What kind of work experience do I need to apply for permanent residence under the Canadian experience class?
If you’re a physician with Canadian work experience
We introduced a temporary public policy for foreign national physicians who
- were invited to apply for permanent residence through Express Entry on or after April 25, 2023, and submitted an application
- have work experience in providing publicly funded medical services in Canada (such as fee-for-service work)
- aren’t eligible for the Canadian experience class because they’re self-employed
We now count this work experience as Canadian work experience.
When you complete your profile, to make it possible for your work experience to count as Canadian work experience, do not check the “Self-employed work” checkbox under Work experience in Canada.
To apply for permanent residence under the Canadian experience class (CEC), your skilled work experience must
- be in a job classified as TEER category 0,1, 2 or 3 according to the 2021 National Occupational Classification
- amount to at least 1 year of full-time (or an equal amount in part-time) work in the previous 3 years
- be with an employer in Canada (self-employment does not count)
- be gained with the proper legal authorization (for example, as a documented worker with a valid work permit) and
- not be gained while you’re studying under a study permit
You’re not eligible for the CEC if
- you’re a refugee claimant in Canada
- you’re working without authorization (that is, you don’t have a valid work permit)
- you gained your work experience before you got temporary resident status in Canada
Note: Completing an Express Entry profile is the first step to immigrate to Canada permanently as a skilled worker. Completing an Express Entry profile does not guarantee that you will receive an Invitation to Apply for permanent residence. An Invitation to Apply for permanent residence will be based on your score and rank in the Express Entry pool using the Comprehensive Ranking System.
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