Canadian Experience Class
As a skilled worker with work experience in Canada, you could become a permanent resident of Canada through the Canadian Experience Class Program.
Our immigration lawyers are available to walk you through the process when you reach us in person, via phone, or online. Call us today on +1 844 290 6312 for immediate help and assistance in becoming a permanent resident of Canada.
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What Is the Canadian Experience Class?
The Canadian experience class program is one of the four schemes of the popular Express Entry Immigration System employed by Canada. The Canadian experience class is a program to assist foreign workers in moving to the permanent resident status from temporary status.
The Canadian experience class as an immigration program allows temporary foreign workers in Canada with a minimum of one year of skilled work experience in the country to reside there permanently.
Other programs in the Express Entry Immigration system are:
- Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
- Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
- The Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)
To apply for the Canadian Experience Class program, the first step is to create an online Express Entry profile, which is to make an official “expression of interest”. If you meet all the Canadian Experience Class requirements, you are eligible to submit your Express Entry profile. Asides from the Canadian Experience Class requirements, you must also meet the admissibility requirements of Canada. It is essential that you carefully check this as there are certain medical conditions and criminal offences that can make you inadmissible to the country.
If you are deemed eligible, your profile will be accepted into the Express Entry pool by the Immigration, Refugees & Citizenship Canada (IRCC). It is at this point you will be scored based on your provided information using the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). If your CRS score is competitive, you will receive an invitation to apply for permanent residency during the Express Entry draw from the pool of applicants.
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Eligibility Requirements for Canadian Experience Class
To be eligible for the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) as temporary foreign workers, the requirements are:
- A minimum of 12 months of full-time (or its part-time hours equivalent) skilled work experience at a maximum of 30 hours per week in Canada.
- Work experience that is gotten on a valid Canadian work permit.
- Work experience within the last three years.
- You plan to live outside the Quebec province.
- Work experience must belong to an occupation classified under the National Occupation Classification as skill type 0, A or B.
- A minimum of 12 months of work experience can be under two different National Occupation Classification codes if the work experience is skilled.
- Working skilled jobs or technical jobs.
You should note the following:
- Despite being asked about the province you plan to live in, you can settle in another territory or province if you desire.
- Work experience gained through education as a full-time student or via self-employment does not count under the Canadian Experience Class.
- Work experience must be paid work as unpaid internships during education, and volunteer work does not count under the Canadian Experience Class.
- The Canadian Experience Class does not have an education requirement, but you must take an approved language test to prove your language ability. The test must be taken with an IRCC approved agency. Also, you must include your test results in your Express Entry profile and your application if you receive an invite to prove you meet the Canadian language benchmark.
You are ineligible for the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) if you are:
- Working without proper authorization.
- In Canada as a refugee claimant.
- Without temporary resident status when you gain the work experience.
- Inadmissible to Canada based on criminal or medical issues.
Inadmissibility to Canada happens when an applicant has been convicted of a serious crime, including terrorism, human rights violations, money laundering, or organized crime. An applicant may also be inadmissible if they have been convicted of a less serious crime in their home country but considered a serious offence in Canada. For example, driving under the influence of alcohol or drug may not be a serious offence in many countries, but it would be considered inadmissible in Canada.
Medical issues can also lead to inadmissibility. If an applicant has a disease that could pose a risk to public health or safety, they may be deemed inadmissible. Additionally, applicants who are likely to require significant health or social services may also be found inadmissible. For example, an applicant with a disability that requires regular care may not be able to meet the financial requirements for immigration and would therefore be inadmissible. Finally, applicants who have been involved in the trafficking of humans or have misrepresented themselves during the immigration process may also be found inadmissible.
Canadian Experience Class Scoring
Canadian Experience, like other programs under the Express Entry Immigration system, uses a point-based system to rank candidates. The system used is called the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). Candidates ranked highest in the poll are usually selected and subsequently granted invites to apply for Canada’s permanent residence.
Canada’s government provides a CRS tool for you to check what your CRS score is. As a candidate, the CRS evaluates your work experience, skills, education, language ability and other factors. It is important to note that the tool is only a means of general guidance; the actual CRS assessment score you will receive during the process of Express Entry could be different.
For every draw of Express Entry, there is usually a different threshold cut-off CRS point. For example, the Canadian Experience Class Express Entry draw on the 14th of September 2021 had a CRS point threshold of 462. What this means is that candidates who had a score equal to or above 462 received an invite to apply for Canada’s permanent residence.
When Will the Canadian Experience Class Open?
Due to the COVID -19 pandemic, IRCC paused the Canadian experience class in September 2021. However, from the 6th of July, 2022, qualified candidates will now be invited to apply for Express Entry into Canada. The IRCC will process new applications for Express Entry in less than six months. Also, applicants will no longer be required by IRCC to remain in Canada while processing their applications.
To apply for the Canadian experience class and secure your Canadian permanent residence, once you get the “Invitation to Apply”, you must submit your completed application within 60 days. With your application, you will have to provide the following:
- Evidence of completing a medical examination with a physician recognized by the IRCC.
- Reference letters from your previous employers.
- Clearance certificate (police background check) from all the countries you have spent a minimum of six months in since turning 18.
Due to the relatively short timeframe for submitting all the required information, it is advisable you gather the necessary supporting documentation even before you get the invite.
A confirmation of permanent residence (COPR) document will be sent to you if your Canadian Experience Class application is approved. With this COPR, you will apply for the Permanent Resident (PR) card. When you travel outside the country or the need arises, you can show your PR card as proof of your status as a permanent resident of Canada.
How We Can Help with Your Canadian Experience Class Application?
At IAS, we have immigration attorneys that know the Canadian immigration programs and laws like it’s their first name. You need us because even when eligible, there is usually no guarantee that you will get an invitation to apply for Express Entry. If it seems like your CRS score will go below the threshold required to get an invite, we are going to provide you with insights on how to increase your CRS score. We help you:
- Review your situation
- Assess your Canadian Experience Class eligibility.
- Come up with ways of increasing CRS score.
- Handle IRCC
We boast of a track record of assisting many secure Canadian permanent residences in Canada, and we can guarantee to help you submit a quality Canadian Experience Class application. Call us today on +1 844 290 6312 for immediate help and assistance.
Related pages for your continued reading.
Last modified on August 18th, 2023 at 9:40 am
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