Eligibility Requirements for the Canadian Experience Class Program

The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) program is a popular immigration program for individuals who have gained skilled work experience in Canada. This program is designed to provide a pathway to permanent residency for those who have already lived and worked in Canada for a period of time. In this blog post, we will discuss the eligibility requirements for the Canadian Experience Class program.

Work Experience Requirements

To be eligible for the CEC program, an individual must have at least one year of skilled work experience in Canada. This work experience must have been acquired within the last three years prior to applying for the CEC program. The work experience must also be in a skilled occupation listed in the TEER system categories. For the CEC, it is a requirement for applicants to have skilled work experience in TEER 0,1,2 and 3 categories. 

Language Requirements

Language proficiency is an important requirement for the CEC program. Applicants must demonstrate proficiency in either English or French by taking a language test approved by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Applicants must submit language test results with their application. The government of Canada recognizes both IELTS and CELPIP language proficiency tests for English and Test d’évaluation de français (TEF) for French. If you are unsure which English test you should take, this blog can help. 

For the CEC program, applicants must meet the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 5 level or higher for their language skills in all four categories of listening, reading, writing, and speaking for English. For French, the required language level is NCLC (Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens) 5 or higher in all four categories.

Education Requirements

While there are no specific education requirements for the CEC program, having a post-secondary degree or diploma from a Canadian educational institution can increase an individual’s chances of being selected for the program. This is because having Canadian education can demonstrate an individual’s ability to adapt to the Canadian work environment.

Immigration Status Requirements

To be eligible for the CEC program, an individual must have legal status in Canada. This means that the individual must have a valid work permit, study permit or temporary resident permit at the time of application. Individuals with expired permits or those who are in Canada illegally are not eligible for the CEC program.

Unsure of Your Eligibility Status?

Ask our experts to assist you with your application. Our experts can help you in every step of the application process and guide you through what documentation you need.

If you have any questions, it’s best to ask them before submitting your application. Sending the wrong documents can delay your processing times significantly.