Canadian Experience Class

To be eligible for the Canadian Experience Class you must:

• Have at least 12 months of full-time (or part-time equivalent) skilled work experience in Canada (skill types 0, A, or B under the National Occupational Classification (NOC) classification)
• Have had legal status (valid work permit) while working or studying in Canada
• Meet the minimum language levels in English or French
• Apply for CEC within 3 years of obtaining your skilled work experience
• Intend to live outside the province of Quebec

During the application process, you are asked where you plan to live in Canada however you are not bound to that and can live in any province or territory you want.

No education criteria needs to be met for the Canadian Experience Class.

Factors that would make you ineligible for the Canadian Experience Class are as follows:

• Your work experience was gained through self-employment or during full-time studies
• Your work experience includes volunteer work or unpaid internships, as this cannot be counted towards the 12 months of skilled work experience
• You are a refugee claimant in Canada
• You are working without authorization
• Your work experience was gained without temporary resident status in Canada

Contact us if you would like assistance with determining if you are eligible for the Canadian Experience Class, or you would like help with submitting an application via Express Entry.

Even if you are from an English-speaking country such as the UK, you must still prove your English/French language skills in order to apply for the Canadian Experience Class program.

This is done via taking an approved language test, which can be scheduled with an IRCC-approved agency, and by paying the relevant fee. Then when you create your Express Entry profile you will need to enter the test results.

Later, if you receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA), you will need to include the language test results with your CEC application, without which your application will not be processed.

The standard used to assess English and French proficiency is the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB).

The first step to apply for the Canadian Experience Class is to make sure you are eligible for the program. Once you are clear that you meet the requirements of the program plus Canada’s admissibility criteria, then you will need to create an Express Entry profile by completing the online form on the Canadian government’s website.

Once you have submitted your Express Entry profile, you will need to wait for a draw to take place. If you are successful at this stage, you will receive an ITA and will be able to submit an application for permanent residence, which you will need to do within 60 days.

When applying for the CEC program, you will need to submit the following documents:

• Identity documents
• Immigration status documents
• Children’s documents (if applicable)
• Travel documents
• Passport
• Education/qualification documentation
• Work experience
• Language test result
• Work references from previous employers
• Medical exam documentation
• Police certificates

On average, it can take 6 months for a decision to be made for a Canadian Experience Class application.

If your application is approved, you will receive a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) document. The COPR will enable you to apply for your Permanent Resident (PR) card, which should be taken with you when traveling outside Canada, and shown when you re-enter the country.

There is no fee to create an Express Entry profile. Fees are only payable when you submit an application for the Canadian Experience Class.

The processing fees are as follows:

• $825 CDN per adult
• $225 CDN per dependent child

Bear in mind other fees that may also be payable such as police certificates, medical examinations, and language tests.

The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) ranks candidates against certain criteria for Express Entry programs. Those who score highest are invited to submit an application for Canadian permanent residence.

The factors that candidates are assessed against include age, skills, work experience, language ability, education, and others. 

You can get an idea of your approximate score via the Government of Canada’s CRS tool but bear in mind this is only for general guidance and your final score could be different.

Each Express Entry draw has a points threshold. Candidates with scores at or above this threshold will receive an ITA. Each threshold changes for each program at each draw. Therefore it is important to obtain as high a score as possible to increase your possibility of meeting the threshold.

If you’re not familiar with Canada’s immigration programs and the Express Entry process, applying for the Canadian Experience Class can be daunting. Even if you meet the eligibility criteria of the program, there is no guarantee you will be drawn from the pool. So it’s important to bring your CRS score up to the maximum possible, which can be done in various ways and with some careful planning.

If you are a UK citizen and would like some assistance with an Express Entry application, Total Law’s immigration lawyers are experienced in both Canadian and UK law. We can help you build a compelling and thorough Canadian Experience Class application and ensure you have the best chances of securing Canadian PR.

Contact us via our online enquiry form, or call us on 0333 305 9375 to start the process.