Canadian Experience Class

Some international students and temporary foreign workers living legally in Canada are eligible to apply to stay permanently in Canada under either the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) or the Canadian Experience Class (CEC).

The main differences between eligibility for the two categories are the length of time you have spent in Canada and the way you will be assessed.

CEC applicants must meet specific minimum requirements for language ability, and for those in the worker stream must have the requisite 2 years of Canadian work experience and, for those in the student's stream, the minimum of 2 years post-secondary education plus one year of work experience.

Criteria for Post-Graduation Stream

1. Successful completion of a program of study of at least two academic years at a Canadian public post-secondary institution, such as an accredited college or university; OR
2. Successful completion of a program of study of at least two academic years at a Canadian private post-secondary institution authorized by provincial law to grant degrees; AND
3. Completion of at least one year of full-time work experience in Canada after graduation in Skill Levels O, A or B of the National Occupational Classification.

Criteria for Temporary Foreign Worker Stream

1. Applicant has accumulated at least two years of full-time skilled, professional or technical work experience, in the three years prior to the application, in Skill Type O, Level A or B of the National Occupational Classification;
2. The applicant's language abilities must be appropriate to occupational skill level;
3. Skill Type O and Skill Level A occupations must meet requirements of Canadian Language Benchmark 7 for language and Skill Level B occupations must meet requirements of Canadian Language Benchmark 5.

You may view the complete list of 520 Occupations.