The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) is an immigration program that enables those who have worked in Canada for a minimum of one year to become permanent immigrants. CEC operates under Canada’s Express Entry Immigration System.
The Canadian Government acknowledges the significant reserves of skilled labor currently working in Canada and many still doing all they can to move into Canada. But one basic parameter here is that due to the need for a large pool of skilled labor in the country, Canada also has the desire to help them become permanent residents.
We would be showing you through this article, how you can apply for the Canadian Experience Class successfully. Perhaps you already have Canadian work experience or maybe you’re someone looking to reside in Canada for the main time probably to gain work experience, if you belong to any of the above categories, then you will certainly need the Canadian Experience Class or CEC in short form.
Another set of persons that will need to obtain the Canadian Experience Class is potential students who are considering studying in Canada and are worried about their chances of securing a permanent residency after they’ve graduated.
What Is a Canadian Experience Class?
Canadian Experience Class is a permanent residence for people with skilled work experience in Canada. This residence permit was created to temporarily allow foreign skilled workers and graduates with the required Canadian work experience. This program is controlled and managed by Express Entry and it is one of three federal economic immigration programs in Canada.
These skilled workers are allowed for at least one year in the last three years, to apply for permanent residency.
However, knowing about the CEC is one thing and knowing how and where to apply is yet another thing thus we have taken our time to outline for your usage how you can apply for the Canadian Experience Class.
How To Gain Successfully Application for Permanent Residency Through The CEC
Your application for the Canadian Experience Class can be very successful if you follow carefully the steps below:
1. Verify That You’re Eligible
Canadian Experience Class has four main eligibility criteria that must be met by any foreign applicant, they include:
The candidate must meet the language standard required for the job for each language proficiency
The language benchmark in Canada is 7 for NOC A jobs or 5 for NOC B jobs
Language test results for the following will be required: writing, reading, listening and speaking.
As an applicant, you should have at least 1 year of skilled work experience in Canada, in the last 3 years before you apply
This work experience can be met through the full-time job, 30 hours/week for 12 months = 1 year, full-time job, 1,560 hours
Applicants can as well work as many part-time jobs as needed to meet this requirement.
You must have acquired your work experience working in Canada as a temporary resident with permission to work
You must be admissible to Canada
2. Get Your Papers Ready
A lot of documentation will be carried out in the process during the application process of any Express Entry program. Documents for each stage differ from the other and so it is important that you ensure the readiness of every required document beforehand. Don’t worry, we have listed the required documents you would need to help you complete your Express Entry Profile successfully. The documents include:
Recent passport or travel document
Results for language tests in either English or French or both
Evidence of Canadian education
PN or Provincial Nomination (if any is available)
Well-written Canadian job offer (if any is available)
Evidence of your Canadian work experience and experience outside of Canada (if any is available)
Certificate of qualification in a trade occupation issued by a Canadian province or territory (if any)
3. Send Your Profile
Upon successful completion of the forms and required documents, you then submit your Express Entry profile and have your profile given a score based on various factors according to the Comprehensive Ranking System. Your score will subsequently be weighed or compared with other eligible candidates. Upon approval, you’ll get an Invitation to Apply for permanent residency. Usually, 60 days are given to approved candidates to either accept or decline the invitation.
FAQs:
1. Self-employment and student work experience, do they count towards the Canadian Experience Class?
Work experience gained by self-employed workers or work while being a full-time student doesn’t count towards the CEC.
2. Work experience obtained on a Post-Graduation Work Permit, does it count toward the CEC?
Any experience gained on post-graduation work is valid for CEC.
3. What is the duration of CEC application approval?
Canadian Experience Class application takes 6 to 8 months to process. However, it depends on the program you applied through but then CEC has the fastest processing times.
4. What points do I need for the Canadian Experience Class?
It is very dependent on the score of other applicants, an average is taken to determine the cut-off score. In the last year 2021, the highest CRS cut-off score was 462 and the lowest was 75 points. However, the average CRS score for 2021, to date, is 379 over a total
5. Does the CEC require the World Education Service (WES)?
WES for a Canadian Permanent Residence is mandatory. But candidates who choose the Federal Skilled Worker Program and the Canadian Experience Class Program are exempted from this requirement. In other words, the Canadian Experience Class does not require WES.
6. What exactly is the number of pay stubs needed for CEC?
There is no paystub needed for a Canadian Experience Class. However, they can be properly kept and used as evidence of employment to gain extra CRS points.