Canadian Experience Class (CEC): PR for Skilled Workers Already in Canada

The Canadian Experience Class is one of the three federal programs managed through Express Entry. It rewards people who have already worked in Canada and adapted to the Canadian job market. Most CEC candidates are former international students on a Post-Graduation Work Permit or workers on an LMIA-based work permit or another work permit.

CEC candidates tend to score well on the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) because Canadian work experience earns points in several sections. IRCC also runs draws open only to CEC candidates, which can have different cutoffs from general draws.

Canadian work experience

• At least 1 year of skilled work in Canada: 1,560 hours in total, either full-time (30 hours a week for 12 months) or an equal amount of part-time.
• Gained in the 3 years before you apply.
• In one or more jobs in TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 of the National Occupational Classification (NOC).
• Paid, and done while you had temporary resident status and were authorized to work.

What does not count

• Self-employment.
• Work done while you were a full-time student, including co-op terms.
• Unauthorized work.

Language

Use our CLB converter to check your scores. Tests must be less than 2 years old when you submit your profile and application. See language tests.

Other rules

• You must plan to live outside Quebec. Quebec has its own programs; see the Quebec hub.
• You must be admissible to Canada. See inadmissibility.

Meeting CEC rules gets you into the pool. You are then ranked on the CRS (maximum 1,200 points). Invitations come from:

• CEC-only draws, open only to candidates eligible for the CEC.
• General draws, open to all programs.
• Category-based draws, if your Canadian experience is in a targeted occupation, or you have strong French. Some 2026 categories, like physicians, researchers, and senior managers, require Canadian experience specifically.
• Provincial nominations through enhanced PNP streams, which add 600 points. See PNP.

Since March 25, 2025, a job offer no longer adds CRS points, so a Canadian employer's support does not directly raise your score. Education, language, and additional Canadian experience still help.

Estimate your score with the CRS calculator and compare it with recent cutoffs on the Express Entry draws tracker.

Your work permit may expire before you are invited or before IRCC decides your application. Plan ahead:

• If you apply to extend your permit before it expires, you may keep working under maintained status while IRCC decides.
• Once your PR application is submitted and passes a completeness check, you may qualify for a Bridging Open Work Permit.
• If your status runs out, see restoration of status. Leaving Canada does not cancel your CEC eligibility, because you can apply from abroad within 3 years of gaining the experience.

After an Invitation to Apply (ITA), IRCC asks you to prove every claim in your profile. For the CEC, that usually means:

• Reference letters from each Canadian employer, on letterhead, showing your job title, dates, hours per week, salary, and main duties. The duties should match your NOC code.
• Proof you were authorized to work, such as copies of your work permits.
• Pay records, such as T4 slips, pay stubs, or Notices of Assessment from the Canada Revenue Agency.
• Language test results that are still valid.
• Police certificates from each country where you lived for 6 months or more since age 18.
• A medical exam from an IRCC panel physician.

You do not need an Educational Credential Assessment for eligibility. But if you want CRS points for a foreign degree, you need an ECA. See ECA credential assessment.

Including your family

Your spouse or common-law partner and dependent children can be included in your application and become permanent residents with you. If your spouse also has Canadian work experience or strong language scores, compare both of you as the principal applicant; the higher-scoring profile can get invited sooner.

When things are complicated

A past refusal, a gap in status, or unauthorized work can create problems. If any of these apply to you, talk to a lawyer or licensed consultant (RCIC) before you submit. See how to verify a lawyer or consultant.

As of September 2026 (fees rose on April 30, 2026), IRCC charges these fees for economic programs such as Express Entry and the PNP, in Canadian dollars:

Biometrics cost $85 per person, or $170 for a family applying together. Check the IRCC fee list before paying, because fees change. You do not need proof of funds for the CEC.

After an invitation, you have 60 days to apply. IRCC aims to process most Express Entry applications in about 6 months. Check the IRCC processing times tool or our processing times page for current times. Read from ITA to COPR for what happens after you submit.

Many people qualify for both. The CEC has no education requirement and no proof of funds, and it accepts CLB 5 for TEER 2-3 jobs. The Federal Skilled Worker Program accepts experience from anywhere but requires CLB 7, an ECA for foreign education, 67 grid points, and proof of funds. You do not choose: your Express Entry profile checks you against every program, and IRCC invites you under the program that fits the draw. See CEC vs FSW.