🇨🇦 Express Entry Overview: 7 FAQ

Express Entry is the fastest and most popular pathway to permanent residence for immigrants seeking a new life in Canada.

Canada welcomes around 110,000 skilled workers through the Express Entry system each year.

1️⃣ 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 Canadian permanent residence status. The system manages three main federal economic programs:

• Federal Skilled Worker (FSW)
• Federal Skilled Trades (FST)
• Canadian Experience Class (CEC)

2️⃣ 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:

1. Language test results
2. Educational credential assessment report
3. 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.

3️⃣ 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)

4️⃣ 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 Canadian 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.

5️⃣ 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,

1. Language tests: Average cost – $300
2. Educational Credential Assessment (ECA): Average cost – $200
3. Biometrics: $85/person
4. Government fees: $1,325/adult & $225/child
5. Medical examination fees: average cost – $450/adult & $250/child
6. 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 *:

*Required amount as of June 9, 2022

6️⃣ 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.

7️⃣ 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