How to Apply for Permanent Residence via Express Entry (Canada)
Express EntryExpress Entry — Canada's online system for managing skilled-worker PR applications — Federal Skilled Worker, Canadian Experience Class, and Federal Skilled Trades.Click for official info ↗ manages three PR programs: Federal Skilled Worker, Canadian Experience Class, and Federal Skilled Trades. You build a profile with your language test results and an education assessment. You get a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRSComprehensive Ranking System — The points grid ranking Express Entry candidates — age, education, language, and work experience. Higher CRS = better draw chances.Click for official info ↗) score. Then you wait for an invitation from a draw. Category-based draws can pick people below the general cutoff. The categories are French, healthcare and social services, STEM, trades, transport, education, physicians, researchers, senior managers, and skilled military recruits.
At a glance
- Cost:
- From CAD $1,590 in government PR fees (adult) + $85 biometrics, plus tests, ECA, medical, police checks
- Total time:
- 6 months to 1+ years from profile to PR
- Steps:
- 11 steps
- Where to apply:
- canada.ca
Last reviewed November 2026 against official sources. Re-checked every 6 months · next review due May 2027.
The Steps
Follow these in order
Each card shows the phase, expected time, and any cost. Data checked against official CAN sources(November 2026).
0 of 11 steps
- Before You Go 30 min
Pick your program and check eligibility
Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) needs 1 year of continuous skilled work, in Canada or abroad. You must also pass on points for the six selection factors. Canadian Experience Class (CEC) needs 1 year of skilled work inside Canada. Federal Skilled Trades is for people with trade certificates. Use the official Come to Canada tool. It tells you which program you qualify for, and if you can enter the pool.
Click to mark as done
- Before You Go 1–2 weeks
Plan translations for non-English/French documents
IRCCImmigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada — The Canadian government department that runs Express Entry, work and study permits, PR cards, and citizenship.Click for official info ↗ needs certified translations for any document that is not in English or French. This includes birth certificates, marriage certificates, police clearances, and education records from your home country. The translator must be a certified member in good standing of a Canadian provincial or territorial association. Or the translator must be a sworn or official translator in your country. You send BOTH the translation and the original. Budget $25–$60 per page, and allow 1–2 weeks. You can read this guide in Hindi, Nepali, Português (Brasil), or Español. Use the language dropdown at the top of the page.
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- Go Test prep 1–3 months
Take a language test
Book IELTS General (worldwide) or CELPIP (Canada). For FSW you need at least CLB 7. That is IELTS 6.0 in each band. Higher scores raise your CRS a lot. Going from CLB 7 to CLB 9 adds ~50+ points. French at NCLC 7, together with English, makes you eligible for category-based French draws. These draws often have lower cutoffs. Your results are valid for 2 years.
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- Go 6–8 weeks
Get your foreign education assessed
Is your degree from outside Canada? Order an Educational Credential Assessment from an approved agency. WES is the fastest, at ~$300, in 6–8 weeks. The ECAEducational Credential Assessment — The report proving your foreign degree equals a Canadian one. Required for Express Entry if you studied outside Canada.Click for official info ↗ must show that your degree equals a completed Canadian credential. Canadian degrees need no ECA. The assessment is valid for 5 years.
Click to mark as done
- Fill / Prepare 3–5 hours
Submit your Express Entry profile
The profile is free. You build it in your IRCC secure account. Enter your language scores, your ECA number, your work history, and your family details. Use the correct NOCNational Occupational Classification — Canada's system for categorizing jobs. Your work experience must map to a TEER 0–3 NOC for Express Entry.Click for official info ↗/TEERTraining, Education, Experience and Responsibilities — The 0–5 skill level within the NOC system. TEER 0–3 jobs qualify for Express Entry.Click for official info ↗ codes from the ESDC list for your work history. The system works out your CRS score. Once you start, you have 60 days to finish and submit the profile, or you have to start again. A submitted profile stays in the pool for 12 months.
Click to mark as done
- Before You Go 10 min
What the 2027–2029 plan means for you
Canada released its 2027–2029 Immigration Levels Plan on 5 November 2026, as part of Budget 2026. It sets 380,000 permanent residentCanadian permanent resident — Someone granted the right to live and work anywhere in Canada permanently, without being a citizen.Click for official info ↗ admissions a year for 2027, 2028, and 2029, and 370,000 new temporary resident arrivals a year. Economic immigration is 244,700 of the 380,000. For Express Entry, the Federal High Skilled stream is set at 100,000 admissions in 2027. The plan also adds a time-limited measure for up to 200,000 people already living in Canada to become permanent residents in 2027. These are planning targets, not a promise to any one applicant. They do not change the CRS cutoffs or guarantee you an invitation. The 2028 and 2029 figures are notional, and IRCC confirms or adjusts them each November.
