Foreign work experience is evaluated under the Skill
Transferability Factors of the CRS. These factors consider how your
education, work history (Canadian and international), and language skills work
together. You can earn a maximum of 100 points in this section.
Here’s how those 100 points are distributed:
Points for Foreign Work Experience:
Foreign Work Experience |
With CLB 7+ |
With CLB 9+ |
+ 1 Year of Canadian Work |
+ 2+ Years of Canadian Work |
No foreign experience |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1–2 years |
13 |
25 |
13 |
25 |
3+ years |
25 |
50 |
25 |
50 |
You can earn up to 50 points through this foreign
experience transferability factor.
Canadian Work Experience and CRS Points
Canadian work experience contributes to your Core Human
Capital factors. If you are applying without a spouse or partner, you can
receive up to 80 points in this category.
Canadian Work Experience |
CRS Points |
None or <1 year |
0 |
1 year |
40 |
2 years |
53 |
3 years |
64 |
4 years |
72 |
5+ years |
80 |
Note: You gain the most points in your first year of Canadian work. Each
additional year adds fewer points:
Also, Canadian work experience counts under skill
transferability — but only up to 2 years. Beyond that, it no longer adds more
transferability points.
When Foreign Work Experience Can Be More
Valuable
If you already have 1–2 years of Canadian work experience
and haven’t maxed out your 100 skill transferability points, adding foreign
work experience can give you a much bigger CRS boost than staying in Canada
for more work.
Example: Aliyah’s Case
Aliyah is 26 years old. She has:
Her CRS Score with 3 years of Canadian
experience:
Factor |
Points |
Age (26) |
110 |
Education (Bachelor’s) |
120 |
Language (CLB 9) |
136 |
Canadian work experience (3 years) |
64 |
Skills transferability – education |
50 |
Additional points – studied in Canada |
30 |
Total CRS |
510 |
Now let’s look at what happens if Aliyah goes back to the Bahamas and works for
1 year in HR, after 2 years of Canadian experience:
Factor |
Points |
Age (26) |
110 |
Education (Bachelor’s) |
120 |
Language (CLB 9) |
136 |
Canadian work experience (2 years) |
53 |
Skills transferability – education |
50 |
Skills transferability – foreign work |
50 |
Additional points – studied in Canada |
30 |
Total CRS |
549 |
Result: Instead of staying for a 3rd year in Canada, Aliyah gains
1 year of foreign experience and boosts her CRS by 39 points.
She still qualifies for the Canadian Experience Class
(CEC) since she has at least 1 year of Canadian work experience in the past
3 years.
Why This Matters in 2025
In early 2025, CEC draw cut-offs ranged from 518 to 547.
If Aliyah had stayed in Canada for a third year, her score
of 510 wouldn’t have been enough. But with just 1 year of foreign experience
added, her score of 549 would have qualified her in every draw so far in 2025.
This also applies to foreign experience earned before
studying in Canada, as long as it’s within the last 10 years at the time of
application.
Final Thoughts
Foreign work experience can be a powerful tool to enhance
your Express Entry profile. If you're aiming for a higher CRS score and already
have Canadian experience, don’t overlook how a year or more of international
experience can open doors — especially in a competitive immigration landscape.