How to Get a Job Offer Letter from an Employer in High-Wage Categories to Claim More Express Entry Points
If you are already Inside Canada and want to claim more points under the recent Express Entry changes, there are two ways to increase your score.
The first way is through one year of work experience. If you have already completed one year of experience in an eligible occupation, you may automatically receive additional points. Depending on the applicable table, you can receive up to 70 additional points.
The second way is through a specific job offer letter issued through the employer portal. Depending on the category in which your NOC code falls, you may be able to claim:
100 additional points
70 additional points
50 additional points
However, a normal job offer letter issued by an employer will not work for claiming these points. A regular job offer letter or job reference letter is not sufficient. You need to follow a specific process through the employer portal.
1. A Normal Job Offer Letter Is Not Enough
Many people believe that the usual job offer letter issued by an employer, containing the employee’s name and other employment details, will allow them to claim additional Express Entry points.
That is not the case.
To claim points through a job offer, the employer needs to use the employer portal. The employer is required to pay a $230 compliance fee, after which a reference number is generated.
This reference number is important because it is required to claim the points through Express Entry. Once the reference number is generated, you also need to update the information in your GCKey.
Without this specific process and reference number, a normal offer letter will not allow you to claim these additional points.
2. Understanding the Three Experience Tables: 2x, 1.5x and 1.3x
IRCC has provided three tables:
2x table
1.5x table
1.3x table
You do not need to worry about how these tables were created. What matters is whether your NOC code falls within one of these tables.
You also need to meet the minimum wage requirement for your occupation. You do not necessarily need to earn the median wage. Even if you are earning the minimum wage for that job, you may claim the applicable points if your NOC code is included in the relevant table.
The additional points for one year of experience are:
| Experience table | Additional points |
|---|---|
| 2x table | 70 points |
| 1.5x table | 40 points |
| 1.3x table | 20 points |
These are the high-wage experience points. They are added automatically by Express Entry when you meet the applicable requirements. You do not need to obtain a special job offer letter for these experience points.
3. You Cannot Claim Both Experience Points and Job Offer Points
One important thing to understand is that you cannot claim both sets of points for the same situation. You will receive either the applicable experience points or the applicable job offer points.
You cannot add both together.
For example, suppose you are single and have completed one year of Canadian work experience. You receive 40 points for that experience. If your NOC code is included in the 1.3x table, you may receive another 20 points.
Your total additional points would be:
40 points for one year of Canadian experience
20 points under the 1.3x table
Total: 60 points
Now suppose you receive a job offer in the 2x category and claim 100 points through that offer.
Will you receive both 60 points and 100 points?
No. The 60 points will be removed, and you will receive 100 points through the job offer.
In this situation, the job offer is more beneficial because 100 points are higher than 60 points.
4. When a Job Offer May Reduce Your Express Entry Score
A job offer is not always beneficial. You need to compare the points available through your one year of experience with the points available through the job offer.
For example, suppose your NOC code falls under the 1.3x table.
You have completed one year of experience and are receiving:
40 points for one year of Canadian experience
20 additional points under the 1.3x table
Total: 60 points
Now suppose your employer is ready to issue a job offer through the employer portal, but that job offer falls under the 1.3x table.
In that case, the job offer will give you 50 points.
The comparison is:
| Option | Points |
|---|---|
| One year of experience and applicable table points | 60 |
| Job offer under the 1.3x table | 50 |
Here, claiming the job offer points would reduce your score from 60 to 50. Therefore, there is no benefit in attaching the special job offer to claim fewer points.
You need to check which option gives you more points before proceeding.
5. When Claiming Job Offer Points Makes More Sense
There may also be a situation where you have no Canadian work experience.
If you have zero experience, you will not receive the 40 experience points or the additional 20, 40 or 70 points associated with the applicable experience table.
However, if you directly receive a job offer that qualifies for 100 points, you may be able to claim those 100 points.
Another example is when you have one year of experience under the 1.3x table and are receiving 60 points, but you receive a job offer under the 2x table.
In that situation, you may give up the 60 points and claim 100 points through the job offer instead.
Therefore, you need to compare both options:
Points available through one year of experience.
Points available through the job offer letter.
