The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) is an immigration program aimed to help temporary foreign working and foreign students to apply their work experience and education towards their applications for residency.
Requirements for the CEC Application
Foreign graduates as well as temporary foreign workers need to have work experience in Canada to qualify for the Canadian Experience Class. If the minimum requirements are met, the applicant is eligible to apply to this program.
Eligibility for CEC Applicants
Minimum requirements
To qualify for the CEC through Express Entry, you must have at least 12 months of skilled work experience in Canada, in the last three years (before you apply).
The work was:
full-time or an equal amount in part-time
gained your work experience in Canada with the proper authorization
meet the required language levels needed for your job for each language ability
writing
reading
listening
speaking
planned to live outside the province of Quebec
Self-employment and work experience gained while you were a full-time student (such as on a co-op work term) doesn’t count under this program.
Skilled work experience
To be eligible for the CEC, you need to have Canadian skilled work experience within three years of applying. According to the Canadian National Occupational Classification (NOC), skilled work experience means:
Managerial jobs (NOC skill level 0)
Professional jobs (NOC skill type A)
Technical jobs and skilled trades (NOC skill type B)
Your experience must be 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 one job = 1 year full time (1,560 hours)
You must show that you did the duties set out in the occupational description in the NOC. This includes all the main duties listed.
Education
There is no education requirement for Canadian Experience Class. But you can earn points for your education under Express Entry, if:
you went to school in Canada, and have a certificate, diploma or degree from a Canadian:
secondary (high school) or
post-secondary school
you have foreign education, and you have an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report from an approved agency showing that your foreign education is equal to a completed certificate, diploma or degree from a Canadian:
secondary (high school) or
post-secondary school
You'll only benefit from getting an ECA if your foreign education is equal to a completed Canadian high school diploma or greater.
Language ability
You must:
meet the minimum language level of:
Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 for NOC 0 or A jobs OR
Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 5 for NOC B jobs
take a language test approved by the IRCC that shows you meet the level for:
writing
reading
listening
speaking
You must show that you meet the requirements in English or French. Your test results must not be more than two years old.
For further information, please contact us.