The Canadian Experience Class, commonly called CEC, is an Express Entry program for skilled workers with qualifying Canadian work experience.

Holding a work permit and working in Canada for one year does not automatically make someone eligible. IRCC examines when and where the work was performed, whether it was authorized and paid, the applicant’s immigration status, the NOC classification and the duties actually performed.

Six Requirements for Qualifying CEC Work Experience

To meet the minimum work-experience requirement, the employment must generally:

• have been acquired during the three years before the permanent residence application;
• have been performed while the applicant was physically in Canada;
• have been authorized under temporary resident status;
• fall within NOC 2021 TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3;
• have been paid through wages or commission; and
• total at least one year of full-time work or an equivalent amount of qualifying part-time work.

The applicant must also have performed the actions described in the NOC lead statement and a substantial number of the main duties, including the essential duties. A similar job title alone is not enough. IRCC’s current CEC requirements

How Are One Year and 1,560 Hours Calculated?

IRCC counts full-time employment at up to 30 hours per week:

• 30 hours per week for 12 months equals 1,560 hours;
• 15 hours per week for 24 months may provide the part-time equivalent;
• qualifying hours from more than one part-time job may be combined; and
• qualifying experience with multiple employers or in more than one eligible occupation may be combined.

Accumulating 1,560 hours quickly does not eliminate the one-year component. Someone working 60 hours per week cannot convert six months of employment into one year of full-time experience. Only up to 30 hours per week are counted toward the full-time equivalent.

CEC experience does not have to come from a single employer or occupation. Nevertheless, every period being claimed must independently meet the applicable status, authorization, payment, location and occupational requirements.

Does Work Performed While Studying Count?

Employment acquired while the applicant was engaged in full-time study does not count toward the minimum CEC requirement. This exclusion also applies to a co-op work term completed while the person was a full-time student.

Work performed after completing a program and while awaiting a PGWP may qualify when the applicant was authorized to work. The completion date, the date written confirmation of completion was received, the PGWP submission date and the conditions of the study permit should all be reviewed carefully.

Does Self-Employment Count?

As a general rule, self-employed work is excluded from the CEC minimum requirement under subsection 87.1(3) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations.

Receiving payments through a corporation or placing oneself on payroll does not necessarily establish an employer–employee relationship. Ownership, control of the business, control over working conditions and the overall employment arrangement may be examined.

A temporary public policy provides an exception for certain foreign national physicians who delivered publicly funded medical services in Canada. That policy should not be treated as a general exemption for other self-employed applicants.

Can Remote Work Qualify?

Remote work is not automatically excluded. IRCC’s current instructions state that an applicant working remotely must have been physically located in Canada and working for a Canadian employer.

For example:

• Remote work from a Canadian home for a Canadian employer may qualify if all other conditions are met.
• Work performed from another country for a Canadian employer will generally not constitute work experience acquired in Canada.
• Work performed in Canada exclusively for a foreign business requires closer examination of the employment arrangement.

Applicants should compare their claimed Canadian work periods with passport and travel records. An employer’s Canadian address does not change where the applicant was physically working.

Choose the NOC Based on Duties, Not the Job Title

A job title is not decisive. The work must correspond to the lead statement and a substantial number of the main duties of the selected NOC, including its essential duties.

An employer reference letter should clearly state:

• the exact employment period;
• each position held;
• hours worked per week;
• salary and benefits;
• detailed duties; and
• the employer’s contact information and authorized signature.

If the employee was promoted or their responsibilities changed, the letter should separate the dates, duties, salary and hours for each position.

Language and Intended Destination

CEC has no mandatory education requirement, but applicants must meet the applicable language threshold in every ability:

• TEER 0 or 1: at least CLB/NCLC 7;
• TEER 2 or 3: at least CLB/NCLC 5.

Language results must be less than two years old both when the Express Entry profile is completed and when the permanent residence application is submitted.

CEC applicants must intend to live outside Quebec. Qualifying work obtained while living in Quebec may still be used, but the applicant may need to establish a genuine intention to settle elsewhere in Canada. IRCC language-test requirements

Review the Timeline Before Creating a Profile

Do not calculate eligibility from the start date alone. Remove non-qualifying periods such as unauthorized work, full-time study, overseas remote work and self-employment before calculating the eligible weeks and hours.

Applicants should also compare their employer letters with pay statements, T4 slips, Notices of Assessment, Records of Employment and contracts. Significant inconsistencies in the dates, duties, pay or hours may lead to additional review.

Entering ineligible experience in an Express Entry profile may produce an invitation that the applicant cannot support at the permanent residence stage. A careful work-history assessment should therefore take place before the profile is submitted—not only after an Invitation to Apply is issued.

Disclaimer

This article provides general information and is not individualized legal advice. CEC eligibility depends on the applicant’s status, work authorization, study periods, duties and supporting evidence.