The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) is part of the Express Entry system. Candidates are ranked based on their Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). Moreover, the applicants with a high CRS score receive an invitation to apply for permanent residency in Canada. This article explains the eligibility requirements to apply for the Canadian Experience Class.
How is your work experience calculated?
Your volunteer work or unpaid internships will not count for the Canadian Experience Class. Your experience should be paid, and you should be in a skilled job.
Furthermore, you can work part-time for 15 hours/ week if it adds 1560 hours. In addition, you are allowed to work more than one part-time job.
Self-employment and work experience gained while you were a full-time student (even if you were on a co-op work term) don’t count towards the minimum requirements for this program.
To Be Eligible for the Canadian Experience Class, you must
- Meet the language requirements: you must achieve the required language levels in each language ability for your job, including reading, writing, listening, or speaking.
- For NOC 0 or A jobs, you must have the minimum Canadian Language Benchmark of (CLB) 7 or
- You must at least have a Canadian Language Benchmark of (CLB) 5 for NOC B jobs.
- Additionally, your language test results must be valid when applying for CEC. Your language tests are typically valid for two years after you get test results.
- Gained skilled work experience: a CEC applicant must have acquired at least one year of professional work experience in the last three years. In addition, the work experience should be in Canada’s NOC O, A, or B. Furthermore, your experience can be:
- One year of full-time experience, 30 hours/ week, completing 1,560 hours.
- Or an equal amount in part-time work. For instance, you can work 15 hours/week part-time for 24 months to complete 1,560 hours.
- Moreover, you can do multiple part-time jobs to meet the 1,560-hour requirement.
- Additionally, you must have gained skilled work experience on temporary resident status with work authorization.
- There are no educational requirements. However, you can get additional points in CEC if you have Canadian education or equivalent foreign education with an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report.
You’ll be ineligible for the Canadian Experience Class if:
- you were working without authorization
- you gained your experience without a Canadian temporary residence status
- you’re a refugee claimant in Canada
- Lastly, you must be admissible in Canada to apply for the Canadian Experience Class.
