I was a student who subsequently worked in Canada for 20 months on a post-graduate work permit in a management position. I quit my job in September 2012, and moved to Shanghai, to take a position with an international company. I would now like to apply for permanent residence under the new Canadian Experience Class rules. I would like to know the deadline to apply, and whether I should return to Canada to find employment prior to making the application.
The current CEC rules require that applicants have a minimum of one-year work experience within the three years immediately preceding the application for permanent residence. This means that you must apply be September 2014 at the latest. Of course, it would be better for you to apply well in advance of the deadline in case there are any issues with your application. Furthermore, there is no requirement that you be in Canada or have a current Canadian employer when applying under CEC. You must simply meet the requirements of the class, including one-year work experience in a NOC A, B or 0 occupation and IELTS score to meet the requirements of the occupation. To determine whether there are any issues, and to ensure your documents meet the legal requirements, you should obtain specific legal advice from our immigration consultants.