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Canadian Experience Class (Express Entry)

The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) is a permanent resident category through which individuals can convert their temporary resident visa into permanent residency after establishing themselves as skilled workers in Canada, contributing to its economy and its society. A candidate should prove a minimum of 1 year’s Canadian Work Experience to get this visa.

Program Requirements

In order to be eligible to apply for the CEC category, one must meet the following guidelines. 

Education 

There is no minimum level of education required for CEC immigration. However, if you want to increase your CRS score, you have two options in your education experience that can do so.

  • You can get points for certificates, degrees and diplomas from a Canadian university, if you have gone to school in Canada. 
  • If you have completed foreign education you can gain points through the foreign credential or ECE report. 

 

Work Experience

  • Qualifying work experience must be full time and skilled. “Full-time” refers to 30 hours per week. Part-time work will be considered, but only on a pro-rata basis. For example, 6 months in a part-time skilled position at 15 hours per week will count as three months towards the required 12. Multiple concurrent part-time jobs can also be used to meet the experience requirement.
  • Any work experience acquired in Canada without valid work authorization will not be considered. Nor will periods of self-employment or work experience gained while the candidate was enrolled in a program of full-time study.

 

Language proficiency

Minimum proficiency must be demonstrated in all four language abilities, namely: Reading; writing; speaking; listening. Applicants whose qualifying work experience is in an occupation categorized as NOC Skill Type 0 or Skill Level A must meet Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 7. Applicants whose qualifying work experience is in an occupation categorized as NOC Skill Level B must meet CLB level 5.

Equivalencies between the required level of proficiency in French or English and test results under the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and the Test d’évaluation de français (TEF) are:

CLB Level
IELTS General Training Test Results
Speaking Listening Reading Writing
76.0 6.06.06.0
55.05.04.05.0
CLB Level
CELPIP General Test Results
Speaking Listening Reading Writing
77777
55555
CLB Level
Test d’évaluation de français (TEF Canada) Test Results
Speaking Listening Reading Writing
7310-348249-279207-232310-348
5226-270181-216151-180226-270
CLB Level
Test des Connaissances de Français (TCF Canada) Test Results
Speaking Listening Reading Writing
710-11458-502453-49810-11
56369-3976375-405

Other Requirements

The individual and all his sponsored family members must be able to pass all applicable medical and security checks to be eligible for the program. They should be admissible to come to Canada. They may be denied entry into Canada if:

  • They are a security risk;
  • They have committed a violation of human or international rights;
  • They have been convicted of a crime;
  • They are tied to organized crime;
  • They have a serious medical problem;
  • They are in serious financial debt;
  • They lied in your application and interview;
  • One of their family members is not allowed into Canada.

Proof of Funds

You do not have to meet the funds requirement if you were invited to apply under the Canadian Experience Class.

Program Benefits

  • CEC is an ideal program for individuals who have become familiar with life in Canada and who wish to resettle here.
  • CEC is also one of the fasted routes to Canadian permanent residence, taking as little as three to four months to process
  • Skilled worker candidates have a major advantage integrating into the Canadian job market if they have previously lived in the country.
  • A major benefit of the CEC is unlike the other two Express Entry programs, candidates who succeed under the CEC do not need to demonstrate to the IRCC that they have settlement funds to support themselves financially upon obtaining permanent residence.
  • Qualifying under this program will make you a Permanent Resident (PR) of Canada. As a permanent resident, you can do anything that a Canadian citizen can do except vote or join the military. 
  • This will entitle you to all of the other benefits extended to all Canadians and P.R.’s. 
  • After you satisfy the requirements as a PR, you can then apply for Canadian Citizenship.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

  • 1. Who cannot apply for permanent residence under the Canadian Experience Class?

    The Canadian Experience Class is for people who already have skilled work experience in Canada. You are not eligible for permanent residence under the Canadian Experience Class if you gained your work experience:

    • without the proper authorization (for example, illegally, working without a visa),
    • in a job not classified as skill type 0, or skill level A or B according to the National Occupational Classification,
    • while you were self-employed, or
    • while on a student work permit (co-op, off-campus, or on-campus). You also must not:
    • have less than one year of full-time (or an equal amount in part-time) skilled work experience in Canada, or
    • plan to live in Quebec.

  • 2. What are NOC 0, A, and B jobs under the CEC?

    The Canadian National Occupational Classification (NOC) defines the jobs as follows:
    Skill Level 0: Managerial Jobs
    Skill Type A: Professional Jobs
    Skill Type B: Technical Jobs and Skilled Trades

  • 3. Can I apply before I have a year of work experience?

    No.If you do not have a full year of experience, the system will not find you eligible.

  • 4. If I worked or studied in Canada illegally, can I use that experience in my Canadian Experience Class application?

    No. Any experience you list in your application under the Canadian Experience Class must be legal to be valid. You cannot have worked or studied without authorization. If you have ever done so, your application will be refused.

  • 5. Can I switch employers if I am working under a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)?

    If you are a former international student holding a PGWP, you can switch employers and still be eligible for the CEC as long as you obtain eligible work experience. The PGWP is an 'open' work permit, meaning you can work for any employer.

  • 6. Do I need a medical exam to apply for permanent residence, if I’ve already had one for my permit?

    Yes. Even if you had a medical exam previously, all applicants for permanent residence must have a medical exam.
    A medical exam is needed to make sure that:

    • you pose no health risk to the Canadian public and
    • neither you nor a family member will place too much demand on Canada’s health, education and social systems.

