Canadian Experience Class (CEC) Eligibility

The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) program is ideal for candidates who have recent Canadian work experience and are seeking permanent immigration to Canada. CEC is also one of the fastest routes to Canadian permanent residence, taking as little as three to four months to process! 

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What is the Canadian Experience Class program?

CEC is managed under the Express Entry system and uses the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) to rank interested candidates. Applicants who have competitive CRS scores will receive invitations to apply for Canadian permanent residence.

Who is eligible for Canadian Experience Class Program?

In order to be eligible for CEC, a candidate must have at least 12-months of full-time (or an equivalent amount of part-time), skilled work experience in Canada. The Canadian work experience must have been acquired within the previous three years from the date of the application.

CEC is not an option for foreign nationals who do not have recent Canadian work experience.

Canadian Experience Class requirements

In order to count your 12-months of Canadian work experience towards your CEC application, it must meet the following conditions:

  1. Be obtained in Canada within the 36 months prior to the date of submission of the electronic Application for Permanent Residence (eAPR).
  2. Your employment duties in Canada fall under one or more of these NOC  training, education, experience and responsibilities (TEER) categories TEER 0, TEER 1, TEER 2 or TEER 3
  3. Be lawfully obtained, paid work experience in Canada.

An applicant cannot count work experience obtained while engaged in full-time studies in Canada.

In addition to the Canadian experience requirement, CEC has several other eligibility criteria which must be met in order to submit:

  1. Language: Reach a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 7 on an approved English or French language test for NOC skill level 0 or A jobs. Reach a CLB 5 for NOC B jobs.
  2. Residence in Canada: Intend to live outside of the province of Quebec.

Provided a candidate meets these requirements, they will be eligible to submit an Express Entry profile for the Canadian Experience Class program. However, candidates should note that they must meet Canada’s basic admissibility requirements. Certain criminal offenses and medical conditions may make a person inadmissible to Canada.

How to calculate your Canadian Experience Class CRS points

Express Entry holds rounds of invitations and invites CEC candidates based on their CRS scores. To calculate your points for CEC, you simply need to use Canadim’s handy CRS calculator tool

CALCULATE MY POINTS

Can I apply to the Canadian Experience Class program from outside of Canada?

Yes. As long as you meet the basic eligibility requirements for CEC as mentioned above, you can apply from anywhere in the world.  

Is proof of funds required for Canadian Experience Class?

Proof of funds is not a requirement of the CEC program. You will not be required to provide any documentation regarding your finances. 

Does internship experience in Canada count towards my Canadian Experience Class application?

It depends. If your paid internship is not part of your education, then you may count it towards the Express Entry work experience requirement.  

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