There may be situations where the employer is not willing to support you with the job offer process. In that case, you may not have the option to claim additional job offer points.
There may also be situations where the employer is ready to support you, but the job offer does not increase your score. In that case, obtaining the special offer letter does not make sense.
The effort involved in getting the offer letter is worthwhile when it increases your Express Entry score.
6. How Many Points Can You Claim Through a Job Offer?
The number of points available through a job offer depends on the table in which your NOC code falls.
| Job offer category | Additional points |
|---|---|
| 2x table | 100 points |
| 1.5x table | 70 points |
| 1.3x table | 50 points |
You also need to continue working, or be willing to work, in the relevant NOC code. Your salary must also meet the applicable wage requirement for that NOC code.
The selection of the NOC code is very important. Many people make mistakes when selecting their NOC code because they only try to match the job responsibilities mentioned in the offer letter.
However, job responsibilities are not the only factor you need to consider.
7. Three Important Things to Check Before Selecting Your NOC Code
There are three major factors you need to check before selecting a NOC code.
A. Job Responsibilities
The first factor is the job responsibilities.
For example, suppose you ask your employer to generate an offer letter. The employer agrees to issue it through the portal and pay the $230 compliance fee.
The employer may ask you which job responsibilities should be included in the offer letter.
You may provide the responsibilities that match your work, and the employer can include them in the letter.
However, many people stop their assessment at this stage. They check the job responsibilities, find a match, and assume that the NOC code is suitable.
There are two more important factors that need to be considered.
B. Your Background and Eligibility for the Job
The second factor is whether you are eligible to perform that job.
For example, consider a person selecting NOC 10012, which is a senior manager NOC code.
Suppose the person:
Is 25 years old.
Has limited work experience.
Has a bachelor’s degree as the highest education.
Has completed a postgraduate diploma in Canada.
Has only two years of overall work experience.
If this person is claiming a senior manager position in finance or another field, matching the job responsibilities alone may not be sufficient.
The visa officer may examine the person’s previous work experience, education and overall background to determine whether the person is capable of performing that senior-level role.
If the person does not have the required background, education or experience for the selected NOC code, claiming that position may create problems.
Job responsibilities can be written by an employer, but your background and eligibility also need to support the position.
For every NOC code in Canada, including TEER 3, TEER 2 and other categories, job responsibilities and eligibility requirements are provided on the official NOC website.
You need to meet those eligibility requirements. If you do not meet them, the visa officer may not accept the NOC code.
C. Minimum Wage for the NOC Code
The third factor is the minimum wage requirement.
The minimum wage depends on two things:
The NOC code.
The location of the job.
The wage rate can be different for the same NOC code in different locations.
For example, the wage requirement for a particular NOC code may be different in Toronto and Vancouver. Even within British Columbia, the wage rate may vary between different regions, including the Lower Mainland and other locations.
Similarly, the wage requirement in Sudbury, Northern Ontario, may be different from the wage requirement in Toronto.
You need to check the applicable minimum wage for your NOC code and the exact location where you are working.
This information is available on Job Bank.
The wage requirement may also change if you change your job location or select a different NOC code. Therefore, you need to check the minimum wage for each NOC code and each location.
Many people forget to check this requirement. Employers may offer the same salary they normally pay to other employees, but that salary may not meet the minimum wage requirement for the selected NOC code.
For example, suppose the minimum wage for a particular NOC code is $53 per hour, but your employer is paying you $30 per hour.
Even if your job responsibilities match and your background is suitable, the wage requirement is not met.
In that situation, the NOC code may not be accepted, and your application may be refused.
Therefore, before selecting any NOC code, you need to check all three factors:
Job responsibilities.
Your background and eligibility.
Minimum wage for the NOC code and job location.
When all three factors match, you can identify the appropriate NOC code for your position.
8. Wage Requirements in Other Applications
The minimum wage requirement is also important when you are using a NOC code for other applications.
Whether you are claiming a NOC code for a spouse visa, a PR application, Francophone Mobility or another application, you need to check the minimum wage requirement for that NOC code and location.
There may be exceptions in certain programs.
For example, FCIP or RCIP may have a separate list or specific wage requirements for a particular community or program. In those exceptional cases, the wage requirement may be lower.
