Immigration Guide

Canadian Experience Class 2026: requirements, what work counts, draws and fees

By Alex Francisco Updated Oct 8, 2026 Figures checked Oct 8, 2026 7 min read

What is the Canadian Experience Class and what are its requirements?

The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) is an Express Entry program for skilled workers with at least 1 year (1,560 hours) of paid work in Canada in TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 jobs in the 3 years before applying. It requires CLB 7 or CLB 5 depending on the job, no settlement funds, and $1,590 per adult in IRCC fees.

The Canadian Experience Class needs at least 1 year of skilled work in Canada, or 1,560 hours in total, gained in the 3 years before applying.
The job must be in NOC TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3, be paid, and be done while authorized to work under temporary resident status.
Work done while studying full-time (co-op terms included), self-employment, volunteer work and unpaid internships do not count, as IRCC states.
The language minimum is CLB or NCLC 7 in all 4 abilities for TEER 0 or 1 jobs, and CLB or NCLC 5 for TEER 2 or 3 jobs.
There is no education requirement and no settlement funds requirement, but IRCC's system still asks for a letter explaining the funds exemption.
Meeting the requirements only places a candidate in the Express Entry pool; an invitation depends on the CRS score, and the IRCC fee is $1,590 per adult.

— YieldMaple, figures checked against official sources on October 8, 2026. Sources

The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) is one of the three immigration programs managed through Express Entry. IRCC describes it as the program for skilled workers who have Canadian work experience and want to become permanent residents; that experience has to be gained while authorized to work under temporary resident status. Every rule and fee below comes from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) pages checked on October 8, 2026. This page explains the rules; it is not immigration advice, and only IRCC decides an application. For a complicated work history, a licensed immigration consultant or lawyer can review the file.

What are the Canadian Experience Class requirements?

The core of the program is Canadian skilled work experience. IRCC says the work experience must meet all of the conditions in this table.

Canadian Experience Class work experience requirements

How to read this table: every row has to be met by the same work experience. A job that is skilled but unpaid, or paid but not authorized, does not count.

Requirement	What IRCC requires
Skill level of the job	National Occupational Classification (NOC) TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3. The experience can be in more than 1 job or NOC.
Where and how it was gained	By working in Canada (including the province of Quebec) while authorized to work under temporary resident status.
Remote work	The worker must have been physically in Canada and working for a Canadian employer.
Duties performed	The actions in the lead statement of the NOC job description and most of the main duties listed.
Pay	Paid work: wages or commission. Volunteer work and unpaid internships don't count.
Amount and timing	At least 1 year of work or 1,560 hours total (30 hours per week) in the 3 years before applying.

Source: Express Entry: Canadian Experience Class - Canada.ca (TEER categories); Express Entry: Canadian Experience Class - Canada.ca (work in Canada under temporary resident status); Express Entry: Canadian Experience Class - Canada.ca (amount of work); Express Entry: Canadian Experience Class - Canada.ca (work experience that can't be counted); Express Entry: Canadian Experience Class - Canada.ca (counting part-time hours); Express Entry: Canadian Experience Class - Canada.ca (education); Express Entry: Canadian Experience Class - Canada.ca (living outside Quebec); Express Entry: Proof of funds - Canada.ca (who doesn't need proof of funds); Express Entry: Proof of funds - Canada.ca (letter in place of proof of funds); Express Entry: Rounds of invitations - Canada.ca (types of rounds); Express Entry: Category-based selection - Canada.ca (who can be invited, 60 days to apply); Express Entry: Category-based selection - Canada.ca (current categories); Express Entry: Rounds of invitations - Canada.ca (provincial nominees in general rounds); Citizenship and immigration application fees: Fee list - IRCC (economic immigration); Citizenship and immigration application fees: Fee list - IRCC (dependent child, right of permanent residence fee). In effect from September 24, 2026; checked October 8, 2026.

Work experience is only one part. The remaining conditions are shorter, and two of them are things the program does not ask for.

Other Canadian Experience Class requirements

How to read this table: education and settlement funds are listed because they are required by other Express Entry programs, not by the Canadian Experience Class.

