CEC
The Canadian Experience Class is for skilled workers who have Canadian work experience and want to become permanent residents. CEC is also one of the fasted routes to Canadian permanent residence, taking as little as three to four months to process.
CEC is managed under the Express Entry system and uses the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) to rank interested candidates. Applicants who have competitive CRS scores will receive invitations to apply for Canadian permanent residence.
Minimum requirements
You must
- Meet the required language levels needed for your job for each language ability
- writing
- reading
- listening
- speaking
- Have at least 1 year of skilled work experience in Canada, in the last 3 years before you apply—you can meet this in a few different ways:
- full-time at 1 job: 30 hours/week for 12 months = 1 year full-time (1,560 hours)
- equal amount in part-time work: for example 15 hours/week for 24 months = 1 year full time (1,560 hours)
- You can work as many part-time jobs as you need to meet this requirement.
- full-time work at more than 1 job: 30 hours/week for 12 months at more than 1 job = 1 year full time (1,560 hours)
- Have gained your work experience by working in Canada while under temporary resident status with authorization to work
Language ability
You must:
- Meet the minimum language level of:
- Canadian Language Benchmark 7 for NOC 0 or A jobs or
- Canadian Language Benchmark 5 for NOC B jobs
- Take approved language tests for:
- writing
- reading
- listening
- speaking
- describe the test results in your Express Entry profile
Your language tests are valid for 2 years after the date of the test result and must be valid on the day you apply for permanent residence.
