Canadian Experience Class

The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) is a permanent resident category for individuals who had already established themselves as skilled workers in Canada. CEC program opens the door to Canada for foreign students and foreign workers. For many international graduates, Canadian Experience Class may be fastest option for achieving Canadian permanent residence. One of the objectives of the CEC is to increase the supply of skilled workers in Canada. Please note that any work experience acquired in Canada without valid work authorization will not be considered. 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. CEC application will take some time to process. If you are currently working in Canada and you have applied for permanent residence under CEC class, you may be eligible for a bridging open work permit if your work permit will expire in four months or less. This means you can keep working while IRCC makes a decision on your permanent resident application.

Work Experience

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
Take approved language test and meet minimum requirements
Planned to live outside the province of Quebec

To be eligible for the CEC, you need to have Canadian skilled work experience within three years of applying. Skilled work experience means that you’ve worked in 1 or more of these NOC training, education, experience and responsibilities (TEER) categories.

TEER 0
TEER 1
TEER 2
TEER 3

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)
If your experience doesn’t meet the duty and job description requirements set in the NOC, IRCC may not accept your application.

Please note Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) require that applicants submit government application processing fees for most of applications.

If you have any questions, you can book consultation to speak with immigration consultant.

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