Anyone who wants to apply for a permanent resident visa in Canada via an economic immigration route must have a good employment history. It plays a crucial role in your application. However, you need to provide immigration reference letters from all the companies you have worked for to prove the legitimacy of your credentials and employment history.
What is an Immigration Reference Letter?
When you apply for a job, it is common practice for employers to ask for a letter of reference from your past jobs. However, the letter of reference for immigration to Canada is different. Unlike a letter of recommendation, your letter of reference will verify that you have worked for an employer for the amount of time you claimed to and that your roles and responsibilities match your chosen National Occupational Classification code.
The visa officer calculates how much work experience you have through the letters of reference that you submit. The quality of your reference letter can significantly impact your application, as work experience is an essential aspect of most economic immigration programs in Canada.
Who is Required to Submit an Immigration Reference Letter?
Everyone wishing to apply for the Canadian economic immigration programs must submit an immigration reference letter. If your spouse or partner has worked in Canada before, they must also submit a letter.
All Canadian Permanent Resident visa applicants are subject to the express entry check. So, you must submit various documents within two months of receiving an ITA.
The Express Entry procedure will begin once a complete application has been received and cleared. An immigration reference letter holds a lot of importance, and it would help you achieve success quickly.
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How Can You Make Your Reference Letter Look Flawless?
Here are a few pointers that ensure that the quality of your immigration reference letter is of a high standard.
Use Formal Language:
Any document you submit to migrate to Canada from India or any other country is a formal document. Immigration is a serious matter; therefore, your reference letter needs to be written formally. The document should contain all the necessary information regarding the companies you have worked for, and it should be in a proper manner.
Relevant Information:
The immigration reference letter is an official document that needs only employment-specific information. Include only relevant personal and employment information. Make sure that all the details are accurate to avoid possible rejection.
Necessary Employment Information:
The employment history details should provide vital information about your jobs. You should include every position you have held at your past jobs, your current employment and designation if different from the past employer(s), the dates of employment, job description, your core job duties, working hours, salary received, and benefits, if any. With the help of this information, the visa officer will verify whether you have chosen the correct National Occupational Classification code or not.
The employment duties you specify in your letter should match at least a few of the duties of the NOC code that you have mentioned in your application.
(NOC Code- The Refugees Immigration Citizenship Canada’s immigration programs take the help of the NOC system to identify whether or not a job, skills, or employment experience meets their conditions for eligibility. NOC codes have a lead title and selected set of duties.)
Manager’s Details:
Adding your manager’s details adds authenticity to your letter. Therefore, remember to include details of your manager or that of an HR official. Also, if your letter doesn’t have the stamp of the issuing company, then try and attach a business card of a responsible supervisor or manager.
These are a couple of things that can help your application stand out from the crowd.
What Should You Include Letter of Reference?
The impact that your letter of reference can have on your application is crucial. As it is an official document, keep it formal. The more information it has about the issuing company, the better. An ideal letter of reference should-
- Be made on company letterhead
- Contain signatures of a relevant supervisor
- Include the supervisor’s name and job title beneath the signature
- Contain the company’s contact details
- Have the company’s official seal
- Have the business card of whomsoever signed it
You can include other important information in the letter.
Conclusion
An immigration reference letter holds great importance of biometric requirements in your visa application. It can improve your chances of getting a Canadian Permanent Resident Visa. Those with relevant work experience and proper documentation stand the best chance of qualifying for the Canadian visa or economic immigration program.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I had a job in Canada?
Anyone who has worked in Canada before must submit copies of their Canadian tax slips and notices of assessment received from CRA. Provide information regarding the years you have worked in Canada in the past.
What if I'm self-employed?
If an applicant is self-employed, they still need to provide proof that they own a business. You could furnish business registration documents such as articles of incorporation, income statements, and statements from satisfied clients that confirm you have provided them with a service.
Is Providing an Immigration Reference Letter Important?
A letter of reference is the ideal way to prove your employment history. But suppose there is no way of obtaining one. In that case, you could try to confirm everything by submitting other documents like payslips, letters of appointment, employment offers, letters of promotion, documents confirming the work you’ve done, etc. It is good to provide a signed letter detailing the reason you are unable to secure an immigration reference letter.
A perfect immigration reference letter doesn’t guarantee success regarding your Canadian Permanent Resident Visa application. The final decision lies with the visa officer dealing with your application. Ensure that the employment record you submit is complete, correct, and true. Amplify your credibility by submitting validated information.
