CEC – Canadian Experience Class for Nigerians

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We have helped numerous Nigerians to with the Canadian Experience Class Programme. If you need guidance on where to begin, please do not hesitate to contact us for expert support. Our team of lawyers is here to address any questions you may have regarding your visa application.

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Overview of the Canadian Experience Class Programme

The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) Programme is an immigration programme designed by the Government of Canada to enable skilled workers or students who have Canadian work experience for at least 1 year to become lawful permanent residents in Canada.

The CEC Programme was launched in 2008 by the Immigration Refugees and Canada (IRCC) to help temporary foreign skilled workers or students in Canada who want to become permanent residents. One of the current fastest ways to get permanent residency in Canada is through the CEC and its processing time is within 3 to 4 months.

In granting this permanent residency to foreign skilled workers or students, the time the skilled workers or students have spent contributing to Canadian society is put into consideration.

The Express Entry Programme manages the Canadian Experience Class with other two immigration programmes which include the Federal Skilled Trades Programme (FSTP), and Federal Skilled Worker Programme.

Eligibility Criteria for the Canadian Experience Class Programme

To be eligible for the Canadian Experience Class Programme, you need to meet the following eligibility criteria:

• Surpass or meet the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) for the job of each language ability including reading, writing, speaking and writing.
• Have at least 1 year professional, technical, or skilled work experience in Canada within 36 months of the date you applied.
• Have no intention to settle in the province capital of Quebec.

Minimum Requirements for the Canadian Experience Class Programme

You need to meet the Canadian Experience Class requirements in order to apply for the programme. These requirements include:

• Have 1 year experience as a skilled worker in any province in Canada within 3 years of the date you applied.
• The work for which you have 1 year experience must be properly authorised.
• The work must be lawful paid work.
• The skilled job must be a technical, professional, managerial or skilled trade.
• Have a full time work experience of at least 30 hours per week for 12 months or its part time work equivalent. It must be noted that the experience you gained while working as a student doesn’t count.
• Have no intention to settle in Quebec as Quebec also has a Skilled Worker Programme.
• Pass the Canadian Language test approved by the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) showing your proficiency in listening, reading, speaking and writing in English.
• To earn more points for your education in the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), present your completed Nigerian credential with your Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report given to you by an agency the CIC authorised.
• Take a medical examination and get security clearance.

Language Ability Requirements for the Canadian Experience Class Programme

You need to show your proficiency in the English language even if you’re from an English speaking country such as Nigeria. Therefore, you need to meet the CEC language levels including, the Canadian Language Benchmark 5 for TEER 2 or TEER 3 jobs or Canadian Language Benchmark 7 for TEER 0 or TEER 1 jobs.

You should take certified language tests for reading, writing, speaking and listening. Ensure you state your test results in your Express Entry profile.

It must be noted that your language tests will only be valid for 2 years from the day the test result was scored. Also, your language tests must be valid on the day of your permanent residence application.

Education Requirements for the Canadian Experience Class Programme

The Canadian Experience Class doesn’t have any education requirements. But if you need to improve your Express Entry rank for immigration purposes, you can do this by:

• Getting points for your certificate, diploma or degree from a Canadian secondary institution (high school) or post secondary institution, if you went to school in Canada.
• Getting points for a completed foreign credential and ECA report for immigration purposes from a designated organisation which shows your education is equal to a completed certificate, degree or diploma from a Canadian post secondary institution or secondary institution (high school), if you have foreign education.

One Year of Skilled Work Experience Requirement

The Canadian National Occupational Classification list explained that skilled working experience means having a job that must be either the type that is managerial, technical, professional or skilled trade.

You must not be employed when you’re applying, but you must have had a temporary resident status during the time you’re qualifying for the work experience you acquired in Canada.

You’re required to have 1 year experience as a skilled worker in any province in Canada within 3 years of the date you applied and your 1 year work experience must be on a job that is properly authorised.

Self-Employment and Student Work Experience Eligibility

Any self employment or unauthorised work you do during your stay in Canada will not count when calculating the period of your work experience.

Additionally, the work you do during your course of study in Canada will also not be considered as work experience. In order for work experience to be counted, you must work under a Canadian employer in an authorised work as a student and this must not be during your full time study in Canada.

Admissibility Criteria for the Canadian Experience Class Programme

You need to be eligible to enter Canada. Admissibility denotes your ability to obtain a Canadian visa under the law. This includes things like having no criminal record, being in good enough health after passing your medical examination, and not posing a threat to the national security of Canada.

For the Canadian Express Entry Programme, you do not need a job offer, but you should intend to find a job in any province of Canada, with the exception of Quebec, as this province has their own immigration laws.

How to Calculate Your Canadian Experience Class CRS Points

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) uses the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) to compare applicant profiles in the Express Entry pool.

The CRS is used to identify candidates that are highly skilled from the Express Entry pool. The points based method assigns a CRS score to applicants in the pool based on variables like age, education, language proficiency, work experience, and Canadian ties.

Applicants who have the highest CRS scores are invited to apply for Canadian permanent resident status.

