Canadian Experience Class (CEC)

Your pathway to Permanent Residence in Canada, and by far the most popular economic immigration program in Canada, processed through the Express Entry system.

About the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) 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 to apply for permanent residence in Canada. This program allows Canada to 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 a new Express Entry system - an electronic application management system used by IRCC to process applications for Permanent Residence in Canada. Since then, all Canadian Experience Class applications are now processed through the Express Entry system.

CEC may be your best pathway to PR if you are…

Skilled Foreign Worker with Work Experience in Canada

You must have at least 12 months of work experience in a skilled occupation (TEER 0, 1, 2, 3) within the past 10 years, obtained in Canada.

Proficient in English or French

You must know at least one of Canada’s official languages with CLB/NCLC 5 in Speaking and Listening and CLB/NCLC 4 in Reading and Writing.

How to immigrate to Canada through Express Entry?

Express Entry is a system used by IRCC to manage, select, and process applications for foreign nationals who want to apply for Permanent Residence in Canada. Express Entry is used to manage the Federal Skilled Worker (FSW), Federal Skilled Trades (FST), and Canadian Experience Class (CEC) program.

Canadian Experience Class (CEC) Eligibility criteria

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):

Skilled Work Experience in Canada:

You must have a minimum of 1 year (1,560 hours) of full-time Canadian skilled work experience within the past 36 months. This criterion can also be met through part-time work experience;

  • Work experience must be in TEER 0,1, 2, or 3 ;

  • Work experience can not be obtained while you were studying full-time in Canada. Self-employed or unauthorized work experience in Canada also cannot be used for CEC;

  • Work experience must be acquired while you were in the temporary resident status in Canada.

Proficient in English or French:

  • Minimum CLB 7 for candidates claiming work experience obtained in TEER 0, 1 jobs;

  • Minimum CLB 5 for work experience in TEER 2 or 3 jobs.

You must be admissible to Canada and 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.

How does the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) Program work?

To apply for Canadian Permanent Residence under the Canadian Experience Class Program, you must go through a complex and lengthy process. In general, the process for immigrating to Canada through the CEC consists of 5 steps:

Step 1 - Check your eligibility for the CEC program.

Once you hit the one year of skilled employment in Canada and obtain your language test results you can create an Express Entry Profile.

Step 2 - Create an Express Entry Profile.

Once you create the Express Entry Profile, you will be assigned a Comprehensive Ranking System score (also known as a CRS score). The CRS score is a different system used by IRCC to rank your profile against other eligible candidates. The CRS score is based on a number of factors including your age, post-secondary education, English or French language skills, foreign and Canadian work experience, marital status, adaptability factors, and 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. Several times per 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 complete your landing process in Canada. For Citizens of countries that require a visa to come to Canada, and are outside Canada, you must be issued a PR Visa in your passport before you can travel to Canada. Only after officially completing your landing procedure will you obtain Permanent Resident status in Canada.

The main benefits of the Express Entry system…

Point-based program: Know your chances upfront

With Express Entry you can estimate your chances for an ITA and getting PR in Canada even before you apply and pay application processing fees.

Completely online: No more mailing in your documents

Applying for CEC program through the Express Entry system, you complete the whole application online from start to finish.

Fast-tracked: Designed to be "Express”

The service standard for CEC and other economic immigration programs processed through the Express Entry system is just around 6 months.

One-Touch Policy

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada makes the CEC Express Entry process seem easy and straightforward. However, many challenges can arise in the course of preparing your application for Permanent Residence in Canada. With IRCC’s "One-touch Policy" even a single minor mistake can lead to a refusal and you may lose your chance of immigration to Canada forever.
We are here to help you avoid this risk!

Express Entry DIY Course & Masterclass

Approved for 5 CPD hours with CICC

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

You probably still have many questions about Express Entry. We’ve got some answers for you here:

  • CEC is a federal immigration program managed under Express Entry, allowing those with Canadian work experience to become permanent residents.

  • Eligible candidates must have at least one year (1,560 hours) of skilled Canadian work experience (TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3) within the past three years and meet language requirements.

  • Qualifying work experience must be classified as TEER 0 (management), TEER 1 (professional occupations), TEER 2 (technical occupations), or TEER 3 (skilled trades and intermediate occupations).

  • No. Work experience obtained while studying full-time on a study permit in Canada does not count for CEC eligibility.

  • No. Self-employed experience in Canada does not qualify under the CEC program.

  • Applicants need at least CLB 7 for occupations under TEER 0 or TEER 1, and CLB 5 for occupations under TEER 2 or TEER 3.

  • No, having a valid job offer is not mandatory for applying under the CEC program.

  • No formal education requirement exists, but providing Canadian education credentials or an ECA for foreign education can boost your CRS score.

  • Yes, you can apply for the CEC program from inside or outside Canada, provided you meet all eligibility criteria including a skilled work experience obtained in Canada

  • Yes. If international students gain at least one year of skilled work experience after graduation (e.g., through a Post-Graduation Work Permit), they can qualify under CEC.

  • Yes. You may combine work experience gained in different qualifying TEER categories (0, 1, 2, or 3) to reach the minimum requirement of 1,560 hours.

  • It’s acceptable. For CEC the Canadian skilled work experience doesn’t have to be continuous or with a single employer, as long as it totals one year (1,560 hours).

  • No. Applicants under the CEC program do not need to show proof of funds, regardless of whether they have a job offer.

  • Yes, if you’re invited under FSW, you must provide proof of funds. If invited under CEC, proof of funds isn’t required.

  • No, you do not need a lawyer to apply for Express Entry. The process is designed to be straightforward enough for individuals to apply on their own. However, you should carefully consider reaching out to a lawyer to avoid making any mistakes in your Express Entry application. Our lawyers will help you navigate the process, ensure accuracy in your application, and advise you on the best strategy forward.