Overview
CEC is one of the three federal programs managed through Express Entry. It is designed for people who gained qualifying skilled work experience in Canada and intend to live outside Québec.
Meeting the CEC minimum rules lets a candidate enter the Express Entry pool if the rest of the profile is eligible. It does not guarantee an invitation; candidates are ranked by CRS and may be selected in a general, program-specific or category-based round.
Work period
1 year / 1,560 hours
Recency
Within the last 3 years
Eligible work
NOC TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3
Settlement funds
Not required for CEC
Eligibility and core rules
- At least 1,560 hours of paid skilled work in Canada during the three years before applying.
- The work may be in more than one NOC but must be in TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3.
- The work must have been performed while authorized to work in Canada under temporary resident status.
- For remote work, the worker must have been physically in Canada and working for a Canadian employer.
- The evidence must support the NOC lead statement and most of its main duties.
- Minimum language in all four abilities: CLB/NCLC 7 for TEER 0 or 1 work; CLB/NCLC 5 for TEER 2 or 3 work.
- Plan to live outside Québec and remain admissible to Canada.
How this works
- 01
Confirm the NOC and hours
Check the duties, TEER, dates, authorization and physical location of the Canadian work.
Search NOCs and compare duties - 02
Complete an approved language test
The result must meet the minimum for the TEER of the qualifying experience and remain valid.
- 03
Create the Express Entry profile
Enter complete work, education, language and family information; IRCC determines apparent program eligibility.
- 04
Receive an invitation and prove the claim
After an ITA, submit the personalized document checklist within the deadline shown by IRCC.
Documents and evidence
- Detailed Canadian employer letters confirming positions, dates, hours, pay and duties
- Work permits and evidence of authorization and status
- T4 slips, Notices of Assessment, pay records or contracts where relevant
- Valid approved language-test results
- Passport, civil-status records and the other documents in the personalized checklist
Important distinctions and cautions
- Self-employment and work gained while a full-time student normally do not count toward the CEC minimum; IRCC has a limited temporary policy for certain physicians.
- A Canadian employer or Canadian payroll alone is not enough for remote work if the worker was physically outside Canada.
- CEC has no education minimum, but education can still increase the CRS score.
- Do not assume that one year of employment automatically equals 1,560 eligible hours; only qualifying paid skilled work counts.
Official government sources
Use the live IRCC pages below to confirm the rules before relying on them.
General information only, not legal advice. IRCC may change rules, occupation lists or invitation instructions. The live government source controls.