Express Entry

Brief Overview

Express Entry is an online system used by the Canadian government to organize and process applications for skilled workers who wish to immigrate to Canada and acquire Canadian permanent residence status. About every two weeks, during rounds of invitations, the Canadian government will invite the top candidates in the Express Entry pool to apply for permanent residence. To be invited, your profile must attain a score above the minimum points score for your round of invitations

In addition, if you are eligible for one of the above programs, you can also apply through Express Entry for the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). Once you get nominated, you will receive extra points so you can be invited to apply quickly.

The system manages three main federal economic immigration programs

If you are eligible for one or more of the Express Entry programs, your profile will be ranked in the Express Entry pool using the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS).

Federal Skilled Worker (FSW)
Federal Skilled Trades (FST)
Canadian Experience Class (CEC)

The system manages three main federal economic immigration programs

Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) Program

The Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) program under Express Entry is recommended for skilled workers with foreign work experience who want to become permanent residents.

To be eligible, you must meet all minimum requirements for:

Skilled work experience
Language ability
Education
Proof of funds

Additional eligibility factors:

Being admissible to Canada
Planning to live outside Quebec

To be eligible, you must meet all minimum requirements for:

Skilled Work Experience

You have skilled work experience if you worked in one of these National Occupational Classification (NOC) TEER categories: TEER 0, TEER 1, TEER 2, TEER 3.
While working in your primary occupation, you must show that you have performed the duties set out in the lead statement of the occupational description in the NOC, including all the essential duties and a majority of the main duties listed.

Skilled work experience must:

Be in a job that belongs in the same NOC as your primary occupation (the job you want to use for your immigration application)
Have been obtained within the last 10 years, in Canada or abroad
Be paid work through paid wages or commission earnings (volunteer or unpaid internships are not applicable)

Student Work Experience

The work experience gained while you were studying can count towards your minimum requirements if the work:

Was paid by wages or commissions
Was continuous (no gaps in employment), and
Meets all the other requirements for skilled work experience under the FSW program

Proof of Funds

You must show that you have enough money to settle in Canada, unless:

You are currently able to legally work in Canada
You have a valid job offer from an employer in Canada

Education

You must provide either a Canadian educational credential or a foreign educational credential with an Educational Credential Assessment report for immigration purposes from a designated organization to prove that your overseas diploma, degree, or certificate is equivalent to a completed Canadian educational credential.

Language Ability

The minimum score to be eligible for the FSW program is:

First official language: Minimum for all four abilities = CLB 7 (English) / NCLC7 (French)

Second official language: Minimum for level of CLB / NCLC 5

Selection Factors

If you meet all the minimum requirements, the officer will assess your eligibility for the FSW program using the selection factor points system:

age
education
work experience
whether you have a valid job offer
English or French language skills
adaptability (how well you’re likely to settle here)

Based on how well you do in each of the 6 factors, you will be assigned an overall score out of 100. This score will determine if your profile is eligible for the FSW program. Once you are eligible for the FSW program, your profile enters the Express Entry pool and will be ranked using the CRS score.

Federal Skilled Trades (FST) Program

The Federal Skilled Trades (FST) program under Express Entry is recommended for skilled workers who are qualified in a skilled trade, have a valid job offer or a certificate of qualification, and want to become permanent residents.

To be eligible, you must meet all minimum requirements for:

Canadian skilled work experience
Language ability

Additional eligibility factors:

Being admissible to Canada
Planning to live outside Quebec

Skilled Trades Work Experience

Skilled trades work experience must:

Be in one of the following NOC groups:

Major Group 72, technical trades and transportation officers and controllers
excluding Sub-Major Group 726, transportation officers and controllers
Major Group 73, general trades
Major Group 82, supervisors in natural resources, agriculture and related production
Major Group 83, occupations in natural resources and related production
Major Group 92, processing, manufacturing and utilities supervisors, and utilities operators and controllers
Major Group 93, central control and process operators and aircraft assembly assemblers and inspectors, excluding Sub-Major Group 932, aircraft assemblers and aircraft assembly inspectors
Minor Group 6320, cooks, butchers and bakers
Unit Group 62200, chefs

- Meet the job requirements for that skilled trade as set out in the National Occupational Classification (NOC)

- Show that you performed the duties listed in the lead statement of the occupational description in the NOC, including

all the essential duties
most of the main duties

- Have at least 2 years of full-time work experience (or an equal amount of part-time work experience) in a skilled trade within the 5 years before you apply

- Be paid work through paid wages or commission earnings (volunteer or unpaid internships are not applicable)

Job Offer or Certificate of Qualification

- Valid job offer of full-time employment for a total period of at least 1 year or

- Certificate of qualification in your skilled trade issued by a Canadian provincial, territorial or federal authority

- A certificate of qualification proves you’re qualified to work in a certain skilled trade in Canada. This means you

passed a certification exam
meet all the requirements to practice your trade in the province or territory that issued your certificate

Language Ability

The minimum score to be eligible for the FST program is:

- English

Speaking and Listening = CLB 5
Reading and Writing = CLB 4

- French

Speaking and Listening = NCLC 5
Reading and Writing = NCLC 4

Canadian Experience Class (CEC) Program

The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) program under Express Entry is recommended for skilled workers with Canadian work experience gained in the 3 years before applying and who want to become permanent residents.

To be eligible, you must meet all minimum requirements for

Canadian skilled work experience
Language ability

Additional eligibility factors:

Being admissible to Canada
Planning to live outside Quebec

Canadian Skilled Work Experience

You have Canadian skilled work experience if you worked in one of these National Occupational Classification (NOC) TEER categories with authorization in Canada: TEER 0, TEER 1, TEER 2, TEER 3.

Canadian skilled work experience must:

- Have at least 1 year of skilled work experience in Canada (or an equal amount of part-time work experience) in the 3 years before you apply

- Have gained your work experience by working in Canada while authorized to work under temporary resident status

- Show that you performed the duties listed in the lead statement of the occupational description in the National Occupational Classification (NOC), including