What is the Canadian Experience Class Program of Canada?

The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) of Canada is a program that works through and part of the Express Entry Immigration Program. It provides the opportunity of acquiring permanent residence for individuals who, being current immigrants, have worked in Canada for at least one year.

The focus of this program is on foreign graduate students and skilled experienced workers, who currently possess temporary residency status in Canada.

Requirements for the Canadian Experience Class Program

Admissibility to Canada

You must qualify for basic, general admissibility to immigrate to Canada. To view what makes a person inadmissible, please view the following Canada Immigration website page, “Canadian Immigration Inadmissibility webpage”.

Minimum requirements to qualify for the Canadian Experience Class Program

  • have the required language ability levels needed for a job of writing, reading, listening, and speaking,
  • have at least 1 year of skilled work experience in Canada, in the last 3 years before you apply. The work experience must be full-time or an equal amount in part-time,
  • gained work experience in Canada while under temporary resident status with authorization to work.

Educational requirements to qualify for the Canadian Experience Class Program

There are no educational requirements for the Canadian Experience Class Program.

Language skill requirements to qualify for the Canadian Experience Class Program

  • meet the minimum language level of the Canadian Language Benchmark 7 for NOC 0 or A jobs or Canadian Language Benchmark 5 for NOC B jobs,
  • take approved language tests for: writing, reading, listening, speaking,
  • describe the test results in your Express Entry profile.

Language test results must be valid on the day you apply for permanent residence.

Where you can live in Canada

  • Anywhere in Canada, except Quebec (see restrictions below).
  • If you are applying through the Provincial Nominee program, you must settle in the province or territory that nominated you.

Current residency status

You must have temporary status during the qualifying period of work experience

Foreign Graduate Students

These requirements apply to you:

  • You plan to live outside the province of Quebec.
  • You have at least 12 months of full-time (or an equal amount in part-time) in an occupation under the Canadian National Occupational Classification (NOC), levels 0, A or B in Canada in the three years before you apply (see below).
  • You have gained your experience while working legally in Canada after you graduated.
  • You meet the required language levels needed for your job for each language ability (speaking, reading, writing, and listening).

Your work experience occurred after you have graduated. Work experience during your active studies as a student does not count. This includes any self-employment work experience during your full-time student status, even if you were in a co-op work term. You do not need to be currently working to apply.

Note: You may also qualify for other permanent residence programs.

Canadian National Occupational Classification (NOC)

Skilled work experience under this category means:

  • Managerial jobs (skill level 0),
  • professional jobs (skill type A),
  • technical jobs and skilled trades (skill type B),
  • your work experience can be in 1 or more NOC 0, A or B jobs.

To view the full details of the requirements of the Canadian Experience Class Program, please view Canada Immigration web page, Eligibility to apply for the Canadian Class Experience Class (Express Entry) page.

Note: The Canadian Experience Class Program, through the Express Entry profile does not guarantee you permanent residency in Canada.

Benefits of the Canadian Experience Class Program

These are some of the benefits to qualify for permanent residency in Canada using the Canadian Experience Class Program:

  • The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) used by the Express Entry Program can provide applicants with Canadian experience to earn a higher CRS score.
  • This program is especially valuable to family members who have established roots in Canada and wish to remain in Canada for the future.
  • Applicants that successfully obtain Canadian permanent resident status are more likely to experience an appreciably better success in the job market and settling in Canada.

Restrictions of the Canadian Experience Class Program

The Canadian Experience Class does not apply if:

  • you are a refugee claimant in Canada,
  • you have or still are working without authorization,
  • your work experience was gained without temporary resident status in Canada,
  • you plan to seek permanent residence in the province of Quebec, because Quebec has its own skilled worker selection program,
  • you do not have temporary status during the qualifying period of work experience.

Exemptions to the Canadian Experience Class Program

  • You do not require continuous work experience under the Canadian Experience Class Program (CEC).
  • Applicants do not have to be employed at the time of their application.
  • The NOC occupational description of employment requirements are not applicable.

What can Firebird Consultants do for your application to the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) Program?

Firebird Consultants will help you with the initial assessment, application preparation and correspondence on your behalf with the federal and/or provincial government until the final decision is made on your application through the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) program.

If you are looking for a Russian speaking immigration consultant in Vernon, Kelowna, Okanagan, or in Canada to provide immigration support – please contact us for a free assessment.

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