A member asked whether 2.5 years on a PGWP plus 6 months on an LMIA-backed work permit would total to 3 years of qualifying work experience, and separately when the CRS points for that combined experience could actually be claimed.
What the thread clarified:- Combining time across a PGWP and a subsequent LMIA-backed work permit toward a longer total work experience period is possible, provided the employer sponsors and applies for the LMIA appropriately.
- You can claim CRS work experience points as soon as your LMIA is approved — you don't need to wait to complete a full additional year on that specific new permit before claiming the combined experience. If you'd already completed a full year on your PGWP, you can apply for CRS points right away once the LMIA-backed permit is approved.
- This means your total qualifying experience (PGWP time plus new LMIA-backed time) can be claimed cumulatively, rather than needing to restart a 1-year clock on the new permit alone.
The practical takeaway: if you've completed a year of work on your PGWP and then move to an LMIA-backed work permit, you can claim your combined CRS work experience points as soon as the LMIA is approved — you don't need to wait an additional full year on the new permit before that experience counts.