PR in Canada through the Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) is a federal Express Entry program for people who have already worked in Canada. If you have one year of skilled Canadian work experience gained legally with work authorization, you can apply for permanent residence (PR) through the CEC. You don't need to show proof of funds, and the program has no education requirement.
in the last 3 years
- 30 h/week× 12 months — one or more jobs
- 15 h/week× 24 months — part-time
Canadian Experience Class consulting: how we help
For people already working in Canada on a PGWP or another work permit. We make sure your experience qualifies and your application holds up, both before you enter the Express Entry pool and after you get an ITA.
- Check that every job counts: TEER level, hours and the periods when you were authorized to work
- Match each job to the right NOC code by duties, not job title
- Count your hours across full-time, part-time and multiple jobs
- Estimate your CRS score and plan what can raise it
- Review your employer reference letters before they are finalized
- Create your Express Entry profile
- After the ITA, prepare your full PR application within the 60-day deadline
- Advise on a bridging open work permit if your permit is expiring
FILE REVIEW
Already have an ITA and preparing the application yourself?
We review your document package the way an IRCC officer would: reference letters against your NOC code, hours and dates across all documents, letters of explanation and anything missing. You get a clear list of what to fix before you submit.
Ask about File ReviewIn 2026, IRCC has been holding CEC-only draws regularly, about every two weeks. That makes the CEC one of the main pathways to PR for people who already live and work in Canada on a work permit, including a PGWP after graduation.
Who can apply under the CEC
| Requirement | What you need |
| Canadian work experience | At least 1 year (1,560 hours) of paid work in the 3 years before you apply |
| Skill level | TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 under the National Occupational Classification (NOC). Experience can be in more than one job or occupation |
| Language | At least CLB 7 for TEER 0–1 jobs and CLB 5 for TEER 2–3 jobs, in each of the four language skills |
| Education | Not required, but earns CRS points |
| Proof of funds | Not required |
| Where you can live | Any province except Quebec |
What work experience counts
Your experience counts if you:
- worked in Canada while you had temporary resident status and were authorized to work (a work permit, including a PGWP or an open work permit);
- were paid wages or commission;
- performed the duties set out in the NOC description for your occupation — the lead statement and most of the main duties.
You can reach 1,560 hours in different ways: 30 hours a week for 12 months at one or more jobs, or part-time, for example 15 hours a week for 24 months. Remote work counts only if you were physically in Canada and working for a Canadian employer.
What doesn't count:
- work while you were a full-time student, including co-op terms;
- self-employment (with an exception only for some physicians);
- volunteer work and unpaid internships;
- work without authorization.
Problems most often come from reference letters whose duties don't match the chosen NOC code, or from miscounted hours. It's worth checking both before you create your profile.
Language tests and credential assessment
You need a language test for your profile: IELTS General Training, CELPIP-General or PTE Core for English, or TEF Canada or TCF Canada for French. Results must be less than 2 years old both when you create your profile and when you submit your PR application. Higher results mean more CRS points — language remains the main way to raise your score.
Formally, the CEC has no education requirement. But without an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) you won't get CRS points for education completed outside Canada, so in practice almost everyone needs one. Canadian credentials don't need an assessment.
What CRS score CEC draws require
Over the past year, the cut-off in CEC-only draws has stayed at roughly 507–534 points. Draws take place about every two weeks.
If your score is lower, you can still get an invitation in other ways: through category-based draws (healthcare, trades, transport, French and others) or through provincial nominee programs, where a nomination adds 600 points. For people working in Ontario, that mainly means the OINP. IRCC publishes all draw dates and scores on its rounds of invitations page.
How the process works
- Take a language test and, if your diploma is from outside Canada, get an ECA.
- Find the NOC code for each job and count your hours.
- Create an Express Entry profile. It is valid for 12 months.
- Receive an invitation to apply (ITA) in a draw.
- Within 60 days, submit a complete PR application with documents and pay the fees.
- Complete the medical exam and biometrics. The IRCC service standard for Express Entry is 6 months.
If your work permit is expiring while your application is processed, you may be able to apply for a bridging open work permit (BOWP) once IRCC confirms your PR application is complete (acknowledgement of receipt, AOR). If you applied to extend your permit before it expired, you are on maintained status and can keep working under the same conditions until a decision is made.
