Canadian Experience Class (CEC): Eligibility & Requirements
The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) is one of the federal immigration programs managed through Express Entry for skilled workers with qualifying Canadian work experience who want to become permanent residents. Applicants must have at least 1 year of eligible work experience in Canada within the 3 years before applying and must meet the required English or French language level for the NOC TEER category of their work. A job offer and minimum education level are not required for CEC eligibility. Candidates who qualify enter the Express Entry pool, where their CRS score and the criteria for each invitation round determine whether they receive an Invitation to Apply.
Canadian Experience Class Eligibility
The Canadian Experience Class program has minimum requirements for Canadian skilled work experience and language ability. Applicants must also meet Canada’s admissibility requirements and intend to live outside Quebec.
To qualify for the CEC, an applicant must meet the applicable Express Entry eligibility requirements, including the following:
- have at least 1 year of qualifying Canadian work experience, totaling at least 1,560 hours.
- have qualifying work experience in one or more occupations classified under NOC TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3;
- have gained the experience while authorized to work in Canada under temporary resident status;
- meet the required English or French language level for the TEER category of the qualifying work;
- be admissible to Canada; and
- plan to live outside Quebec.
A job offer is not required, and there is no minimum education requirement for the Canadian Experience Class.
If you are invited to apply under the Canadian Experience Class, you do not need to show proof of settlement funds. If the application system requests a proof-of-funds document, an applicant invited under the CEC can provide an explanation of the exemption. Applicants should also prepare the supporting documents required for their Express Entry application before submission.
Work experience gained in Quebec may count toward CEC eligibility, but an applicant must intend to settle outside Quebec when applying.
Canadian Work Experience Requirements
Canadian skilled work experience is the central requirement of the Canadian Experience Class. Applicants need at least 1 year of qualifying work, equal to 1,560 hours, during the 3 years before applying. Work experience requirements differ under the Federal Skilled Worker Program and the Federal Skilled Trades Program.
The work experience must:
- be in one or more occupations classified under NOC TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3;
- have been gained while physically working in Canada;
- have been performed while the applicant was authorized to work in Canada under temporary resident status;
- be paid through wages or commission; and
- include the actions described in the NOC lead statement and most of the occupation’s main duties.
After submitting a permanent residence application, some applicants may be eligible for a bridging open work permit that allows them to continue working in Canada while their application is being processed.
The qualifying experience can come from more than one job or NOC and does not have to be continuous. The requirement can be met through full-time work, an equivalent amount of part-time work, or a combination of qualifying jobs.
IRCC counts up to 30 hours per week toward the 1,560-hour requirement. Working more than 30 hours per week does not allow an applicant to complete the 1-year requirement in less than 12 months.
Remote work may qualify if the applicant was physically in Canada and working for a Canadian employer.
The following work experience does not count toward CEC eligibility:
- work performed while studying full-time, including co-op work terms;
- volunteer work and unpaid internships;
- work performed without authorization; and
- self-employment, except for certain qualifying physicians under a specific public policy
An IRCC public policy allows certain physicians who provided publicly funded medical services in Canada to count qualifying self-employed work experience.
CEC Language Requirements and Education
Canadian Experience Class applicants must take an IRCC-approved English or French language test and meet the minimum level required for the TEER category of the Canadian work experience being used to qualify.
The minimum requirements are:
- NOC TEER 0 or 1 — CLB 7 in English or NCLC 7 in French in speaking, listening, reading and writing.
- NOC TEER 2 or 3 — CLB 5 in English or NCLC 5 in French in speaking, listening, reading and writing.
IRCC accepts CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training and PTE Core for English, and TEF Canada and TCF Canada for French. Language test results must be less than 2 years old when the Express Entry profile is completed and when the permanent residence application is submitted.
There is no minimum education requirement for the Canadian Experience Class. The Canadian Experience Class does not use a separate points-based eligibility system or minimum CEC score. Candidates who meet the CEC requirements are ranked in the Express Entry pool using the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). However, Canadian post-secondary educational credentials, as well as eligible foreign credentials supported by an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA), can contribute to a candidate’s CRS score. Candidates can estimate their CRS score using an Express Entry CRS calculator.
Meeting the CEC requirements makes a candidate eligible for the program but does not guarantee an Invitation to Apply. Eligible CEC candidates may receive an Invitation to Apply through applicable Express Entry draws, including draws that specifically invite Canadian Experience Class candidates. CRS cut-off scores are not fixed and can vary from one round to another. Invitations may also be issued through Express Entry category-based selection to candidates who meet the criteria for an eligible category. Candidates who receive an Invitation to Apply can then proceed through the Express Entry application process for permanent residence.
