Beginning in 2026, Canada will increase the 12-month work experience requirement for express entry.
Beginning in February 2026, Canada will replace the prior six-month requirement for Express Entry category-based draws with 12 months of recent work experience.
You should be aware of this if you want to use Canada's Express Entry system to apply for permanent residency.
The Canadian government is raising the minimum work experience requirement for applicants under occupational categories beginning of February 18, 2026. All Express Entry category-based selections are impacted by the change.
What's New?
As per the revised Express Entry regulations, candidates now need to:
12 months or more of work experience
In a job that qualifies
Acquired throughout the previous three years
It is not necessary for the experience to be ongoing.
In the past, individuals may be eligible for a category with just six months of continuous work experience over the previous three years. The bar has thus essentially doubled.
How the Twelve Months Will Be Determined
The new criteria for work experience is based on total hours worked rather than whether or not you took breaks. To be eligible, candidates need to have:
30 hours or more of full-time work per week, or an equivalent quantity of part-time labor.
Any hours over thirty per week, however, will not be applied to the requirement.
Put simply, working 50 or 60 hours a week won't speed up the process. Thirty hours a week will be all that counts.
Just One Occupation
There's one more crucial detail. One qualified occupation must be the subject of the 12 months of work experience. The amount cannot be reached by combining different vocations.
Additionally, the experience must have occurred within the previous three years. Unless a particular category calls for Canadian work experience, this is true whether the work was completed in Canada or overseas.
What Is Not Included
There is a significant restriction for students who studied in Canada. Work experience obtained while a full-time student is enrolled does not qualify. This comprises:
Placements for co-ops
internships finished while pursuing a full-time education
As of right now, that rule has not altered.
Why This Is Important for Applicants for Express Entry
Certain vocations are given preference in Express Entry's category-based selection process. Your chances of being invited to apply for permanent residence may rise if your work fits into one of the selected categories.
Canada is strengthening eligibility for these targeted draws by increasing the work experience requirement from six months to twelve months.
This could postpone eligibility for many applicants, particularly those who are more recent hires. Others who already meet the new bar might not see much of a change other than a small narrowing of the competition.
Who Will Be Impacted?
Beginning on February 18, 2026, this modification will be applicable to all Express Entry occupational categories. It primarily affects:
New Express Entry profiles are being prepared by candidates.
Candidates relying on selection based on categories
Professionals with less than a year's experience
Timing will be important if you are almost done with 12 months of eligible experience.
The Bottom Line
The general framework of Express Entry has not been altered by Canada. However, it has tightened eligibility depending on categories.
Now, you must have worked in one eligible occupation for a full year. It may be equivalent to full-time or part-time work. It is not need to be ongoing. Additionally, it must have occurred in the previous three years.
You cannot afford to overlook this type of rule change if you intend to obtain permanent residency through Express Entry.
