In January 2015, Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) launched a new electronic system called Express Entry to manage applications for permanent residency under the following federal immigration programs:
Provinces and territories will also be able to recruit candidates from the Express Entry system for a portion of the Provincial Nominee Programs to meet local labour market needs.
The Express Entry system will be the first step to immigrate to Canada under these programs. Potential candidates will be able to complete an Express Entry profile at any time once the system is online. Note that there will be no deadline to complete a profile and there will be no caps on the number of candidates that will be accepted to the pool.
Anyone who is accepted into the Express Entry pool could get an Invitation to Apply for permanent residence. Draws to invite candidates to apply are expected to take place at regular intervals over the course of each year. CIC will only pick the top ranking candidates regardless of when they were accepted into the pool. The first draw is expected in late January. If you have been invited to apply, you will have 60 days to submit a complete Application for Permanent Residence online.
Learn how to get ready to complete an Express Entry profile.
The Express Entry system has two steps:
Step 1) Potential candidates complete an online Express Entry profile. Qualified candidates are placed in a pool.
Step 2) The highest-ranking candidates in the pool will be invited to apply for permanent residence.
The selection factors are:
| A. Core / human capital factors | Points per factor – With a spouse or common-law partner | Points per factor – Without a spouse or common-law partner |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 100 | 110 |
| Level of education | 140 | 150 |
| Official languages proficiency | 150 | 160 |
| Canadian work experience | 70 | 80 |
| B. Spouse or common-law partner factors | Maximum 40 points | |
|---|---|---|
| Level of education | 10 | |
| Official language proficiency | 20 | |
| Canadian Work Experience | 10 | |
| A. Core/human capital + B. Spouse or common-law partner factors | Maximum 500 points (with a spouse or common-law partner) | Maximum 500 points (without a spouse or common-law partner) |
| C. Skill Transferability factors | Maximum 100 points | |
|---|---|---|
| Education | Maximum 50 points | |
| With good/strong official languages proficiency and a post-secondary degree | 50 | |
| With Canadian work experience and a post-secondary degree | 50 | |
| Foreign work experience | Maximum 50 points | |
| With good/strong official languages proficiency and foreign work experience | 50 | |
| With Canadian work experience and foreign work experience | 50 | |
| Certificate of qualification (for people in trade occupations) | Maximum 50 points | |
| With good/strong official languages proficiency and a certificate of qualification | 50 | |
| A. Core/human capital + B. Spouse or common-law partner + C. Transferability factors | Maximum 600 points |
| D. Additional points | (maximum 600) | |
|---|---|---|
| Arranged employment | 600 | |
| PN nomination | 600 | |
| A. Core/human capital + B. Spouse or common-law partner factors + C. Transferability factors + D. = Grand total – 1,200 | ||
CRS – Core factors:
| Core / human capital factors | With a spouse or common-law partner (Maximum 460 points) | Without a spouse or common-law partner (Maximum 500 points) |
|---|---|---|
| Age | Number of points (100 maximum) | Number of points (110 maximum) |
| 17 years of age or less | 0 | 0 |
| 18 years of age | 90 | 99 |
| 19 years of age | 95 | 105 |
| 20 to 29 years of age | 100 | 110 |
| 30 years of age | 95 | 105 |
| 31 years of age | 90 | 99 |
| 32 years of age | 85 | 94 |
| 33 years of age | 80 | 88 |
| 34 years of age | 75 | 83 |
| 35 years of age | 70 | 77 |
| 36 years of age | 65 | 72 |
| 37 years of age | 60 | 66 |
| 38 years of age | 55 | 61 |
| 39 years of age | 50 | 55 |
| 40 years of age | 45 | 50 |
| 41 years of age | 35 | 39 |
| 42 years of age | 25 | 28 |
| 43 years of age | 15 | 17 |
| 44 years of age | 5 | 6 |
| 45 years of age or more | 0 | 0 |
| Level of Education | With a spouse or common-law partner – Number of points (140 maximum) | Without a spouse or common-law partner – Number of points (150 maximum) |
| Less than Secondary school (high school) credential | 0 | 0 |
| Secondary school (high school) credential | 28 | 30 |
| One-year post-secondary program credential | 84 | 90 |
| Two-year post-secondary program credential | 91 | 98 |
| Post-secondary program credential of three years or longer | 112 | 120 |
| Two or more post-secondary program credentials AND at least one of these credentials was issued on completion of a post-secondary program of three years or longer | 119 | 128 |
| University-level credential at the Master’s level OR an entry-to-practice professional degree. CIC only accepts as an entry-to-practice professional degree, those degrees issued in relation to an occupation listed at NOC Skill level A and for which licensing by a provincial regulatory body is required. | 126 | 135 |
| University-level credential at the Doctoral level | 140 | 150 |
| Official languages proficiency – first official language Reading, writing, speaking and listening total points for each ability: |
-
- 32 with a spouse or common-law partner
-
- 34 without a spouse or common-law partner
With a spouse or common-law partner Maximum 128 points Without a spouse or common-law partner Maximum 136 points For each ability 3234 Less than CLB 400CLB 4 or 566CLB 689CLB 71617CLB 82223CLB 92931CLB 10 or more 3234 Official languages proficiency – second official language