  • 7. I am from an English-speaking country. Do I still need to provide proof of language ability to apply under the Canadian Experience Class?

    Yes. All applicants must provide proof of language ability in one of Canada’s two official languages. You must give us official test results designated by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

  • 8. I have a PhD and am in a postdoctoral program. Do I qualify for the Canadian Experience Class?

    Work experience gained while you were on a study permit will not count towards meeting the Canadian Experience Class requirements.
    But, you may still be eligible if you:

    • already gained one year of skilled Canadian work experience while you were not on a study permit, and
    • meet the language threshold for that occupation .

  • 9. What kind of work experience do I need to apply for permanent residence under the Canadian Experience Class?

    To apply for permanent residence under the Canadian Experience Class, your skilled work experience must:

    • be in a job classified as skill type 0, or skill level A or B according to the 2016 National Occupational Classification,
    • amount to at least one year of full-time (or an equal amount in part-time) in the previous three years,
    • have been with an employer in Canada (self-employment does not count),
    • be gained with the proper legal authorization (for example, as a documented worker with a valid work permit), and
    • not be gained while you were studying on a student permit.

  • 10. Can I count both high-skilled and low-skilled experience toward the work experience required to apply under the Canadian Experience Class?

    No. You can only count work experience in one or more of these 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) categories:

    • Skill Type 0 (managerial occupations),
    • Skill Level A (professional occupations) or
    • Skill Level B (technical occupations and skilled trades), except for the six ineligible occupations (listed below).
    You cannot count work experience in these National Occupational Classification (NOC) categories:
    • Skill Level C, or
    • Skill Level D.
    National Occupational Classification (NOC) Skill Levels C and D occupations include semi- and low-skilled workers in the trades, primary and manufacturing industries, sales and services, as well as certain clerical and assistant categories.

  • 11. Can I count the experience I got in Canada while waiting for a decision on my refugee application?

    No. Under the Canadian Experience Class, you must have had temporary resident status and the proper work or study authorization when you gained the Canadian work experience or educational credential you are claiming.
    Refugee claimants who have authorization to work or study while waiting for a decision on their claim do not have temporary resident status and cannot apply under this category.

  • 12. Can I count part-time work toward the work experience requirement?

    You can count part-time work towards the work experience requirement, as long as you were not a full-time student at the time. However, you must have gained the equivalent amount of experience as someone who worked full-time for at least one year (1560 hours)

  • 13. While working under a post-graduate work permit to get experience to qualify for the Canadian Experience Class, can I switch employers?

    Yes. The post-graduation work permit is an “open” work permit, meaning that you can work for any Canadian employer unless there are restrictions listed on the work permit. Keep in mind that skilled work experience is needed to qualify for the Canadian Experience Class. Skilled work experience means working in an occupation that is listed under the National Occupational Classification (NOC) at Skill Type 0 (managerial occupations), or Skill Level A (professional occupations) or Skill level B (technical and trade occupations).

  • 14. How much work experience do I need to be eligible for the Canadian Experience Class?

    To be eligible for permanent residence under the Canadian Experience Class you must have completed, within the three years before you apply, at least:

    • 12 months of full-time work:
    • 30 hours/week for 12 months = 1 year full time (1,560 hours), OR
    • equal amount in part-time hours, such as:
    • 15 hours/week for 24 months = 1 year full time (1,560 hours)
    • 30 hours/week for 12 months at more than 1 job = 1 year full time (1,560 hours)

  • 15. Does the one year of work experience to qualify under the Canadian Experience Class include non-paid employment? Is there a minimum wage requirement for qualifying employment?

    Non-paid employment does not qualify under the Canadian Experience Class. You must have been paid a wage (or earned a commission) but there is no minimum wage requirement for your qualifying work experience. Full-time work experience means working at least 30 paid hours per week. To qualify, you must have skilled work experience, meaning work in occupations listed at NOC Skill Type 0 (managerial), or NOC Skill Level A (professional occupations) or NOC skill Level B (technical and trade occupations).

  • 16. I studied in a language program as a second language, is it considered for my educational requirements under the Canadian Experience class?

    Under the CEC, English- or French-as-a-second language courses do not count toward education requirements. However, your education can be counted towards the language component, provided that the second language component does not make up more than half of your course load.

  • 17. Does the applicant’s work area need to be related to his/her education for recognition under Canadian Experience Class?

    Not necessarily. If an international student has graduated from an approved Canadian post-secondary educational institution and gathered work experience, it is not mandatory that the field of work has to be related to the field of education.

  • 18. Can I still be eligible for Canadian Experience Class if I have returned to my country?

    Yes, you can be eligible for the Canadian Experience Class so long as you meet the requirements under the class, including having gained at least 12 months of full-time (or an equal amount of part-time) work experience in a NOC 0, A, or B occupation in Canada in the three years before you are invited to apply.

  • 19. I graduated a while ago, then earned one-year of work experience and now I am back in school. Can I apply for permanent residence under the Canadian Experience Class?

    Yes, as long as you gained skilled work experience of at least one year in an occupation listed under the 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) as Skill Type 0 (managerial occupations), Skill Level A (professional occupations) or Skill level B (technical and trade occupations). Your work experience must have been gained in Canada within the three years before we receive your Canadian Experience Class application. Work experience gained while studying full time on a student permit (for example, experience gained while on co-op) does not count.

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