Backgrounder

Minimum requirements for graduates with Canadian work experience

Graduates of a Canadian post-secondary educational institution with Canadian work experience must meet the following minimum requirements:

• successful completion of a program of study of at least two academic years*;
• one year of skilled, professional or technical work experience; and
• language abilities appropriate to occupational skill level.

* Note: an academic year means eight months of study.

Requirements are based on a pass or fail model. That is, if the minimum requirements are met, the applicant is eligible. There is no point system as with the federal Skilled Worker Program.

Education

The applicant must be a graduate of:

• a Canadian public post-secondary educational institution, such as an accredited college or a university; or
• a Canadian private institution authorized by provincial law to grant degrees.

The applicant must graduate from a program of study lasting at least two years—OR—in the case of a one-year master’s programs, previous education prior to admission into the one-year program must have been completed in Canada for a total of two years of Canadian post-secondary education.

Work experience

Applicants are required to accumulate at least one year of work experience at Skill Type 0 (managerial occupations) or Skill Level A (professional occupations) or B (technical occupations and skilled trades) on the Canadian National Occupational Classification (NOC).

For graduates to meet the requirement for work experience, they may apply for the Post-Graduation Work Permit after graduation. These work permits may be valid for up to three years with no restrictions on the location or the type of work they can do. To ensure that they are eligible to stay permanently under the Canadian Experience Class, at least one year of work experience under the three-year permit needs to be at Skill Type 0, or Skill Level A or B under the NOC. The work experience needs to be obtained within two years of the application.

Language abilities in English or French

Applicants with managerial or professional experience (Skill Type 0 or Skill Level A) must demonstrate they meet the requirements for Canadian Language Benchmark 7. If the work experience is classified at Skill Level B, applicants must demonstrate they meet the requirements for Canadian Language Benchmark 5.

Who does not qualify

Applicants do not meet the minimum requirements if:

• their work experience in Canada is not classified as 0, A or B under the NOC list; or
• their work experience is less than one year; or
• they have not demonstrated the required language skills, depending on their skill level; or
• their Canadian post-secondary program of study was shorter than two academic years; or
• in the case of a one-year master’s or certificate program, the sum of their Canadian education is less than two years.