Canadian Experience Class (CEC) 2026: Eligibility, CRS Cutoffs and Timeline

The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) is the Express Entry program for people who already have at least one year of skilled, paid work experience in Canada. You need 1,560 hours in a TEER 0–3 job in the past three years, done while you were authorized to work. You also need CLB 7 (for TEER 0–1 jobs) or CLB 5 (for TEER 2–3 jobs). You do not need a job offer, proof of funds or any particular education. In 2026, CEC round cutoffs have ranged from 507 to 523.

Key points

• You need 1,560 hours (about one year at 30 hours a week) of paid TEER 0–3 work in Canada in the past 3 years (IRCC).
• Work done while studying full time, co-op terms and most self-employment do not count.
• IRCC held 17 CEC rounds and issued 55,250 invitations between January 1 and October 1, 2026, with cutoffs between 507 and 523.
• No proof of funds or job offer is needed. Education only affects your CRS ranking.
• Many post-graduation work permit (PGWP) holders use CEC. Plan your permit’s expiry date around your score.

CEC eligibility in detail

Requirement	Rule (as of October 2026)
Work experience	1,560 hours of paid work in Canada in the 3 years before you apply
Occupation level	TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 (NOC 2021)
Status while working	Authorized to work under temporary resident status
Language	CLB 7 for TEER 0–1; CLB 5 for TEER 2–3, in all four abilities
Education	Not required (but earns CRS points)
Job offer	Not required
Proof of funds	Not required
Where you will live	Anywhere in Canada except Quebec

Source: IRCC CEC eligibility page, dated September 24, 2026.

What work counts

• Paid work only. Wages or commission count. Volunteer work and unpaid internships do not.
• Full-time or part-time. 30 hours a week for 12 months equals one year, and so does 15 hours a week for 24 months. You can combine more than one job.
• In Canada, with authorization. The work must be done while you were legally allowed to work. Remote work counts only if you were physically in Canada working for a Canadian employer.
• Within the last 3 years before you apply.

What does not count

• Work while studying full time. This includes on-campus and off-campus work during your studies.
• Co-op work terms.
• Self-employment. The exception is some physicians providing publicly funded services under a temporary public policy.
• Unauthorized work, for example work that went beyond your permit’s conditions.

Choosing your NOC and TEER

Your experience is judged by your actual duties, not your job title. Match your duties to the NOC 2021 description and get reference letters that list duties, hours, dates and pay. If your job is TEER 2 or 3, the language minimum is lower (CLB 5). In practice, though, higher language scores are needed for a competitive CRS score.

How CEC draws work in 2026

IRCC has run program-specific CEC rounds about every two weeks in 2026, often the day after a PNP round. From the official rounds data:

CEC round	ITAs	CRS cutoff
Jan 7, 2026	8,000	511
Feb 17, 2026	6,000	508
Mar 17, 2026	4,000	507 (2026 low)
May 27, 2026	3,000	518
Jun 23, 2026	4,000	516
Aug 18, 2026	1,000	523 (2026 high)
Sep 15, 2026	2,000	519
Sep 29, 2026	2,000	518

Across all 17 CEC rounds in 2026 (to October 1), IRCC issued 55,250 invitations, compared with 35,850 in all of 2025, when cutoffs ranged from 515 to 547. The extra invitations have brought cutoffs down. Even so, the 2026 cutoffs are hard to reach for many recent graduates. In the worked example in our CRS explainer, a 27-year-old with a Canadian bachelor’s degree, CLB 9 and one year of Canadian work scores 462. That is 45 points short of the lowest 2026 CEC cutoff.

For the full picture, see Express Entry draws 2026.

How CEC candidates typically close the gap

These are the main levers in the official CRS grid. Which ones are realistic depends on your situation.

1. Language scores. Moving from CLB 8 to CLB 9 in all four abilities adds 32 core points for a single applicant. It can also raise your transferability points by 12 or more.
2. A second year of Canadian work. Canadian experience goes from 40 to 53 points (single). Education plus Canadian work transferability can also rise. Watch your permit expiry date.
3. French. NCLC 7 in all four abilities adds up to 50 bonus points and some second-language points. It also makes you eligible for French-category rounds (382–420 in 2026).
4. A provincial nomination. Many provinces have streams for workers already in the province. An enhanced nomination adds 600 points. See our PNP guide.
5. Category eligibility. If you have 12 months in a listed healthcare, trades, transport or other category occupation, you may be invited at a lower score.

Timeline: from eligibility to PR

Stage	What happens	Time frame
Reach 1,560 hours	Build qualifying experience	At least 12 months full time
Language test	Book and get results (valid for 2 years)	Varies by test centre
Create profile	Enter the pool; valid for 12 months	Same day
Invitation	Depends on your score and round pattern	Unpredictable
Submit PR application	Documents, fees, medical, police certificates	Within 60 days of the ITA
Processing	IRCC reviews eligibility and admissibility	See IRCC processing times

Keeping status while you wait

Your Express Entry profile does not give you status in Canada. If your work permit will expire before you are invited or before your PR application is decided, look into your options early. These may include extending your permit or applying for a bridging open work permit once your PR application qualifies. A licensed RCIC or lawyer can advise on your timeline.

Documents you will typically need after an invitation

Your personalized checklist in your IRCC account is what counts. Most CEC applicants should expect to provide:

• Reference letters from each Canadian employer, showing your job title, duties, hours per week, pay, and dates of employment
• Language test results less than two years old (CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training or PTE Core for English; TEF Canada or TCF Canada for French)
• Work permit history, to show you were authorized to work during the period you claim
• Police certificates from countries where you have lived, as your checklist requires
• An immigration medical exam with an IRCC panel physician
• A letter explaining that you are exempt from proof of funds because you are applying under CEC

If you claim points for foreign education, you will also need an Educational Credential Assessment. Canadian credentials do not need one.

CEC or FSW: which applies to you?

Many people in Canada qualify for both programs. Your CRS score is the same either way. The program named in your invitation decides which rules apply to your application. CEC does not require proof of funds or an education credential, and it does not count work experience from outside Canada toward eligibility. FSW requires proof of funds (unless you are authorized to work in Canada with a valid job offer) and a pass on the 67-point grid. IRCC’s who can apply page sets out each program’s rules.

Fees

As of October 2026, IRCC’s fee list shows $1,590 for the principal applicant (including the $600 right of permanent residence fee), $1,590 for a spouse or partner, $270 per dependent child, and $85 biometrics per person.

What to do next

1. Add up your qualifying hours and make sure none of them come from full-time study periods or co-op terms.
2. Confirm your NOC 2021 code and TEER level, and request detailed reference letters.
3. Book a language test, aiming above the minimum.
4. Estimate your CRS score and compare it with recent CEC cutoffs.
5. If you have a PGWP, check its expiry date against your plan. Our PGWP guide explains the rules.

For other pathways, visit the Canada hub.