What is the Canadian Experience Class?

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.

1. WORK EXPERIENCE

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.

2. EDUCATION

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.

LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT

You must:

- meet the minimum language level of 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, and speaking.

​​​​​​​ Your language tests are valid for 2 years after the date of the test result and must be valid on the day you apply for permanent residence.