IMMIGRATE THROUGH EXPRESS ENTRY
How Express Entry works
There are two ways to find out if you’re eligible for a program that is part of Express Entry:
Answer a few questions to find out if you might be able to apply under Express Entry.
There are three immigration programs under Express Entry, and each has different requirements. You will need about 10 to 15 minutes to fill out this form.
You will be asked questions about your:
- nationality
- age
- language ability
- family members
- education
- work experience
- details on any job offer
If you are eligible for Express Entry, we will give you a detailed list of instructions on what to do next. This would include filling out an online profile.
Based on this profile, if you meet the requirements, you will be put in a pool of candidates for immigration, and possibly invited to apply to immigrate
We choose skilled workers based on their skills and ability to contribute to Canada’s economy.
Express Entry manages applications for three economic immigration programs:
Federal Skilled Worker Program
Federal Skilled Trades Program
Canadian Experience Class
Provinces and territories can also recruit candidates from the Express Entry pool through the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) to meet local labour market needs.
Federal Skilled Worker Program
Federal Skilled Trades Program
Canadian Experience Class
Documents required for your profile
You don’t need to upload documents to submit a profile, but you may need information from some or all of these documents:
- a passport or travel document
- language test results
- proof of Canadian education or an educational credential assessment report for immigration purposes if
- you’re applying through the Federal Skilled Workers Program, or
- you want to get points for the education you got outside Canada
- provincial nomination (if you have one)
- written job offer from an employer in Canada (if you have one), proof of work experience, certificate of qualification in a trade occupation issued by a Canadian province or territory (if you have one)
- proof of funds
Documents for your application for
- permanent residence
- police certificates
- medical exams
- proof of funds
- birth certificate
required if you’re declaring dependent children
- proof of relationship to a relative in Canada
- digital photos to confirm your identity
- other name to confirm aliases
- any other documents that you feel are relevant to your application
- place you in a pool with others who are also eligible
- give you a score and rank you using several factors
- invite you to apply to be a permanent resident of Canada (if you’re one of the top candidates)
You can only apply online if they send you an invitation to apply.
Completing an online Express Entry profile or entering the pool doesn’t guarantee that we’ll invite you to apply for permanent residence.
What to do while you’re in the pool
While you wait in the pool, get ready to accept an invitation to apply. If we invite you to apply, you’ll have 60 days to submit a complete application.
Get your documents ready
Having your documents ready will make it easier to apply within the 60 days.
Language tests
Check that your language test results are valid. They are valid for 2 years after the date of the test result. They must also be valid on the date you apply for permanent residence.
If your results expire before then, you should:
be tested again or apply before your test results expire (if possible) or
decline the invitation and go back into the pool to be considered in the future
If you apply for permanent residence with language test results that have expired, they’ll reject your application.
Police certificates
You’ll need to get police certificates for you and any of your family members who are 18 years old or older.
In some countries, it can take a long time to get police certificates. Ask for them now that you’re in the pool, so you can submit them before your 60 days are up.
Find a job with Job Match
You can start your job search by creating a Job Match account with Job Bank. Job Bank is a database that can help match you with employers looking for workers with your skills.
To do this, you’ll need the Job Seeker validation code you received when you submitted your profile. Once you come to Canada, you can keep using Job Bank to find a job.
Try to improve your score
- While you’re in the pool, you can improve your score and increase your chances of being invited to apply by:
getting a valid job offer by:
using Job Bank
promoting yourself to employers in Canada using private-sector job boards - contacting provinces and territories to consider you for a Provincial Nominee Program
- improving your language score
- improving your education
- gaining more relevant work experience
They rank candidates in the pool using a points-based system called the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). They select the highest-ranking candidates from the pool and invite them to apply for permanent residence.
Each invitation round has a set of instructions that are:
- posted online at the time of the invitation round
- used by the Express Entry system to invite candidates from the pool
The instructions include:
- the date and time of the invitation round
- the number of candidates that will get an invitation to apply
which immigration program(s) are included in the round (some invitation rounds may only invite candidates for 1 program, for example only from Federal Skilled Trades)
Check your score and then use this information to see how likely you are to get an invitation in the next round.
CRS score distribution of candidates in the Express Entry pool as of August 16, 2021
|
CRS score range |
Number of candidates |
|
601-1200 |
486 |
|
501-600 |
2,524 |
|
451-500 |
36,362 |
|
491-500 |
1,467 |
|
481-490 |
4,106 |
|
471-480 |
11,124 |
|
461-470 |
10,368 |
|
451-460 |
9297 |
|
401-450 |
40,475 |
|
441-450 |
8,301 |
|
431-440 |
8,517 |
|
421-430 |
6,334 |
|
411-420 |
7,947 |
|
401-410 |
9,376 |
|
351-400 |
53,752 |
|
301-350 |
31,604 |
|
0-300 |
5,633 |
|
Total |
1,70,836 |
The score distribution may change as people submit new profiles and other profiles expire.
The table numbers not in bold are a detailed breakdown of the bold number immediately above.
Respond to your invitation to apply
If they invite you to apply for permanent residence, you’ll get a message in your account telling you:
- which program you’ve been invited to apply for
- what to do next
You’ll need to show proof of the information you gave them in your Express Entry profile. They’ll assess whether the information you submit in your application is different from what was in your profile.
If they find that you gave them false information or left out important details, they could
- refuse your application
- find you inadmissible
- bar you for 5 years from applying to come to Canada for any reason