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Canadian Experience Class Program
Canadian Experience Class (CEC) is a program that was launched in 2008 and allows temporary foreign workers with professional, skilled, or managerial Canadian work experience apply for permanent residence in Canada. This program allows Canada retain highly skilled workers who are more likely to successfully settle in Canada thanks to their Canadian work experience and their previous exposure to the realities of life in Canada. No wonder that since the program was launched, along with the FSW and FST, it has become one of the most popular routes to PR for skilled foreign workers in Canada.
In January 2015, the Government of Canada rolled out new Express Entry system - an electronic application management system used by IRCC used to process applications for Permanent Residence in Canada. Since then, all Canadian Experience Class applications are now processed through the Express Entry system.
About Canadian Experience Class (CEC) Program
To apply for Permanent Residence in Canada through Canadian Experience Class you must complete the following steps:
Step 1 - Meet the eligibility requirements for the Canadian Experience Class program.
Step 2 - Create an Express Entry Profile.
Once you create the Express Entry Profile you will be assigned a Comprehensive Ranking System score (also know as CRS score). CRS score is a different system used by IRCC to rank your profile. The CRS score is based on a number of factors including your age, previous secondary education, English or French language skills, foreign and Canadian work experience, marital status, adaptability factors, and availability of a provincial nomination. You can get a maximum of 1200 CRS points in the Express Entry System.
Step 3 - Wait for the Invitation to Apply (ITA).
All applicants with a valid Express Entry profile are automatically added to a pool of candidates and are ranked based on their CRS score. Approximately twice a month IRCC issues an Invitation to Apply (ITA) to the highest ranked candidates in the Express Entry pool.
Step 4 - Prepare and submit an Electronic Application for Permanent Residence (eAPR).
Once you receive an Invitation to Apply you must prepare and submit an Electronic Application for Permanent Residence (eAPR). You will have only 60 days to collect all supporting documents, complete the immigration application forms and submit your eAPR.
Step 5 - Receive your Confirmation of Permanent Residence and complete your landing in Canada.
If and when your application for Permanent Residence in Canada is approved you will need to obtain an immigrant visa and complete your landing process in Canada. Only after you officially complete your landing procedure you will obtain a status of a Permanent Resident.
How does the Canadian Experience Class Program work?
To apply for Permanent Residence in Canada under the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) Program you must meet the following minimum eligibility requirements, laid out in s.87.1(2) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR):
You must have eligible Canadian skilled work experience:
Have a minimum of 1-year (1,560 hours) of full-time Canadian skilled work experience within the past 36 months. This criterion can be also met through part-time work experience;
Work experience must be in NOC 0, A, or B;
Work experience can not be obtained while the you were studying full-time in Canada. Self-employed or unauthorized work experience also cannot be used for CEC;
Work experience must be acquired while you were in the temporary resident status in Canada.
You must meet CEC minimum language requirements:
Minimum CLB 7 for candidates claiming work experience obtained in NOC 0 or A jobs;
Minimum CLB 5 for work experience in NOC B jobs.
Be admissible to Canada
You must plan to live outside the province of Quebec
Unlike other economic immigration streams, to be eligible for Canadian Experience Class you do not need to demonstrate your level of education. Yet, having completed secondary education will help you get more CRS points and rank higher in the Express Entry pool compared to other candidates.
Eligibility for Canadian Experience Class Program
Preparing your own Express Entry application may be quite challenging - you’ll need to collect numerous forms, supporting documents, and make sure there are no inconsistencies in your information. That is why, it might be a great idea to retain an immigration lawyer to go with you over your application and proofread it before you send it off to IRCC. However, not all applicants can afford the legal fees for retaining an immigration lawyer in Canada…
This is why we created a complete video Express Entry guide and instructions. This is a video course that will take you step by step through the process of preparing and submitting your application.
This Express Entry Course is a one of a kind online immigration lawyer guided course that is full of video tutorials, checklists, templates, and sample documents all designed to make your Express Entry process as effortless as possible while giving you the tools you need to ensure your application is prepared correctly the first time because there are rarely second chances.