You may use the Express Entry CRS calculator to have an idea of your CRS points. But in order to calculate your Canadian experience class points, you must first understand how the CRS points are calculated. The following is how the CRS points are calculated:

• Common law partner or spouse factor + Human capital or Core factor = 500 points.
• Common law partner or spouse + Human capital or Core factor + Transferability factors = 600 points (maximum).
• Transferability factors + Common law partner or spouse factor + Human capital or Core factor+ Additional points = 1200 points (maximum).

Proof of Funds Requirements for the Canadian Experience Class Programme

You’re not required to provide proof of funds if you’re applying for permanent residence under the CEC programme of Express Entry. This is because it is assumed that you’re already settled in Canada if you’re applying for the CEC Canada programme.

Additionally, Federal Skilled Trades Programme (FSTP) and Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) applicants are also not required to provide any proof of funds. This is because they already have valid Canadian jobs and are authorised to live and work in Canada.

Counting Internship Experience for the Canadian Experience Class Application

Volunteer works and unpaid internships experiences are not considered when counting your work experience for the CEC. But, if you have a paid internship which is not part of your education, it can be counted towards the Express Entry work experience requirement.

Step-By-step Guide on How to Apply for the Canadian Experience Class Programme

You need to follow a step-by-step guide in order to apply for the Canadian CEC. To apply:

Step 1: Completing an Express Entry Profile

Filling out the Express Entry online form on the Canadian government’s website is the first step you must take to immigrate to Canada permanently.

Step 2: Meet the Eligibility Requirements

You should carefully check if you meet Canada’s basic admissibility requirements. This is because certain criminal offences or medical conditions may lead to your inadmissibility to Canada.

Step 3: Get an Invitation To Apply (ITA)

You will be invited to submit an application if you are selected in the Express Entry draw. From the time you receive your ITA, you will have 60 days to submit your application.

Provide the following documents when applying:

• Identity and Civil Status documents
• Children’s documents or information (if required)
• Passports or Travel documents
• Work experience (principal applicant)
• Proof of English proficiency
• Your education, training and qualification (principal applicant)
• References from your employers at your previous place of work
• Proof of good health via medical examination. This medical examination must be done by a physician licensed by the IRCC
• A Certificate of Clearance (police background check) from Nigeria or any other country where you lived for 6 months or more since you were 18 years old.

To be on the safer side, you need to prepare your supporting documents before receiving the ITA. This is because you only have a limited timeframe to submit your application.

Step 4: Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR)

Upon successful application, a COPR document will be sent to you. The COPR document will help you apply for your Canadian Permanent Resident (PR) card. This card will enable you to always prove your Canadian resident status whenever you’re travelling.

Benefits of the Canadian Experience Class Programme

There are some advantages in applying for Canada PR through the CEC. The three advantages are as follows:

• You won’t need to provide proof of settlement funds.
• Fewer documents are required.
• Applications are processed much faster and unique cases could take about 3 to 4 months to solve.
• You will have extra CRS points to your Express Entry Profile because you will have at least 1 year of work experience in Canada.

Express Entry System and Canadian Experience Class Programme

Students and highly skilled workers who want to move to Canada will benefit most from the immigration options offered under the Express Entry system.

The Express Entry Programme helps in choosing candidates set by the IRCC guidelines. Therefore you might be selected if you are endowed with the ability and skill to contribute to the Canadian economy.

You will receive an ITA directly from the Government of Canada if you have a higher score and rank in the Express Entry Canadian experience class draw. You must go through the standard procedure once you receive the ITA if you want to immigrate to Canada through the CEC.

NOC Codes for the Canadian Experience Class Programme

The National Occupational Classification (NOC) code is the number your job is listed under in the official job classification system of Canada. While using the NOC system, jobs are identified and categorised according to the training, education, experience, and responsibility (TEER) they need.

The Canadian NOC defines skilled work experience as being a job obtained in job categories of TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3.

In order to find your NOC code, it is advised to search the NOC matrix by keyword such as your job title or by your industry. Ensure that you perform the majority of the responsibilities listed under the NOC code and that the lead statement matches your job description.

Pay attention to the NOC exclusions as well. You cannot claim an occupation if it appears to fit a specific NOC code but also fits one of the NOC codes mentioned as an exclusion.

You must prove the NOC code you claim with recommendation letters from your previous employers. If your occupations appear to suit more than one NOC code, you must choose the one that best describes your experience.

Remember that the visa officer who reviews your application will be quite familiar with the NOC matrix. They may reject your application if they judge that your occupations fit another NOC code better.

How Can IAS Help?

The process of getting permanent residence in Canada can be confusing if you’re not familiar with the stages of the application process. Meeting the eligibility requirements of the CEC is not a guarantee that you will be given the ITA.

Therefore it’s essential you find a way to raise your score as high as possible. If you’re a Nigerian citizen and would like expert guidance in navigating this process, IAS immigration advisers are well versed in all Canadian immigration programmes.

We can help you prepare and submit a compelling CEC application that will increase your chances of securing the Canadian Permanent Resident status you’ve always wanted.

For more information regarding CEC – Canadian Experience Class for Nigerians, get in touch with one of our immigration advisers at IAS. Call us on  +2342013438882 or +44 (0) 3316300929 or contact us online.