This guide is for skilled workers thinking about moving to Canada permanently, and for anyone who has heard the words "Express Entry", "CRS" or "draw" and wants to know what they mean. Express Entry is not a visa. It is the online system Canada uses to manage applications for permanent residence for skilled workers.
The three programs inside Express Entry
According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), three federal immigration programs are managed through Express Entry:
Federal Skilled Worker Program: for skilled workers with work experience gained abroad or in Canada.
Canadian Experience Class: for people with skilled work experience in Canada.
Federal Skilled Trades Program: for qualified workers in skilled trades.
You must meet the requirements of at least one of these programs to enter the Express Entry pool. Each program has its own rules about work experience, language and education. IRCC has a "who can apply" page that sets them out.
Canada's provinces and territories also run their own Provincial Nominee Programs. Some of their streams are linked to Express Entry. IRCC says that if you are nominated by a province, you get extra points, which makes an invitation much more likely.
How it works, step by step
Check that you are eligible for at least one of the three programs.
Get your documents ready. This usually includes an approved language test and, if you studied outside Canada, an Educational Credential Assessment.
Create your online profile. Once you start it, you have 60 days to complete and submit it.
Enter the pool. Your profile gets a score and stays in the pool for up to 12 months. If you are not invited in that time, it expires and you can create a new one.
Wait for a round of invitations, often called a "draw".
If you receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA), you have 60 days to submit a full application for permanent residence.
IRCC reviews your application and makes a decision.
Your score: the Comprehensive Ranking System
Every profile in the pool gets a score under the Comprehensive Ranking System, or CRS. Points are given for things like age, education, language ability and work experience, plus extra points for things such as a provincial nomination.
One recent change is worth knowing. IRCC removed points for job offers from the CRS for current and future candidates, as of 25 March 2025. A job offer can still matter for eligibility under some programs, but it no longer adds CRS points.
You can estimate your score with IRCC's official CRS tool. The full CRS criteria are also published.
Why we do not quote "cut-off" scores
Each draw invites people above a certain score. That minimum score changes from draw to draw, sometimes by a lot, and depends on the type of draw. A score that was enough a few months ago may not be enough now, or the other way round. Check recent results on IRCC's rounds of invitations page rather than relying on numbers in articles or social media.
Types of draw, including category-based selection
IRCC holds different kinds of rounds of invitations:
General rounds, open to candidates from all programs.
Program-specific rounds, for example only for Provincial Nominee Program candidates.
Category-based rounds, for candidates with particular skills or experience.
Category-based selection is still in use in 2026. IRCC's current categories include French-language proficiency, healthcare and social services, STEM, trades, education and transport occupations, and some categories for people with Canadian work experience, such as physicians, senior managers and researchers. To qualify for an occupation-based category, you now generally need at least 12 months of full-time work experience in an eligible occupation within the past three years. The categories are reviewed regularly, so check the official page for the current list and conditions.
Before you create a profile: a checklist
Confirm which of the three programs you meet, using IRCC's eligibility page.
Take an approved language test. IRCC accepts specific English and French tests, and results must be less than two years old.
Get an Educational Credential Assessment from a designated organisation if you studied outside Canada. It must be less than five years old.
Check whether you need proof of funds. It is required for the Federal Skilled Worker and Federal Skilled Trades programs, unless you are already authorised to work in Canada and have a valid job offer. It is not required for the Canadian Experience Class. The amounts are updated regularly, so check the proof of funds page.
Gather reference letters for your work experience that describe your duties, hours and dates.
Make sure every detail in your profile matches your documents. If you are invited, your application must support everything your profile claimed.
Honesty and representatives
Claiming points you cannot prove can lead to refusal. IRCC says misrepresentation can lead to a ban from Canada of at least five years.
If you pay anyone to help with a Canadian application, IRCC says they must be an authorised representative: a lawyer or paralegal who is a member of a Canadian provincial or territorial law society, a notary of the Chambre des notaires du Québec, or a licensed member of the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants. IRCC may return or refuse an application where an unauthorised paid representative is used, in Canada or abroad. Always check a representative's status yourself.
How long it takes
Times vary and are updated regularly. Use IRCC's processing times tool for the latest estimate. Remember that time in the pool before an invitation is not included in processing times, and there is no guarantee of an invitation.
Where to check the current rules
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules change, so always check the official pages before you apply.
If you would like help understanding whether Express Entry is realistic for you, you can book a consultation. We will talk through your situation in plain language and, where your case needs an authorised Canadian representative, we will tell you so.
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