Skilled migration · Canada
Canada permanent residence through Express Entry
Express Entry ranks candidates against each other, and provincial nomination programmes give strong candidates a second, often faster, door.
How it works
Express Entry in plain words
You enter a pool, you are scored, and the highest-ranked profiles are invited to apply. Here is the order it happens in.
- Step 1
Check your eligibility
See whether you qualify under FSW, CEC or FST. This only tells you if you can enter the Express Entry pool.
- Step 2
Check your CRS score
Once you can enter the pool, the CRS score shows where you would rank against everyone else in it.
- Step 3
Language test and ECA
Take IELTS General Training, CELPIP or, for French, TEF or TCF. Get your overseas degree assessed through an ECA.
- Step 4
Create your Express Entry profile
Enter your details exactly as your documents show them. Mistakes here can cost you later.
- Step 5
Wait for an invitation
IRCC holds regular draws. While you wait, a provincial nomination may also be an option.
- Step 6
Invitation to Apply (ITA)
You then have 60 days to submit a complete application with documents, police certificates and medicals.
- Step 7
Decision and landing
IRCC aims to finish most complete applications in about six months. After approval you receive your confirmation of permanent residence.
Eligibility
Checks whether you qualify under the Federal Skilled Worker Program, so you can enter the Express Entry pool.
CRS score
Ranks you against everyone else, once you are in the pool. The highest scores are invited.
Your score
How the CRS score is built
The Comprehensive Ranking System awards CRS points based on your profile. Each draw invites everyone above a cut-off score, and the cut-off changes from draw to draw.
- Core human capital
- Age, education, first and second official language. Up to 390 points with a spouse or 420 without under the rules effective 3 November 2026.
- Spouse or partner factors
- Their education, language and Canadian work experience, if they come with you.
- Skill transferability
- Combinations such as education with strong language, or foreign work experience with strong language.
- Labour Market Integration
- From 3 November 2026, the higher of Canadian work-length plus high-wage experience points or a qualifying high-wage job offer — never both. Up to 140 with a spouse or 150 without.
- Additional points
- A provincial nomination (600), French ability, a sibling in Canada, and Canadian study.
Draw results are published by IRCC and open on the IRCC website.
Routes
FSW, CEC, FST or a provincial nomination?
Three federal programmes feed Express Entry. A provincial nomination is a separate door that can also lead into it.
- FSW
Federal Skilled Worker Program
For skilled people with no Canadian experience, applying from India or elsewhere.
Read more - CEC
Canadian Experience Class
For people who have already worked in Canada, such as former students on a work permit.
Read more - FST
Federal Skilled Trades Program
For qualified tradespeople such as electricians, plumbers and machinists.
Read more - PNP
Provincial Nominee Program
For people a province or territory wants for its own labour needs.
Read more
Draws in 2026
Category-based draws
Besides general draws, IRCC invites people by category. If you fit one, the cut-off can be well below the general one. For 2026 the categories are:
- French-language proficiency
- Healthcare and social services
- Skilled trades
- Physicians with Canadian work experience
- Researchers with Canadian work experience
- Senior managers with Canadian work experience
- Transport occupations, including pilots and aircraft mechanics
- Skilled military recruits of the Canadian Armed Forces
Source: IRCC announcement of 18 February 2026. Categories can change from year to year. IRCC decides which draws happen, and when.
Settlement funds
How much money you need to show
Under FSW and FST you must show you can support yourself and your family on arrival. IRCC sets the minimum by family size.
| Family size | Minimum funds |
|---|---|
| 1 person | CAD 15,263 |
| 2 people | CAD 19,001 |
| 3 people | CAD 23,360 |
| 4 people | CAD 28,362 |
| 5 people | CAD 32,168 |
| 6 people | CAD 36,280 |
| 7 people | CAD 40,392 |
IRCC figures, last updated July 2025. Add CAD 4,112 for each person beyond seven. Not needed under CEC, or if you can legally work in Canada and hold a valid job offer.
How we help
How we help you into Canada
From your first call to your first weeks in Canada, in this order.
- Step 1
A first consultation
We look at your work, education, age, language and family, and tell you which Canadian route is realistic.
- Step 2
Eligibility and CRS review
We confirm the programme you qualify for and work out your CRS score, then show what could raise it.
- Step 3
Language and credentials plan
We set the order for your language test and ECA, so nothing expires before you are invited.
- Step 4
Profile and provincial strategy
We build your Express Entry profile carefully and look at provinces where your occupation is wanted.
- Step 5
Invitation and application
When you are invited, we help you prepare a complete application inside the 60 days.
- Step 6
Landing and settling in
We guide you through what to do before you travel and in your first weeks in Canada.
Avoid these
Mistakes that cost applicants a place
- Claiming work experience in a job code that does not match your actual duties
- Using a language test result that will expire before you receive an invitation
- Entering a name, date or passport detail differently from your documents
- Missing the 60-day window after an invitation because police certificates were not ready
- Relying on a single route when a provincial stream would suit the profile better
Rules from 3 November 2026
Express Entry scoring changes
This calculator applies IRCC's Express Entry changes that take effect on 3 November 2026, including the new points for high-wage occupations and the return of job offer points. Until then, profiles in the pool are scored under the previous rules.
FAQs
Canada skilled migration questions
How does Express Entry work?
What is the difference between eligibility and the CRS score?
What is a good CRS score?
What is the difference between FSW and CEC?
How much money do I need to show?
Does a job offer add CRS points?
Is French worth learning?
What does an Educational Credential Assessment do?
How long does it take?
Is Express Entry changing?
Can my spouse and children come with me?
Is a provincial nomination better than Express Entry?
This page is general information based on IRCC publications, not legal advice. Scores, fees and rules change. Always confirm the current position before you apply.
Let's map your global pathway
A first consultation covers eligibility, realistic timelines, total cost and the tax consequences of the move. You leave with a written plan, not a brochure.