How much it costs
Since April 30, 2026, the IRCC permanent residence fee is $1,590 for the principal applicant and the same for a spouse, $270 for each child, and biometrics cost $85 per person or $170 per family. On top of that come the language test, credential assessment, medical exam and police certificates.
In spring 2026, IRCC consulted on merging the three federal Express Entry programs into one. For now this is only a proposal: the CEC works under the current rules described above.
Should you apply for the CEC yourself or hire an immigration consultant?
You can apply on your own. IRCC doesn’t require a representative, and if your case is simple (one full-time job, a clear NOC code and a reference letter that lists your duties), many people do.
It’s worth getting help when:
- your hours come from several jobs, part-time work or overlapping periods;
- some of your work was done while you were studying, on maintained status or between permits;
- your job title doesn’t clearly match one NOC code, or your duties sit between two TEER levels;
- your employer can’t give you a reference letter with the details IRCC asks for;
- you’ve had a refusal before, or something in your history needs explaining;
- your CRS score is close to recent cut-offs and you need a plan.
There is also a middle option: you prepare the application yourself, and we check it before you submit (File Review).
Only licensed representatives can charge for immigration advice: regulated Canadian immigration consultants (RCICs), lawyers and paralegals licensed by a Canadian law society, and Quebec notaries. You can check any consultant in the CICC public register. Our team is led by Viktoriia Bezruk, RCIC R710694.
Every case is individual, and the outcome depends on IRCC’s decision. Book a consultation and we’ll review your situation in detail.
What our clients say
5.0★★★★★Google ratingRead reviews →Canadian Experience Class: frequently asked questions
How much work experience do I need for the Canadian Experience Class?
At least 1 year of paid work in Canada — 1,560 hours — in TEER 0–3 occupations within the 3 years before you apply. You can combine several jobs or work part-time, for example 15 hours a week for 24 months.
Does work during my studies count?
No. Work while you were a full-time student, including co-op terms, does not count for the CEC. Experience after graduation, for example on a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), does count.
Do I need proof of funds for the CEC?
No. Canadian Experience Class candidates don’t need to show proof of funds. That requirement applies only to the Federal Skilled Worker and Federal Skilled Trades programs.
Do I need an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) for the CEC?
Formally, the CEC has no education requirement. But without an ECA you won’t get CRS points for education completed outside Canada, and without those points it is very hard to be invited. In practice, almost everyone with a non-Canadian diploma needs one.
Can I apply under the CEC if I have already left Canada?
Yes. Your experience must be gained in Canada within the 3 years before you apply, but you don’t have to live in Canada when you apply. What matters is that the experience still falls within that 3-year window.
Does TEER 4 or 5 experience count?
No. Only experience in TEER 0, 1, 2 and 3 occupations counts for the CEC. TEER 4–5 workers should consider provincial programs, such as Ontario’s Workforce Priority stream.
Can I combine experience from different occupations and employers?
Yes. Experience can be in several NOC occupations and with several employers, as long as they are all TEER 0–3. If the occupations are at different levels, the minimum language level is set by the occupation in which you have the most experience.
What CRS score do CEC draws require?
Over the past year, the cut-off in CEC-only draws has stayed at roughly 507–534 points. Draws take place about every two weeks. IRCC publishes current results on its Express Entry rounds of invitations page.
What if my work permit is expiring?
If you applied for an extension before it expired, you are on maintained status and can keep working under the same conditions. If your PR application has been submitted and you have received an AOR letter, you can apply for a bridging open work permit.
Does Canadian experience guarantee permanent residence?
No. Experience makes you eligible for CEC draws, but invitations go to candidates at or above the cut-off score, and IRCC makes the final decision. Every case is individual. In a consultation, we will review your situation and suggest how to improve your chances.
Do I need an immigration consultant to apply under the CEC?
No. You can apply yourself. A consultant helps most when your hours, NOC code or reference letters are not straightforward, or when you want your application checked before you submit.
Want to get PR through the CEC?
Start with a free assessment. Then book a consultation — we’ll review your situation, put together a plan and handle your case right through to IRCC’s decision.
