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Learn all about Express Entry and how it may help you immigrate to Canada.
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Individuals and families around the world can immigrate to Canada within just a few months through the Express Entry immigration selection system. First introduced in 2015, Express Entry has become the main driver of skilled worker immigration to Canada and one of the most popular immigration systems globally.
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Express Entry is an application management system used by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to manage and process permanent residency applications received through three of Canada’s federal economic immigration programs for skilled workers, including the Federal Skilled Worker program, the Canadian Experience Class and the Federal Skilled Trade program.
As one of the main drivers of economic-immigration to Canada, it is a competitive immigration system, ranking all eligible candidates against one another and then inviting the best ranking candidates to apply for Canadian permanent resident status. Candidates are ranked against one another based on their age, education, language proficiency, work experience, and other factors.
Under Express Entry, individuals and families wishing to settle in Canada can become new permanent residents within just a few months.
Potential Express Entry applicants need to be eligible under one of the following federal economic immigration programs.
A portion of the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) are aligned with the Express Entry program, but candidates still must be eligible under one of the three federal programs in order to enter the pool of candidates.
Though the eligibility requirements differ for each of the aligned- Express Entry program, all candidates are required to have at least one-year of skilled work experience, as well as a certain level of proficiency on an approved language test in either English or French. Also, Canada screens all Express Entry applicants for criminal history and medical issues that could make a person inadmissible.
Potential Express Entry applicants under one of the three federal economic immigration programs. The easiest way to determine your eligibility is to complete our free Moving2Canada immigration eligibility assessment.
Eligible individuals must submit a profile to the pool of candidates. The Express Entry profile acts as an Expression of Interest (EOI). Eligible candidates will automatically receive a score based on their profile and will be ranked against the other candidates in the pool.
The ranking score for Express Entry is based on the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) and is out of 1,200 points. Candidates can improve their rank by taking steps to improve their CRS score. The higher a candidate’s CRS score, the higher the likelihood they will receive an Express Entry Invitation to Apply (ITA),
The CRS score is used as a cut-off point in Express Entry draws. It is designed to project an Express Entry applicant’s likelihood of being economically successful in Canada. It ranks different candidates based on their career and educational history, language skills, among other factors.
Up until Spring 2025, candidates can receive additional points if they have a valid job offer from a Canadian employer. Candidates can also get 600 additional points if they’ve received a provincial nomination.
The Moving2Canada Express Entry CRS Calculator allows you to check your Express Entry eligibility and potential CRS points total at the same time, without you handing over personal contact information. No other CRS Calculator lets you do all of this.
Before creating your Express Entry profile, take a moment to find out which program you may be eligible for and how competitive your profile may be.
Calculate your CRS score here.
Express Entry candidates may register with the Canada Job Bank, a free public resource used to help Canadian employers identify and select workers possessing the skills they require. This step used to be mandatory, but became voluntary as of June 2017.
Candidates in the Express Entry pool who have not yet been selected are able to improve their profile and score. They can do this by submitting new and updated information. Examples include: increased language proficiency scores, educational credentials assessments, adding additional foreign work experience or Canadian work experience, and obtaining a provincial nomination. See our tips for improving your CRS score.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducts Express Entry draws at regular intervals (usually every two weeks). In these draws, Express Entry candidates above a certain rank are invited to apply for Canadian permanent residence. If a candidate is not invited, their profile will expire after 12 months, at which point they may submit a new profile.
If you receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA), you will be given 60 days to submit a complete application for permanent residence. In this application you will have to provide extensive personal information along with supporting documentation. The entire application is submitted electronically.
After you’ve submitted your application, you have to wait for a final decision to be issued. 80 percent of Express Entry applications are processed in six months or less. If your application is approved, then you will receive authorization to activate your permanent resident status in Canada to become a Canada PR (permanent resident).
If you receive an Invitation to Apply, you may submit an official application for permanent residence. This application is completed and submitted entirely online. Here are a few things to keep in mind about the final permanent residence application:
All FSW and FST applicants must demonstrate that they have enough money to support themselves and their family members during their settlement into Canada. Applicants with a valid job offer in Canada, as well as CEC applicants are exempt from this requirement.
The figures below are in place as of June 3, 2024.
A big misconception held by many in Canada who are working on LMIA-exempt work permits, such as the IEC Working Holiday Visas, is that the “job offer” that they have from their current employer is equal to what IRCC considers a valid job offer for Express Entry.
Note- As of Spring 2025, CRS points will no longer be awarded for valid job offers. Valid job offers are still important in the context of the Federal Skilled Worker Program eligibility.
Did you fudge a few months of work experience on your profile without knowing the real consequences? Well, you’re in for a big surprise . . .
The majority of the important data that you enter into your Express Entry profile carries over automatically into your electronic Permanent Residence (PR) application. Any changes you make at this stage could jeopardize your application.
