In Canada, MBA students have, on average, 6.4 years of real world work experience; this is about 4 more years than the average number of work experience years required by MBA schools. There is no definitive correlation between a school's supposed educational standards, rankings, reputation, and/or size and the average number of work experience years of its students. There is, however, a proportional relationship between work experience and age; a school that has a student population with a higher average number of work experience years tends to also have a higher average age. Moreover, schools with extensive cooperative learning opportunities tend to have students with less than average work experience while institutions with ample distant education opportunities have students with a higher than average work experience. Furthermore, it is often believed that having more work experience will result in a higher Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) score. However, this hypothesis, from the schools examined, is not supported because GMAT scores between those with more and those with less than average work experience tend to be relatively equal.
| UNIVERSITY | WORK EXPERIENCE |
| Athabasca University | Applicants with a bachelor degree must have at least 3 years of managerial-level work experience; those with an acceptable professional designation but no degree require at least 5 years of managerial-level work experience. |
| Brock University | Work experience is not required but is preferred |
| Cape Breton University | A minimum of two years experience in community economic development |
| Concordia University | At least two years of meaningful work experience |
| Dalhousie University | At least 3 years. |
| First Nations University of Canada | Minimum 3 years work experience. |
| HEC Montreal | A minimum of three years of work experience. |
| Lansbridge University | Applicants should have at least 1 year of full-time relevant work experience for the MBA program or 5 years of full-time work experience, including 2 years of management level employment, for the eMBA program. |
| Laurentian University | Applicants should have at least 2 years of relevant work experience but this requirement may be waived under specific situations. |
| Vancouver Island University | No work experience is required. |
| McGill University | Applicants must have a minimum of two years of relevant full time work experience after their undergraduate degree. |
| McMaster University | Candidates applying for the full-time or part-time options must have a minimum of one year of full-time, continuous managerial, professional or technical work experience. |
| Memorial University of Newfoundland | You must complete Employment Experience Information Form |
| Mount Saint Vincent University | A minimum of two years of full-time, relevant work experience. |
| Queen's University | A minimum two years of full-time, post-degree, professional experience (excluding internships and/or co-op placements). |
| Royal Roads University | Applicants must have at least 5 years of relevant work experience. |
| Ryerson University | Ryerson’s MBA:Preference will be given to applicants who have a minimum of two years full-time work experience or equivalent after graduation from undergraduate studies. |
| Saint Mary's University | Full-time students should normally have at least two years of relevant post-degree experience. Co-op experience will be given consideration. |
| Simon Fraser University | Two years of relevant work experience is the minimum required but the University recommends at least three years. |
| University of Alberta | Applicants should possess a minimum of two years, full-time work experience after completion of an undergraduate degree. |
| University of British Columbia | Work experience is preferred and will help an applicant's chances of being acceptedl however, no minimum number or years of work experience is set. |
| University of Calgary | Three years of appropriate employment at increasing levels of responsibility. |
| University of Guelph | If the applicant has a 4-year degree then 3 years of industry-related work experience, including managerial responsibilities, are required; otherwise, the applicant will need 5 years of relevant work experience including managerial responsibilities. |
| University of Manitoba | Three years of professional work experience. |
| University of New Brunswick-Fredericton | A minimum of 3 years of relevant work experience is required; preferred experience is that which makes use of your undergraduate degree. |
| University of New Brunswick-Saint John | A minimum of 3 years of relevant work experience is required; preferred experience is that which makes use of your undergraduate degree. |
| University of Ottawa | 2 years of full-time managerial or professional work experience. |
| University of Regina | Usually, applicants are required to have a minimum of 2 years of full-time, relevant work experience. |
| University of Saskatchewan | Minimum 3 years work experience. |
| University of Toronto | Two years of full-time work experience. |
| University of Western Ontario | Two years of work experience |
| University of Windsor | No work experience is required |
| Wilfrid Laurier University | Two years of work experience |
| York University | Two years of full-time, relevant work experience. |
