Canadian Experience Class Processing Time

Are you working in Canada on a temporary work permit and considering applying for a permanent residency to Canada through the CEC program, but not sure about how much time it will take to process your application? Here is a brief guide to help you get acquainted with the Canadian Experience Class processing time.

CEC

The Canadian Experience Class or CEC is one of the programs managed under the Express Entry program. Candidates who have worked in Canada for at least one year are eligible to apply for permanent residency under this program.

Why CEC?

The CEC program has minimum paperwork requirements so that applications may be processed promptly. It is to be noted that candidates for the Canadian Experience Class are not required to show proof of settlement funds.

Canadian Experience Class Processing Time

• Within the past three years, you must have completed at least 12 months of a full-time job.
• The experience must have been gained while working under a valid work permit in one or more jobs categorized as skill type 0, A, or B by the National Occupational Classification (NOC).
• One year of experience can be earned in two distinct NOC codes as long as the roles are valid and the work experience is lawful.
• CEC is also one of the quickest paths to permanent residency in Canada, requiring only three to four months to complete.

How to apply for a Canadian Experience Class program?

Acquire a work permit

It is necessary for this program that you must have the legal right to work in Canada. One of the work permits is the open work visa for those who are qualified for the International Experience Canada (IEC) program or the spouse/common-law partner of an international student or foreign worker in Canada. Others are granted a closed employer-specific work visa. A person with closed work permits must have positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) and intra-company transfers. Canadian work permits are generally processed between 1 to 9 months.

One year of work experience in Canada

To be qualified for the Canadian Experience Class, you must have at least a year of Canadian work experience.

Fulfill the eligibility requirements

Complete your language exam. Candidates can take the IELTS or CELPIP test for English. The TEF and TCF are for French. Candidates who have some proficiency in both English and French can get bonus points for their second language proficiency. If you take IELTS on a computer, you will receive your results 3 to 5 days after you take the test. Alternatively, if you take a paper-based test, your results will be accessible 13 days following the test.

Suppose your work permit is set to expire in the next four months. In that case, you can apply for a Bridging Open Work Permit to allow you to continue working during the rest of the procedure (however, you must always make sure to complete your work permit application before you apply for a permanent residence application for CEC).

Create an Express Entry application

Register yourself on the IRCC website. You will be required to give certain personal information, some of which will be self-declaration (such as your job history), and it will also require some documentation proofs. You have 60 days to complete and submit your Express Entry profile. If you don’t finish it in time, you’ll have to start over. An Express Entry profile, on the other hand, is only valid for one year.

Wait for an Invitation to Apply (ITA)

Generally, after submitting the Express Entry application, authorities take a few days or weeks to process the ITA. Once you receive your ITA, you will have 60 days to submit a full application.

Complete documents check requirements 

All applicants for the Canadian Experience Class are required to submit the potential medical and police verification certificates. You must submit proof of completing a medical exam with an IRCC-approved panel physician with your application. You must also produce a police background check from each nation you have resided in for at least six months since you turned 18.

Application under review

A Canadian immigration officer will review the submitted e-application and let you know if anything else is required. The IRCC processes 80% of the Canadian Experience Class applicants within six months. However, if you submit your application online, it takes 99 days to process and if you submit a paper based application, then it takes 117 days to process.

Get your PR card

When permanent residency is granted, applicants are given a confirmation called a confirmation of permanent residency (COPR). An official at a Canadian port of entry or an IRCC official signs this document. You can then apply for your PR card after you have received your confirmation of status.