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Canada's flagship immigration system for skilled workers. Get your CRS score, check eligibility, and receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) in as little as 6 months.
Express Entry manages applications for three economic immigration programs
For skilled workers with foreign work experience who want to immigrate to Canada permanently.
For skilled workers who have Canadian work experience and want to become permanent residents.
For skilled workers who want to become permanent residents based on being qualified in a skilled trade.
The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) is a points-based system used to assess and score your profile. Candidates with the highest scores are invited to apply through regular draws.
Your CRS score is based on factors like age, education, language skills, work experience, and additional factors like job offers or provincial nominations.
Calculate Your CRS ScoreAge, education, language, Canadian experience
Spouse education, language, Canadian experience
Education + language/experience combinations
PNP, job offer, Canadian education, French, sibling
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Get answers to the most common questions about Canada's Express Entry immigration system.
Express Entry is Canada's flagship online immigration system, managed by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). It manages applications for three federal economic immigration programs: the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSW), the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FST). Candidates create a profile, receive a CRS score, and are ranked against other candidates in the Express Entry pool.
The Express Entry process typically takes 6 to 12 months from profile creation to receiving permanent residence. After submitting your profile and receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA), IRCC aims to process 80% of applications within 6 months. However, the waiting time in the pool depends on your CRS score and draw frequencies.
The Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) program is for skilled workers with foreign work experience and requires CLB 7 language scores and 67 points on the selection grid. The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) is for those with at least 1 year of Canadian skilled work experience. The Federal Skilled Trades (FST) is for qualified tradespeople with a job offer or certificate of qualification. All three programs are managed through the Express Entry system.
The government fees for Express Entry include: $850 CAD processing fee per adult applicant, $850 CAD Right of Permanent Residence Fee (RPRF) per adult, $230 CAD for dependent children, plus costs for language tests (~$300), Educational Credential Assessment (~$200-300), police certificates, and medical exams (~$200-450). Total costs typically range from $2,000 to $4,000 CAD per applicant.
Yes, a job offer is not required for Express Entry. The Federal Skilled Worker and Canadian Experience Class programs do not require a job offer. However, a valid job offer from a Canadian employer supported by an LMIA can add 50 or 200 CRS points (depending on the NOC TEER level), significantly boosting your chances of receiving an ITA.
Since 2023, IRCC conducts category-based draws targeting candidates with specific attributes such as healthcare experience, STEM occupations, trade occupations, transport, agriculture, or French language proficiency. These draws may have lower CRS cutoff scores than general draws, giving candidates in these categories a better chance of receiving an ITA even with lower overall CRS scores.
Calculate your CRS score, check your eligibility, and get personalized recommendations to improve your chances.