Canadian Experience Class

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR APPLICANTS

  • You must have at least 12 months of full-time Canadian experience (or the appropriate number of part-time hours) within the past 3 years before you apply;
  • Experience must be obtained with the necessary credentials;
  • Language proficiency in each of the following areas (speaking, reading, writing and listening) must meet the level required for your profession: Required language levels;

Running your own business or working as a student while enrolled in this program does not count.

Note: Quebec does not use Express Entry, but selects its own skilled workers. You can find more information here: Quebec-selected skilled workers.

Canadian Experience of Skilled Workers

To apply for the Canadian Experience Class, you must have worked in Canada for the past 3 years before you apply. According to the Canadian National Occupational Classification (NOC), work experience includes work in the following occupations:

  • Management specialties (NOC Canada’s Level 0);
  • Vocational specialty (NOC Canada’s occupational Type A);
  • Technical and high-skilled trades (NOC Canada’s occupational Type B).

Full Time – 30 hours of work per week for 12 months. That’s a total of 1,560 hours of work.

Part Time – 15 hours per week for 24 months, which is 1 full-time year (1,560 hours) OR 30 hours per week for 12 months in several majors, which is 1 full-time year (1,560 hours) in total.

You must demonstrate that the tasks performed in your position fit the description of your chosen occupation as listed on the NOC of Canada. If you do not demonstrate that your experience matches the occupational description in the country’s National Occupational Classification, your immigration application will not be accepted. You can find out the name, code and level of your occupation on the NOC Canada.

If your work permit is about to expire, you can apply for a bridging open work permit. This document will allow you to continue working until a final decision is made on your application for permanent residence in Canada.

Language Proficiency

You must:

  • Have language proficiency at Level 7 for NPC Level 0 and Type A occupations or Level 5 for NOC Type B occupations (on the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB));
  • Provide results from a Ministry of Immigration-recognized language test in all areas (reading, speaking, listening, writing).

You must attach your English or French test scores at the time you complete your Express Entry profile. Certificates of proficiency and language skills must be obtained no earlier than 2 years prior to filing the immigration application.

Education

The Canadian Experience Class program does not have specific educational aspects. However, if you want to get extra points for Education in the Express Entry system, you will need to have:

  • Document of completed secondary, higher or technical education in Canada OR
  • Document of completed education you received from an institution recognized outside the country;
  • An evaluation of your educational record from a Canadian organization. The document must show that the education you received is equivalent to a Canadian education.

Note: If your out-of-country education is equivalent to a Canadian degree, having an evaluation will be a tremendous advantage for you.

Principal Applicant

If you are legally or civilly married and live with your husband or wife in Canada, and he or she also meets the requirements listed above, you have the option of choosing which one of you will apply for immigration as your principal applicant.

A common-law husband or wife is a person (of any gender) with whom you have lived together for at least one year.

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