Express Entry
Express Entry is the application management system Canada uses for three federal economic programs: the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Federal Skilled Trades Program, and the Canadian Experience Class. Candidates create a profile, are ranked using the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), and the top-ranked profiles receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence during regular draws.
Main conditions
- ✓Have at least one year of continuous full-time skilled work experience (NOC TEER 0 to 3) within the last 10 years, or meet the criteria of one of the three federal programs
- ✓Achieve the minimum required score on official language tests (generally CLB 7, depending on the program)
- ✓Have foreign credentials assessed by a recognized organization (Educational Credential Assessment, ECA) if studies were completed outside Canada
- ✓Prove sufficient settlement funds, unless currently authorized to work in Canada
- ✓Be medically admissible and have no criminal history preventing entry
- ✓Rank high enough in the Express Entry pool during a draw to receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA)
Countries of origin
Open to candidates from most countries, unless otherwise stated or subject to specific consular restrictions.
Understanding the program
How Express Entry works
Express Entry is not an immigration program in itself: it is an online system that manages applications for three federal skilled-worker programs. The process has four steps. You first create a profile and enter the candidate pool. In invitation rounds, the candidates with the highest scores are invited to apply. You then complete the permanent residence application, and IRCC reviews it and makes a decision.
Being in the pool therefore guarantees nothing: only an invitation allows you to submit an application.
The three programs managed by the system
The Canadian Experience Class is for people who have already worked in Canada. The Federal Skilled Worker Program targets candidates with skilled work experience, including experience gained abroad. The Federal Skilled Trades Program is for people working in certain trades.
Each program has its own thresholds: experience, language level, job offer or certificate of qualification, depending on the case. Check which ones apply to your profile before creating it, because a candidate who meets the criteria of none of the programs cannot enter the pool.
Preparing your profile before creating it
Start by gathering the items that weigh most in your ranking: a valid result from an approved language test (English or French), the assessment of your foreign credentials (educational credential assessment) when your program requires it, proof of settlement funds if you do not have authorized employment in Canada, and a valid passport.
Language test results have a limited validity period, generally two years: plan them so they are still valid when you receive an invitation. Police certificates and the medical exam are usually requested after the invitation, along with the complete application.
After the invitation to apply
An invitation states the deadline you have to submit your complete application. After that deadline, the invitation expires and you must go back into the pool. Prepare your documents in advance rather than looking for them once the invitation arrives.
Processing times vary by program. Use IRCC's processing-time tool rather than a figure repeated on a blog or social network, because these times change regularly.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS)?
- The CRS is the score given to each profile in the pool based on factors such as age, education, work experience and language level. The higher the score, the greater the chance of being invited. Our calculator provides an estimate, not an official result.
- What score do I need to be invited?
- There is no fixed score: each invitation round has its own cut-off, published by IRCC after the draw, and some rounds target specific categories. Check the results of recent rounds on the IRCC website to place your profile.
- Can I use Express Entry to settle in Quebec?
- Quebec selects its own skilled workers (see the PSTQ). If you plan to settle in Quebec, the provincial program is the path to prefer; Express Entry mainly targets the other provinces.
Information checked against official pages on October 12, 2026.