Canadian Experience Class

The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) program permits foreign nationals who have attained one year of Canadian high-skilled work experience to apply for permanent residence. International students on a Post-graduate Work Permit and Temporary Foreign Workers who have attained one year of Canadian work experience are ideal candidates for the program. In addition to work experience, applicants must meet certain language requirements and intend to settle outside Quebec.

Do you have one year of Canadian Work Experience?

Canadian Experience Class Requirements

Work Experience:

Have at least 12 months of Canadian work experience in a NOC 0, A or B profession within the last three years.
This experience must have been obtained while on a valid work permit.

Language Proficiency:

Reach a minimum of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 7 on an approved English or French language test.

Education:

A minimum of a Canadian high school diploma or the equivalent in foreign education.

Financial Support:

Applicants under the Canadian Experience Class are not required to show proof of settlement funds, as FSW and FST candidates.

Bridging Open Work Permit

CEC applicants, who have submitted an application after receiving an invitation to apply (ITA), are eligible to apply for a “bridging open work permit.” This permit allows applicants to continue working while they await a final decision on their permanent resident application.

TIP 1

Draft Letters

Ensure your employment verification letter meets all the requirements by drafting the letter based on relevant skills and responsibilities.

TIP 2

Less is More

Only include the experience or documentation required by rules while ensuring to disclose all required information.

TIP 3

Obtain Docs

Ensure to obtain supporting documentation well before receiving an invitation to apply to allow for delays.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Canadian Experience Class mean?
Canadian Experience Class or CEC is a permanent residence category for people with skilled work experience in Canada. It was developed for temporary foreign workers and graduates with qualifying Canadian work experience to apply for permanent residency.

What is a good Canadian experience class score?
A good score is one that is close to the CRS cutoff draw. Based on recent draws, a good CRS score is in the high 400's. For the coming year, an adequate score for a CEC-specific draw should be around 450 points.

Is Canadian Experience Class different from Express Entry?
CEC is managed under the Express Entry system and uses the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) to rank interested candidates. Canadian Experience Class (CEC) is a specific immigration program while Express Entry is the system for processing PR applications. Applicants who have competitive CRS scores will receive invitations to apply for Canadian permanent residence.

How many hours do I need for Canadian Experience Class?
You require one year or experience to qualify for the Canadian Experience Class program. This equates to twelve (12) months of full-time work based on a 30 hours per week or 1,560 hours.

Is CRS expected to drop 2023?
Yes! 2023 appears to be the year for Express Entry CRS scores to drop. The last draw held on January 18 had a 490 cut-off. This marks the lowest the score has been in more than one year in only the first month of the year. Subsequent draws should see further decreases in the CRS cut-off threshold.

What is Express Entry?
Express Entry is the electronic management system for applying for permanent residency. It is not an immigration category but a system to facilitate the selection and processing of Canada’s economic immigration programs: the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Federal Skilled Trades Program, the Canadian Experience Class, and a portion of the Provincial Nomination Programs.

Applicants first make an ‘expression of interest’ in immigrating to Canada by registering a profile and, if they are eligible for at least one of the aforementioned programs, they then enter the Express Entry pool. Candidates from this pool will then receive an ‘invitation to apply’ under one of the programs when they meet or exceed the points threshold.

The points of each applicant, under the express entry system, is determined by: English proficiency scores, level of education, age, and other selection factors. The points threshold changes according to the latest draw held approximately every two weeks.

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