Select the purpose, fill in the details and click Generate Verification Letter for a professional, ready-to-use document.
The letter must be written and signed by an authorised representative of your employer. This is typically your HR department, your direct manager or a company director. The letter must be on company letterhead. You can prepare a draft using this tool and give it to your HR team or manager to review, print and sign - but you cannot sign it yourself.
In most Canadian provinces, employers are not legally required to provide an employment verification letter on demand, but most will as a standard professional courtesy. If your employer refuses without good reason, you can request it formally in writing. Some collective agreements and employment contracts specify that employers must provide proof of employment on request. For immigration purposes, IRCC may formally request employment confirmation directly from your employer.
Most HR departments can produce a standard employment verification letter within 2-5 business days. If you need it urgently, explain your deadline when making the request. Larger organisations may have a formal HR request process or employee self-service portal. Prepare your request in advance of when you actually need the letter.
Your employer may decline to include salary details for confidentiality reasons or company policy. In this case, you can request a separate salary confirmation document, or provide your most recent pay stubs as supporting documentation. For mortgage applications, banks typically accept either a verification letter with salary or a combination of recent pay stubs and a basic employment confirmation letter.
This tool is designed for employees whose employer issues the letter. If you are self-employed, you typically need a Proof of Income Letter from your accountant, a Notice of Assessment from the CRA, or a combination of business bank statements and a statutory declaration. Some lenders accept a letter from your accountant confirming your self-employment income.
An employment verification letter is a factual document confirming the dates, title and sometimes salary of your employment. It does not include an assessment of your performance or character. A reference letter or reference email typically includes the opinion of the writer about your skills and suitability for a role. Most hiring processes require references separately from employment verification.