Canadian Experience Class

The Canadian Experience Class immigration program is ideal for candidates looking to use their work experience in Canada, to settle in the country. The visa category is designed to help temporary workers and postgraduate study workers settle in the country through a legal route.

The program supports a transition from temporary residence to permanent residence. It takes into account the time and effort that skilled foreign workers have spent in the country to contribute to Canadian society.

The program is fairly popular. Tens of thousands of people in Canada apply every day to switch from another category into the Canadian experience class visa.

Eligibility Criteria for Canadian Experience Class

In order to be eligible for the Canadian experience class, applicants must fulfill the following conditions.

  1. Have at least 1 year of a full-time skilled worker, or federal skilled trade worker experience, or equivalent work experience in part-time work.
  2. The application must not be in the 6 exempt occupations.
  3. The work experience must have been acquired with proper authorization.
  4. The experience must not be more than 3 years in the past, at the time of application submission.
  5. Fulfill the minimum language requirements in English and/or French.
  6. Must have had a legal status while working or studying in Canada.

Type of Work Experience

The work experience needed to be eligible for this class of visa must have been acquired in skill type 0, Skill Level A (professional occupations) or Skill Level B (technical occupations and skilled trades). These skill levels are described in detail on the national occupation classification of Canada.

The Process of Application

  1. Applicants can apply to the program from within Canada or from abroad. The application can be submitted online or through the Canadian immigration office in the country of your current residence.
  2. A Canadian Immigration Visa Officer will review the application to make sure everything is in proper order.
  3. An applicant may be required to attend a personal interview before a decision can be made.
  4. An applicant will also need to go through a medical examination.
  5. There are registration fees that must be paid at the time of application submission.
  6. Once the application is approved, the immigration office will issue a permanent resident card.

There is a very high rate of applications to this program and the number of permanent resident cards allotted is fixed at 12,000 per year.

If you are already in Canada on a temporary or post-study work visa and have worked in the country for more than one year, you may be eligible for permanent residence through the Canadian experience class. Contact us via phone, email, or even on Facebook!

An experienced Canadian immigration expert can provide advice on how to improve your chances for permanent residence through this program.