Express Entry is an online system that IRCC use to manage immigration applications from skilled workers.
There are 3 immigration programs managed through Express Entry:
1. Canadian Experience Class
2. Federal Skilled Worker Program
3. Federal Skilled Trades Program
The Canadian Experience Class is for skilled workers who have Canadian work experience and want to become permanent residents.
You must
Your language tests are valid for 2 years after the date of the test result and must be valid on the day you apply for permanent residence.
According to the Canadian National Occupational Classification (NOC) , skilled work experience means experience gained in TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3. Your work experience can be in 1 or more TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 jobs.
You must show that you performed the duties set out in the lead statement of the occupational description in the TEER. This includes all the essential duties and most of the main duties listed.
Your skilled work experience must be paid work including paid wages or earned commission. IRCC doesn’t count volunteer work or unpaid internships.
Self-employment and work experience gained while you were a full-time student (even if you were on a co-op work term) doesn’t count towards the minimum requirements for this program.
For part-time work, you can work more or less than 15 hours/week as long as it adds up to 1,560 hours. You can work more than 1 part-time job to get the hours you need to apply. IRCC doesn’t count any hours you work above 30 hours/week.
This program is for skilled workers with foreign work experience who want to immigrate to Canada permanently. This program has minimum requirements for skilled work experience, language ability and education. You must meet all the minimum requirements to be eligible.
Selection factors - If you meet all the minimum requirements, IRCC will then assess your application based on:
These factors are part of a 100-point grid used to assess eligibility for the Federal Skilled Worker Program. You earn points for how well you do in each of the 6 factors.
The current pass mark is 67 points. To know more about the selection factor point grid, click on - https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/eligibility/federal-skilled-workers/six-selection-factors-federal-skilled-workers.html
Skilled work experience means that you’ve worked in 1 of these National Occupational Classification (TEER)
You must show that while working in your primary occupation, you performed the duties set out in the lead statement of the occupational description in the NOC. This includes all the essential duties and most of the main duties listed.
Your skilled work experience must be
Your skilled work experience must be paid work including paid wages or earned commission. We don’t count volunteer work or unpaid internships.
For part-time work, you can work more or less than 15 hours/week as long as it adds up to 1,560 hours. You can work more than 1 part-time job to get the hours you need to apply.
IRCC doesn’t count any hours you work above 30 hours/week.
Work experience gained while you were studying may count towards your minimum requirements if the work was paid by wages or commissions, it was continuous (no gaps in employment), and meets all the other requirements of the Program.
You must:
Your language tests are valid for 2 years after the date of the test result. They must be valid on the day you apply for permanent residence.
If you went to school in Canada, you must have a certificate, diploma or degree from a Canadian:
If you have foreign education, you must have:
You must show that you have enough money for you and your family to settle in Canada, unless you:
To know more about the proof of funds and funds required, click on - https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/documents/proof-funds.html
You must be admissible to Canada. To know more about inadmissibility, click on - https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/inadmissibility.html
You must plan to live outside the province of Quebec. The province of Quebec selects its own skilled workers. If you plan on living in Quebec, see Quebec-selected skilled workers for more information.
When you fill out your profile, we’ll ask you where you plan to live in Canada. You don’t have to settle in that province or territory.
If you’re a Provincial Nominee, you must settle in the province or territory that nominated you.
The Federal Skilled Trades Program is for skilled workers who want to become permanent residents based on being qualified in a skilled trade.
To be eligible, you must
Skilled trades for the Federal Skilled Trades Program are organized under these groups of the National Occupational Classification (NOC):
You must show that you performed the duties set out in the lead statement of the occupational description in the NOC. This includes all the essential duties and most of the main duties listed.
If you don’t show that your experience meets the description in the NOC, we’ll refuse your application.
The work experience only counts after you qualified to independently practice the occupation.
You’ll likely have to go to the province or territory to be assessed for your trade. You may also need an employer in Canada to give you experience and training.
To learn more about getting assessed, you should go to the website of the body that governs trades for the province/territory where you would like to live and work. The process is different, depending on where you want to go.
Each website has more details about certificates of qualification to work in that province or territory in a specific skilled trade, and what you have to do to get one.
If your trade is not regulated by a province or territory, it may be federally regulated (for example, airplane mechanic). You can find out who regulates your trade by visiting the website of the Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials.
If you’re eligible for one of the above programs, you can also apply through Express Entry for the Provincial Nominee Program. If you’re nominated, you’ll get extra points so you can be invited to apply quickly.
This is the application process for skilled workers who want to become permanent residents of Canada and live in Quebec.
