An applicant preparing an Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) Letter of Explanation (LOE) asked whether they needed to mention paid work experience they weren't claiming points for, in addition to their 10-year employment history.
What the group said:- One member listed everything — including periods of unemployment or studying — even though they'd been told it wasn't strictly required, just to be extra safe and avoid any gaps looking unexplained.
- Another framed it around relevance: include the extra work experience if it strengthens your overall OINP case, even if you're not claiming points for it directly.
Practical takeaway:- There's no single hard rule here from the group's experience, but the safer pattern is to account for your full timeline (including gaps) in the LOE rather than leaving blanks.
- Only add detail on non-claimed experience where it helps explain your background or supports your nomination case — padding with irrelevant detail isn't necessary.
- When in doubt, err on the side of a complete, gap-free timeline rather than a minimal one.