Make sure you meet all of the requirements discussed in the table above. To discover your Canadian Language Benchmark level, you will have to complete an approved language test like IELTS for English and TEF for French. We advise you to apply for an ECA as soon as possible as this certificate typically takes quite some time to be processed.
Step 3 – Create Your Express Entry Profile
As mentioned previously, the Federal Express Entry (EE) program manages the pool of candidates for the Canadian Experience Class. Therefore you must create an online Express Entry profile to qualify for the program. Your Express Entry profile will be given a score out of a possible 1,200 according to the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). These points consider your age, work experience, language ability, education, and other factors. Your profile is then ranked against other profiles in the Express Entry pool based on CRS scores. Candidates with the highest-ranking Express Entry profiles are invited to apply for Canadian permanent residence through regular draws held by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
Step 4 – Gather Documents
Once you have your Invitation to Apply (ITA) for Canadian PR (permanent residence), you must gather all the required documents. You will need a criminal record check and a medical certificate. You must then submit your application for Canadian PR within 60 days of receiving your ITA.
Step 5 – Get Confirmation of Permanent Residence
CEC applications are typically processed within 4 months. Once approved, you will receive a confirmation of the permanent residence document. This will prove your permanent residence when you arrive in Canada.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are the advantages of the Express Entry Canadian Experience Class?
The biggest advantage of applying for permanent residency through the Canadian Experience Class is that there are fewer requirements to qualify. Fewer requirement means less paperwork, which means faster visa application processing. There are no specific educational requirements, and you don’t need proof of settlement funds as you would for the Federal Skilled Worker and Trades programs.
2. How Does Canada Calculate Experience?
Skilled work experience under the Express Entry system must be paid work. This includes paid wages or earned commissions and doesn’t include volunteer work or unpaid internships. Qualifying work experience includes up to 30 hours per week for 12 months or equal to one year of full-time or 1,560 hours. Hours will not be counted if you work more than 30 hours per week. Part-time work experience counts if you worked for more or less 15 hours per week as long as it adds up to 1,560 hours. You can work more than one part-time job to accumulate the number of hours needed to apply.
3. What is a Good Score for the Canadian Experience Class?
Qualifying scores for Express Entry programs depend entirely on the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores of other applicants in your draw pool. On average, qualifying CRS scores for the CEC class draws ranged between 357 and 462. Based on CRS scores from 2021 draws, scoring at least 407 would invite you to apply for permanent residency.
4. Is a Medical test Required for the Canadian Experience Class?
To be considered eligible to enter Canada, you must show that you are in good health and may be required to provide a medical certificate.
5. Will the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) Draws Continue?
The IRCC has been experiencing a backlog in processing Express entry applications and has stopped processing CEC and
FSWP applications for the time being. This is to allow for the 14,000 CEC and 600 FSWP applications waiting to be processed. In a similar attempt to alleviate the backlog due to pandemic restrictions earlier this year, the IRCC dropped the qualifying CRS score to just 75 points in two consecutive draws held on February 13 2021, inviting an incredible 54,664 applicants to apply for permanent residency.
Ready to Put Your Experience to Work in Canada?
If the Canadian Experience Class might be the right pathway, we’re here to make your application easy. Our team of Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs) is all authorized by the Government of Canada to assist with your application. With an immigration expert, like an
RCIC, working on your case, your application will be more likely to succeed because they will ensure all the documentation is completed correctly and submitted on time. They provide you with a simplified, error-free immigration route to Canada.
Once you sign up for our services, completing our comprehensive online evaluation is the first step. This will allow you to discover your immigration options, including your eligibility for the Canadian Experience Class. Our RCICs will provide a report detailing which programs you will most likely succeed with. Discover if you can immigrate to Canada. Sign up today!