Canada: Experience in Canada while on a close-work-permit also boosts points for permanent residency scores

Often, Indian companies that are deputing their employees to their Canadian subsidiary for carrying on onsite work, opt for a closed work permit. The main advantage for the employer, who typically has to undertake a labour market impact assessment (LMIA), is that it is an employer-specific work permit meant for a designated role. The employee cannot work in any other role, or any other employer. Typically, it is issued for two years, with an extension possible for the same period.

Ken Nickel-Lane, founder of an immigration services firm, told TOI, “It is possible to change jobs. To illustrate, an individual on a closed work permit is offered a position by a competitor. The employee accepts in principle based on successful immigration applications. The competitor then files an LMIA, and on approval the employee terminates with his initial employer.”
The question uppermost in the minds of the employees who are working on a close work permit is whether their experience in Canada will help add points to the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score, if they apply for permanent residency under the Express Entry mechanism.

Josh Schachnow, an immigration lawyer and founder of Visto.ai, a tech-talent search platform answers in the affirmative. “The individual gets bonus points for the closed work permit and bonus points for years of skilled work in Canada (He/she will get points after hitting one year, then two years, then three years, up to five years, while working in Canada),” he said.
Pavan Dhillon, a Canadian immigration attorney, states that an incorrectly prepared evidence of employment experience is a common reason for refusal. Immigration experts state that applicants should submit the employment agreement, pay-slips, letter from the employer verifying the time employed in Canada, tax slips and returns.