Requirement	Rule
Language	Approved English or French test with the minimum score in all 4 abilities: writing, reading, listening and speaking. The level depends on the job's TEER category.
Education	No education requirement. Canadian credentials, or foreign credentials with an educational credential assessment, can add ranking points.
Settlement funds	Not required for Canadian Experience Class applicants. IRCC's system still asks for a proof of funds document, so a letter explaining the exemption is uploaded instead.
Admissibility	The applicant must be admissible to Canada. IRCC gives security, criminal or medical reasons as examples of why a person may not be admitted.
Where to live	The applicant must plan to live outside the province of Quebec. A provincial nominee must settle in the nominating province or territory.

Meeting every requirement makes a person eligible to enter the Express Entry pool. It does not produce an invitation by itself; that depends on the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score, covered further down.

Which jobs count as skilled work experience?

IRCC sorts jobs with the National Occupational Classification (NOC), and each occupation has a TEER category (training, education, experience and responsibilities). The Canadian Experience Class accepts TEER 0, 1, 2 and 3. The experience can be spread over more than one job or NOC code.

Two checks apply to each job in the work history:

Pick the NOC that most closely matches the work. IRCC says this avoids processing delays and makes sure the file is assessed against the correct program.
Match the duties, not the title. The person must have performed the actions in the lead statement of the NOC job description and most of the main duties listed.

The TEER category also sets the language level, so the choice of NOC affects more than one requirement.

How are the 1,560 hours counted?

The requirement is at least 1 year of work or 1,560 hours in total, in the 3 years before applying. IRCC gives three ways to reach it.

How IRCC counts 1 year of Canadian work experience

How to read this table: IRCC's full-time examples say 'up to 30 hours a week', and it says a person can work as many part-time jobs as needed to reach the total.

Work pattern	IRCC's example	Counts as
Full-time at 1 job	Up to 30 hours a week for 12 months	1 year full-time (1,560 hours)
Equal amount in part-time work	15 hours a week for 24 months	1 year full-time (1,560 hours)
Full-time at more than 1 job	Up to 30 hours a week combined across the jobs, for 12 months	1 year full-time (1,560 hours)

A hypothetical part-time case shows the arithmetic: a worker with a steady 20 hours a week in a skilled job reaches the total after 78 weeks, which is about a year and a half. IRCC’s full-time examples are worded as “up to 30 hours a week for 12 months”, so its page does not show hours above 30 in a week shortening the 12 months.

The 3-year window is measured back from the application. Skilled work in Canada that is older than that falls outside the window for this requirement.

What work experience does not count for the Canadian Experience Class?

IRCC lists four kinds of work that cannot be counted, even when the job itself is skilled.

Work experience IRCC does not count for the Canadian Experience Class

How to read this table: these exclusions apply even when the job itself is in TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3.

Type of work	IRCC's rule
Work done while studying full-time	Not counted. Co-op work terms also don't count.
Self-employment	Not counted. Under a temporary public policy, some physicians providing publicly funded medical services in Canada can count self-employed time.
Volunteer work or an unpaid internship	Not counted. The work must be paid by wages or commission.
Work done without legal authorization to work in Canada	Not counted.

Work as a full-time student. This rule matters most to international graduates. Part-time work during a degree or diploma, and co-op terms that were part of the program, do not count, even when the job was skilled. For most graduates the countable work therefore starts after the study program ends, which is where the post-graduation work permit (PGWP) comes in: it gives eligible graduates an open work permit on which skilled, paid work can meet the conditions above.

Self-employment. IRCC’s page does not define the term further, so whether a contract or freelance arrangement is self-employment depends on the facts of that work. IRCC’s only stated exception is a temporary public policy for some foreign national physicians who provide publicly funded medical services in Canada, such as fee-for-service work.

Remote work. Remote work is not excluded outright, but IRCC adds a condition: the person must have been physically in Canada and working for a Canadian employer.

What language score does the Canadian Experience Class need?

