Canadian Experience Class
Express Entry
The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) is one of the fastest ways to immigrate to Canada. To find out if you qualify or to get started on your application, contact our trusted immigration lawyers.
Contact Us ▸The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) is one of the fastest ways to immigrate to Canada. To find out if you qualify or to get started on your application, contact our trusted immigration lawyers.
Contact Us ▸The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) is for skilled workers with Canadian work experience and recent graduates of Canadian colleges and universities who want to live in Canada permanently. You must have knowledge of English or French and qualifying work experience
This is 1 of the 3 federal programs managed through Express Entry, an online application system that uses a points-based method to rank candidates. Applicants with the highest scores will receive an invitation to apply for Canadian permanent residence.
Am I eligible to apply as a permanent resident under the Canadian Experience Class?
Below are the minimum requirements to qualify for the Canadian Experience Class program.
To be eligible for the Canadian Experience Class program, you must:
- meet the required language levels needed for the National Occupational Classification (NOC) skill level of your work experience in each language ability (speaking, reading, writing and listening)
- have at least 1 year of skilled work experience in Canada in the three years before you apply, and
- have gained your work experience by working in Canada legally, for example, while under temporary resident status with authorization to work. Self-employment and work experience gained while you were a full-time student (even if you were on a co-op work term) does not count.
You are not eligible for the program if:
- you are a refugee claimant in Canada
- you are working without authorization,
-your work experience was gained without temporary resident status in Canada.
There is no education requirement for the Canadian Experience Class.
However, you can improve your score in the Express Entry pool if you have a Canadian high school education or higher. You earn additional points for study in Canada above high school:
- 15 points for a one- or two-year diploma or certificate
- 30 points for a degree, diploma or certificate of three years or longer, or a Master’s, professional or doctoral degree of at least one year.
To get points for education outside Canada, you must have an Education Credential Assessment for immigration purposes from a designated organization showing that your education is comparable to a Canadian high-school or post-secondary education.
You must:
The Express Entry pool manages permanent residence applications for immigrants who can fill jobs where there is a lack of available skilled Canadian workers. The Canadian Experience Class program is one out of three economic programs within the online Express Entry system.
Applicants are ranked in the Express Entry pool using a points-based system. The government will invite people to apply for permanent residence based on your score and rank in the Express Entry pool. You cannot apply for the program directly.
The following federal economic immigration programs use the Express Entry system:
Our trusted immigration lawyers can provide you with the counsel you need to build a strong Express Entry profile, guidance on improving your CRS score, and more.
Request a consultation now!
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