What is CEC?

The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) is an immigration program aimed to help temporary foreign workers and foreign students to apply their Canadian work experience and education towards their Canada PR application. The Canadian Experience Class supports the transition from a temporary to permanent status taking into account the time that the international student or skilled worker spent in Canada while contributing to Canadian society.

Express Entry

The Canadian Experience Class program is one out of three economic programs within the online Express Entry system. The Express Entry pool manages permanent residence applications for immigrants who can fill jobs where there is a lack of available skilled Canadian workers.

Express Entry federal economic immigration programs:

Both foreign graduates as well as temporary foreign workers need to have work experience in Canada to qualify for the Canadian Experience Class draw. All of the requirements for the Canadian Experience Class are based on a pass or fail model. If the minimum requirements are met, the applicant is eligible to apply to this program.

Determining whether you can apply under the Express Entry System can be confusing, but here are some of the basics.

According to Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), Express Entry is a system put in place to “manage applications for permanent residence under these federal economic immigration programs.” These economic immigration programs include the Federal Skilled Workers Program, the Federal Skilled Trades Program, and the Canada Experience Class.

Requirements for eligibility vary depending on the class you wish to apply under, though for all programs you must be legally admissible to Canada and be intending to live in a province or territory other than Quebec. Candidates also have to achieve a minimum score on the Comprehensive Ranking System. Points can be scored based on age, education, language ability, certifications, and Canadian and non-Canadian work experience.

Calculating Your CRS Score

A  CRS score that ranks an applicant’s position within the Express Entry pool is calculated the same as applicants within the FSWP or FSTP category. This means each candidate’s CRS score will be based on their age, language skills, education, work experience, having a job offer or not, and adaptability. those in the Express Entry pool will have the opportunity to keep increasing their CRS score if they wish!

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Determining whether you can apply under the Express Entry System can be confusing, but here are some of the basics.

According to Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), Express Entry is a system put in place to “manage applications for permanent residence under these federal economic immigration programs.” These economic immigration programs include the Federal Skilled Workers Program, the Federal Skilled Trades Program, and the Canada Experience Class.

Requirements for eligibility vary depending on the class you wish to apply under, though for all programs you must be legally admissible to Canada and be intending to live in a province or territory other than Quebec. Candidates also have to achieve a minimum score on the Comprehensive Ranking System. Points can be scored based on age, education, language ability, certifications, and Canadian and non-Canadian work experience.

Who is Eligible for the Canadian Experience Class?

The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) program was created specifically for those holding the required Canadian work experience before gaining Canada PR.

Canadian Experience Class (CEC) Requirements

When  order to be eligible for the Canadian Experience Class you must:

  • meet the required language levels needed for your job for each language ability within writing, reading, listening, and speaking
  • have at least 1 year of skilled work experience in Canada, in the last 3 years before you apply. The work experience must be full-time or an equal amount in part-time
  • have gained your work experience by working in Canada legally

How Canadian Work Experience is Calculated

Your skilled work experience must be paid work including paid wages or earned commission. Volunteer work or unpaid internships are not counted.

For part-time work, you can work more or less than 15 hours/week as long as it adds up to 1,560 hours. You can work more than 1 part-time job to get the hours you need to apply!

According to the Canadian National Occupational Classification, skilled work experience means:

  • managerial jobs (skill level 0)
  • professional jobs (skill type A)
  • technical jobs and skilled trades (skill type B)

Your work experience can be in 1 or more NOC 0, A or B jobs. Find your NOC Code!

Education Requirements for CEC Immigration

There is no education requirement for the Canadian Experience Class. Although if you want to increase your CRS score you can do so with your Education experience with these two options:

  • If you went to school in Canada, you can get points for a certificate, diploma or degree from a Canadian University or post-secondary institution. 
  • If you have foreign education, you can get points for a completed foreign credential or an EAC report.  

Language Requirement for CEC

You must:

  • meet the minimum language level of:
    • Canadian Language Benchmark 7 for NOC 0 or A jobs OR
    • Canadian Language Benchmark 5 for NOC B jobs
  • take approved language tests for:
    • writing
    • reading
    • listening
    • speaking
  • describe the test results in your Express Entry profile

Your language tests are valid for 2 years after the date of the test result and must be valid on the day you apply for permanent residence.