An approved English or French test is required, and the minimum must be met in all 4 abilities. The level depends on the TEER category of the qualifying job. The table shows the minimums for all three Express Entry programs; the two Canadian Experience Class rows are the ones that apply here.

Express Entry minimum language levels by program

How to read this table: English levels are Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB); French levels are Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC). One ability below the minimum makes the profile ineligible for that program.

Program	Abilities	English	French
Federal Skilled Worker Program	All 4 (speaking, listening, reading, writing)	CLB 7	NCLC 7
Canadian Experience Class, job in NOC TEER 0 or 1	All 4	CLB 7	NCLC 7
Canadian Experience Class, job in NOC TEER 2 or 3	All 4	CLB 5	NCLC 5
Federal Skilled Trades Program	Speaking and listening	CLB 5	NCLC 5
Federal Skilled Trades Program	Reading and writing	CLB 4	NCLC 4

Source: Express Entry: Language test results - Canada.ca (Canadian Experience Class minimums); Express Entry: Language test results - Canada.ca (Federal Skilled Worker minimum); Express Entry: Language test results - Canada.ca (Federal Skilled Trades minimums); Express Entry: Language test results - Canada.ca (how long results are valid); Express Entry: Language test results - Canada.ca (expired results); Six selection factors - Federal Skilled Worker Program - Canada.ca (language points); Six selection factors - Federal Skilled Worker Program - Canada.ca (second language and pass mark); Six selection factors - Federal Skilled Worker Program - Canada.ca (spouse language, adaptability); Canadian Experience Class - Canada.ca (language in all 4 abilities). In effect from June 22, 2026; checked September 30, 2026.

Test results must be less than 2 years old both when the Express Entry profile is completed and when the permanent residence application is submitted. IRCC says it refuses applications sent with expired results.

To turn a test report into CLB levels, the IELTS to CLB conversion chart covers each approved test. The minimum only makes a profile eligible: higher levels add CRS points, which is what decides an invitation.

Do Canadian Experience Class applicants need settlement funds?

No. IRCC’s proof of funds page lists two groups who do not need to show settlement money: people applying under the Canadian Experience Class, and people who are authorized to work in Canada and have a valid job offer.

Two practical points come from the same IRCC page:

A letter is still needed. The system currently asks all applicants for a proof of funds document. An exempt applicant uploads a letter explaining that the invitation was issued under the Canadian Experience Class.
The program is decided at the invitation. IRCC notes that the system may find a candidate eligible for more than one program, and that candidates do not always know ahead of time which program the invitation will be issued under. A candidate who also qualifies for the Federal Skilled Worker Program and is invited under it faces that program’s funds rule, which starts at $15,263 for a single person. IRCC tells candidates to keep the funds figure in the profile up to date for that reason.

How does the Canadian Experience Class fit into Express Entry?

The Canadian Experience Class has no separate application stream. Eligible candidates create an Express Entry profile, are placed in the pool, and get a CRS score. IRCC then holds rounds of invitations, and there are three types.

Express Entry round types and what they mean for Canadian Experience Class candidates

How to read this table: in every round type, IRCC invites the highest-ranked eligible candidates first, so the CRS score still decides who is invited.

Round type	Who IRCC invites	For a Canadian Experience Class candidate
General	Top-ranking candidates in the pool who are eligible for 1 of the 3 programs managed through Express Entry.	Canadian Experience Class candidates are ranked against Federal Skilled Worker and Federal Skilled Trades candidates, and against candidates with a provincial nomination.
Program-specific	Top-ranking candidates who are eligible for a specific Express Entry program.	A round labelled Canadian Experience Class invites only candidates eligible for that program.
Category-based	Top-ranking candidates who are eligible for a category the Minister established, and for 1 of the 3 programs.	A Canadian Experience Class candidate can be invited if the category's own criteria and all requirements in that round's instructions are also met.

After an invitation, the candidate has 60 days to submit the permanent residence application. The CRS calculator estimates a score from age, education, language levels and work experience, and shows how an extra year of Canadian work or a higher language level changes it.

