Express Entry Visa
Express Entry is an online system that are used to manage immigration applications from skilled workers.
There are 3 immigration programs managed through Express Entry:
Canadian Experience Class
- for skilled workers who have Canadian work experience
- work experience must have been gained in the 3 years before you apply
Federal Skilled Worker Program
- for skilled workers with foreign work experience
- must meet criteria for education and other factors
Federal Skilled Trades Program
- for skilled workers who are qualified in a skilled trade
- must have a valid job offer or a certificate of qualification
Steps:
- Step 1: Find out if you’re eligible
- Step 2: Check your score
- Step 3: Get your documents ready
- Step 4: Fill out your profile
- Step 5: Get an invitation and apply
Eligibility and requirements to apply Express Entry
This program is for skilled workers with foreign work experience who want to immigrate to Canada permanently.
This program has minimum requirements for:
- skilled work experience
- language ability
- education
This program is for skilled workers with foreign work experience who want to immigrate to Canada permanently.
Selection Factors for Express Entry
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.
Selection Factors for Express Entry
Skilled work experience
Skilled work experience means that you’ve worked in 1 of these National Occupational Classification (NOC) job groups:
- Managerial jobs (skill type 0)
- Professional jobs (skill level A)
- Technical jobs and skilled trades (skill level B)
You must show that while working in your primary occupation, you performed the duties set out in the lead statement of the occupational description in the NOC. This includes all the essential duties and most of the main duties listed.
Your skilled work experience must be
- in the same type of job (have the same NOC) as the job you want to use for your immigration application (called your primary occupation)
- within the last 10 years
- at least 1 year of continuous work or 1,560 hours total (30 hours per week)—you can meet this in a few different ways:
- full-time at 1 job: 30 hours/week for 12 months = 1 year full-time (1,560 hours)
- equal amount in part-time work: for example 15 hours/week for 24 months = 1 year full time (1,560 hours)
- You can work as many part-time jobs as you need to meet this requirement
- full-time at more than 1 job: 30 hours/week for 12 months at more than 1 job = 1 year full time (1,560 hours)
Part-time work experience
Your skilled work experience must be paid work including paid wages or earned commission. Canadian government does not count volunteer work or unpaid internships.
For part-time work, you can work more or less than 15 hours/week as long as it adds up to 1,560 hours. You can work more than 1 part-time job to get the hours you need to apply.
Canadian government does not count any hours you work above 30 hours/week.
Student work experience
Work experience gained while you were studying may count towards your minimum requirements if the work:
- was paid by wages or commissions
- was continuous (no gaps in employment), and
- meets all the other requirements of the Program
Proof of Funds
You must show that you have enough money for you and your family to settle in Canada, unless you:
- are currently able to legally work in Canada
- have a valid job offer from an employer in Canada
How much money you’ll need
The amount of money you need to support your family depends on the size of your family. To calculate the size of your family you must include
- yourself
- your spouse or partner
- your dependent children and
- your spouse’s dependent children
This table shows the minimum amount you need to immigrate to Canada as of June 9, 2022. If you have more money, you should list the full amount in your profile or application.
| Number of family members |
Funds required (in Canadian dollars) |
|---|---|
| 01 | $13,310 |
| 02 | $16,570 |
| 03 | $20,371 |
| 04 | $24,733 |
| 05 | $28,052 |
| 06 | $31,638 |
| 07 | $35,224 |
| For each additional family member | $3,586 |