Quebec has a special agreement on immigration with the Government of Canada. The province has its own rules for choosing immigrants who will adapt well to living there.
To immigrate to Canada as a Quebec-selected skilled worker, you must apply in the following 2 stages:
1. Apply to the Government of Quebec for a Quebec Selection Certificate (Certificat de sélection du Québec [CSQ]).
The Province of Quebec will assess you, using its own rules.
The certificate shows that the Province of Quebec has accepted you as an immigrant.
2. If the Province of Quebec chooses you and gives you a CSQ, you must apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada for permanent residence.
You can apply as a Quebec-selected skilled wo rker if you
This program is for workers who
Each province and territory have its own “streams” (immigration programs that target certain groups) and requirements. For example, in a program stream, provinces and territories may target
You can apply PNP:-
I. As a provincial nominee through Express Entry
This information is for applicants to the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) who are applying through Express Entry.
If a province or territory nominates you through an Express Entry stream, it will be listed on your nomination certificate. You can confirm this with the province or territory.
In the online Express Entry process, there are two ways to apply:
OR
In both cases, you will need to create an Express Entry profile during the process, so you should do it right from the start.
In both cases, you will need to create an Express Entry profile during the process, so you should do it right from the start.
II. As a provincial nominee (paper process)
In the paper-based process:
This is the paper-based application process for the Provincial Nominee Program.
You must apply in 2 stages:
First, you must decide where you want to live in Canada and apply to that province or territory for a nomination. They will review your application based on:
their immigration needs and
if you really plan to live there
Second, after a province or territory nominates you, you must apply to IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada) for permanent residence. IRCC will assess your application based on Canadian immigration law.
You can choose a province or territory
To be nominated by a province or territory you must follow the instructions on their website and contact them directly:
The criteria by province and territory vary and can change without notice.
The Self-employed Persons Program allows people to immigrate to Canada permanently as a self-employed person.
If you’re interested in this program, you must:
To immigrate as a self-employed person, you must:
Relevant experience
Your experience is relevant if you have:
Relevant experience for a self-employed person means at least two years of experience.
It must be during the period starting 5 years before the day you apply and ending on the day we make a decision on your application.
You can get more points if you have 3, 4, or 5 years of experience.
At a minimum, your experience must be:
a.2 one-year periods being self-employed in cultural activities, or
b.2 one-year periods participating at a world-class level in cultural activities, or
c.a combination of a one-year period described in (a), and a one-year period described in (b)
a.2 one-year periods being self-employed in athletics, or
b.2 one-year periods participating at a world class level in athletics, or
c.a combination of a one-year period described in (a) above, and a one-year period described in (b) above
Immigrant entrepreneurs
Canada’s Start-up Visa Program targets immigrant entrepreneurs with the skills and potential to build businesses in Canada that:
Do you have an innovative business idea? If you can get support for your idea from one of the designated organizations, you may be able to immigrate to Canada.
Want to live in Quebec?
The Province of Quebec is in charge of its own business immigration program. If you plan to live in Quebec, visit Quebec’s immigration website.
To be eligible for the Start-up Visa Program, you must:
Have a qualifying business
A qualifying business means you created a business that meets the following conditions.
AND
Get a letter of support from a designated organization
You must get a letter of support from a designated organization (a business group that has been approved to invest in or support possible start-ups).
You’ll need to:
The process to pitch your idea is different for each organization. Each organization has its own requirements. For example, you may be asked to present your business concept in person or submit a detailed business plan.
If you reach an agreement with a designated organization, it will send you a letter of support. You need to include this letter when you submit your application to us. This is the proof you need to show that the venture capital fund, angel investor group, or business incubator is supporting your business idea.
The organization will also send a commitment certificate directly to us. We’ll use both your letter of support and the organization's commitment certificate to assess your application. Please note, we may ask you for more business information in order to take a final decision on your application.
If you don’t include the letter of support or meet any of the other requirements, we’ll refuse your application.
Did you know?
While your application for permanent residence is being processed, you can apply for a temporary work permit to get to Canada and start building your business. See work permits for start-up visa applicants.
Meet the language requirements
The ability to communicate and work in English, French or both languages will help your business succeed in Canada.
You must take a language test from an approved agency and include the results with your application, or we won’t process it. You must meet the minimum level of the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 5 in either English or French in all of these four areas:
Use your test results to find your CLB level.
If you don’t meet the minimum language skills, we’ll refuse your application.
Bring enough money to settle
The Government of Canada does not give financial support to new start-up visa immigrants.
