Key facts
- Purpose
- To evidence a claimed period of skilled work
- Compared against
- The lead statement and main duties of the NOC claimed
- Usually on
- Company letterhead, signed, with contact details
- Weakest letters
- Confirm employment but describe no duties
- If unavailable
- Consistent alternative evidence, explained
Last verified against official sources: 2026-09-21
What a letter usually contains
- Company letterhead with the employer's address, telephone number and email.
- Your full name.
- Your job title, and any changes of title with their dates.
- The start and end dates of employment, or a statement that it is ongoing.
- Hours worked per week, and whether the role was full-time or part-time.
- Annual salary plus benefits.
- The main duties performed, described in substance rather than as a list of buzzwords.
- The name, position and signature of the person issuing it.
Why duties decide it
Two candidates with the same title can be doing entirely different work. The duties are what an officer compares against the NOC, which is why a letter describing tasks in real terms carries more weight than one confirming dates alone.
When an employer will not, or cannot, write one
Employers close, refuse as policy, or simply cannot be reached. The approach is to build a consistent record from what does exist and to explain the gap openly rather than leave it unaddressed.
- Employment contracts and any amendments.
- Pay records and bank statements showing salary received.
- Tax documents showing income from that employer.
- Appointment, promotion or confirmation letters.
- Written confirmation from a former manager or HR representative, with their role stated.
- A sworn statement, in the proper context, where it accompanies documentary evidence rather than replaces it.
Not automatic
Alternative evidence is not accepted simply because a letter was refused. It works when the pieces agree with each other and with everything else declared.
Common mistakes
- A letter that confirms employment but says nothing about duties.
- Duties copied word for word from the NOC description.
- Dates in the letter that do not match the dates declared in the profile.
- A letter signed by a colleague with no authority to speak for the employer.
- Leaving a missing letter unexplained instead of documenting why it is missing.
Frequently asked questions
Can I write the letter myself for my manager to sign?
Drafting something accurate for an employer to review, amend and issue on their letterhead is common practice. What matters is that the final letter is true, issued by the employer, and describes duties you actually performed.
Should the duties copy the NOC wording?
No. Duties should describe your actual work. When they genuinely correspond to the NOC that will be clear; copied wording tends to raise questions rather than settle them.
What if the company no longer exists?
Build the record from contracts, pay and tax records, and from written confirmation by a former manager where possible, and explain the situation as part of the application.
What to do next
- List each employer you will claim.
- Request letters early — this takes longer than people expect.
- Check each letter against the duties of the NOC claimed before accepting it.
- Where a letter is impossible, gather consistent alternative records.
Your next steps
Continue in the order most people find useful, rather than a list of unrelated pages.