The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) program is ideal for candidates who have recent Canadian education, 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!

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 The Canadian Experience Class Program?

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.
• Depending on the skill level of the job, candidate shall meet or surpass a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) of 5 (“initial intermediate”) or 7 (“adequate intermediate proficiency”)
• Plan to live and work outside of the province of Quebec (individuals with work experience in Quebec and who plan to reside in Quebec may apply to the Quebec Experience Class).

Canadian Work Experience Requirements

• Be obtained in Canada within the 36 months before the date of submission of the electronic Application for Permanent Residence (eAPR).
• Your employment duties in Canada fall under the NOC Code Skill Level 0, A, or B.

Be lawfully obtained, paid work experience in Canada.Work experience gained while you were a full-time student (for example, on a co-op work term) does not count under this program.

Advantages:

• Canadian Experience Class applications are processed quickly, often within three to four months.
• Applicants under the Canadian Experience Class are not required to show proof of settlement funds, as FSWC and FSTC candidates are.
• The Canadian Experience Class is also open to individuals who are no longer in Canada, provided that they submit their application within three years of leaving their job in Canada.

Potential disadvantage:

• Even if you are eligible to apply under the Canadian Experience Class, there is no guarantee that you will receive an invitation to apply. If your CRS score is below the cut-off required to receive an invitation, consult our guide on how to increase your CRS score.