Invitation under CEC - confusion to accept or decline

[Apate492]

Hi everyone,
I received an ITA under the CEC on November 12, 2025. I’m getting a bit confused about how IRCC counts Canadian work experience within the last 3 years.
My work history is:

• Full-time: Oct 18, 2022 – Mar 10, 2024
• Part-time afterward at the same job
• I also worked other part-time jobs.

My concern is:
If I submit my PR application in January 2026, will I lose CRS points because some of my Canadian experience (from late 2022/early 2023) will fall outside the 3-year window from the date I submit?
Basically:
Does the 3-year qualifying period “freeze” on the ITA date, or does it continue moving forward until I submit the application?
And if it moves forward, will my CRS score go down as older work experience drops out of the 3-year window? I will still be eligible for CEC in January 2026 but will I lose any CRS points for Oct, Nov, Dec 2022?

Would appreciate if someone can clarify how this works. Thanks!

 

[scylla]

Hi everyone,
I received an ITA under the CEC on November 12, 2025. I’m getting a bit confused about how IRCC counts Canadian work experience within the last 3 years.
My work history is:

• Full-time: Oct 18, 2022 – Mar 10, 2024
• Part-time afterward at the same job
• I also worked other part-time jobs.

My concern is:
If I submit my PR application in January 2026, will I lose CRS points because some of my Canadian experience (from late 2022/early 2023) will fall outside the 3-year window from the date I submit?
Basically:
Does the 3-year qualifying period “freeze” on the ITA date, or does it continue moving forward until I submit the application?
And if it moves forward, will my CRS score go down as older work experience drops out of the 3-year window? I will still be eligible for CEC in January 2026 but will I lose any CRS points for Oct, Nov, Dec 2022?

Would appreciate if someone can clarify how this works. Thanks!

Work experience is not locked at ITA. It's locked when you submit your application.

 

[rohan012]

Work experience is not locked at ITA. It's locked when you submit your application.

@scylla This is completely false. It depends on the officer. Do you have any reference stating that it is locked when we submit the application and not at ITA?
IRPR

• 11.2 (1) An officer may not issue a visa or other document in respect of an application for permanent residence to a foreign national who was issued an invitation under Division 0.1 to make that application if — at the time the invitation was issued or at the time the officer received their application— the foreign national
  • (a) did not meet the criteria set out in an instruction given under paragraph 10.3(1)(e);
  • (b) did not have the qualifications on the basis of which they were ranked under an instruction given under paragraph 10.3(1)(h) and were issued the invitation; or
  • (c) did not meet the criteria for membership in a category that was established in an instruction given under paragraph 10.3(1)(h.2), if they were issued an invitation on the basis that they were eligible to be a member of that category.

 

[CanGoldDigger]

@scylla This is completely false. It depends on the officer. Do you have any reference stating that it is locked when we submit the application and not at ITA?
IRPR

• 11.2 (1) An officer may not issue a visa or other document in respect of an application for permanent residence to a foreign national who was issued an invitation under Division 0.1 to make that application if — at the time the invitation was issued or at the time the officer received their application— the foreign national
  • (a) did not meet the criteria set out in an instruction given under paragraph 10.3(1)(e);
  • (b) did not have the qualifications on the basis of which they were ranked under an instruction given under paragraph 10.3(1)(h) and were issued the invitation; or
  • (c) did not meet the criteria for membership in a category that was established in an instruction given under paragraph 10.3(1)(h.2), if they were issued an invitation on the basis that they were eligible to be a member of that category.

The time the officer received their application is the time of your submission.

 

[rohan012]

The time the officer received their application is the time of your submission.

well it also states at the time the invitation was issued