Canadian Experience Class

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What documents are required…

To apply for permanent residence under the Canadian Experience Class. You need to have following things:

  • Plan to live outside the province of Quebec
  • Be either:
  • A temporary foreign worker with at least two years of full-time (or equivalent) skilled work experience in Canada, or
  • A foreign graduate from a Canadian post-secondary institution with at least one year of full-time (or equivalent) skilled work experience in Canada
    Have gained your experience in Canada with the proper work or study authorization
  • Apply while working in Canada – or – within one year of leaving your job in Canada
  • Include the results of an independent language test (from an agency designated by CIC) with your application

According to the Canadian National Occupational Classification, your work experience should be under:

  • Skill Type 0 (managerial occupations) or
  • Skill Level A (professional occupations) or
  • Skill Level B (technical occupations and skilled trades)

Your application will be assessed on two requirements if you apply as a temporary foreign worker:

  • Your work experience and
  • Your ability in English or French.

If you apply as a graduate of a Canadian post-secondary educational institution with Canadian work experience, it will be assessed using the above requirements, as well as:

  • Your education.

Principal applicant

If you are married or living with a common-law partner in Canada, and she/he also meets the above requirements, you can decide which one of you will apply for the Canadian Experience Class as a principal applicant.

Requirements for temporary workers

Temporary foreign worker, must have two years of full-time (at least 37.5 paid hours per week), or equivalent work experience in Canada. Work experience must be gained within three years of applying. Work experience must be Skill Type 0, or Skill Level A or B on the NOC.

Requirements for graduates

Two requirements specific to graduates:
Work experience
Education

Work Experience

As a graduate of a Canadian post-secondary educational institution, you must have one year of full-time (or equivalent) work experience in Canada after graduation. Your work experience must be gained within two years of applying.

You may get work experience by applying for the Post-Graduation Work Permit after graduation. Work permits may be valid for up to three years with no restrictions on the type of work you can do or where. To ensure that you can apply for permanent residence under the Canadian Experience Class, at least one year of work experience under the permit must be at Skill Type 0, or Skill Level A or B under the National Occupational Classification (NOC). Your work experience must be gained within two years of the time you applied. Work experience gained during your studies does not count toward meeting the requirements for work experience. Only work experience gained after graduation can be counted.

Education

Education is only assessed if you are applying as a graduate of a Canadian post-secondary educational institution. If you want to apply based on your Canadian credentials, you must complete either: A full-time Canadian post-secondary educational program of at least two years or A one-year Master’s program (certificates and diplomas cannot be counted) and an additional year of education, obtained in Canada, before admission into the one-year program (for a total of two years). Please Note: English- or French-as-a-second- language courses do not count toward education requirements under the Canadian Experience Class. The programs must be delivered by a private or public post-secondary educational institution such as a college or a university that is provincially recognized, or Private CEGEPs. You must have proper status during any period of full-time study or training. If you do not meet the minimum education requirements when applying as a graduate, your application for permanent residence under the Canadian Experience Class will be refused. Definitions Full-time studies – To be eligible, you must have been considered “full-time” at your school. Two years of study – At least 16 months—or four semesters—within the 24 months before completing a full-time post-secondary program of study in Canada.