Permanent Residence Canadian Experience Class

The Canadian Experience Class application facilitates permanent residence for those who are currently in Canada on temporary status but have already established themselves in the Canadian job market. Those who have skilled work experience in Canada and are here on temporary status may take part in this opportunity to gain permanent residence in Canada.

How do I qualify for the Canadian Experience Class?

In order to be considered for the Canadian Experience Class, you must:

• Plan to live outside the province of Quebec
• Have at least twelve months of full-time or equivalent part-time skilled work experience in Canada within the last three years prior to applying.
• Have gained skilled work experience legally in Canada with a valid work permit
• Meet the language requirements needed for your job in speaking, reading, writing and listening.

What is skilled work experience?

Skilled work is considered to fall under the:

• Managerial (NOC skill type 0)
• Professional (NOC skill type A)
• Technical and skilled trades (NOC skill type B)

You must have at least 12 months experience of full-time experience or an equal amount of part-time experience. Full-time work is considered to be thirty hours of paid work a week.

What is a NOC skill? How do I know what NOC I am?

NOC is an abbreviation for the National Occupational Code or NOC. The National Occupational Code is a database that provides a standardized description of work performed by Canadians in the job market. The NOC has many uses, but for the purposes of immigration, it serves as a means to describe and understand the nature of work. Each occupation is classified and described based on duties performed.

Based on these job duties, your occupation will fall under a classification. You must first find the occupation that accurately reflects your duties to determine what classification you fall under.

What if both my spouse and I qualify for the Canadian Experience Class?

You can decide which one of you will apply under this category and be the principal applicant while the other will be the dependant. The dependant will still have to provide similar documentation as the principal applicant, but the focus is much more localized on the principal applicant.

Are there any language requirements for the Canadian Experience Class Application?

Yes, you must meet the language requirements for your job. You must also undergo language testing by a designated agency and provide these results with the rest of your application upon submission. These test results cannot be more than two years old on the day that you apply.  If you are a temporary foreign worker or a foreign student and have skilled work experience in Canada, you may be eligible for permanent residence under the Canadian Experience Class (CEC).