Changing jobs while your immigration application is in progress can be stressful. Many applicants worry that leaving their current employer could automatically lead to a visa refusal or Canada PR application rejection.

The reality is more nuanced.

Whether changing jobs affects your immigration application depends on the immigration program, the type of job you have, the information you submitted, and whether your employment is being used to meet an eligibility requirement.

If you are applying for Canada immigration from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait or another country, it is important to understand how a job change can affect your specific application.

Can I Change My Job After Starting My Immigration Application?

In some cases, yes.

Changing employers does not automatically cancel an immigration application. However, you must consider whether your current employment is connected to:

• Your eligibility for the immigration program
• Your claimed work experience
• Your CRS score
• A valid job offer
• A Provincial Nominee Program nomination
• A work permit
• Your proof of funds or financial situation

If your employment is an important part of your application, changing jobs without checking the consequences can create complications.

1. If Your Work Experience Was Already Completed

Suppose you claimed three years of qualifying work experience from your previous employer and you have already completed that employment period.

Changing to a new company does not necessarily invalidate the experience you already claimed.

However, you should retain proper evidence of your previous employment, such as:

• Employment reference letters
• Employment contracts
• Salary slips
• Bank statements
• Tax or government records
• Other documents supporting your employment history

Your previous experience should accurately reflect the work you actually performed.

2. What If You Are Still Using Your Current Job for Eligibility?

This situation requires more attention.

If your current employment is being used to meet an immigration program’s work-experience requirement, leaving that job before completing the required period could affect your eligibility.

For example, if you need a specific amount of qualifying work experience and resign before completing it, you may no longer meet the program requirements.

Before resigning, check whether your new employment can also qualify under the same immigration program.

3. What If You Have an Express Entry Profile?

If you are in the Express Entry pool, changes to your employment situation may need to be reflected in your profile.

IRCC requires candidates to keep their Express Entry profile information up to date when circumstances change. This can include changes involving work experience, job offers and other information affecting eligibility or CRS. (canada.ca)

This is especially important if your employment information affects your CRS score or eligibility.

4. What If You Have Already Received an ITA?

Receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA) does not mean you can ignore changes to your circumstances.

After receiving an ITA, IRCC assesses whether you still meet the requirements of the applicable program and whether the information supporting your application is accurate.

If your job change affects your claimed work experience, CRS score or program eligibility, you should address the change correctly before submitting your PR application.

Do not simply leave old employment information unchanged if it is no longer accurate.

5. What If Your Job Change Involves a Different Occupation?

Changing employers is one thing. Changing your occupation and job duties can be more significant.

For example, imagine you originally claimed skilled work experience as an accountant but later moved into a completely different occupation.

Your previous qualifying experience may still count if it was genuine and meets the applicable requirements. However, you should not assume that your new position automatically qualifies under the same NOC.

The NOC should reflect the actual duties and responsibilities of your employment, not simply the job title.

6. What If You Have a Provincial Nomination?

This can be more complicated.

Some Provincial Nominee Programs are connected to a particular employer, job offer, occupation or province.

If you change employers after receiving a provincial nomination, you may need to inform the province and determine whether the change affects your nomination.

Do not assume that an Express Entry-linked nomination remains unaffected simply because you still have a similar job.

Provincial requirements vary by program.

7. What If You Have a Canadian Work Permit?

If you are already working in Canada on an employer-specific work permit, changing employers can be very different from changing jobs while living outside Canada.

An employer-specific work permit generally authorizes work under the conditions specified on the permit. You may need authorization before starting work for a different employer.

IRCC provides specific procedures for workers who want to change jobs or employers while in Canada. (canada.ca)

Therefore, do not resign from one Canadian employer and immediately start with another without checking your work permit conditions.

8. What If Your New Salary Is Lower?

A lower salary does not automatically mean that your immigration application will be refused.

However, salary can be relevant in certain immigration programs, job-offer requirements and provincial streams.

It can also affect your financial circumstances.

If your application depends on a specific employment offer or salary requirement, a change could be important.

9. Do You Need to Inform IRCC About the Job Change?

There is no universal answer because it depends on your application and the nature of the change.

However, you should never provide outdated or inaccurate information.

If your employment change affects information submitted in your application, eligibility, CRS calculation, job offer or nomination, you should determine the appropriate way to update IRCC or the relevant provincial authority.

Keeping documents and employment records organized can also help if IRCC asks for additional information.

10. What Should You Do Before Changing Jobs?

Before submitting your resignation, review your immigration application carefully.

Ask yourself:

• Is my current job being used for eligibility?
• Have I already completed the required work experience?
• Is my job offer part of my application?
• Do I have a provincial nomination?
• Does my CRS score depend on this employment?
• Will my new job have similar NOC duties?
• Do I need to notify IRCC or a provincial immigration authority?
• Do I have documents proving my previous employment?

If the answer to any of these questions is yes, check the immigration consequences before making the move.

Final Thoughts

Changing jobs after starting an immigration application does not automatically mean that your visa or Canada PR application will be refused.

The important issue is whether the job change affects something you relied on when applying.

A change of employer may be relatively straightforward if you have already completed the required qualifying work experience. On the other hand, it can become more complicated if your current employment is being used to satisfy program eligibility, support a job offer, maintain a provincial nomination or meet work-permit conditions.

For applicants from Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and Oman, the safest approach is to review the specific immigration pathway before making a major employment change.

Keep your employment documents, make sure your application information remains accurate and check the current IRCC or provincial requirements whenever your circumstances change.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change jobs while my Canada PR application is processing?

Possibly. A job change does not automatically cancel a PR application, but its effect depends on whether your employment is connected to your eligibility, CRS score, job offer or nomination.

Will changing employers reduce my CRS score?

It depends on why you received the CRS points and whether your employment change affects the information used to calculate your score.

What if I change jobs after receiving an ITA?

You should review whether the change affects your eligibility or the information in your Express Entry profile before submitting your PR application.

Can I change jobs after receiving a PNP nomination?

It depends on the specific provincial nomination stream. Some nominations are closely connected to a particular employer or job, so you may need to contact the province before changing employment.

Can changing my job cause my visa to be refused?

A job change by itself does not automatically result in refusal. Problems can arise if the change means you no longer meet an eligibility requirement or if inaccurate information is provided to immigration authorities.

Should I inform IRCC if I change jobs?

If the change affects information relevant to your application, you should ensure that the information provided to IRCC remains accurate and follow the applicable update procedure.