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- Wait Weeks to months
Wait for a draw (invitation to apply)
IRCC runs draws often, usually weekly or more. General draws have their own cutoff. Category-based draws have their own cutoff too. The categories are French speakers, healthcare and social services, STEM, trades, transport, education, physicians, researchers, senior managers, and skilled military recruits. Agriculture was retired for 2026. Check the published CRS cutoffs to see where you stand. Are you close? A Canadian sibling can help. So can a spouse's language scores. A provincial nomination (PNP) is worth 600 points and can push you over.
Click to mark as done
- Submit & Pay 2–4 weeks of gathering
Submit the full PR application after the ITA
Once you are invited, you have 60 days to upload the full package. You need police certificates from every country where you lived for 6+ months. You need an upfront medical exam from a panel physician. You also need proof of funds, reference letters, and the fees. The fees are $990 processing + $600 Right of Permanent Residence Fee = $1,590 per adult. Part of this is refunded if you are refused. Be accurate. Misrepresentation means a 5-year ban.
Click to mark as done
- Wait ~6 months
Wait for the PR decision
Most complete applications are processed within the 6-month service standard for Express Entry. IRCC may ask you for more documents, or for biometrics. Biometrics are now often reused. In time, the portal will show "Approval". It will ask you to confirm your photo and address for your COPRConfirmation of Permanent Residence — The document (now usually electronic, eCOPR) proving you were approved for Canadian permanent residence.Click for official info ↗ and PR cardPermanent Resident Card — The official proof of Canadian permanent resident status, needed for travel back to Canada on commercial vehicles.Click for official info ↗.
Click to mark as done
- Follow Up 1 day + card wait
Land and complete the process
Are you outside Canada? Your COPR arrives with instructions. Confirm your PR visa before it expires. This is usually within a year of your medical exam. You must land in Canada before that deadline. Are you in Canada? You get a virtual landing or an in-person landing. Then wait for your PR card by mail (up to 180 days) and apply for a SINSocial Insurance Number — Your 9-digit Canadian work and tax number. You need it to work, open accounts, and receive benefits.Click for official info ↗.
Click to mark as done
- Receive —
Your PR status — keep proof forever
Your Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) and your PR card prove your status. You must live in Canada for 730 days in each rolling 5 years to keep it. You can apply for citizenship after 3 years (1,095 days) of presence in Canada in person. File your taxes every year you have PR status, even if you have no income.
Click to mark as done
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good CRS score in 2026?
It changes from year to year. There have been no general draws in 2026. Most draws are Canadian Experience Class, French-language, PNP, and category rounds. Each has a different cutoff. Check the latest published draw results. Are you below the cutoffs? Work on the things that help: French, a provincial nomination, or a spouse's language scores.
Do I need a job offer for Express Entry?
No. Most invitations go to people without job offers. But from 3 November 2026, job offers count again, in a new way. A new Labour Market Integration factor adds up to 150 CRS points. You get the points for eligible Canadian work experience, or for a qualifying job offer in a high-wage occupation. You get whichever gives you more. You never get both. A qualifying job offer no longer needs an LMIALabour Market Impact Assessment — The document showing a Canadian employer could not find a citizen/PR for a job, needed for many employer-specific work permits.Click for official info ↗ (per IRCC, October 2026). Existing profiles are recalculated automatically. Invitation rounds pause for up to two weeks during the switch. A valid job offer can still matter for FSWP/FSTP/PNP eligibility too.
Can I apply without a consultant?
Yes. IRCC says the process is designed for you to do it yourself. The official guides cover everything. If you do hire help, use a licensed RCICRegulated Canadian Immigration Consultant — A licensed immigration consultant authorized to charge fees for Canadian immigration advice. Verify one on the CICC register.Click for official info ↗ (check the CICC register) or a lawyer. Ghost consultants are illegal, and no one holds them responsible.
How many people will Canada admit in 2027?
The 2027–2029 plan sets 380,000 permanent resident admissions in 2027, with 244,700 of those through economic immigration and 100,000 through Federal High Skilled (Express Entry). It also sets 370,000 new temporary resident arrivals. These are planning targets. They do not promise any one applicant an invitation, a nomination, or approval. The 2028 and 2029 figures are notional and get confirmed or adjusted each November.
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