Express Entry: How to Get Canadian Permanent Residence

What is Express Entry?

Express Entry is the online system the Government of Canada uses to manage permanent residence applications from skilled workers. It is not a program on its own. It handles three federal programs:

• Federal Skilled Worker Program for skilled workers with experience outside Canada
• Canadian Experience Class for people with skilled work experience in Canada
• Federal Skilled Trades Program for qualified tradespeople

Many Provincial Nominee Program streams are also linked to Express Entry. You create one online profile, receive a score, and the highest ranked candidates are invited to apply for permanent residence. Your profile stays in the pool for up to 12 months.

Once invited, you have 60 days to submit a complete application. IRCC aims to process most complete Express Entry applications within about six months.

Who can apply: Express Entry requirements

To enter the Express Entry pool, you must meet the minimum rules of at least one of the three federal programs. In general you will need:

• Skilled work experience in a job at TEER level 0, 1, 2 or 3 of the National Occupational Classification (NOC), or two years in an eligible trade for the skilled trades program
• Results from an approved language test: IELTS General Training, CELPIP General or PTE Core for English, or TEF Canada or TCF Canada for French
• An Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) if you studied outside Canada and want points for your education (required for Federal Skilled Worker applicants)
• Proof of settlement funds, unless you apply under the Canadian Experience Class or you are already authorized to work in Canada with a valid job offer
• A plan to live outside the province of Quebec, which runs its own selection system

Language test results are valid for two years. Make sure they will still be valid on the day you submit your application, not only when you create your profile.

How the CRS score works

Every profile in the pool gets a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score out of 1,200. The score is made of four parts:

You can check an estimate of your score with the official CRS tool, or ask us to calculate it for you as part of a free assessment.

Express Entry draws and 2026 categories

IRCC invites candidates through regular rounds of invitations, often called draws. There are three main kinds:

• General draws invite the highest ranked candidates from all programs.
• Program draws target one group, for example Canadian Experience Class candidates or provincial nominees.
• Category based draws invite people with strong French or work experience in jobs Canada needs most. These draws often have lower cut-off scores.

Express Entry categories for 2026

On February 18, 2026, the Minister of Immigration announced the categories for 2026:

• French language proficiency
• Healthcare and social services occupations
• Physicians with Canadian work experience
• Education occupations
• Science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) occupations
• Trade occupations
• Transport occupations (brought back for 2026)
• Researchers with Canadian work experience (new)
• Senior managers with Canadian work experience (new)
• Skilled military recruits with a Canadian Armed Forces job offer (new)

For most job categories you now need at least one year of work experience in an eligible job within the last three years, up from six months before. Results of every draw are published on the IRCC rounds of invitations page.

How to improve your CRS score

If your score is below recent cut-offs, these are the changes that usually make the biggest difference:

• Retake your language test. Moving from CLB 8 to CLB 9 in all four skills can add a large number of points across several factors.
• Learn French. Even moderate French (NCLC 7) can add up to 50 points and makes you eligible for French category draws.
• Apply for a provincial nomination. An enhanced nomination adds 600 points and almost always leads to an invitation.
• Add your spouse's strengths. In some cases it helps to list your spouse as the main applicant, or to improve their language score.
• Get credit for all your education. Have every degree or diploma assessed, including a second credential.
• Gain more experience. Another year of Canadian or foreign work experience can raise your score when it is added to your profile.

How to apply through Express Entry, step by step

1. Check your eligibilityConfirm which federal program you qualify for and the correct NOC code for your job.
2. Take a language test and get your ECABook your test early. Education assessments can take several weeks.
3. Create your Express Entry profileEnter your details carefully in your IRCC account. Every answer must match your documents.
4. Improve your score while you waitUpdate your profile when your situation changes and look for provincial streams that fit you.
5. Receive an Invitation to ApplyWhen you are invited, the 60 day deadline starts.
6. Submit your complete applicationUpload police certificates, medical exam results, reference letters, proof of funds and civil documents.
7. Give biometrics and wait for a decisionIRCC may ask for more information. When approved, you receive your Confirmation of Permanent Residence.

Common mistakes that lead to refusal

Most Express Entry refusals come from avoidable problems. The most common ones we see are:

• Choosing the wrong NOC code, so the job duties in your reference letters do not match
• Reference letters without hours, salary, dates or main duties
• Proof of funds that is not available, not in your name or not held for long enough
• Language results that expire before the application is submitted
• Gaps or differences between your profile, your forms and your documents
• Missing police certificates from every country where you lived for six months or more

Giving false or misleading information, even by mistake, can lead to a finding of misrepresentation and a five year ban from applying. Careful preparation protects you.

Proposed changes to Express Entry

Frequently asked questions