Federal Skilled Worker - Express Entry (Canada PR)

This program is for skilled workers with foreign work experience who want to immigrate to Canada permanently.

How this program works

This program has minimum requirements for:

skilled work experience
language ability
education

You must meet all the minimum requirements to be eligible.

Selection factors

If you meet all the minimum requirements, we’ll then assess your application based on:

age
education
work experience
whether you have a valid job offer
English and/or French language skills
adaptability (how well you’re likely to settle here)

These factors are part of a 100-point grid used to assess eligibility for the Federal Skilled Worker Program. You earn points for how well you do in each of the 6 factors.

The current pass mark is 67 points out of 100.

If you score lower than 67 points, you won’t qualify for the program. You may be able to get a higher score by doing things like:

improving your language skills
completing another degree, diploma, or certificate
receiving an offer of arranged employment in Canada

Language skills (maximum 28 points)

It’s very important to be able to communicate in 1 or both of Canada’s official languages. Knowing English, French or both helps you in the Canadian job market.

You can get up to 28 points for your language skills in English and French. We’ll give you points based on your ability to:

write
read
listen
speak

Language testing

You must take an approved language test to prove your language levels.

To measure your English or French levels, we use:

Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) for English
Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) for French

You must get a minimum level of CLB 7 or NCLC 7 for 1 official language in all 4 language areas. To get points for the second official language, you must meet the minimum level of CLB 5 or NCLC 5 in all 4 language areas.

Once you take the language test, you can use it to see exactly how many points we’ll give you for the language selection factor.

Find out more about language testing and how to get tested.

Calculate your language points

First official language (maximum 24 points)

Check the table below and add the points that match your skill level:

Points
First official language	Speaking	Listening	Reading	Writing
CLB level 9 or higher	6	6	6	6
CLB level 8	5	5	5	5
CLB level 7	4	4	4	4
Below CLB level 7	Not eligible to apply	Not eligible to apply	Not eligible to apply	Not eligible to apply

Second official language (maximum 4 points)

You can get 4 points only if you have a score of at least CLB 5 in each of the 4 language abilities.

Second official language	Points
At least CLB 5 in all of the 4 abilities	4
CLB 4 or less in any of the 4 abilities	0

Education (maximum 25 points)

If you went to school in Canada, you must have a certificate, diploma or degree from a Canadian:

secondary institution (high school) or
post-secondary institution

If you have foreign education, you must have:

an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report for immigration purposes from a designated organizationshowing that your education is equal to a completed certificate, diploma or degree from a Canadian:
- secondary institution (high school) or
- post-secondary institution

You must include your Canadian credential or your foreign credential and Educational Credential Assessment report when you apply.

How to read your report and calculate your points for education

Work experience (maximum 15 points)

You can get points for the number of years you’ve spent doing full-time paid work (at least 30 hours per week, or an equal amount of part-time [15 hours per week for 24 months]) at skill type 0, or skill levels A or B of the 2016 National Occupational Classification.

To get selection factor points, your work experience will count if it was:

in Canada or abroad
while you were studying
while being self-employed

Finding your National Occupational Classification (NOC)

The NOC is a list of all the occupations in the Canadian labour market and is used to classify jobs in the Canadian economy. It describes duties, skills, talents and work settings for different jobs.

You will need to identify the “NOC code” for each job that you want to include in your Express Entry profile. Find your NOC to find the information that best matches each of your past jobs.

You’ll need this information again, so make sure to save it.

If the description and list of main duties match what you did at your job(s), you can count this experience for points.

Use this chart to find the number of points based on your number of years of experience.

Experience	Maximum 15 points
1 year	9
2-3 years	11
4-5 years	13
6 or more years	15

Age (maximum 12 points)

You’ll get points based on your age on the day we get your application.

Age	Points
Under 18	0
18-35	12
36	11
37	10
38	9
39	8
40	7
41	6
42	5
43	4
44	3
45	2
46	1
47 and older	0

Arranged employment in Canada (maximum 10 points)

You can get points if you have a job offer of at least 1 year from a Canadian employer. You must get the job offer before you apply to come to Canada as a Federal Skilled Worker.

A valid job offer has to be:

for continuous, paid, full-time work (minimum of 30 hours/week) that is:
- not seasonal
- for at least 1 year
in an occupation listed as Skill Type 0 or Skill Level A or B of the NOC.

We must be convinced that:

you’re able to do the job offered to you
you’ll be able to become licensed or certified when in Canada (if the occupation is regulated in Canada)

To get 10 points for a valid job offer, 1 of these situations must also apply.

Situation 1

You currently work in Canada on a work permit and you meet all of the following conditions:

Your work permit is valid both when you apply and when the permanent resident visa is issued (or you’re allowed to work in Canada without a work permit when your visa is issued).
We issued your work permit based on a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) from Employment and Social Development Canada in an occupation listed under skill type 0 or skill level A or B of the NOC.
You’re working for an employer named on your work permit.
That employer has made a valid job offer based on you being accepted as a skilled worker.