Recent Canadian Experience Class draws

The rows labelled “Canadian Experience Class” below are program-specific rounds. In the 30 rounds from May 28 to October 1, 2026, there were 8 of them, with cut-offs from 516 to 523 and between 1,000 and 4,000 invitations each.

Recent Express Entry rounds, including Canadian Experience Class draws

How to read this table: newest round first. The lowest score invited is the cut-off for that round only. Provincial Nominee Program cut-offs include nomination points, and category rounds invite only candidates who meet that category's criteria.

Round	Round type	Invitations	Lowest CRS score invited
447	Trades Occupations, 2026-Version 3	3,500	476
446	Canadian Experience Class	2,000	518
445	Provincial Nominee Program	733	725
444	Senior managers with Canadian Work Experience, 2026-Version 1	250	389
443	Canadian Experience Class	2,000	519
442	Provincial Nominee Program	576	734
441	Healthcare and Social Services Occupations, 2026-Version 3	3,500	475
440	Physicians with Canadian Work Experience, 2026-Version 1	229	198
439	Canadian Experience Class	2,000	521
438	Provincial Nominee Program	562	697
437	French-Language proficiency 2026-Version 2	5,000	382
436	Canadian Experience Class	1,000	523
435	Provincial Nominee Program	442	760
434	Transport Occupations, 2026-Version 2	300	470
433	French-Language proficiency 2026-Version 2	5,000	391
432	Canadian Experience Class	3,000	516
431	Provincial Nominee Program	507	768
430	Skilled Military Recruits, 2026-Version 1	4	368
429	French-Language proficiency 2026-Version 2	5,000	399
428	Canadian Experience Class	2,000	516
427	Provincial Nominee Program	511	744
426	Senior managers with Canadian Work Experience, 2026-Version 1	500	392
425	French-Language proficiency 2026-Version 2	5,000	420
424	Canadian Experience Class	2,000	517
423	Provincial Nominee Program	534	708
422	Healthcare and Social Services Occupations, 2026-Version 3	4,000	475
421	Physicians with Canadian Work Experience, 2026-Version 1	271	223
420	Canadian Experience Class	4,000	516
419	Provincial Nominee Program	955	730
418	French-Language proficiency 2026-Version 2	4,500	409

Source: IRCC Express Entry rounds of invitations data file (ee_rounds_123_en.json) - Canada.ca; Express Entry: Rounds of invitations - Canada.ca. In effect from October 1, 2026; checked October 11, 2026.

The Express Entry draws page tracks new rounds as IRCC announces them.

Category-based draws for people with Canadian work experience

Category-based rounds can invite candidates at lower scores than program rounds, as the table above shows. A Canadian Experience Class candidate is eligible for one when the category’s own criteria are also met. Three of IRCC’s current categories require the qualifying experience to be in Canada.

Express Entry categories that require Canadian work experience

How to read this table: each category has its own list of NOC occupations on IRCC's category-based selection page, and each round has its own instructions.

Category	Experience IRCC requires
Physicians with Canadian work experience	At least 12 months of full-time work (or an equal amount of part-time work) within the past 3 years, in a single listed occupation, in Canada. The experience does not need to be continuous.
Senior managers with Canadian work experience	At least 12 months of full-time work (or an equal amount of part-time work) within the past 3 years, in a single listed occupation, in Canada. The experience does not need to be continuous.
Researchers with Canadian work experience	At least 12 months of full-time work (or an equal amount of part-time work) within the past 3 years, in a single listed occupation, in Canada. The experience does not need to be continuous.

IRCC says category rounds supplement other round types, and that it may not hold one when enough top-ranking candidates in a category are already being invited through general or program-specific rounds.

How much does a Canadian Experience Class application cost?

IRCC charges the same fees for every economic immigration program in Express Entry, and its fee list names the Canadian experience class among them. These fees have applied since April 30, 2026.

IRCC fees for a Canadian Experience Class application

How to read this table: the two 'total' rows already include the right of permanent residence fee. Add one total per adult and one child fee per dependent child.