Reading, writing, speaking and listening total points for each ability:
-
- 5.5 with a spouse or common-law partner
-
- 6 without a spouse or common-law partner
With a spouse or common-law partner Maximum 22 points Without a spouse or common-law partner Maximum 24 points For each ability 66CLB 4 or less00CLB 5 or 611CLB 7 or 833CLB 9 or more 66 Canadian work experience With a spouse or common-law partner Maximum 70 pointsWithout a spouse or common-law partner Maximum 80 pointsNone or less than a year001 year35402 years46533 years56644 years63725 years or more7080Subtotal – Core / human capital factorsOut of 460 pointsOut of 500 points
CRS – Spouse or common-law partner factors (if applicable)
| Spouse or common-law partner factors | With spouse or common-law partner – number of points per factor | Without spouse or common-law partner (0 points – does not apply) |
|---|---|---|
| Spouse’s or common-law partner’s level of education | 10 | 0 |
| Less than secondary school (high school) credential | 0 | |
| Secondary school (high school) credential | 2 | |
| One-year post-secondary program credential | 6 | |
| Two-year post-secondary program credential | 7 | |
| Post-secondary program credential of three years or longer | 8 | |
| Two or more post-secondary program credentials AND at least one of these credentials was issued on completion of a post-secondary program of three years or longer | 9 | |
| University-level credential at the Master’s level OR an entry-to-practice professional degree. CIC only accepts as an entry-to-practice professional degree, those degrees issued in relation to an occupation listed at NOC Skill level A and for which licensing by a provincial regulatory body is required. | 10 | |
| University-level credential at the Doctoral level | 10 | |
| Spouse’s or common-law partner’s official languages proficiency – first official language
Reading, writing, speaking and listening– total points for each ability |
Maximum 20 points | 0 (does not apply) |
| For each ability | 5 | |
| CLB 4 or less | 0 | |
| CLB 5 or 6 | 1 | |
| CLB 7 or 8 | 3 | |
| CLB 9 or more | 5 | |
| Canadian work experience | Maximum 10 points | 0 (does not apply) |
| None or less than a year | 0 | |
| 1 year | 5 | |
| 2 years | 7 | |
| 3 years | 8 | |
| 4 years | 9 | |
| 5 years or more | 10 | |
| Subtotal – Core / human capital + Spouse or common-law partner factors | 500 | 500 |
CRS – Skill transferability factors
| Skill Transferability factors | Maximum 100 points for this section | |
|---|---|---|
| Education | Maximum 50 points for Education | |
| With good official language proficiency and a post-secondary degree | Maximum 50 points | |
| Points for CLB 7 or more on all first official language abilities, one or more under 9 | Points for CLB 9 or more on all four first official language abilities | |
| Secondary school (high school) credential or less (levels 1 & 2) | 0 | 0 |
| Post-secondary program credential of one year or longer (levels 3,4 & 5) | 13 | 25 |
| Two or more post-secondary program credentials AND at least one of these credentials was issued on completion of a post-secondary program of three years or longer (levels 6,7 & 8) | 25 | 50 |
| With Canadian work experience and a post-secondary degree | Maximum 50 points | |
| Points for education + 1 year of Canadian work experience | Points for education + 2 years or more of Canadian work experience | |
| Secondary school (high school) credential or less (levels 1 & 2) | 0 | 0 |
| Post-secondary program credential of one year or longer (levels 3,4 & 5) | 13 | 25 |
| Two or more post-secondary program credentials AND at least one of these credentials was issued on completion of a post-secondary program of three years or longer (levels 6,7 & 8) | 25 | 50 |
| Foreign work experience | Maximum 50 points for Foreign work experience | |
| With good official language proficiency and foreign work experience | 50 points | |
| Points for foreign work experience + CLB 7 or more on all first OL abilities, one or more under 9 | Points for foreign work experience + CLB 9 or more on all four first OL abilities | |
| No foreign work experience | 0 | 0 |
| 1 or 2 years of foreign work experience | 13 | 25 |
| 3 years or more of foreign work experience | 25 | 50 |
| With Canadian work experience and foreign work experience | Maximum 50 points | |
| Points for foreign work experience + 1 year of Canadian work experience | Points for foreign work experience + 2 years or more of Canadian work experience | |
| No foreign work experience | 0 | 0 |
| 1 or 2 years of foreign work experience | 13 | 25 |
| 3 years or more of foreign work experience | 25 | 50 |
| Certificate of qualification (trade occupations) | Maximum 50 points for this section | |
| With good official language proficiency and a certificate of qualification | Maximum 50 points | |
| Points for certificate of qualification + CLB 5 or more on all first OL abilities, one or more under 7 | Points for certificate of qualification + CLB 7 or more on all four first OL abilities | |
| With a certificate of qualification | 25 | 50 |
| Subtotal: A. Core + B. Spouse or common-law partner + C. Skill transferability factors |
600 | |
| Additional points | Maximum 600 points | |
| 1) Arranged employment OR | 600 | |
| 2) Provincial or territorial nomination | 600 | |
| Grand total | Maximum 1,200 points | |
To know more about your Eligibility under EXPRESS ENTRY, please Contact Us or complete our Free Online Assessment now