When you apply, you’ll need to give proof that you have the money to support yourself and your dependants after you arrive in Canada. You can’t borrow this money from another person.
The amount you need depends on the size of your family. We update these amounts every year.
How much money should you bring?
Find out how much it costs to live where you’re planning to settle in Canada.
Bring as much money as possible to make moving to Canada and finding a homeeasier.
The business sector in Canada employs more than 12 million people. Entrepreneurs are a very important part of the business sector and the Canadian economy as a whole. More than 2.7 million Canadians are self-employed, and more than 800,000 of them have paid employees.
These entrepreneurs ensure there’s competition and consumer choice for products and services in communities large and small from coast to coast to coast. As IRCC look to the future, immigrant entrepreneurs and business leaders will have an important role to play ensuring IRCC have a growing and successful economy. The Canadian Government selects business class immigrants based on their ability to become economically established and support the development of the Canadian economy.
Business immigrants are people who can invest in or start businesses in Canada and are expected to support the development of a strong and prosperous Canadian economy.
There are two classes of business immigrants:
1.Those who enter with a start-up visa
To be eligible, you must have:
2.Self-employed persons
To be eligible, you must have one of these:
The Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot is a community-driven program. It’s designed to spread the benefits of economic immigration to smaller communities by creating a path to permanent residence for skilled foreign workers who want to work and live in one of the participating communities.
There are 4 steps to applying for permanent residence under this pilot.
1.Check that you meet both
a.IRCC eligibility requirements and
b.the community-specific requirements.
2.Find an eligible job with an employer in one of the participating communities.
3.Once you have a job offer, submit your application for recommendation to the community.
4.If a community recommends you, apply for permanent residence.
Each community will also have its own
To be eligible for the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP), you must
The Atlantic Immigration Program is a pathway to permanent residence for skilled foreign workers and international graduates from a Canadian institution who want to work and live in 1 of Canada’s 4 Atlantic provinces—New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island or Newfoundland and Labrador. The program helps employers hire qualified candidates for jobs they haven’t been able to fill locally.
The Atlantic Immigration Program helps you hire qualified candidates for jobs you haven’t been able to fill locally. These candidates can be overseas or living in Canada as temporary residents.
Before you can make a job offer to a candidate, you must first become designated by the provincial government of the Atlantic province where the candidate will be working.
Once you’ve offered a job and the candidate has accepted, there are several steps that you and the candidate need to complete. If you and the candidate meet all the requirements, the candidate may then apply for permanent resident status in Canada.
As a caregiver, you have options to come to Canada to become a permanent resident or work temporarily.
Programs under this: -
Applicants should be assessed against the pass and fail selection criteria below, based on the information and documents provided in the application. Applicants must meet the following criteria to be approved:
In addition, applicants must provide proof of either of the following:
Education
The applicant must provide evidence that they have either of the following completed items:
Canadian credentials
A post-secondary Canadian educational credential is any post-secondary diploma, certificate or credential that is issued on the completion of a Canadian program of study or training at an educational or training institution that is recognized by the provincial authorities responsible for registering, accrediting, supervising and regulating such institutions. As such, an applicant who has started a college or university program and has successfully completed the credits for 1 year of that program, but who has not yet completed the program of study, would not meet this requirement.
Foreign credentials
For applicants with a foreign educational credential, the ECA report must
The assessment outcome stated in the ECA report is conclusive evidence that an applicant’s completed foreign educational credentials are equivalent to at least a completed Canadian 1-year post-secondary educational credential.
Equivalency assessments will include an assessment by the designated organization of the authenticity of the applicant’s completed foreign educational credentials.
Note: This assessment provided by the designated organization is not conclusive evidence of the authenticity of the foreign educational credentials. If an officer has concerns about the authenticity of an applicant’s foreign educational credentials, they must communicate these concerns to the applicant, afford them an opportunity to respond to those concerns and provide additional information or documentation.
Qualifying Canadian work experience
The applicant will be assessed for qualifying Canadian work experience once they have submitted proof of this requirement. The assessment will take place either upfront in their initial permanent resident application or after the issuance of an occupation-restricted open work permit (OROWP) through one of these pilots.
Applicants without 24 months of experience (Category A)
Applicants who are otherwise eligible, but who lack the 24 months of qualifying Canadian work experience at the time of their application for permanent residence, will receive an OROWP. Within 36 months of the issuing of the OROWP, the applicant must demonstrate that they have obtained at least 24 months of authorized full-time work experience. Any qualifying work experience claimed must have been obtained within 36 months of the issuance of the OROWP.
