligibility. Free.
- How to Improve Your CRS Score: Language, French, work, ECAs and nominations, each priced in real CRS points.
- CRS Score Chart: Every Express Entry points table: age, education, language, work and extra points.
- PGWP Resume Guide: Present your Canadian degree and co-op work while your permit clock is running.