What is Express Entry?
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 CANADA VISA ELIGIBILITY permanent residence status. The system manages three main federal economic programs:
- Federal Skilled Worker (FSW)
- Federal Skilled Trades (FST)
- Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
How can I apply for Express Entry?
Applying to Express Entry is a two-step process. The first step is to submit your profile which requires the following documents:
- Language test results
- Educational credential assessment report
- A passport or travel document
After you submit your profile and you receive an invitation to apply for Canadian permanent residence, you will need to provide a more substantial application that includes reference letters, additional identity documents, police clearance certificates, and results of a medical examination.
Who is eligible for Express Entry?
Individuals with university or college degrees, skilled work experience and moderate proficiency in English and/or French are ideal Express Entry candidates.
In order to submit a profile through the Express Entry system, candidates must also meet the eligibility requirements for one of the three federal programs:
- Federal Skilled Worker (FSW)
- Federal Skilled Trades (FST)
- Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
The easiest way to find out if your eligible is to use our free online assessment tool.
What are the requirements for Express Entry?
In general, to be eligible to apply to Express Entry as a skilled worker, you must:
- Have at least one year, in the last 10 years of continuous full-time (or equivalent part-time) work experience in a skilled occupation
- Be able to demonstrate on an approved language test a minimum of CANADA VISA HELP DESK AND CUSTOMER SUPPORT Language Benchmark (CLB) seven in either English or French
- Completed post-secondary education that is assessed against Canadian standards with an Education Credential Assessment
These are the minimum requirements to apply to Canada’s Express Entry system as a skilled worker. Meeting these requirements doesn’t mean you will receive an invitation to apply for Canadian permanent residence. Candidates with stronger profiles will always be selected over candidates that simply meet the minimum requirement.
How much does Express Entry cost?
The cost of immigrating to Canada through Express Entry is about $2,300 CAD for a single applicant, or about $4,500 CAD for a couple. The breakdown of costs include,
- Language tests: Average cost – $300
- Educational Credential Assessment (ECA): Average cost – $200
- Biometrics: $85/person
- Government fees: $1,325/adult & $225/child
- Medical examination fees: average cost – $450/adult & $250/child
- Police clearance certificates: average cost – $100/country
No government fees are required to submit your initial Express Entry profile. The fees are only requested when you are invited to apply for Canadian permanent residence. In addition to the government processing fees, you may also need to pay provincial immigration fees if you apply through a PNP.
You should also be aware that unless you are applying under the Canadian Experience Class program or have a valid arranged employment offer, you will need to demonstrate you have sufficient funds to support your resettlement in Canada. These settlement funds are not fees paid to the government but you must have access to them to be approved for a permanent residence visa. The amounts per family size are mentioned in the table below:
| Number of Family Members | Funds Required |
|---|---|
| 1 | $13,310 |
| 2 | $16,570 |
| 3 | $20,371 |
| 4 | $24,733 |
| 5 | $28,052 |
| 6 | $31,638 |
| 7 | $35,224 |
| For each additional family member | $3,586 |
| Required amount as of June 9, 2022 |
Do I need a job offer for Express Entry?
You do not require a job offer for Express Entry. The vast majority of candidates selected for Express Entry do not have a formal Canadian job offer.
If you do have a valid Canadian job offer, this can add up to 200 points to your CRS score.
How long does Express Entry take?
Express Entry can take as little as six months to process, from submission of the Express Entry profile to the issuance of a permanent resident visa. However, not all cases will proceed this quickly. Your Express Entry profile will remain active in the pool of candidates for 12 months if you do not receive an invitation to apply. If after 12 months you have not received an invitation, you are welcome to resubmit your profile and remain in the pool. To break it down further:
- Your profile will remain valid for 12 months in the Express Entry pool
- Upon issuance of the ITA, you will have 60 days to provide the requested full application of documents
- Once the immigration authorities receive your complete application, your permanent resident visa, IRCC may process your application in about six months
How are Express Entry points are calculated?
When people refer to Canada’s “Express Entry points”, they are usually referring to the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score. Canada uses the CRS score to rank candidates in the Express Entry pool using a series of factors, including:
- Age;
- Level of education;
- Proficiency in French or English;
- Foreign and Canadian work experience;
- Spouse factors; and
- Connections to Canada
For an estimate of your CRS score, use our CRS calculator tool.
Will the CRS score go down?
It is impossible to predict how the CRS score will fluctuate in the future. No lawyer or consultant can predict this, nor can they guarantee that a person will successfully receive permanent residence through the Express Entry system.
Further, with more and more provinces selecting profiles from the Express Entry pool, a candidate’s CRS score is losing its importance. Instead, Provincial Nominee Programs look for candidates that can fill local labour market or demographic gaps. This means that candidates with in-demand skills or work experience can still succeed in the Express Entry pool, even with a low CRS score.
The Canadian government has also hinted at moving to occupation-based Express Entry draws, which could make the CRS score obsolete.
There are several options for increasing a person’s chances in Canada’s Express Entry pool. To learn more about your eligibility for Express Entry or PNP, complete our free online assessment form.