Canadian Experience Class: Immigration Point-System for Foreign Pilots Revealed!

Canada has long been a favored destination for international students seeking high-quality flight training education and a multicultural environment. However, many of these flight students also wish to continue living and working in Canada, for the leading Canadian Airlines after completing their studies. To facilitate this transition and retain the talent pool developed through its educational institutions, Canada introduced the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) program. 

The Canadian Experience Class is one of the federal immigration programs administered by Immigration and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). It is designed to facilitate the transition of individuals who have already gained valuable work experience in Canada, including foreign students, into permanent residents. The CEC program is particularly attractive to international flight training program graduates because it recognizes their Canadian experience, which may include work experience gained during post-graduation work permits. Let’s dive into the qualification criteria and how the point-system actually works.

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Who would benefit from applying for the Canadian PR?

Graduates from the flight training program who are targeting airlines which require turbine (turbo-prop or jet) time for employment, such as Emirates, Qatar, Etihad, Fly Dubai, and so on, may benefit from gaining the valuable jet and turbo-prop flying experience by working in the regional airlines in Canada. Of course, to be eligible for employment with the Canadian airlines, a pilot needs to have a Canadian PR – a permanent residency permit. Such permit can be obtained by a foreign graduate of a flight training courses in Canada by taking advantage of the Canadian Experience Class program, after completion of the one or two years of the initial Post-Graduate Work Permit internship as a flight instructor or a charter pilot. 

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What are the minimum eligibility criteria?

The CEC program sets specific eligibility criteria for foreign students who want to stay in Canada after graduation. To qualify for the CEC program, candidates must meet the following requirements:

1. Work Experience: Applicants must have at least one year of full-time (or equivalent part-time) skilled work experience in Canada within the last three years before applying. This work experience can be gained through a post-graduation work permit or other eligible work permits.
2. Language Proficiency: Candidates must demonstrate adequate language skills in English or French. This typically involves taking a language test, such as IELTS for English or TEF for French, to prove proficiency.
3. Education: Applicants must have completed a program of study in Canada that lasted at least 12 months at a designated learning institution. This is a common requirement for international students, as most ab-initio (from zero) flight training programs meet this criterion. 
4. Intention to Live Outside Quebec: Quebec has its immigration program, so candidates applying under the CEC program must plan to settle in any Canadian province or territory outside Quebec. This isn’t normally an issue to international students from countries like, for example, India, since Quebec is a French-speaking province, not English. 
5. Admissibility: Applicants must be admissible to Canada concerning health, security, and other requirements.

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How many points are awarded for which skills?

As of the recent IRCC update, the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) program utilizes the Express Entry system for the selection of candidates and assigns Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points to assess their eligibility for permanent residency. The CRS points are based on various factors, including education, language proficiency, work experience, age, and other factors. Specifically, for CEC candidates, the following factors play a crucial role in determining their CRS score

1. Work Experience (Maximum 70 Points):
   • One year of Canadian work experience: 40 points
   • Two or more years of Canadian work experience: 70 points
   Points are awarded based on the number of years of full-time skilled work experience in Canada. The more work experience, the higher the CRS score.
2. Language Proficiency (Maximum 30 Points):
   • First Official Language (English or French):
     • High proficiency (CLB/NCLC 9 or higher): 30 points
     • Moderate proficiency (CLB/NCLC 7 or 8): 20 points
     • Basic proficiency (CLB/NCLC 6): 10 points
   • Second Official Language (English or French):
     • High proficiency (CLB/NCLC 5 or higher): 0 points (additional points are only awarded if proficiency is in both languages)
   The level of proficiency in English or French is determined by language test results (e.g., IELTS, CELPIP, or TEF).
3. Education (Maximum 25 Points):
   • Canadian post-secondary degree (or equivalent): 15 points
   • Two or more Canadian post-secondary degrees (or equivalent): 30 points
   Points are awarded based on the highest level of education completed in Canada. A post-secondary degree can be a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree.
4. Age (Maximum 12 Points):
   • Age at the time of application:
     • 18-35 years: 12 points
     • Each year over 35 deducts one point, with no points awarded after age 47.
5. Arranged Employment (Maximum 200 Points):
   • If an applicant has a valid job offer supported by a Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) or an LMIA-exempt offer in a skilled occupation, they can earn additional CRS points. The points awarded depend on the specific job offer.
6. Adaptability (Maximum 10 Points):
   • Spouse’s or partner’s language skills, education, and Canadian work experience may contribute to the adaptability points.
7. Canadian Study Experience (Maximum 15 Points):
   • Candidates with previous study experience in Canada may earn up to 15 additional CRS points.
8. Sibling in Canada (Maximum 15 Points):
   • Having a sibling in Canada who is a citizen or permanent resident can provide additional CRS points.

