Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
The Canadian Experience Class targets skilled workers with Canadian work experience and language ability aiming for permanent residency. This program, part of the Express Entry system, requires at least one year of Canadian work experience for eligibility. This stream is designed to facilitate the transition of temporary workers in Canada to permanent resident status, leveraging their Canadian experience for immigration purposes.
Table of Contents
- Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
- What is the Canadian Experience Class program?
- Who is Eligible for Canadian Experience Class
- Work Experience Requirements for Canadian Experience Class
- Language Experience Requirements for Canadian Experience Class
- Education Experience Requirements for Canadian Experience Class
- Frequently Asked Questions About the Canadian Experience Class
- How Can Canada By Choice Help ?
What is the Canadian Experience Class program?
The Canadian Experience Class is developed for candidates who have either worked in Canada or graduated from a Canadian institution and are looking to transition from temporary to permanent residency. It was explicitly set up to help those with skilled work experience in Canada and good language ability. The Canadian Experience Class is popular among temporary work visa holders and international students who have acquired a Post Graduate Work Permit. Each candidate must create and submit an Express Entry profile as a part of the Express Entry application system. Candidates will then be ranked using the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). Candidates with the highest scores will receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residency. Invitees will have 60 calendar days to respond to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Candidates not selected within the 12 months will be removed from the pool and will have the opportunity to resubmit their profile.
Who is Eligible for Canadian Experience Class
To be eligible for the Canadian Experience class, there are two minimum requirements:
- Skilled Canadian work experience
- Language ability
Candidates need 12 months of skilled work in Canada within the last three years of application. Foreign work experience will not count towards 12 months of skilled work experience. The work experience can be full-time or equivalent part-time hours. This experience must be obtained legally. Self-employment and experience gained as a full-time student do not qualify. However, there is a self-employment exemption for physicians due to the Temporary public policy to facilitate the issuance of permanent resident visas for physicians providing publicly funded medical services in Canada. In addition, candidates must meet a minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) of 5, although a higher CLB increases the chance of selection.
Work Experience Requirements for Canadian Experience Class
To qualify for the Canadian Experience Class, candidates must have accumulated at least 12 months of skilled work experience in Canada within three years (36 months) before applying.
Skilled work experience means that you’ve worked in one or more jobs classified in the National Occupational Classification (NOC) Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities (TEER) categories as TEER 0, TEER 1, TEER 2, and TEER 3.
How is work experience calculated?
- Your experience must be 12 months of full-time work:
- Full Time 30 hours/week for 12 months = 1-year full time (1,560 hours)
- Part-Time 15 hours/week for 24 months = 1-year full-time (1,560 hours)
- Importantly, the applicant can work as many part-time jobs as necessary to meet the work experience requirements. However, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada does not count hours after 30 per week.
- Work experience must be compensated through wages or commissions to qualify for the Canadian Experience Class; volunteer roles and unpaid internships do not meet the criteria.
You are ineligible for this program if you are claiming refugee status in Canada, working without proper authorization, or acquired work experience without holding temporary resident status in Canada.
Language Experience Requirements for Canadian Experience Class
Applicants must prove their language ability in one of Canada’s official languages by taking an approved language test and meeting the minimum required score. For English proficiency, candidates in NOC TEER 0 or 1 categories must meet a minimum of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 across all four language abilities (speaking, reading, writing, and listening). In contrast, those in TEER 2 or 3 categories need a CLB 5. Similarly, for French proficiency, individuals in TEER 0 or 1 categories are required to achieve a minimum of Niveau de compétence linguistique canadien (NCLC) 7, and those in TEER 2 or 3 categories must reach an NCLC 5 across all language abilities. Language tests are valid two years after the test result and must be valid when the applicant applies for permanent residence.
Education Experience Requirements for Canadian Experience Class
The Canadian Experience Class does not mandate an educational requirement. However, to enhance a candidate’s profile and accordingly increase the chance of selection for permanent residence, two avenues are available:
- Education in Canada: Earning a certificate, diploma, or degree from a Canadian secondary (high school) or post-secondary institution can contribute points to your Express Entry profile.
- International Education: Points can also be gained with an international educational credential, provided you possess the following:
A completed educational credential and An Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report from a recognized organization confirms that your education is equivalent to a completed Canadian secondary or post-secondary credential.
Work experience, educational experience, and language ability are the three main categories which a candidate must meet to apply for the Canadian Experience Program and create an Express Entry profile. Other requirements include being admissible into Canada and intending to live outside Quebec. Any offences or false documentation will lead to inadmissibility in the application.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Canadian Experience Class
Can I apply for Canadian experience class outside Canada?
Do you need to show financial proof for the Canadian Experience Class?
No, if you receive an invitation under the Canadian Experience Class, the requirement to demonstrate financial proof does not apply to you. However, by default, the Express Entry system will request proof of funds documents from all candidates. To be exempt, invitees for permanent residency can fulfill this step by uploading a letter stating their invitation under the Canadian Experience Class or uploading evidence of a valid job offer, bypassing the need to show proof of funds.
Do internships and co-ops in Canada count toward Canadian Experience Class work experience?
No, however, it is a bit nuanced. The eligibility of a paid internship to count towards the Express Entry work experience requirement varies depending on its relation to your educational program. If your paid internship was conducted outside of your academic curriculum and not as a requirement for your degree or diploma, it could be considered valid work experience for Express Entry. This means that internships undertaken independently of academic obligations, where you gain practical skills relevant to your professional field, may contribute to fulfilling the work experience criteria for Express Entry applications.
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