EXPRESS ENTRY ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS 2024

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The Canadian Express Entry system is a beacon of opportunity for skilled workers worldwide seeking to immigrate to Canada. Designed to streamline the process of selecting skilled workers for permanent residency, Express Entry is a gateway to Canada’s diverse opportunities and promising future with certain minimum requirements.

At its core, the eligibility for Express Entry programs serves as a framework to identify individuals with the skills, experience, and potential to contribute to Canada’s thriving economy and vibrant society. To calculate your comprehensive ranking system (CRS) score and better understand your eligibility, you can use our CRS calculator, designed to help Express Entry applicants pass an eligibility check, enter the Express Entry pool, and submit an application. Our Express Entry calculator assesses a candidate’s eligibility quickly based on various personal factors.

Understanding the eligibility criteria is fundamental for skilled workers aspiring to embark on the Express Entry journey. Whether it’s skilled professionals, international students, or experienced entrepreneurs, Express Entry offers a pathway for diverse talent to make Canada their home. In this guide, we delve into the intricacies of the Canadian Express Entry eligibility criteria, providing clarity and insight to prospective applicants aiming to fulfill their Canadian dream by creating an express entry profile and receiving an invitation to apply (ITA) for permanent residence.

You can also learn more about the latest program-specific rounds of invitations and Express Entry Draws to stay on track alongside IRCC. There are certain streams managed under the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP), including the Human Capital Priorities Stream, the French-Speaking Skilled Worker Stream, and the Federal Skilled Trades Program.

The Express Entry system manages three immigration programs, each with its own eligibility requirements: the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), the Federal Skilled Worker (FSWP), and the Federal Skilled Trades (FSTP). Candidates are advised to carefully analyze each program’s eligibility criteria to better determine the one best suited for their individual case. To be eligible, Express Entry candidates must meet the minimum requirements for each program provided by Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to start their application for permanent residency and live in Canada.

In case of further questions or need of assistance, applicants can always book a consultation with a licensed Express Entry consultant to review their case further, discuss processing time, identify the correct national occupational classification (NOC) TEER, and receive personalized guidance with their immigration application. Our dedicated team of Express Entry professionals is ready to support you throughout your journey toward Canadian permanent residence, no matter which Express Entry stage you are on.

In case of further questions or need of assistance, applicants can always book a consultation with a licensed Express Entry consultant to review their case further, discuss processing time, identify the correct national occupational classification (NOC) TEER, and receive personalized guidance with their immigration application. Our dedicated team of Express Entry professionals is ready to support you throughout your journey toward Canadian permanent residence, no matter which Express Entry stage you are on.

Eligibility Factors (Requirements)

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Work Experience

For the Canadian Experience Class, The Canadian work experience must have been for at least 1 year within the past 3 years. It must have been acquired while under temporary resident status as a worker legally authorized to have Canadian employment under Canadian law. The duties that were satisfied must meet the lead statement of the occupational description in the National Occupational Classification (NOC). The applicant must have completed all the essential duties described and most of the main duties included.

Skilled work experience entails working in one or more of the NOC TEER 0,1,2 or 3 occupations. This experience must have been paid in set salaries, commissions, and wages. Volunteer work and unpaid internships can not be considered work experience.

For the Federal Skilled Worker Program, applicants must have valid and skilled work experience in one of the NOC TEER 0,1,2 or 3 categories. The applicant must have completed all the essential duties described in the lead statement of the job description and most of the main duties included. The work experience must:

Have the same NOC code as the employment the applicant plans to use for immigration purposes
Have been acquired within Canada throughout the past ten years.
Have been paid for either in wages or commission.
Have been at least one year of continuous work or 1,560 hours in total or 30 hours of work per week. This requirement can be satisfied in various ways. For example, the applicant can have one full-time job of 30 hours per week, a part-time job of 15 hours per week for 24 months, or full-time at more than one job. It is important to remember that the maximum amount of hours that can be claimed in any of these cases is 30 hours per week and no more.

