Express Entry
There are three programs under the Express Entry system in Canada: Federal Skilled Worker Class, Federal Skilled Trades Class, and Canadian Experience Class. Express Entry uses the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) to determine your candidacy for the program you are applying under. The CRS is scored out of 1.200 points and is broken down as follows:
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skills and experience factors
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spouse and common-law partner factors
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skills transferability factors
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Each Express Entry program has its own eligibility requirements. If you are determined eligible for your program of choice, you will be entered into a pool of other candidates and ranked based on the latest CRS scores. The government of Canada regularly conducts Express Entry draws and issues Invitations to Apply (ITA's) for permanent residence to the highest-ranking candidates in the pool.
Federal Skilled Worker (FSW)
Selection Factor Points Breakdown
The FSW class is for those who intend to reside in a province other than Quebec, are skilled workers, and have the ability to become economically established in Canada. Eligibility for the FSW class is points-based and applicants must score 67 points or more to be considered for the program. Points are based on:​
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language
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education
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work experience
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age
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arranged employment in Canada
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adaptability
Minimum Requirements
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skilled work experience
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language proficiency
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education
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proof of funds
First official language - maximum 24 points
Second official language - maximum 4 points
Education - maximum 25 points
You can obtain a maximum of 25 points for your education. If your education is from a foreign institution, you must show that your foreign credentials are equal to a completed Canadian secondary or post-secondary credential. You can find the points results for your foreign credential by visiting the Federal Skilled Workers Program Factor Points.
Work experience - maximum 15 points
Age - maximum 12 points
Arranged employment - maximum 10 points
If you have a valid job offer of at least 1 year from a Canadian employer, you can obtain a maximum of 10 points. You must receive the job offer prior to applying under the Federal Skilled Worker Class. A valid job offer means:
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you have been offered a job for at least 1 year
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the job if for continuous, paid, full-time work
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the job is not seasonal
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the job is a NOC skill type 0 or skill level A or B
Adaptability - maximum 10 points
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Federal Skilled Trades (FST)
To qualify under the Federal Skilled Trades class, you must have at least 2 years of full-time work experience in a skilled trade, which was obtained within the 5 years prior to your application.
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Skilled trades are NOC skill type B and defined as follows under the National Occupation Classification:
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Major Group 72 - industrial, electrical and construction trades
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Major Group 73 - maintenance and equipment operation trades
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Major Group 82 - supervisors and technical jobs in natural resources, agriculture and related production
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Major Group 92 - processing, manufacturing and utilities supervisors and central control operators
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Minor Group 632 - chefs and cooks
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Minor Group 633 - butchers and bakers
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If you have the required work experience to qualify under this program, you must also meet the following requirements:
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language proficiency
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have a valid job offer of full-time employment for at least 1 year, or a certificate of qualification in your trade issued by a Canadian provincial, territorial or federal authority
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intend to live outside of the province of Quebec
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Education
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The FST program does not require you to have a secondary or post-secondary education; however, having an education credential can help improve your scores in the Express Entry pool.
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Language
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To meet the language proficiency requirement for this program, you must obtain a minimum score of CLB 5 for speaking and listening and a CLB 4 for reading and writing. The language test you take must be one of the following:
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CELPIP - Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program General Test
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IELTS - International English Language Training System General Training
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TEF Canada - Test d'evaluation de francais (if written before March 1, 2020)
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TEF Canada - Test de connaissance du francais (if written after March 1, 2020)
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Proof of Funds
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You must show that you are able to financially support yourself and your family in Canada unless,
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you are currently able to work in Canada legally, or
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you have a valid job offer from an employer in Canada
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Getting Assessed by the Province or Territory
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You may require an assessment for your trade by the province or territory you plan to reside in. Each province and territory has a different assessment process. You can find out more by choosing a province or territory below.
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If your trade is not provincially or territorially regulated, it may be federally regulated, you can visit the Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials to find out more information about who regulates your trade.
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Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
The Canadian Experience Class is for individuals who have skilled Canadian work experience and wish to become permanent residents of Canada. The program uses the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) to rank applicants in the Express Entry pool and only those applicants with competitive scores will receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence.
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In order to qualify for the program you must:
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meet the language proficiency requirements for each language ability
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have at least 1 year of skilled work in Canada in the 3 years prior to your application
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have gained your Canadian work experience while having temporary resident status in Canada with authorization to work
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intend to live outside of the province of Quebec
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Language Proficiency
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Depending on the NOC your job falls under, you must meet the following language levels:
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CLB 7 for NOC 0 or A jobs
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CLB 5 for NOC B jobs
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Skilled Work
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Your skilled work experience must be paid work including wages or earned commission. Any hours of work above 30 hours per week do not count towards skilled work experience.
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You can meet the skilled work requirement in the following ways:
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one full-time job - 30 hours per week for 12 months
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part-time work - 15 hours per week for 24 months or less than 15 hours per week as long as the total amount of hours in 12 months adds up to 1,560 hours
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more than one full-time job - 30 hours per week for 12 months at more than one job
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Proof of Funds
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Proof of funds is not a requirement for this program.
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Education
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The FST program does not require you to have a secondary or post-secondary education; however, having an education credential can help improve your scores in the Express Entry pool.