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How many points do I need to get in order to qualify for a PR?

The number of Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points required to receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residency (PR) in Canada through the Express Entry system, including the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) program, can vary with each Express Entry draw. The CRS score cutoff is not fixed and depends on several factors, including the number of candidates in the Express Entry pool and the specific priorities of the Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for each draw.

To have a high chance of receiving an ITA for PR through the CEC program, candidates typically need to aim for a CRS score that is in the 300s, but they can fluctuate +/-50, depending on the immigration program demand. Candidates with higher CRS scores have a better chance of receiving an ITA. To increase your chances, you can work on improving your CRS score by enhancing factors like language proficiency, education, and work experience.

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Does a degree play a big role in the application scoring?

No, not really. As you can see from the above list, only degrees earned in Canada have a minor impact on the immigration application, in a gist of just 15 points. 

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What criteria has the most impact?

Again, from the list above, the most impactful criteria is the presence of permanent employment: 200 points. The CEC-qualifying employment offer can be obtained from the the very employer who offered you your internship on the Post-Graduate Work Permit. Alternatively, you can obtain employment offer from a Canadian airline or a charter company after qualifying for the Airline Transport Pilot License and earning over 1500 hours. (More details on how to get a full TCCA ATPL with 1500+ hours are available here >>>)

Another important criteria is the work experience in Canada: 70 points for two years. Since our FPAP-C and FPAP-IND program come with up to 3 years of PGWP, this criteria can be easily met by the program graduates. 

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Can I get additional points for being a Pilot?

Yes. The Canadian National Occupational Classification (NOC) system may provide additional Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points for specific professions, including those under the NOC code 72600, which includes “Air pilots, flight engineers, and flying instructors.” Although CRS primarily assesses candidates based on factors such as age, education, language proficiency, work experience, and other factors like having a valid job offer, provincial nominations, or Canadian study experience, the NOC code itself may grant additional CRS points, providing the applicant is holding a job offer in a skilled occupation. So, having an aviation job offer supported by a Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) or qualifying under a specific Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) may lead to additional CRS points.

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Can you give an example?

Let’s say that you are a 25-year old graduate from India, who has just completed our FPAP-IND program. It took you 18 months of training and 24 months of internship to earn your full unrestricted ATPL and build over 1500 house of flight time. Because you have already spent over 3.5 years in Canada, your language proficiency is high. In addition, because you were an excellent intern, your aviation employer has extended you a permanent employment offer. You are adaptable, have a high school diploma, but you are working on your bachelors degree using an online university in Canada, while working/flying for a charter company. In total, you should be able to accrue 352 points, which will give you a high chance of PR application approval.  In addition, if, at the time of your application, the NOC code 72600 “Air pilots, flight engineers, and flying instructors” is supported by a Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) or qualifying under a specific Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) – you may receive additional CRS points.

So, as you can see, most graduates from our Full Professional Pilot Program for International Students in Canada (FPAP-C), Full Professional Pilot Program for Indian Students in Canada (FPAP-IND), and even Pathway to Canadian ATP for ICAO CPL Holders in Canada (PA-ATP-C) have a high chance of qualifying for the Canadian PR if they do everything correctly.

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