Canadian Experience Class

The eligibility criteria for the Canadian Experience Class are as follows:

• You need to have at least 12 months’ full-time (or the equivalent in part-time hours) skilled work experience in Canada. (Note that any hours worked above 30 hours/week are not counted)
• Your work experience must have taken place within the last 3 years
• The work experience must have been obtained while on a valid Canadian work permit
• The work experience needs to be in one or more occupations classified as skill type 0 (managerial roles), A (professional jobs) or B (skilled trades and technical jobs) under the National Occupational Classification (NOC)
• The 12 months’ work experience can be gained in two different NOC codes, so long as they are skilled positions
• You plan on living outside the province of Quebec

It’s worth noting that although you are asked where you plan to live in Canada, you can choose to settle in another province or territory if you wish.

Note that work experience gained through self-employment or while as a full-time international student is not eligible under the Canadian Experience Class. Also, your skilled work experience must be paid work – volunteer work or unpaid internships are not counted.

There is no education requirement for the Canadian Experience Class.

You will not be eligible for the Canadian Experience Class if

• You’re a refugee claimant in Canada
• You’re working without authorization
• Your work experience was gained without temporary resident status in Canada

One of the Canadian Experience Class requirements is the language requirements.You must prove your language skills in the Canadian Language Benchmark by taking an approved language test. For this test, you must:

• Schedule your test with an agency approved by IRCC and pay the fees.
• Enter the test results into your Express Entry profile (and the Personal Information Number, if this is requested).
• Include the results with your application if you are invited to apply. If you don’t include it, your application will not be processed.

Once you receive your Invitation to Apply (ITA), you will have 60 days to submit a complete permanent residence application. IRCC conducts draws from the Express Entry pool which is when ITAs are issued. As part of the application, you’ll need to provide:

• Proof that you have completed a medical examination with an IRCC-recognized panel physician
• A police background check (also known as a Clearance Certificate) from each country you have lived in for at least six months since the age of 18
• Work reference letters from previous employers

As the timeframe for submission of all the information is short, it is a good idea to gather the supporting documentation before you receive the ITA.

If your application is approved, you will receive a confirmation of permanent residence (COPR) document. With the COPR you will be able to apply for your Permanent Resident (PR) card. You can show this card as proof of your Canadian resident status when travelling outside the country.

How long is the CEC processing time?

The average time Canadian Experience Class applications take is six months, though this can be less.

There is no fee for creating an Express Entry profile. The point when you will need to pay the processing fee is when you submit the Canadian Experience Class application after you have received your Invitation to Apply.

The processing fees are:

• $850 CDN per adult
• $230 CDN per dependent child
• $515 CDN permanent residence fee

In addition to processing fees, you should bear in mind that you may need to pay fees for police certificates, medical examinations, and language tests.

The Express Entry system ranks candidates using a points-based system called the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). The highest-ranking candidates from the pool are selected and invited to apply for permanent residence.

The CRS is used to assess your:

• Skills
• Work experience
• Language ability
• Education
• Other factors

The Government of Canada provides a CRS tool that you can use to check your CRS score. However, note that this tool is provided only for general guidance and the actual assessment of your score in the Express Entry process could turn out to be different from this.

There is a CRS points cut-off threshold that changes for every Express Entry draw. To provide an example of how this works, the CRS threshold for the Express Entry CEC draw on September 14, 2021 was 462 points. This means that anyone with a score of 462 or higher would have received an invitation to apply.

Even if you are eligible to apply under the Canadian Experience Class, there is no guarantee that you will receive an Express Entry ITA. If your CRS score is below the cut-off required to receive an invitation, you may need to see if you can increase your score.

At Total Law our immigration lawyers are well versed in Canadian immigration law and immigration programs. We have helped many clients successfully relocate to Canada. We can help ensure you submit a robust CEC application and maximize your chances of making Canada your new permanent home.

We offer a tailor-made service that includes the following:
• Expert review of your situation
• Assessment of your eligibility for the Canadian Experience Class program
• Advice on ways to increase your CRS score, if necessary
• Liaison with IRCC on your behalf

Contact us via our quick online enquiry form, or call us on +1 844 290 6312 to discuss the best way forward for your situation.