Fee	Amount (CAD)	Details
Principal applicant: processing fee	$990	Listed as "Your application (without right of permanent residence fee)".
Right of permanent residence fee	$600	Paid by the principal applicant and by an accompanying spouse or partner; not charged for dependent children.
Principal applicant: total	$1,590	The processing fee plus the right of permanent residence fee, not an extra charge.
Spouse or common-law partner: total	$1,590	Processing fee of $990 plus the right of permanent residence fee of $600.
Dependent child	$270	Per child.

A hypothetical family of two adults and one dependent child would pay IRCC $3,450. A single applicant pays $1,590.

IRCC’s fee list says the right of permanent residence fee is paid before a person can become a permanent resident, and that paying it together with the application fees avoids delays. The same list has a separate biometrics fee of $85 per person, or $170 for a family applying together; whether it is charged depends on IRCC’s biometrics rules for the applicant. Language tests, medical exams and police certificates are paid to those providers, not to IRCC. The Canada PR fees guide compares these costs across programs.

What are the common Canadian Experience Class mistakes?

Counting student work. Part-time jobs and co-op terms held as a full-time student are excluded.
Counting self-employed work. Self-employed time is excluded, apart from the physician exception.
Choosing a NOC by job title. IRCC compares the lead statement and main duties with the work actually done.
Relying on the wrong language level. A TEER 0 or 1 job needs the higher minimum in all 4 abilities.
Letting the 3-year window slide. Experience ages out of the window if the profile is created late.
Letting test results expire. Results must be valid at profile creation and again at application.
Skipping the funds letter. The exemption still needs a letter uploaded in place of the proof of funds document.
Planning to live in Quebec. The program requires a plan to live outside Quebec, even when the work was done there.

What comes after meeting the requirements?

The CRS score. The CRS calculator estimates a score that can be compared with the recent cut-offs above.
Work status while waiting. A work permit can expire before permanent residence is decided. The bridging open work permit is the permit IRCC offers some applicants who have already submitted a permanent residence application.
Provincial routes. A provincial nomination adds CRS points and opens the Provincial Nominee Program rounds. The OINP draws tracker follows Ontario’s streams.
The whole system. The Express Entry guide covers the profile, the pool and the application stages in order.

Frequently asked questions

What are the Canadian Experience Class requirements?

IRCC lists these requirements: at least 1 year of paid, skilled work in Canada (1,560 hours in total) in the 3 years before applying, in a NOC TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 job, done while authorized to work under temporary resident status; an approved language test at CLB or NCLC 7 for TEER 0 or 1 jobs, or CLB or NCLC 5 for TEER 2 or 3 jobs; admissibility to Canada; and a plan to live outside Quebec. There is no education requirement.

How many hours of work does the Canadian Experience Class need?

The requirement is at least 1 year of work or 1,560 hours in total, which IRCC describes as 30 hours per week, gained in the 3 years before applying. The hours can come from one full-time job, from part-time work over a longer period (IRCC's example is 15 hours a week for 24 months), or from more than one job at the same time. IRCC's counting examples use up to 30 hours a week.

Does work during studies count for the Canadian Experience Class?

No. IRCC's Canadian Experience Class page says work experience cannot be counted if the person was studying full-time while working, and it adds that co-op work terms also don't count. Work done after graduation, for example on a post-graduation work permit, is not covered by that exclusion, as long as it meets the other rules: skilled, paid, and authorized.

Does self-employment count for the Canadian Experience Class?

No. IRCC lists self-employment under work experience that cannot be counted. The one exception on its page is a temporary public policy for some foreign national physicians: self-employed time providing publicly funded medical services in Canada, such as fee-for-service work, can be counted. Those physicians are told not to tick the self-employed work checkbox in the Express Entry profile.

Do Canadian Experience Class applicants need proof of settlement funds?

No. IRCC's proof of funds page says a person applying under the Canadian Experience Class does not need to show enough money to support themselves and their family. The online system still asks every applicant for a proof of funds document, so an exempt applicant uploads a letter explaining that the invitation was issued under the Canadian Experience Class.

