Canadian Experience Class

How does the Canadian Experience Class work?

As of January 1, 2015 the Canadian Government has made another way for you to come into Canada with Canadian Work Experience under the Express Entry System. This is available to you if you are a Temporary Foreign Worker hoping to become a Permanent Resident within Canada. The time that you have been in Canada and obtained work experience will help you within this process.

Does your work have to be related to your education?

No, it does not have to be related. Of course, there are rules that apply to this class just like any other. The work experience that you obtain must be completed after you have graduated from an accredited Canadian post-secondary school.

What qualifications do you need for the Canadian Experience Class?

There are a few qualifications that you must meet in order for you to be eligible to fall under the Canadian Experience Class. They are but not limited to:

• You must plan to live outside of Quebec
• It is required that you will have 12 months (1 year) of full time skilled experience in Canada, if you have part-time work then it still must be equivalent to the amount of a year’s work of full time hours- this all must be done within 3 years of you applying
• You must also meet the language level that is required for the job that you wish to be applying for- this includes: reading, writing and comprehension of the language

When will employers go through the Canadian Experience Class through Express Entry to find workers?

Employers will use the Express Entry system in order to find employees when they cannot find any Canadians or already permanent residents to fill their jobs needs.

How is it beneficial for you?

This system will allow your information and qualifications to be put into a pool with others that also have the experience that is necessary to fit into the Canadian Experience Class. This program will allow employers to access you through Canada’s Job Bank, Provincial Nominee Programs as well as other private job boards.

Do you need to be employed at the time of your application?

No! It is not mandatory that you are employed at the time of your application.

What does not qualify as proper work experience for this program?

There are several different areas of work that will not count towards your work experience within this program. Some of the work that does not count is:

• Administrative Officers
• Accounting technicians and bookkeepers
• Administrative assistants
• Retail Supervisors
• Food service supervisors
• Cooks
• Any period that you may have been self-employed
• Unauthorized work will not be counted towards proper work experience
• If you have any work experience that was obtained while you were completing a full-time study will also not be counted- an example of this would be if you gained experience while you were completing a co-op program or if you have an on or off-campus work permit.

While you are working towards your goal of completing the required amount of hours for this program, you must have a Temporary Resident status in Canada.

If you are worried or have any questions in regards to this process please feel free to contact one of our associates and we would be more than happy to make sure you are on the right track. Allowing us to assist you will ensure that you have everything that is required of you from the start.