Situation 2

You currently work in Canada in a job that is exempt from the LMIA requirement because of 1 of the following:

an international agreement (such as, the North American Free Trade Agreement) or
significant benefit to Canadian interests or
a federal-provincial agreement

You must also meet all of the following conditions:

Your work permit is valid both when you apply and when the permanent resident visa is issued (or you’re allowed to work in Canada without a permit when your permanent resident visa is issued).
Your current employer has made a valid job offer based on you being accepted as a skilled worker.
You are currently working for the employer specified on your work permit.
You have been working for that employer for at least 1 year, continuous full-time or part-time equivalent.

Situation 3

You must meet all of the following conditions:

You currently don’t have a work permit, or don’t plan to work in Canada before you get a permanent resident visa.
An employer has a LMIA.
That employer has made you a valid job offer based on that LMIA and on you being accepted as a skilled worker.

Situation 4

You must meet all of the following conditions:

You have a valid work permit or are allowed to work in Canada without a work permit.
You’re currently working in Canada in a job that is exempt from a LMIA, but it is not under an international, federal-provincial agreement or because of significant benefit to Canadian interests.
An employer other than the one you are currently working for:
- has a LMIA
- has made you a valid job offer based on that LMIA and on you being accepted as a skilled worker.

LMIAs and valid job offers

You can’t get a LMIA (your employer must do this for you).
Employment and Social Development Canada will only confirm valid job offers for occupations listed in skill type 0, or skill level A or B, of the NOC.

Adaptability (maximum 10 points)

You and your spouse or common-law partner who will immigrate with you to Canada can earn points for adaptability.

You and your spouse can earn a maximum of 10 points by combining any of the elements below. These elements assess how well you and your spouse are likely to settle in Canada.

Adaptability	Maximum 10 points
Your spouse or partner’s language level Your spouse or common-law partner has a language level in either English or French at CLB 4 level or higher in all 4 language abilities (speaking, listening, reading and writing). To get these points, you must submit your spouse or common-law partner’s test results from an approved agency when you apply. The language tests are valid for 2 years after the date of the test result. They must be valid on the day you apply for permanent residence.	5
Your past studies in Canada You completed at least 2 academic years of full-time study (in a program at least 2 years long) at a secondary or post-secondary school in Canada. Full-time study means at least 15 hours of classes per week. You must have stayed in good academic standing (as set out by the school) during that time.	5
Your spouse or partner’s past studies in Canada Your spouse or common-law partner completed at least 2 academic years of full-time study (in a program at least 2 years long) at a secondary or post-secondary school in Canada. Full-time study means at least 15 hours of classes per week, and your spouse or partner must have stayed in good academic standing (as set out by the school) during that time.	5
Your past work in Canada You did at least 1 year of full-time work in Canada: In a job listed in Skill Type 0 or Skill Levels A or B of the National Occupational Classification (NOC). And, with a valid work permit, or while authorized to work in Canada.	10
Your spouse or common-law partner’s past work in Canada Your spouse or partner did at least 1 year of full-time work in Canada on a valid work permit or while authorized to work in Canada.	5
Arranged employment in Canada You earned points for having arranged employment.	5
Relatives in Canada You, or your spouse or common-law partner, have a relative who is: living in Canada 18 years or older and a Canadian citizen or permanent resident This relative must be a: parent grandparent child grandchild your or your spouse’s sibling (child of your or your spouse’s parent) your or your spouse’s aunt or uncle (by blood or marriage) your or your spouse’s niece or nephew (grandchild of your or your spouse’s parent)	5

How does EE works?

If you fill out a profile for Express Entry, your application will be ranked according to a points system.
If you are highly ranked, you will be invited to apply for permanent residence as a skilled immigrant.
Once you have applied, your PR application will then be processed within the next 6 months.

Which Immigration Programs Does EE Cover?

You must use Express Entry to apply for:
The Skilled Worker Program
The Skilled Trades Program
The Canadian Experience Class
Some candidates for Ontario’s Provincial Nominee Program are also selected through Express Entry.

Do I Qualify for EE?

You qualify for Express Entry if you meet the eligibility criteria for the Skilled Worker program, Skilled Trades program, or Canadian Experience Class.

How are EE profile points determined?

Your Express Entry profile will get points based on:

Your education level;
Your abilities in English and/or French (Canada’s 2 official languages);
Your work experience and skills;
Your age;
If you have a job offer in Canada.
Your spouse’s education, language abilities, and work experience.
Additional points are also awarded if you have completed a college or university program in Canada or if you have a provincial nomination.
This chart outlines the points you can get for each category. Please note that EE points are different from the Federal Skilled Worker point system.

How Does EE Choose People for PR?

Once you submit a profile, your profile will be entered into a pool (Group) of all the people who have currently applied for Express Entry.
You will then be ranked against other people in the pool. Your ranking is based on the number of points you have.
If you are at the top of the rankings, your profile will be drawn (selected) from the list of applications. You will then get an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence as a skilled immigrant.