Note: Some applicants may already have some, but less than 24 months, of the qualifying Canadian work experience when they receive an OROWP. They can count this experience toward the 24-month requirement, as long as they demonstrate that the 24 months of experience was acquired in the 36 months immediately preceding submission of their proof of work experience.
Applicants with 24 months of experience (Category B)
For applicants with at least 24 months of qualifying Canadian work experience at the time of application, they will submit their proof of qualifying work experience upfront in their application for permanent residence. The applicant must demonstrate that they have obtained a total of at least 24 months of eligible full-time work experience in Canada in the 36 months preceding the time of application.
Qualifying work
All applicants must have had temporary resident status and work authorization during the period of work experience acquired in Canada. Only authorized work will be counted towards the work experience requirement. The authorized work experience may be acquired under any combination of authorized work permits and other authorizations to work (including maintained status).
Full-time work means at least 30 hours of paid work per week. To qualify, an applicant must have obtained work experience in an eligible occupation listed in the National Occupational Classification (NOC):
For the periods of work experience claimed in the application, all applicants must demonstrate they performed both of the following:
Breaks in work experience
Applicants do not have to be employed at the time they apply for permanent residence through the Home Child Care Provider Pilot or Home Support Worker Pilot.
Canadian work experience does not need to be continuous to qualify, but the period of 24 months of required employment must not include
A reasonable period of vacation time will be counted towards meeting the work experience requirement. For example, a 2-week period of paid vacation leave within a given 52-week period in which the applicant was engaged in qualifying work would qualify, whether that period of vacation was taken in Canada or outside Canada.
Any periods of self-employment or periods of employment during which the applicant was engaged in full-time study will not be included when calculating the period of qualifying work experience.
If there is a period of overlap between the applicant’s study permit and work permit, the applicant should provide evidence to demonstrate that at the time they acquired their full-time work experience they were not engaged in full-time study. For instance, they could provide a school transcript and proof of program completion to demonstrate that the work experience was acquired after they completed full-time studies. Any work experience acquired before full-time study program completion (that is, during academic breaks) does not qualify.
Additional requirements for applicants under Category A
Applicants who do not have at least 24 months of qualifying Canadian work experience must also provide proof of both of the following:
Job Offer
Note: If the applicant has provided proof of at least 24 months of eligible Canadian work experience in their initial application, a job offer is not required.
Where applicants do not have 24 months of eligible Canadian work experience at the time of their initial application for permanent residence, they must demonstrate that they have obtained a job offer that is
The job offer must also describe the work and duties to be performed by the applicant. These duties must align with the actions described in the lead statement for the eligible occupation, as set out in the occupational descriptions of the NOC.
The initial job offer must be submitted in the form of the Offer of Employment [IMM 5983] (PDF, 2.3 MB).
Note: The main duties of the job cannot be for foster parent or housekeeper occupations.
Job offers from a relative
All circumstances of the application must be reviewed to support an assessment of the eligibility and genuineness of the job offer and employer/employee relationship.
The same level of scrutiny applies if the employer is a relative, as it does for any other job offer.
Assessing whether a job offer is genuine
Offers of employment must undergo a genuineness assessment to ensure that caregivers are protected, and that the integrity of the program is maintained.
Proof that a job offer is valid and genuine may include, but is not limited to,
To assess the validity of the job, offer, officers can request further information from the employer and use information provided in the job offer. For example, officers can assess whether the employer is financially able to pay the caregiver the salary described in the job offer or if there is a genuine need for a caregiver by examining
Where there are concerns with the job offer, we would rely on the current work-sharing arrangements with the Domestic Network (DN) and International Network (IN) if further review of an application is required.
Ability to perform the work
Note: If the applicant has provided proof of at least 24 months of eligible Canadian work experience in their initial application, they do not need to be assessed for their ability to perform the work.
Applicants who have not obtained at least 24 months of qualifying Canadian work experience must demonstrate that they are able to perform the work described in the lead statement of the occupational description of the NOC.
Failure to do so may result in a refusal.
Note: Foster parents are excluded from NOC 4411, and housekeepers are excluded from NOC 4412.
Supporting documentation
When assessing an applicant’s ability to perform the work, officers can refer to supporting documentation provided in the application. This may include, but is not limited to,
When an officer has serious concerns regarding an applicant’s ability to perform the work, the officer must follow procedural fairness.
Note: Applicants who are applying with less than 24 months of qualifying work experience and have met the eligibility requirements relating to education, language, job offer and ability to perform the work must be assessed for admissibility before being issued an occupation-restricted open work permit and being assessed for qualifying work experience.
Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP)
The Live-in Caregiver Program is closed to new applicants. The employer can only hire a caregiver through the program if the employer have:
Live-in caregivers whose permanent residence application has been submitted may be eligible for an open work permit under LMIA exemption code A71.
Under the Public Policy to support the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP) – Phase 2, all refugee candidates will have to meet the economic criteria of existing programs (RNIP, AIP and PNP) and be able to satisfy an officer that they can economically establish in Canada. EMPP applicants will arrive in Canada with permanent residence status as economic immigrants and will be eligible for the full suite of settlement and integration services that are offered to all economic immigrants, including pre-arrival orientation and referral to in-Canada settlement services and supports. They are not, however, entitled to refugee resettlement assistance, as they are economic immigrants. This means that it is very important for them to be able to demonstrate that they can establish themselves quickly and provide for their own basic needs and those their family during their first year in Canada.
If you’re eligible, you can sponsor your spouse, partner or dependent children to become permanent residents of Canada.
If you do, you must be able to:
Who you can sponsor
You can sponsor your spouse , common-law partner, conjugal partner or dependent children.
Your spouse
Your spouse can be either sex and must be:
Your common-law partner:
If you or your common-law partner choose to end the relationship, IRCC consider the relationship to be over.
You’ll need to give proof of your common-law relationship.
Your conjugal partner:
You’ll need to give proof that you could not live together or get married in your conjugal partner’s country (for example, proof of refused long-term stays in each other’s country).
Dependent children
Children qualify as dependants if they meet both of these requirements:
Children 22 years old or older qualify as dependants if they meet both of these requirements:
With the exception of age, your dependent child must continue to meet these requirements until IRCC finish processing your application.
If they qualify as a dependent child, you can sponsor
To show they meet the eligibility requirements, your spouse, partner, dependent child and their dependent children (if applicable) must provide:
You can’t sponsor someone who is inadmissible to Canada. This means they’re not allowed to come to Canada.
If you submit the interest to sponsor form and receive invitation to apply, you can sponsor your parents and grandparents to become permanent residents of Canada.
If you’re invited to apply, there are 2 applications that are submitted and reviewed for the parents and grandparents program:
If both applications are approved, you’ll sign an agreement called an undertaking that starts on the day the person you’re sponsoring (and their family members, if this applies) becomes a permanent resident of Canada.
You can sponsor your own parents and grandparents if
You can’t sponsor your parents and grandparents if
You may not be eligible to sponsor your parents and grandparents if you
You can sponsor your own parents and grandparents, related by blood or adoption.
In case of divorce, you’ll need to submit separate applications if you sponsor divorced parents and grandparents. If your divorced parents or grandparents have a current spouse, common-law partner or a conjugal partner, these people become dependants on the application and can immigrate to Canada with your parents and grandparents, if approved.
In the application, you can include your brothers and sisters, or half brothers and sisters, or step-brothers and step-sisters only if they qualify as dependent children.
You must meet the income requirements for all the people you want to sponsor and their dependants (spouse, partner and children).
The people you sponsor must also be eligible
To show they meet the eligibility requirements, your parents and grandparents and their dependants must provide
Humanitarian and compassionate (H&C) consideration, under A25 and A25.1 of the IRPA, provides the flexibility to grant permanent residence status or a permanent resident visa to certain foreign nationals who would otherwise not qualify in any class, in cases in which there are compelling H&C grounds. Applicants may make submissions on any facts affecting their personal circumstances that they believe are relevant to their request for H&C consideration.
The Temporary public policy creating two pathways to permanent residence to facilitate the immigration of certain Hong Kong residents, created under the authority of section 25.2 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act takes effect on June 1, 2021, and expires on August 31, 2026. The additional 3 months will allow applicants who graduate in June 2026 sufficient time to submit an application. This public policy includes 2 groups of potential applicants:
This public policy is part of a number of facilitative measures put in place to support Hong Kong residents who are seeking alternatives to remaining in or returning to Hong Kong.
In Canada, the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) and IRCC decide who is a Protected Person. If the IRB determined you to be a person in need of protection or a Convention refugee or if you received a positive decision on your Pre-Removal Risk Assessment (PRRA) from IRCC, you are a Protected Person and may apply for permanent residence with this application.
You may also apply for permanent residence with this application if you are a member of the Protected Temporary Residents Class (PTRC). Protected Temporary Residents are individuals admitted to Canada on a temporary resident permit and who have been determined to be in urgent need of protection by a visa office.
Am I eligible to apply for permanent residence as a Protected Person?
You are eligible to apply if the IRB or IRCC has determined that you are a Protected Person or a Protected Temporary Resident and you are not: