Express Entry refused because remote work for a foreign employer didn’t count as Canadian experience

By Pardeep S. Grewal, lawyer at Lawgical Law Corporation · Reviewed November 10, 2026

Published November 11, 2026

Pardeep S. Grewal is a lawyer at Lawgical Law Corporation, called to the BC bar in 2024, and a member of the Law Society of British Columbia.

Updated November 10, 2026: section 87.1 of the Regulations and IRCC’s Canadian Experience Class page (modified October 16, 2026) checked that day.

If your Canadian Experience Class application was refused because IRCC did not count your remote work, the reason is usually who you worked for. IRCC’s Canadian Experience Class page says: “If you worked remotely, you must have been physically in Canada and working for a Canadian employer.” So remote work done from your apartment in Vancouver for a company in the UK or the US, even on a valid open work permit, does not count toward the year of Canadian experience the class requires. If that job was what got you to 1,560 hours, the application fails. The options are to show you still qualify without it, to build qualifying hours, or to look at another program.

Lawgical Law Corporation, an immigration law firm in Surrey, Abbotsford and Vancouver, BC, reviews Express Entry refusals and takes them to the Federal Court; this guide is by Pardeep S. Grewal.

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What counts as Canadian experience?

Under section 87.1 of the Regulations and IRCC’s Canadian Experience Class page:

• at least one year of skilled work (1,560 hours) in Canada in the three years before you apply;
• paid work, while authorized to work, in a TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 job;
• remote work only if you were physically in Canada and working for a Canadian employer;
• not self-employment, and not work done while studying full time.

Why this needs a lawyer

One lawyer, one file, every step:

• recounting your qualifying hours, job by job;
• judicial review if the officer miscounted work that does qualify;
• protecting your status while you build the hours you need;
• checking other routes, such as the BC PNP or a different Express Entry program.

Immigration lawyers are members of a provincial law society (in our case, the Law Society of British Columbia), and only lawyers can appear for you in the Federal Court.

What are my options?

1. Recount without the remote job. If your Canadian employer work alone reaches 1,560 hours, and the officer ignored it, consider judicial review.
2. Build qualifying hours with a Canadian employer while your status allows, then create a new profile.
3. Look at the Federal Skilled Worker program. Paid skilled work can count toward its minimum work experience requirement and selection points whether it was done in Canada or abroad, if it meets the program’s rules (including one continuous year in your primary occupation, under sections 75 and 80 of the Regulations). For CRS points, IRCC has indicated that remote work from Canada for a foreign employer may count as foreign work experience if the job was outside the Canadian labour market and the other requirements are met, assessed case by case. If you claim it, explain the remote arrangement and where you and your employer were located.
4. Protect your status before your work permit expires.

Remote work and the CEC at a glance

Worked example: the two jobs

Example. A software tester in Vancouver on a post-graduation work permit worked 900 hours for a Canadian startup and 1,200 hours remotely for her former employer in London. Her CEC application is refused on Monday, January 18, 2027 because only the 900 hours count. She keeps working for the Canadian startup, reaches 1,560 qualifying hours, and creates a new profile, while applying for a bridging option before her permit expires.

Mistakes I have seen

• I have seen candidates list a foreign remote job as Canadian experience because they did it from Canada.
• I have seen candidates describe contractor or freelance work as employment.
• I have seen candidates wait for the refusal before checking how long their work permit had left.

Frequently asked questions

My foreign employer has a Canadian subsidiary. Does that help?

It can, if you were actually employed and paid by the Canadian entity. The employment documents and payroll need to show that.

Is listing the remote job misrepresentation?

Not if you described it accurately. The risk comes from presenting it as something it was not, so describe every job truthfully.

Can I work remotely for a foreign employer on my work permit?

That is a separate question about your permit’s conditions. Get advice on your specific permit.

Related guides

See our guides on CEC refusals for work while studying or self-employment, a refusal over the reference letter and a work permit that expires before PR.

What should I do right now?

List every job with its employer, location and hours. Count only the qualifying Canadian hours. Check your work permit’s expiry date and get advice this week.

Book a consultation with our immigration lawyers in Surrey, Abbotsford or Vancouver, or online from anywhere.

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Sources (official)

• Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, s. 87.1 (current to October 19, 2026), s. 75 and s. 80
• IRCC: Ministerial Instructions for Express Entry
• IRCC: Canadian Experience Class (modified October 16, 2026)
• Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, s. 72

This article is general information, not legal advice. Every case depends on its own facts.