However, normally, the wage requirement is checked according to Job Bank.
If the wage rate is below the applicable minimum wage requirement, the visa officer may not accept the NOC code and may refuse the application.
9. Check Whether Your NOC Code Is Included in the Three Tables
You can check the three tables provided for the 2x, 1.5x and 1.3x categories.
These tables contain different NOC codes.
If your NOC code is included in one of these tables, you may be able to claim additional points through either the applicable one year of experience or the qualifying job offer.
If your NOC code is not included in the tables, you will not be able to claim the additional points through these categories.
For example, NOC 10012, used as an example of a senior manager financial communications position, needs to be checked against the applicable table.
You also need to meet the required wage rate, job responsibilities and background eligibility for that NOC code.
The link to check these tables can be found through the relevant IRCC information and will be shared in the video description.
10. How Does the Employer Generate the Special Job Offer Letter?
The employer needs to use the employer portal to generate the offer letter.
There are two employer portals mentioned:
Ontario Immigration Employer Portal.
GCKey employer portal.
The Ontario Immigration Employer Portal is for Ontario immigration.
In the employer portal, the employer needs to provide the employer details and upload the documents related to the job and the employer. The employer may also need to upload documents related to the employee’s job and background.
At the end of the process, the employer needs to pay the $230 compliance fee.
You should ask the employer to provide a screenshot of the payment as proof.
A reference number will also be generated. The employer will receive an email containing this reference number.
This reference number is very important and needs to be kept for the Express Entry application.
11. How the Employer Portal Reference Number Is Used in Express Entry
The same offer letter process is used in other immigration processes, including:
Francophone Mobility Program.
Francophone Mobility work permit.
Intra-company transfer.
The same process is now used for claiming Express Entry points through a job offer letter.
IRCC is increasingly using this employer portal process instead of accepting only a hard copy or soft copy of a normal offer letter.
The reference number generated through the portal is used in Express Entry.
Earlier, applicants used the LMIA number to claim points through an LMIA. Now, for this job offer process, the reference number generated through the employer portal is used instead of the LMIA number.
You need to enter this reference number in the relevant section of Express Entry.
You will also need the reference number, the proof of the $230 compliance fee and the other relevant details, including the issuance date and expiry date.
The reference number allows IRCC to match the employer’s offer information with your application.
This is how you can claim the applicable 100, 70 or 50 points through the qualifying job offer.
12. Other Employment Documents You Will Need
Apart from the special offer letter generated through the employer portal, you will also need normal employment documents.
A regular offer letter and a job reference letter may be required for your application.
The job reference letter is important because it contains the job responsibilities.
If you are already working for the employer, you can obtain a job reference letter confirming that you have been working for six months or one year, along with the relevant employment details. The employer can then issue the offer letter or provide the required information for the next process.
If you are going to start the job in the future, the offer letter can include the details of the position and the job responsibilities. It should state that the employee has been offered a job in the specified position and explain the responsibilities.
The employer needs to provide the required documents, and you will also need the normal employment documentation for your visa application.
13. Final Points: When Should You Get a Special Job Offer Letter?
Before making efforts to obtain a special job offer letter, compare the points you can receive through one year of experience with the points available through the job offer.
Remember:
One year of experience may provide 70, 40 or 20 additional points, depending on the applicable table.
A qualifying job offer may provide 100, 70 or 50 points, depending on the applicable table.
You cannot claim both sets of points together.
A normal job offer letter is not sufficient for claiming these job offer points.
The employer needs to generate the offer through the employer portal and pay the $230 compliance fee.
The reference number generated through the portal is required.
Your NOC code must match your job responsibilities, background eligibility and minimum wage requirements.
You need to decide which option gives you the higher score. If the job offer increases your points, it may make sense to proceed with the employer portal process. If it reduces your score, there may be no benefit in obtaining it for this purpose.
If you want to discuss your case, you can contact us through WhatsApp. Consultations are usually available after 6:00 p.m. Ontario time, which is early morning in India. You can call directly to discuss your case and decide how to proceed with your PR application.
You can also watch the detailed analytical video about the recent Express Entry changes to understand the points announcement and how the changes work.
