tense - 'recently' with present perfect and past

When do we use recently with past tenses?

I came across some sentences in which I couldn't understand the use of recently.

1. 
   

   I recently wrote to my grandmother.

   
   
   


2. 
   

   They were working in Canada recently.

   
   

From Headway upper intermediate Teacher's Book p.7.

I thought we have to use it with the present perfect.