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Skilled workers in Saudi Arabia can build a solid Express Entry profile on their Gulf experience. The traps are documents: the Saudi police certificate cannot be ordered in advance, and leaving on a final exit visa can make it impossible to get.
Written by NextMovePath editorial teamLast updated:
| Settlement funds (single applicant) | CAN$15,263, about SAR 40,500 at September 2026 ratesSource: IRCC: Express Entry proof of funds |
|---|---|
| Saudi police certificate | Criminal Record Certificate; needs an IRCC facilitation letter from the Riyadh officeSource: IRCC: How to get a police certificate, Saudi Arabia |
| After final exit | Non-citizens who left on a final exit visa may not be able to get oneSource: IRCC: How to get a police certificate, Saudi Arabia |
| Points for Saudi work experience | Up to 50 CRS points through skill transferability, combined with CLB 9+ languageSource: IRCC: Comprehensive Ranking System criteria |
You do not submit it at first. After IRCC assesses your application it sends a request letter. You then ask IRCC Riyadh, through its web form with your file number, for a facilitation letter, and take it with your iqama and a 4 by 6 cm photo to the Criminal Evidence Division.
Only non-citizens who currently live in Saudi Arabia can get one, and after a final exit visa it may not be possible. If you have no current legal residence, IRCC says you do not need it and gives a statement to write instead. Plan your final exit around this step.
Yes. Paid, skilled work in TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 from the last 10 years counts as foreign work experience, with one year continuous needed for the Federal Skilled Worker Program. It earns up to 50 CRS points, but only combined with strong language results or Canadian experience.
Only when it is in your bank account. IRCC counts funds available to you when you apply and when the visa is issued, shown in bank letters with six-month average balances. An award not yet paid is not available, and borrowed money never counts.
These are the grounds IRCC officers most often write in refusal letters for this kind of application. They are typical grounds, not statistics. Fix them before you apply, not after.
Tell us where you are in the process. A member of our team will tell you what is missing or weak in your Saudi Arabia application, before IRCC does.
This page is general information, not legal advice. Immigration rules, fees and document lists change often. Confirm current requirements on canada.ca or with a licensed Canadian immigration representative (RCIC or lawyer) before you apply.