Consequently, it is important to be conscious about everything that you enter in the first time around. You will be asked to provide documentation to support the claims you’ve made.
Lying on an immigration application is a serious crime and can result in a five-year ban from Canada.
Even though the educational credential assessment is not a requirement for FST and CEC, you should still get it done. Once the ECA is completed and added to an Express Entry profile, scores typically increase drastically. Therefore, if you’re a FST or CEC applicant with a post-secondary credential, begin the ECA process as soon as possible.
Even if you only need to show a Canadian language benchmark (CLB) level 7 for your language proficiency, you should aim to score as high as you can to increase your CRS score. Scoring CLB level 9 rather than CLB level 7 can drastically increase your CRS score.
It does not cost anything to submit an Express Entry profile to the Express Entry pool however, you may incur costs associated with gathering the necessary documents. You can learn more about this on our dedicated Express Entry profile page.
If you are invited to apply for permanent residence, you will need to pay the government processing fee and right of permanent residence fee with your application.
This question is best answered in two parts: before entering the Express Entry pool, and once in the pool.
There are three Canadian immigration programs through which you may become a candidate in the Express Entry pool: the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSW), the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FST), and the Canadian Experience Class (CEC). All 3 programs target skilled workers with either foreign work or Canadian work experience.
The Federal Skilled Trades Program program is for qualified tradespersons with recent experience in a listed occupation, and Canadian Experience Class is for people with recent skilled Canadian work experience. Neither the Federal Skilled Trade program nor the Canadian Experience Class require candidates to satisfy a points requirement to be eligible to submit a profile.
The FSW program, on the other hand, is open to people around the world who satisfy a minimum points requirement for eligibility. Note: this is a completely separate points system from the CRS score. Under the FSW points-grid, you need to be awarded at least 67 points out of 100 in order to enter the pool. You can view the FSW points grid and factors here.
In the Express Entry pool, candidates — regardless of which program they are eligible under — receive a CRS score. This score determines where an individual candidate ranks. When IRCC conducts an Express Entry draw, this score is the main determining factor to decide which candidates are invited to apply for permanent residence.
Do take note that the CRS cut-off thresholds are not pre-determined, and that the threshold is subject to change for different Express Entry draws. Ultimately, there is no strict or written number of points you need to immigrate to Canada through Express Entry, but previous draws give an indication of which candidates have the best chances of being invited to apply, based on CRS score.
Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) also holds category-based draws that invite candidates based on factors like language ability and work experience. These draws tend to have lower CRS requirements because less candidates in the pools are competing for invitations.
To be eligible for category-based selection, you must meet the requirements of the category. For example, in order to be invited for a French draw you need at least a language score of 7 in all four language abilities. To be invited in a STEM-specific draw, you need at least six months of work experience in an eligible occupation within the three years preceding the date that IRCC receives your application.
Keep in mind, IRCC may change the Express Entry categories depending on Canada’s economic goals for immigration.
Canada’s Express Entry system is designed to provide fast permanent residence to Canada. For eligible Express Entry candidates who receive an invitation to apply (ITA) soon after entering the pool, and who then quickly submit a complete Canadian permanent residency immigration application, the entire process may take six months, or even less. However, the following variables may extend this timeline of you becoming a permanent resident and should be taken into account:
We have designed the Express Entry Roadmap: a free service designed to inform you about the Express Entry application and process so that you can be empowered to make the best decisions when it comes to your immigration. Sign up for the Express Entry Roadmap here.
Find some advice about applying for Express Entry in Canada in the video below:
@explorecanadawithme AD | LINK IN BIO to moving2canada.com @Moving2CanadaTok – an AMAZING website with SO many resources to help you on your immigration journey to Canada. Whether you’re at the beginning of the process, middle, or end, they have something that everyone trying to immigrate to Canada can benefit from. I often get asked how to find work in Canada and Moving2Canada even provide you with job opportunities in your field of work 😍 You can make a FREE account to receive these job oppprtunities as well as an immigration checklist ✅ Good luck with your immigrating to Canada journey 🇨🇦 . . . #move2canada #moving2canada #expressentry #expressentrycanada #movetocanada #britincanada #immigrationcanada #expressentrytips #canada_life🇨🇦 #canadatiktok #vancouvertiktok ♬ original sound – Lauren | BritinCanada
AD | LINK IN BIO to moving2canada.com @Moving2CanadaTok – an AMAZING website with SO many resources to help you on your immigration journey to Canada. Whether you’re at the beginning of the process, middle, or end, they have something that everyone trying to immigrate to Canada can benefit from. I often get asked how to find work in Canada and Moving2Canada even provide you with job opportunities in your field of work 😍 You can make a FREE account to receive these job oppprtunities as well as an immigration checklist ✅ Good luck with your immigrating to Canada journey 🇨🇦 . . . #move2canada #moving2canada #expressentry #expressentrycanada #movetocanada #britincanada #immigrationcanada #expressentrytips #canada_life🇨🇦 #canadatiktok #vancouvertiktok
♬ original sound – Lauren | BritinCanada
Note: these tips reflect the experience of the speaker (Lauren @explorecanadawithme) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Moving2Canada. Please always conduct your own research before submitting an application for Express Entry, and speak with a qualified and registered immigration consultant if you need tailored guidance.
