FAQ's

To become a candidate in the Express Entry pool, you must create and submit a valid Express Entry profile. First, ensure that you meet the eligibility criteria for one of the three Express Entry-linked immigration programs: Federal Skilled Worker (FSW), Federal Skilled Trades (FST), or Canadian Experience Class (CEC). Next, prepare and submit your Express Entry profile.

To receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence, your CRS score must meet or exceed the CRS score cut-off for an Express Entry draw. The lowest CRS score cut-off for an all-program draw was 413 points in May 2017. However, for most of 2019 and early 2020, the CRS score cut-off ranged between the 460s and 470s. If your score is below this threshold, you may want to explore ways to enhance your CRS score or consider other immigration pathways outside of Express Entry.

There are various methods to boost your Express Entry CRS score. You can explore all your options in our guide to enhancing your CRS score.
If your language test results do not meet or exceed the Canadian Language Benchmark of Level 9 (CLB 9), improving your language scores could be the quickest way to gain more points, depending on your language proficiency. Achieving CLB 9 or higher on your language tests will earn you additional points through the Skill Transferability Factors of the CRS score.

Express Entry permits you to include your spouse (or common-law partner, or conjugal partner) and dependent children in your application. If your application is successful, you and all accompanying family members will be granted permanent resident status.
For Canadian immigration purposes, a dependent child is defined as:
A child under 22 years of age who is not a spouse or common-law partner, or
A child 22 years of age or older who is unable to support themselves financially due to a physical or mental condition.

Yes, you can opt to immigrate without your spouse and/or children and later sponsor them through a family sponsorship immigration program.

Canada consists of 13 provinces and territories, each with its unique immigration requirements. Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) are regional immigration initiatives that enable these provinces and territories to nominate candidates who meet their specific needs.

There are approximately 80 different PNP streams.
Certain PNP streams mandate an active Express Entry profile, while others may require work experience in a particular occupation, previous experience in Canada, or proficiency in the French language.

Yes, a language test is absolutely required for Express Entry, even if you are a native English or French speaker or have studied in either of these languages. There are no exceptions.
To be eligible for Express Entry, you must submit results from an approved language test in either English or French, and the results must be less than two years old at the time of submitting your final application.

Under Express Entry, there are two recognized language tests for English and two recognized language tests for French.
Recognized language tests for English:
IELTS General Training (the Academic version is not accepted for Express Entry)
CELPIP General
Recognized language tests for French:
Test d’évaluation du français (TEF)
Test de connaissance du français (TCF)

Canada has classified all possible occupations into an extensive database of codes, known as National Occupational Classification codes, or NOC codes. These four-digit codes are used to categorize and comprehend occupations in Canada.

Locate your NOC code by searching for your job title in the Government of Canada’s NOC database. Ensure that the responsibilities outlined under the NOC code align with the tasks you perform in your role. Keep in mind that if you receive an ITA, you will need to submit reference letters from your employer confirming your job duties.

Many candidates, though not all, will need an ECA.
If you are only claiming points for Canadian education, you do not require an ECA report, but you will need to provide proof of your Canadian credentials.
If you are applying under the Canadian Experience Class, you are not required to claim education to meet the program criteria. However, you may want to claim education points, as education constitutes a significant portion of the CRS score. To claim points, you will need an ECA report for any education completed outside of Canada.
If neither of the two situations above applies to you, then you will need to obtain an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA).

Yes, Canada offers various immigration pathways. If you are not eligible for Express Entry, please refer to our guide on alternative immigration options for Canada.

The duration of the process varies for each individual, but it can be broken down into the following stages:
Prepare and Submit Express Entry Profile – Takes several weeks to several months
Before creating your Express Entry profile, you must gather the necessary documents, including language test results and likely education credentials. This process may take anywhere from several weeks to a few months.

Receive Invitation to Apply (ITA) – This could take days, weeks, months, or may not happen at all
Once you submit your profile to the Express Entry pool, it will be considered in all Express Entry draws for the next 12 months (or until you receive an ITA). If your CRS score is high, you may receive an ITA within a few days in the next draw. However, if your CRS score is low, you might not receive an ITA.
ITA Received – Up to 60 days
If you receive an Invitation to Apply, you have up to 60 days to complete and submit your final application for permanent resident status.
Application Processing – Most applications processed in under six months
Once your application is submitted, it will be processed. IRCC states that 80% of applications through Express Entry are processed within six months. If your application is approved, you will be issued documents to activate your permanent resident status in Canada.

No, a job offer is not required for Express Entry.
However, if you do have a valid job offer from a Canadian employer under Express Entry, you can earn points for it. Job offers in senior management positions are worth 200 points, while job offers in other skilled occupations are worth 50 points. Despite this, having a job offer is not essential for success in Express Entry.

Canada establishes an annual target for new admissions through Express Entry. The most recent targets can be found in the 2019-2021 Immigration Levels Plan.
For the year 2021, Canada plans to admit between 84,000 and 91,000 new permanent residents through Express Entry, with an additional 67,000 to 74,000 new permanent residents to be admitted through Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs).

No, any candidates who meet the eligibility criteria are permitted to enter the pool.

Your Express Entry profile remains valid for 12 months from the submission date or until it becomes ineligible (such as when your language test results expire).

If your Express Entry profile expires, you can submit a new one as many times as needed, provided you remain eligible.
For specific inquiries, we suggest consulting with a regulated expert. We have several consultants we would be happy to recommend.