Potential Misrepresentation

[swomid]

I will be applying for the Express Entry program in Canada. I have a problem with my work experience information that I am afraid could be considered as misrepresentation.
I am holding a PhD in Computer Science. My work experience consists of a software development work experience for an accounting company for three years in a foreign country, and seven months of research and development work experience in the same country, both before the beginning of my PhD. The latter is the most related to my research field in PhD.
As part of my PhD, I moved to Canada with a work permit for three months in 2019 as an invited researcher (invited by a public University in Canada). For that work permit application, I entered the seven months part of my work experience record that was mostly related to the research work I was going to perform in Canada. Unfortunately, I did not mention the three-years routine work experience, simply because it was not a research and development job and was not relevant to the research duties mentioned in the invitation letter.
Now, I want to make sure whether this negligence to put that relevant information in my work permit application can be considered as misrepresentation by the Canadian government in my Express Entry application where I will list my whole work experience. Do you think if I can resolve this problem by describing the situation in the cover letter of EE?

 

[k.h.p.]

Misrepresentation takes two elements:

1. A withholding of information required in an application

2. Withholding of information that would have been likely to affect a visa officer's decision

This generally means that some information, if it is not connected to a visa officer's decision, is not necessarily misrepresentation if it is not included.

In your case, the decision on the work permit most likely revolved around the invitation by the university and not your previous, routine work in software development UNLESS it would have somehow changed a visa officer's mind (ie, you were working in software development for an accounting company that poses a national security risk).

However, as the forms are broad in their request - "Provide details for all your work in the previous ten years" as an example - I would personally include a note explaining why you did not include that work experience in your work permit application. I'm sure you have a reason why you didn't include it.