CEC - Unable to get work exp reference letter/ Need help

[CECquestion]

Hello All,

These days I see many rejections related to not submitting the work experience reference letter. I am unable to get a work experience reference letter from my employer. I have completed 2 years in Canada over a period of 2 years and 7 months. I worked for my company in Canada as an Intra company transferee for 6 months in 2009. I returned to Canada in 2010 on a different contract and I have now completed another year and a half.  I am hence submitting the below documents as proof of my work experience. Kindly provide your suggestions whether this is sufficient.


1.   Copy of all the Work Permit Extension application cover letters. This is the petition letter submitted by my company to CIC while applying for my work permit.
        -  This letter covers the below points.

•   My period of employment with the company.
•   My designation/position during the period of Employment and the time spent in each position.
•   My main responsibilities and duties in each position.
•   My total Annual Salary.
•   Number of hours worked per week.

2.   Copy of the work permit Extension emails and Scanned Agreements.
3.   Copy of Company Offer Letter.
4.   Copy of the Salary Letter
5.   Copy of the Record of Employment Letter provided by Service Canada for my employment in 2009.
6.   Copies of my Pay slips for 2009, 2010 & 2011.
7.   References from my current employer.

Also I noticed that they have mentioned "Upto date letters of reference from past and current employers for the past 3 years" in the document checklist.
I have been working for the same company for the past 6 years. Do I need to get a reference letter from my company for my employment in India ?.

[Singh07]

You can get 1 letter which would include all the locations where you have worked.

And to be on safe side, make sure your reference letters should be exactly what they want, word to word.

[luckyinjay]

Another query regarding letters, do they need to be up to date, cause I have experience letters issued as on the day of leaving my previous company.... so in my case I have letters issued as on 2010... would it matter ? cause my previous company folks would not issue a letter a later point , reason being services are no longer being rendered by the employee.

[Singh07]

Only the reference letter which is from your present employer should be update and current.

Letters from the previous employers could be the ones you got at the time of leaving the job.So they can be old as well. But do give very detailed attention to your present letter of reference.

FYI, I saw a post stating that the application was rejected as the job contract of that individual was as if he could move to a different location in some other country with that company. so the visa officer was not satisfied.

[luckyinjay]

Thanks Mr Singh...  well in my case I am currently based out of India hence my current employers Letters are update to date,  also just to check I could not get the no of hours worked in the Indian employment letter, would it matter?
Cause I believe they would be looking at the relevant Canada experience(and its corresponding letters) as that is what matters to them for calculating eligibility for the criteria.

Correct me if I am wrong here.

Luckily my letters do not contain terms of contract, hence I should be fine on the latter part of your reply.

The Canadian experience letters are up to date as on the date of which my services were complete in 2010 and 2011 resp, hope they should just be fine and help me through.

[Singh07]

Thanks Mr Singh...  well in my case I am currently based out of India hence my current employers Letters are update to date,  also just to check I could not get the no of hours worked in the Indian employment letter, would it matter?
Cause I believe they would be looking at the relevant Canada experience(and its corresponding letters) as that is what matters to them for calculating eligibility for the criteria.

Correct me if I am wrong here.

Luckily my letters do not contain terms of contract, hence I should be fine on the latter part of your reply.

The Canadian experience letters are up to date as on the date of which my services were complete in 2010 and 2011 resp, hope they should just be fine and help me through.

You should be fine till the time you have your Canadian experience  letters current and with all the info they want. Anything prior to that will be just used for reference or verification purposes. So India experience, if its not the part of your eligibility for the CEC should not make a big difference.But do write a letter yourself stating your hours or any other info missing in those old letters. 

Only the letters which make you qualify for the CEC should be word to word as per visa office guidelines.

[CECquestion]

You should be fine till the time you have your Canadian experience  letters current and with all the info they want. Anything prior to that will be just used for reference or verification purposes. So India experience, if its not the part of your eligibility for the CEC should not make a big difference.But do write a letter yourself stating your hours or any other info missing in those old letters. 

Only the letters which make you qualify for the CEC should be word to word as per visa office guidelines.

Hello Mr Singh,

Are the documents that I have listed above sufficient, eventhough I was not able to get an actual work reference letter from my employer. Kindly advise.

[Singh07]

Which Documents??

[CECquestion]

Which Documents??

These are the documents that I am planning to submit as proof of my work experience. I was unable to get a work reference letter from employer. Hence, I am submitting the work petition letter submitted by the company to CIC. Kindly advise.

1.   Copy of all the Work Permit Extension application cover letters. This is the petition letter submitted by my company to CIC while applying for my work permit.
        -  This letter covers the below points.

•   My period of employment with the company.
•   My designation/position during the period of Employment and the time spent in each position.
•   My main responsibilities and duties in each position.
•   My total Annual Salary.
•   Number of hours worked per week.

2.   Copy of the work permit Extension emails and Scanned Agreements.
3.   Copy of Company Offer Letter.
4.   Copy of the Salary Letter
5.   Copy of the Record of Employment Letter provided by Service Canada for my employment in 2009.
6.   Copies of my Pay slips for 2009, 2010 & 2011.
7.   References from my current employer.

[Singh07]

Ya it looks like a lot of information. Also if you could attach a letter explaining why you couldn't submit reference letters and therefore all these docs would provide him/her the same information.

Its not guaranteed that they will except it. But if you don't have any other option, go with it.

[Johnny31]

if your company is willing to provide you a petition letter which includes all the information you've listed, how come they wouldn't provide you a reference letter?

[CECquestion]

if your company is willing to provide you a petition letter which includes all the information you've listed, how come they wouldn't provide you a reference letter?

Hello, this is the standard work petition letter that any company would submit to CIC while applying for a new work permit or renewal of an existing work permit. So this is required to secure a work permit for the employee. However, reference letters for PR are not encouraged.

[SenoritaBella]

First, the information immigration is asking for is exactly the kind of information a potential employer will ask when they are considering hiring you. Will they provide a reference if you apply for a new job? If yes, then what's the difference?

The only way to stop this behavior is for those affected by it to come together and seek legal advice. After spending a lot of money for a PR application, I imagine it's disappointing to be rejected over a simple letter. It's interesting that they will provide all that is needed for a work permit application, but "reference letters for PR are not encouraged". Not sure when exactly this became an employer's choice to make.

[cecapp369]

Dear CECquestion,

I provided the exact list of documents which you mentioned above. However, mine was refused for processing. Please be very careful while providing the documents as Ottawa Pilot is NOT looking into the Supporting documents. They need a DIRECT LETTER which states all the required details.

I am sharing my experience with you, not to discourage you.

Thank you

[CECquestion]

Dear CECquestion,

I provided the exact list of documents which you mentioned above. However, mine was refused for processing. Please be very careful while providing the documents as Ottawa Pilot is NOT looking into the Supporting documents. They need a DIRECT LETTER which states all the required details.

I am sharing my experience with you, not to discourage you.

Thank you

I am sorry to hear that your application was rejected. I have just sent my documents to CIC.How soon can I expect to get a decision from them ?

 @  SenoritaBella - Yes this is a problem faced by most temporary foreign workers.
If I am able to provide all the information that they have specified in the document checklist through other supporting documents, why would they still need a specific reference letter from the Employer.
In the document checklist, at the very beginning they have clearly mentioned the below Note.

"If you are unable to provide any of the requested documentation, include with your application a written explanation with full details as to why that documentation is unavailable and any document that would support your claim"

I have provided an explanation letter and also attached an email from the employer indicating that the company does not provide reference letters. 

Will my application be treated any differently?