Last verified: June 28, 2026 · Official source: canada.ca/CEC eligibility
General information, not legal or immigration advice. For advice on your situation, consult a licensed RCIC or immigration lawyer.
Why CEC matters for former international students
The Canadian Experience Class is the primary federal PR route for former international students on a PGWPPGWP: Post-Graduation Work Permit — the open work permit you get after graduating from an eligible Canadian program. PGWP work experience qualifies for CEC.. Unlike the Federal Skilled Worker program, CEC does not require a job offer, foreign credentials assessment, or a certain number of points on a separate grid. If you have skilled Canadian work experience and meet the language requirement, you can enter the pool.
→ Study → PR Pathway Map — see how CEC fits the full journey
Core eligibility requirements
To be eligible for CEC, you must have:
1. Canadian work experience
At least 1 year of full-time (or equivalent part-time) skilled work experience in Canada, in a NOCNOC: National Occupational Classification — the federal job classification system. CEC requires experience in a TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 occupation. TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 occupation, within the last 3 years at the time you apply.
- Full-time = at least 30 hours/week (1,560 hours over 12 months qualifies)
- Part-time at multiple jobs can combine if the hours add up
- Self-employment generally does not count
- Experience while on a study permit can count if it meets NOC TEER criteria
2. Language requirement
| Your occupation's NOCNOC: National Occupational Classification level level | Minimum CLBCLB: Canadian Language Benchmark — IRCC's language scale. CLB 7 is approximately upper-intermediate. CLB 5 is intermediate. |
|---|---|
| NOC TEER 0 or 1 | CLB 7 in all four abilities (listening, reading, writing, speaking) |
| NOC TEER 2 or 3 | CLB 5 in all four abilities |
Your language test (IELTS General, CELPIP, TEF Canada, or TCF Canada) must have been taken within the last 2 years.
⚠️ Language requirements are set by IRCC and can be updated. Confirm current minimums on canada.ca.
3. Intention to live outside Quebec
CEC applicants must intend to reside in a province other than Quebec. Quebec has its own immigration selection system (CSQCSQ: Certificat de sélection du Québec — Quebec's own selection certificate, required before applying to IRCC for PR as a Quebec-selected worker. Quebec selects its own immigrants independently of Express Entry.).
What counts as skilled work experience?
NOCNOC: National Occupational Classification TEER categories:
| TEER | Examples |
|---|---|
| 0 | Senior managers, directors, executives |
| 1 | Engineers, accountants, nurses, teachers, software developers |
| 2 | Supervisors, technical occupations requiring college diploma |
| 3 | Most administrative, clerical, technical assistant roles |
| 4 | Retail sales, food service, care aide (not eligible for CEC) |
| 5 | Labour, cleaning, packaging (not eligible for CEC) |
If your job is in TEER 4 or 5, it does not count toward CEC eligibility. A job offer can help with some PNP streams, but not with CEC.
How to apply: the Express Entry pool
- Confirm eligibility — meet the work experience and language requirements above.
- Take a language test — IELTS General Training, CELPIP (for English); TEF Canada or TCF Canada (for French). Scores must be less than 2 years old.
- Get an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) if you want education points — an ECAECA: Educational Credential Assessment — a report from a designated organization verifying that your foreign degree is equivalent to a Canadian credential. Required for FSW; optional but worthwhile for CEC to claim education CRS points. from a designated organization (WES, ICAS, etc.).
- Create an Express Entry profile on IRCC's portal — include your work history, language scores, and education.
- Enter the pool and receive a CRS score — use the CRS Calculator to estimate before creating your profile.
- Wait for an Invitation to Apply (ITA) in a draw. IRCC holds draws approximately every two weeks — check the Draw Tracker for the latest cutoffs.
- Submit your PR application within 60 days of receiving an ITA.
How to improve your CRS score
If your current score is below recent draw cutoffs, consider:
- Improving language scores — a higher CLB directly boosts CRS, especially CLB 9+ vs CLB 7/8.
- French as a second language — strong French skills earn significant bonus points and may qualify you for French-language category draws with lower cutoffs.
- Canadian education — a Canadian degree or diploma adds CRS points.
- Provincial nomination — a nomination from an Enhanced PNP stream adds +600 CRS → effectively guarantees an ITA.
- Time — CRS age points decrease from about age 30, so for young candidates waiting 6–12 months to improve language or get more experience is often worthwhile.
→ Express Entry Overview & CRS — full breakdown → CRS Calculator → Draw Tracker — live draw data
The OINP connection
For graduates working in Ontario, the OINP Workforce Priority stream (as of June 25, 2026) offers a provincial nomination that adds +600 CRS — but now requires a qualifying job offer. For many graduates, the realistic choice is:
- Federal CEC (if CRS is competitive or you qualify for a category draw)
- OINP + CEC (use the +600 PNP points to guarantee an ITA)
Frequently asked questions
How many hours of work do I need for the Canadian Experience Class?
One year of skilled Canadian work experience, which IRCC defines as 1,560 hours (30 hours per week over 12 months), gained in the 3 years before you apply. It does not have to be at one job or in one continuous stretch. You can add up part-time hours or multiple jobs to reach 1,560.
Does co-op or work experience gained while I was a full-time student count for CEC?
No. Work experience gained while you were a full-time student, including a co-op or internship term, does not count toward the Canadian Experience Class. It can still count toward the Federal Skilled Worker program's minimum requirements, so it is not wasted, but for CEC you need experience gained when you were not a full-time student.
Does taking a vacation break my 12 months of Canadian work experience?
No. Because CEC experience does not need to be continuous, a vacation does not reset anything. Paid vacation while you remain employed still counts, since you are employed and paid. Unpaid time off simply does not add hours, so you would work a little longer to reach 1,560. Nothing restarts.