Canadian Experience Class: how IRCC really counts your 1,560 hours

Many workers reach for their pay stubs, add up the hours and conclude they have their Canadian Experience Class (CEC) year. Then the officer's math gives a smaller number. The reason is a single rule: for full-time work, IRCC counts at most 30 hours a week. This guide explains how the 1,560-hour requirement really works, based on the Regulations and IRCC's pages checked on October 17, 2026.

The rule in plain terms

Requirement	Where it comes from
At least 1 year of full-time work, or the full-time equivalent in part-time work	Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, s. 87.1(2)(a)
Full-time means at least 30 hours of paid work a week	Regulations, s. 73
1,560 hours in total, up to 30 hours a week	IRCC, Canadian Experience Class page
In Canada, in a TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 occupation, within the 3 years before you apply	Regulations, s. 87.1; IRCC
Hours above 30 a week are not counted	IRCC, Federal Skilled Worker page

IRCC gives three ways to reach 1,560 hours: full time at one job (up to 30 hours a week for 12 months), the equal amount in part-time work (for example, 15 hours a week for 24 months), or full time at more than one job (up to 30 hours a week combined, for 12 months). See IRCC's Canadian Experience Class page.

Why overtime doesn't shorten the year

The cap works week by week. A 45-hour week counts as 30. So working longer weeks does not let you reach the requirement in fewer weeks: in practice, full-time workers need the equivalent of 52 weeks.

A typical case we see: two TEER 2 jobs at 40 hours a week, about 27 weeks in the first and 13 in the second.

	Weeks	Hours paid	Hours counted
Job 1	27	1,080	810
Job 2	13	520	390
Total	40	1,600	1,200

The pay stubs show 1,600 hours, yet only 1,200 count. About 12 more weeks of full-time skilled work are needed.

Part-time work: where the hours do add up

Part-time work is the opposite case. Weeks under 30 hours are counted as they are, and you keep adding weeks until you reach 1,560 hours. Two part-time jobs can be combined, as long as the combined total for any week is capped at 30.

The 3-year window keeps moving

The 3 years are counted back from the date you apply for permanent residence, not from today. Every week that passes without qualifying work pushes your oldest weeks out of the window. If you are between jobs, the clock is working against you.

What never counts

• work done while you were a full-time student, co-op terms included;
• self-employment (IRCC has a temporary exception for some physicians);
• volunteer work and unpaid internships;
• work without authorization;
• remote work done from outside Canada, even for a Canadian employer.

How to check your own number in ten minutes

1. Get the exact start and end dates of each skilled job. A Record of Employment from Service Canada is the quickest source.
2. Count the weeks of each job inside the last 3 years.
3. Multiply each week by its hours, capped at 30 (and at 30 combined if two jobs overlap).
4. Compare the total with 1,560.

Then check the rest of the CEC: the occupation must match the NOC lead statement and most main duties, and you need CLB/NCLC 7 for TEER 0 or 1, or 5 for TEER 2 or 3, in all four abilities. See our CEC requirements checklist.

The Quebec catch

Work done in Quebec can count. But the CEC requires that you plan to live outside Quebec. If you want to stay in Montreal, the Quebec routes, the PEQ and the PSTQ, are the ones to look at.

A note on November 3, 2026

IRCC announced that, as of November 3, 2026, it is changing how points are awarded for Canadian work experience and valid job offers in the Comprehensive Ranking System. That affects your score, not the CEC eligibility rules, which IRCC says are not changing.

Frequently asked questions

Do the 1,560 hours have to be consecutive?

No. Separate periods can be added up, as long as they all fall within the 3 years before you apply.

I worked 50 hours a week for 8 months. Do I qualify?

Not on hours alone. Each week counts as 30 at most, so about 35 weeks give roughly 1,040 counted hours. You need the equivalent of 52 weeks at 30 hours.

Does a TEER 4 job help?

No. Only TEER 0, 1, 2 and 3 work counts toward the CEC.

Where can I get help with my count?

You can describe your situation or book a consultation; we review the dates with your documents.

Official sources

Official pages consulted on October 17, 2026:

• IRCC — Canadian Experience Class
• IRCC — Federal Skilled Worker Program
• RIPR, article 87.1 (catégorie de l'expérience canadienne)
• RIPR, article 73 (travail à temps plein)