{"id":2045,"date":"2026-11-10T17:54:19","date_gmt":"2026-11-10T17:54:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lawgicalcorp.com\/blog\/express-entry-refused-reference-letter\/"},"modified":"2026-11-11T00:00:08","modified_gmt":"2026-11-11T00:00:08","slug":"express-entry-refused-reference-letter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lawgicalcorp.com\/blog\/express-entry-refused-reference-letter\/","title":{"rendered":"Express Entry refused over your reference letter (lead statement and main duties): your options and the 15-day deadline"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Sundeep S. Grewal<\/a>, lawyer at Lawgical Law Corporation \u00b7 Reviewed November 10, 2026<\/em><\/p>\n

Sundeep S. Grewal is a lawyer at Lawgical Law Corporation, called to the BC bar in 2018, and a member of the Law Society of British Columbia<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

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The fix:<\/strong> judicial review in the Federal Court, after a lawyer reviews the refusal and the officer’s notes. A judge can set the refusal aside and send your application back to a different officer.<\/p>\n

The deadline:<\/strong> 15 days from notice of the refusal if you are in Canada, 60 days if outside (IRPA s.72<\/a>). Asking IRCC to reconsider does not stop this clock.<\/p>\n

Why a lawyer:<\/strong> only a lawyer can take this to the Federal Court. Why a lawyer<\/a><\/p>\n

Book a consultation<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The lawyers who review these refusals<\/p>\n

\"SundeepSundeep S. Grewal<\/span>Barrister and Solicitor<\/span><\/a>\"PrabhpreetPrabhpreet Kaur Sangha<\/span>Barrister and Solicitor<\/span><\/a>\"PardeepPardeep S. Grewal<\/span>Barrister and Solicitor<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n
\nAbout our lawyers<\/summary>\n
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Sundeep S. Grewal<\/a><\/strong> founded Lawgical Law Corporation and argues immigration cases at the Immigration and Refugee Board and the Federal Court of Canada.<\/p>\n

Prabhpreet Kaur Sangha<\/a><\/strong> focuses on refugee claims, immigration appeals, inadmissibility, detention reviews and Federal Court cases, and has presented at Continuing Legal Education seminars and the National Immigration Conference.<\/p>\n

Pardeep S. Grewal<\/a><\/strong> is an immigration and estates lawyer known for clear communication and practical strategy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<\/div>\n

If IRCC refused your Express Entry application because the officer was not satisfied that your reference letter shows you performed the lead statement and the main duties of the NOC you claimed, the fix is usually judicial review<\/a> in the Federal Court. The application must be filed within 15 days of being notified of the refusal if you are in Canada, or 60 days if outside, and only a lawyer can represent you there. This guide covers Canadian Experience Class and Federal Skilled Worker refusals over work experience; I also review refusals where the officer said your job belongs in a different NOC.<\/p>\n

Lawgical Law Corporation<\/a>, an immigration law firm in Surrey, Abbotsford and Vancouver, BC, challenges Express Entry refusals in the Federal Court for applicants across Canada; this guide is by Sundeep S. Grewal.<\/p>\n

What does a work experience refusal under section 75 or 87.1 say?<\/h2>\n

In these refusals the officer usually accepts that you worked for the employer and for the time claimed. What the officer rejects is the content of the work: the duties in your reference letter do not match the “lead statement” of your NOC and enough of its “main duties”. Sometimes the officer says the duties fit a different NOC, sometimes a lower TEER, and sometimes that the letter is too general to tell.<\/p>\n

You will often see phrases like these in the Officer Decision Notes:<\/p>\n