Canada’s Express Entry Program has three major components for immigration, and the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) is one of them. It allows individuals with Canadian working experience to immigrate to Canada permanently.
CEC was launched by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) in 2008 to design a direct route for international students and temporary foreign workers to become permanent residents of Canada. Since then, it has grown exponentially and has become one of the most extensive immigration programs for skilled workers.
Through this program, the Canadian government wants to grant permanent residence to talented individuals that have worked or have been working in Canada. CEC is best for those candidates who possess recent work experience in Canada and want to immigrate to Canada permanently. In addition, CEC is one of the fastest pathways to get Canadian permanent residence. Usually, the process is three to four months long.
This comprehensive article will provide you all the necessary information about Canadian Experience Class entry. If you’re up for that, let’s dive in.
CEC was launched by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) in 2008 to design a direct route for international students and temporary foreign workers to become permanent residents of Canada. Since then, it has grown exponentially and has become one of the most extensive immigration programs for skilled workers.
Through this program, the Canadian government wants to grant permanent residence to talented individuals that have worked or have been working in Canada. CEC is best for those candidates who possess recent work experience in Canada and want to immigrate to Canada permanently. In addition, CEC is one of the fastest pathways to get Canadian permanent residence. Usually, the process is three to four months long.
This comprehensive article will provide you all the necessary information about Canadian Experience Class entry. If you’re up for that, let’s dive in.
What is the Canadian Experience Class (CEC)?
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CEC allows a foreign citizen who possesses Canadian work experience to become a permanent resident of Canada. As CEC is a part of the Express Entry system, it uses the Comprehensive Ranking System to rank all the candidates based on their scores. The top scorers receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) to apply for permanent residence. And the overall process takes 4-6 months only.
What is the Eligibility Criteria for Canadian Experience Class?
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In order to be eligible for the Canadian Experience Class Program, an applicant must:
- Have Work Experience
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Have a minimum of one year full-time, i.e., 1560 hours in one year (or equivalent part-time) paid Canadian work experience within the last 36 months from the date of submission of your application.
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The work experience must come from a valid work permit and should be in any occupations mentioned as skill type 0, A, B by the National Occupational Classification.
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Work experience obtained as a self-employed or full-time student is not valid under the Canadian Experience Class.
- Residence in Canada
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Intend to live outside Quebec.
- Fulfill Language Requirements
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A Canadian Language Benchmark level 7 in either English or French for NOC skill type 0 and A And a CLB level 5 for NOC skill B occupations.
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The candidate has to take a language test to demonstrate his language proficiency.
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Those candidates who are proficient in English and French language can get additional CRS points.
If an applicant meets the requirements mentioned above, he can submit his profile under the Express Entry System for the CEC program. However, an applicant must fulfill the basic admissibility requirements of Canada first. If an applicant is considered inadmissible to Canada, he is not eligible to apply for CEC.
Note:- CEC doesn't require proof of settlement funds. That's why the documentation process is shorter, and applications are processed quickly..
How to Apply to Canadian Experience Class?
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Let’s have a look at the application process of CEC now.
- Get a Canadian work permit
The first and foremost step towards CEC is obtaining a Canadian work permit. This step is a prerequisite as, without prior Canadian work experience, you aren’t eligible to go for CEC. Depending on your situation, you can get an open or closed work permit.
For instance, if you’re eligible for the International Experience Canada program or a partner/spouse of a foreign worker or an international student in Canada, you can go for the open work permit. Others have to go for the closed one.
For instance, if you’re eligible for the International Experience Canada program or a partner/spouse of a foreign worker or an international student in Canada, you can go for the open work permit. Others have to go for the closed one.
- Work for one year in Canada
You need a minimum of one year of Canadian work experience (or equivalent part-time) to move further with the CEC program.
- Make sure you fulfill other requirements
Apart from work experience, it is necessary to fulfill other eligibility requirements like language proficiency. Take an English or French language test to display your proficiency. Also, make sure the test is taken within the last two years of submitting your application.
- Create your Express Entry profile and improve the CRS score
In order to apply to CEC, you have to first create your Express Entry profile on the IRCC website. Then fill in the information asked.
After creating your profile, check your CRS score. If it’s below the required cut-off to receive an ITA, try to improve it. Many times it’s seen a candidate hasn’t provided proof of his level of education. Making this mistake, he is sacrificing 250 CRS points.
There are other ways as well to improve your overall score; for that, you might need to consult a professional. We recommend Shariq Immigration for the expertise he has in this field. Book your consultation today by clicking here.
After creating your profile, check your CRS score. If it’s below the required cut-off to receive an ITA, try to improve it. Many times it’s seen a candidate hasn’t provided proof of his level of education. Making this mistake, he is sacrificing 250 CRS points.
There are other ways as well to improve your overall score; for that, you might need to consult a professional. We recommend Shariq Immigration for the expertise he has in this field. Book your consultation today by clicking here.
- Receive Invitation to Apply
Provided your CRS score meets the cut-off, you’re issued an Invitation to Apply to submit your application for Canadian permanent residence. In total, 60 days are there for you to complete your e-application.
- Finish a medical & background check and submit your application
With your e-application, you have to display that you’ve taken a medical exam from an IRCC approved physician. Additionally, you’ve to provide a clearance certificate (aka a police verification check) from each country you’ve stayed in for a minimum of 6 months after being 18 years old. Complete your e-application, attach all the required documents, and submit it as soon as possible.
Remember you’ve to complete your application within 60 days. So, it’s advised to collect all the necessary proofs beforehand.
Remember you’ve to complete your application within 60 days. So, it’s advised to collect all the necessary proofs beforehand.
- Review of your e-application
Once you’ve submitted your e-application, an immigration officer will review it and let you know if anything else is needed.
- Get confirmation of your PR status
If your e-application is accepted, you’ll receive a confirmation of your permanent residence within four to six months. CEC applications are processed quickly, so if your application is on point, you can expect confirmation at the earliest
- Get your permanent resident card
Once your PR status is confirmed, you can apply for your permanent residence card. This card is helpful to show your Canadian status when you’re traveling outside Canada.
There are plenty of ways to become a permanent resident of Canada. However, if you have prior work experience, CEC can be the best immigration program for you.
There are plenty of ways to become a permanent resident of Canada. However, if you have prior work experience, CEC can be the best immigration program for you.