What CLB score is needed for the Canadian Experience Class?

It depends on the job. Work in NOC TEER 0 or 1 needs CLB 7 in English or NCLC 7 in French, and work in TEER 2 or 3 needs CLB 5 or NCLC 5. The minimum must be met in all 4 abilities: writing, reading, listening and speaking. Test results must be less than 2 years old when the Express Entry profile is completed and when the permanent residence application is submitted.

Is there an education requirement for the Canadian Experience Class?

No. IRCC states that there is no education requirement for the Canadian Experience Class. Education still matters for ranking in the pool: a certificate, diploma or degree from a Canadian high school or post-secondary institution earns points, and so does a completed foreign credential that comes with an educational credential assessment report for immigration purposes.

How much does a Canadian Experience Class application cost?

IRCC's fee list shows $1,590 for the principal applicant, which is the $990 processing fee plus the $600 right of permanent residence fee. Including a spouse or common-law partner costs another $1,590, and each dependent child costs $270. Language tests, medical exams and police certificates are paid separately to the providers.

What CRS score is needed for a Canadian Experience Class draw?

There is no fixed score. Each round invites the highest-ranked candidates, so the cut-off moves with the pool and the number of invitations. The Canadian Experience Class rounds recorded from May 28 to October 1, 2026 are in the table of recent rounds on this page, with the lowest score invited in each one. A past cut-off does not predict the next one.

Can work experience in Quebec count for the Canadian Experience Class?

Yes. IRCC says work experience gained while living in Quebec can be counted. The applicant must still plan to live outside the province of Quebec, and must include proof of not planning to settle there with the application. IRCC reviews that proof. People who plan to live in Quebec apply through Quebec's own skilled worker selection instead.

Does remote work count for the Canadian Experience Class?

Only in one situation. IRCC says that a person who worked remotely must have been physically in Canada and working for a Canadian employer. Remote work for an employer outside Canada, or remote work done from outside Canada, does not meet that condition as IRCC words it. The other rules still apply: the job must be skilled, paid and authorized.

How long does a person have to apply after a Canadian Experience Class invitation?

IRCC gives 60 days from the invitation to apply to submit the application for permanent residence. IRCC says the decision is then based on program eligibility, the accuracy of the information in the profile, category eligibility where it applies, and admissibility to Canada. Language test results must still be less than 2 years old on the day the application is submitted, or IRCC refuses the application.

Part of our Express Entry guide: programs, requirements, CRS, profile, draws and fees.

Rules, rates and sources

Last verified: September 30, 2026
Next scheduled check: November 10, 2026

Rule or table	In effect from	Verified
Canadian Experience Class eligibility rules, round types and fees	September 24, 2026	October 8, 2026
Express Entry minimum language levels by program and FSW language points	June 22, 2026	September 30, 2026
IRCC application fees	April 30, 2026	October 8, 2026
Recent Express Entry rounds of invitations	October 1, 2026	October 11, 2026
Proof of settlement funds (Express Entry: FSW/FST)	July 7, 2025	October 11, 2026

Official sources

Express Entry: Canadian Experience Class - Canada.ca (TEER categories) — Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
Express Entry: Proof of funds - Canada.ca (who doesn't need proof of funds) — Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
Express Entry: Rounds of invitations - Canada.ca (types of rounds) — Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
Express Entry: Category-based selection - Canada.ca (who can be invited, 60 days to apply) — Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
Citizenship and immigration application fees: Fee list - IRCC (economic immigration) — Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
Express Entry: Language test results - Canada.ca (Canadian Experience Class minimums) — Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
Six selection factors - Federal Skilled Worker Program - Canada.ca (language points) — Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
Citizenship and immigration application fees: Fee changes - IRCC — Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
IRCC Express Entry rounds of invitations data file (ee_rounds_123_en.json) - Canada.ca — Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada

How we check figures: our methodology and editorial policy.

General information for education, not financial, tax, legal or immigration advice. Rules change — confirm anything you act on with the official source or a licensed professional (for immigration, a lawyer or a licensed consultant registered with the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants).