Express Entry for Skilled Immigration to Canada

On This Page, You Will Find:

• What Express Entry is and how it works
• The three federal programs: FSWP, FSTP and CEC
• The Federal Skilled Worker six-factor grid and the 67-point pass mark
• The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) and its maximum points
• Why job offer points were removed from the CRS in March 2025
• Provincial nomination and the 600-point CRS boost
• Category-based selection in 2026
• General, program-specific and category-based rounds of invitations
• Profile validity, proof of funds and current fees
• A step-by-step guide to applying through Express Entry
• What’s coming: the 2026 consultations on Express Entry reform
• Frequently asked questions

Express Entry is the online system Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) uses to manage applications from skilled workers who want to become permanent residents. It does not grant permanent residence on its own – instead, it ranks eligible candidates in a pool and periodically invites the highest-ranking candidates to apply.

Express Entry manages three federal economic immigration programs, plus a portion of the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). IRCC’s stated service standard is to process 80% of Express Entry applications within six months of receiving a complete application.

This page explains how the system works today, including the March 2025 removal of arranged-employment points from the ranking system, the current category-based selection categories, and the changes IRCC is now consulting on for 2026 and beyond.

The Three Federal Programs Managed Through Express Entry

To enter the Express Entry pool, you must first qualify for at least one of three federal programs:

• Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) – for skilled workers with foreign or Canadian work experience. Requires Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7, at least one year of continuous skilled work experience (TEER 0–3) in the last 10 years, secondary-school education or higher, and a score of at least 67 points on a separate selection grid (see below).
• Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) – for workers qualified in a skilled trade. Requires CLB 5 for speaking/listening and CLB 4 for reading/writing, two years of full-time (or equivalent part-time) trade experience within the last five years, and either a valid job offer of at least one year or a certificate of qualification in the trade.
• Canadian Experience Class (CEC) – for skilled workers with at least one year of Canadian work experience (TEER 0–3) gained in the three years before applying, obtained while authorized to work in Canada. There is no education or proof-of-funds requirement.

If you qualify for more than one program, IRCC’s system will invite you under the first program you meet, in this order: CEC, then FSWP, then FSTP. You cannot choose which program you’re invited under.

Skilled trades candidates should also review the Federal Skilled Trades Program page for a full breakdown of eligible NOC groups.

The FSWP Six-Factor Grid and the 67-Point Pass Mark

The Federal Skilled Worker Program uses its own 100-point selection grid to decide whether you meet the program’s minimum requirement – separate from the points that later rank you in the Express Entry pool. You need a minimum of 67 points on this grid:

• Language skills – up to 28 points
• Education – up to 25 points
• Skilled work experience – up to 15 points
• Age – up to 12 points
• Arranged employment in Canada – up to 10 points
• Adaptability (spouse’s language/study, your Canadian study or work, arranged employment, relatives in Canada) – up to 10 points

Note that this FSWP eligibility grid is separate from the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) that ranks candidates in the pool – the two are easy to confuse, and a valid job offer can still contribute to both, but in different ways (see below).

The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS)

Once you’re in the pool, IRCC scores your profile using the CRS, a points-based system with a maximum of 1,200 points: up to 600 points for core human capital and skill-transferability factors, and up to 600 points for additional factors.

Core/human capital factors (maximum 500 points without a spouse, 460 with a spouse or common-law partner):

• Age – up to 110 points (peaks at ages 20–29)
• Level of education – up to 150 points (doctoral degree)
• First official language proficiency – up to 136 points
• Second official language proficiency – up to 24 points
• Canadian work experience – up to 80 points

Skill transferability factors add up to 100 points for combinations such as strong language skills plus a post-secondary credential, or foreign work experience plus Canadian work experience.

Additional points (maximum 600) include a provincial or territorial nomination, French-language skills, Canadian study, and having a sibling in Canada.

Job Offer Points Were Removed From the CRS on 25 March 2025

As of March 25, 2025, IRCC stopped awarding CRS ranking points for a valid job offer. This affects all current and future candidates in the pool. Previously, job offers were worth 200 points (Major Group 00 senior management occupations) or 50 points (other skilled occupations).

This change applies only to CRS ranking points. It does not change program eligibility: a valid job offer is still required for the Federal Skilled Trades Program (unless you hold a trade certificate of qualification), can still count toward the FSWP’s separate 67-point selection grid, and can still be relevant to some PNP streams. You should still declare any job offer in your profile.

Provincial Nomination: The Largest Single CRS Boost

A nomination from a Provincial Nominee Program is worth 600 CRS points – effectively guaranteeing an invitation to apply in the next round. Each province and territory runs its own PNP streams with their own eligibility criteria and, in many cases, their own Express Entry-linked streams. For example, see the British Columbia immigration programs, which include BC PNP streams tied to Express Entry.

Category-Based Selection in 2026

Introduced in 2023, category-based rounds let IRCC invite pool candidates who meet criteria tied to a specific, Minister-established economic goal – on top of general and program-specific rounds. As of mid-2026, the current categories are:

• French-language proficiency
• Healthcare and social services occupations
• Science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) occupations
• Trade occupations
• Education occupations
• Transport occupations
• Physicians with Canadian work experience
• Senior managers with Canadian work experience
• Researchers with Canadian work experience
• Skilled military recruits (Foreign Skilled Military Applicants recruited by the Canadian Armed Forces)

Most occupation-based categories require at least 12 months of full-time (or equivalent part-time) experience in an eligible occupation within the past three years; the physicians, senior managers and researchers categories require that experience to have been gained specifically in Canada. IRCC reviews and updates categories periodically based on labour-market information and stakeholder input, so always check the current list before relying on a specific category.

General, Program-Specific and Category-Based Rounds

IRCC holds three types of invitation rounds:

• General rounds – all candidates eligible for any of the three federal programs are considered.
• Program-specific rounds – only candidates eligible for a named program (for example, the CEC or the PNP) are considered.
• Category-based rounds – only candidates eligible for a specific Minister-established category are considered, in addition to meeting the minimum requirements for one of the three programs.

In every round type, IRCC invites the highest-ranked eligible candidates by CRS score. A candidate can be eligible for more than one round type but is only invited through one of them.

Profile Validity, Proof of Funds and Fees

An Express Entry profile is valid for 12 months. If you are not invited to apply within that time, your profile automatically expires and is removed from the pool; you can submit a new one. Once you receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA), you have 60 days to submit a complete application for permanent residence.

Proof of funds. You must show enough money to support yourself and your family after arrival if you’re applying under the FSWP or FSTP. You do not need to show proof of funds if you’re applying under the CEC, or if you’re authorized to work in Canada and have a valid job offer (even under the FSWP or FSTP). The minimum amounts (updated annually, current since July 2025) are approximately: $15,263 for one person, $19,001 for two, $23,360 for three, $28,362 for four, $32,168 for five, $36,280 for six, and $40,392 for seven, plus roughly $4,112 for each additional family member. Always check the current table before relying on these figures, since IRCC updates them each year.

Fees. As of the current IRCC fee schedule, the combined processing fee and Right of Permanent Residence Fee (RPRF) for an Express Entry-linked economic application (FSWP, FSTP, CEC or PNP) is $1,590 per adult applicant – a $990 processing fee plus a $600 RPRF – with the same amount for an accompanying spouse or partner and $270 per dependent child. Biometrics cost $85 per person or a maximum of $170 per family. Fee amounts change periodically, so confirm the current schedule before budgeting.

Processing Times

IRCC’s published service standard is to process 80% of Express Entry applications for permanent residence within six months of receiving a complete application, measured from the day the application is received to the day a final decision is made. Actual times vary by program, application complexity and admissibility checks, so check IRCC’s current processing time tool before making firm plans.

Step-by-Step Guide to Immigrating to Canada Through Express Entry

Immigrating to Canada through the Express Entry system involves several key steps. Here is a detailed guide to help you navigate the process.

Step 1: Determine eligibility

Before starting, make sure you meet the eligibility requirements for one of the three programs managed through Express Entry – the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Federal Skilled Trades Program or the Canadian Experience Class. IRCC’s online eligibility tool is the quickest way to check.

Step 2: Gather required documents

Collect the documents you will need to create your profile: your passport or travel document, language test results, an Educational Credential Assessment report for any foreign degree, proof of funds if applicable, a job offer letter if you have one, and records of your work experience.

Step 3: Take a language test

Register for and sit an approved English or French test – IELTS or CELPIP for English, TEF Canada or TCF Canada for French. You must reach the minimum Canadian Language Benchmark level for your chosen program, and your results must be less than two years old when you apply.

Step 4: Obtain an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA)

If you studied outside Canada, have your education assessed to confirm it is equivalent to a Canadian credential. Use an IRCC-designated organisation such as WES, ICAS or IQAS. An ECA report is valid for five years from its date of issue.

Step 5: Create an Express Entry profile

Create an account on the IRCC Express Entry portal and complete your profile with your education, work experience, language results and personal details. Submitting the profile places you in the pool, where it stays valid for 12 months.

Step 6: Improve your CRS score

While you are in the pool, work on the factors that still carry points: retake a language test for a higher band, gain further skilled work experience, add a second official language, or pursue a provincial nomination, which is worth 600 points. Note that a job offer no longer adds CRS points, following the March 2025 change.

Step 7: Wait for an Invitation to Apply (ITA)

IRCC holds regular general, program-specific and category-based rounds. If your CRS score meets or exceeds the cut-off for a round you are eligible for, you receive an ITA.

Step 8: Gather supporting documents

Once you have an ITA, assemble the supporting evidence: police certificates for every country where you have lived, medical exam results from a panel physician, proof of funds where required, and civil documents such as marriage or birth certificates.

Step 9: Submit your application for permanent residence

Submit a complete application through your IRCC account within 60 days of receiving the ITA, and pay the fees. Under the current fee schedule that is a $990 processing fee plus a $600 Right of Permanent Residence Fee per adult applicant – $1,590 each for you and an accompanying spouse or partner – with $270 for each dependent child, and biometrics at $85 per person or $170 per family.

Step 10: Complete biometrics and medical exams

Attend your biometrics appointment at a designated collection point and complete an immigration medical examination with an IRCC-approved panel physician.

Step 11: Wait for processing

IRCC aims to process 80% of complete Express Entry applications within six months. You can follow the status of your file in your IRCC account.

Step 12: Receive Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR)

If your application is approved, IRCC issues a Confirmation of Permanent Residence and, if you are from a visa-required country, a permanent resident visa.

Step 13: Prepare for landing

Make sure you have everything you need at the port of entry: your COPR, a valid passport, proof of funds, and any documents listed in your approval letter.

Step 14: Land in Canada

On arrival, present your documents to an officer at the port of entry. The officer verifies them and confirms your permanent residence status.

Step 15: Start your new life in Canada

Apply for a Social Insurance Number so you can work and access government services, arrange accommodation, and settle into your community as a permanent resident.

What’s Coming: 2026 Consultations on Express Entry Reform

In April 2026, IRCC launched public consultations on significant reforms to Express Entry’s federal high-skilled programs and the CRS. Under consideration:

• Merging the FSWP, FSTP and CEC into a single Federal High Skilled program with one set of streamlined eligibility criteria (Canadian high-school equivalency, CLB 6 in all abilities, and one year of skilled work experience in TEER 0–3, gained in Canada or abroad).
• Simplifying the CRS by keeping the core human-capital factors (age, education, language, Canadian work experience) that are the strongest predictors of economic success, while reviewing or reducing weaker predictors such as French-language points, Canadian study points, sibling-in-Canada points and the spousal grid.
• Introducing new points for Canadian work experience or job offers in defined high-wage occupations, and strengthening recognition of Canadian licences in regulated occupations.

These are proposals under discussion, not confirmed rules. IRCC has stated it is not currently consulting on changes to the category-based selection categories themselves, which continue to be set separately by the Minister. Anyone planning an Express Entry application should watch for confirmed regulatory or Ministerial Instruction changes before assuming any of these ideas have taken effect.

For a full walkthrough of what happens after you’re invited, see our Invitations to Apply for Permanent Residence (ITAs) page. For the bigger picture of Canada’s immigration streams, visit our Immigration to Canada overview, or browse our Canada immigration FAQ.

Frequently Asked Questions