The chances of being successful in Express Entry depend on a few things, including your CRS score and which program you qualify for.
Before entering Canada’s Express Entry pool, do a rough calculation of what your CRS score could be by using our CRS calculator. Compare this score to the CRS score cut-off in the latest express entry draws which you qualify for. Are you close to the cut-off? Above the cut-off? Far below the cut-off?
This should give you an idea of your chances of success in Express Entry. If you are far below the cut-off score, take a look at our guide to improving your CRS score, our guide to alternative immigration options for Canada, and our resource for individuals over 35 looking to immigrate to Canada.
Once you are in the pool, it is essential that you track the express entry draw trends and do all that you can to increase your CRS score. Increasing your CRS score will increase your chances of becoming a permanent resident of Canada.
Express Entry is the system used by the Canadian government to select and process applications for permanent residence. Provincial Nominee Program’s (PNP’s) are immigration programs offered at a provincial level. There are 10 provinces and 3 territories in Canada. Anyone looking at immigrating to Canada should explore their Canada Express Entry and PNP options when looking to immigrate to Canada and gain Canadian permanent residence.
A big difference between Express Entry and Provincial Nominee Program is the skilled worker element. If an applicant does not have skilled work, they will not qualify under the Federal Skilled Worker program, Canadian Experience Class or Federal Skilled Trades program and therefore would not be able to enter the Express Entry pool. PNP’s that work outside the Express Entry system do not always require skilled workers therefore an applicant with no skilled experience should look for PNP’s.
Many Provincial Nominee Program’s have permanent resident options for those with Canadian work experience, therefore any one with Canadian work experience should look at available PNP’s in addition to the Canadian Experience Class.
Use our PNP stream finder to find the perfect program for you.
Yes, applicants can have both an Express Entry profile and a PNP profile active. As there are many provinces, it is common for applicants to have multiple PNP profiles active. In most cases, PNP’s are used to strengthen an Express Entry profile. In the event an Express Entry candidate receives a notification of interest from a province, they should withdraw all other PNP profiles before they apply for provincial nomination.
If the provincial nomination was received through an Express Entry aligned PNP, once a nomination certificate is issued and accepted, the applicant will receive an additional 600 points. With an additional 600 CRS points, the applicant will receive an invitation to apply (ITA) in the next Express Entry draw.
There are many provinces that use the Canada Express Entry system to select skilled immigrants. These provinces offer ‘enhanced nominations’ where applicants benefit for the speedy Express Entry program processing for permanent residence of 6 months.
Most provinces have an Express Entry aligned PNP. Here are some of the most popular ones:
Alberta Express Entry Stream
British Columbia – Express Entry streams
Manitoba Express Entry Pathway
New Brunswick Express Entry Stream
Newfoundland and Labrador Express Entry Skilled Worker
Nova Scotia Experience: Express Entry
Ontario Human Capital Stream
Ontario French Speaking Stream
Ontario Skilled Trade Stream
PEI Express Entry
Saskatchewan Express Entry: International Skilled Worker
It important to note that in all of the above PNP programs, the applicant must also be a skilled immigrant, eligible for one of the three immigration programs that use the Express Entry system. These are the Federal Skilled Workers program, the Canadian Experience Class and the Federal Skilled Trade program.
The total number of profiles selected each year will depend on the Immigration levels plan in place. For 2025, Canada wants to admit between 70,000 and 120,000 candidates through the Express Entry stream. This excludes candidates coming through provincial nominee programs aligned with the Express Entry system.
You can enter the Express Entry pool as many times as you like, so long as you remain eligible and remember, you can only ever have 1 valid Express Entry profile in the pool.
No, to enter the Express Entry pool your work experience does not need to be in the same field as your studies.
No, an express entry profile is not the same as submitting an application for permanent residence. An express entry profile should be seen as submitting an expression of interest to the Canadian government to show them that you would like to be considered for immigration to Canada. Under the Express Entry system, applicants can only submit an application for permanent residency if their profile is selected from the Express Entry pool.
This depends on the immigration program you are eligible for. Federal Skilled Workers (FSW) need to show proof of funds if they do not have an approved job offer. Canadian Experience Class (CEC) applicants do not need to show proof of funds. How much funds you will need to show depends on how many family members are included in your application.
Pro tip: If you are eligible for both the FSW and CEC program and receive an ITA, check which immigration program you were selected under. If you received your ITA as a FSW, you will still need to provide proof of funds, even if you qualify under the CEC program.
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