Counting working hours for teachers for Express Entry

[ThomasEichorst]

Hello everyone, I’m a full-time primary school teacher in Germany and have been working for the past year. I’m currently planning to immigrate to Canada.

However, in Germany, employment reference letters for teachers usually mention only the teaching hours, not the total workload. In my case, the letter states 27 teaching hours per week, which is considered full-time here, although the actual workload averages around 40 hours weekly including preparation, grading, meetings, and other duties. Therefore, can I report my work experience as 40 hours per week for Express Entry purposes? I need some guidance and suggestions regarding this, please.
Best regards,
Thomas

 

[Naturgrl]

No. If you are paid for 40 hours then you show paystubs and ask for a new letter with the hours.

 

[Ash G.]

Naturgrl's advice is right but I'd add some context. For Express Entry, IRCC needs to see that you worked at least 30 hours per week in a TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 occupation. The tricky part for teachers is exactly what you described — the reference letter only shows classroom hours, not the full workload. What you can do is ask your school administration for a supplementary letter that breaks down your total duties: teaching, lesson preparation, grading, staff meetings, parent conferences, etc. As long as the letter is on official letterhead and signed by someone in authority, IRCC should accept it. The key is that your employer confirms the total weekly hours, not that you self-report them. Many teachers in countries like Germany and France run into this exact issue, so you're not alone.