The Federal Skilled Trades Program allows flexibility with applicants being eligible to use work experience acquired when they were students, as long as:

The work experience was paid in wages or commission
There were no gaps in employment

For the Federal Skilled Trades program, applicants are required to have verifiable full-time, skilled work experience for at least 2 years within the last 5 years before application (or an equal amount of part-time work). The applicant must have completed all the essential duties described in the lead statement of the job description and most of the main duties included. The IRCC considers work experience skilled if it belongs to one of these NOC categories:

Major Group 72, technical trades and transportation officers and controllers
- excluding Sub-Major Group 726, transportation officers and controllers
Major Group 73, general trades
Major Group 82, supervisors in natural resources, agriculture, and related production
Major Group 83, occupations in natural resources and related production
Major Group 92, processing, manufacturing, and utility supervisors, and utility operators and controllers
Major Group 93, central control and process operators and aircraft assembly assemblers and inspectors, excluding Sub-Major Group 932, aircraft assemblers and aircraft assembly inspectors
Minor Group 6320, cooks, butchers and bakers
Unit Group 62200, chefs

It is important to note that if the applicant’s job description doesn’t match the NOC code description or the applicant does not have the proper authorization to practice the skilled trade independently, the candidate’s application will be refused.

Applicants are required to have one of the following:

A full-time job offer in a valid occupation from a valid employer for at least 1 continuous year.
A Canadian certificate of qualification in support of the particular skilled trade.

To practice a skilled trade in a specific province or territory in Canada, you may need to obtain a certificate of qualification from the respective province or territory’s regulatory body. Each province and territory has its own set of certificate of qualification requirements and certification process. This means that you may have to go to the province or territory in question to be assessed for your trade. Additionally, to gain experience and training, you may need an employer to provide you with a job offer.

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Language

Applicants wishing to be eligible for the Canadian Experience Class Program must meet the English language requirement of CLB level 7 for TEER 0 and 1 categories, and CLB level 5 for TEER 2 and 3 categories. For French, applicants must meet NCLC level 7 for TEER 0 and 1 categories, and NCLC level 5 for TEER 2 and 3 categories. Candidates are required to satisfy these requirements for all four language abilities: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Language test results are valid for 2 years and must be valid on the day of applying for permanent residence.

The language requirement under the Federal Skilled Worker Program includes the necessity to reach a CLB level 7 for English or NCLC level 7 for French on all language abilities. Language test results are valid for 2 years and must be valid during the permanent residence application.

Under the Federal Skilled Trades Program the language requirement includes reaching a CLB level 5 for speaking and listening in English and CLB level 4 for reading and writing. Meanwhile, for French, applicants are required to reach NCLC level 5 for speaking and listening and NCLC level 4 for reading and writing. Language test results are valid for 2 years and must be valid during the permanent residence application.

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Education

While there is no minimum requirement for education under the Canadian Experience Class Program, applicants can improve their CRS scores and increase their chances of receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA) by getting a higher level of education. Applicants can achieve this in two days:

If the applicant attended school within Canada, they can get points if they possess a Canadian secondary or post-secondary education that can be proven by degrees or certificates.
If the applicant has acquired foreign education, they may have the chance to improve their scores if they have both a completed educational credential and an educational credential assessment report (ECA)

If you wish to better understand your CRS scores, you can do that using our advanced CRS Calculator.

Under the Federal Skilled Worker Program, whether the applicant went to school in Canada or their home country, they must show an educational credential either way. They must show a certificate or degree from a Canadian secondary or post-secondary education or an educational credential assessment that proves equivalence to a completed Canadian secondary or post-secondary education.

While there is no minimum requirement for education under the Federal Skilled Trades Program, applicants can improve their scores and increase their chances of receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA) by getting a higher level of education. Applicants can achieve this in two days:

If the applicant attended school within Canada, they can get points if they possess a Canadian secondary or post-secondary education that can be proven by degrees or certificates.
If the applicant has acquired foreign education, they may have the chance to improve their scores if they have both a completed educational credential and an educational credential assessment report (ECA)

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Proof of Funds

Under the Canadian Experience Class, there is no requirement to show proof of funds for the applicant or any accompanying family members.

Meanwhile, for the Federal Skilled Worker Program and the Federal Skilled Trades Program, applicants must show proof of funds for themselves and their accompanying family members unless they have:

Proper authorization to legally work in Canada and
An eligible job offer

Depending on the size of your family, you will need to show a certain amount to the Canadian government for settlement.

Number of family members	Funds required (in Canadian dollars)
1	$13,757
2	$17,127
3	$21,055
4	$25,564
5	$28,994
6	$32,700
7	$36,407
If more than 7 people, for each additional family member	$3,706

If you wish to better understand your CRS scores, you can do that using our advanced CRS Calculator.

Candidates are not eligible for the Canadian Experience Class program if they are refugee claimants in Canada, working without having the proper authorization, or gained work experience without legal status in Canada.

Upon receipt of the invitation to apply, applicants may be required to present valid and up-to-date police certificates, medical exams, biometrics, and other forms and files.

It is important to remember that all applicants without exception must be admissible to Canada to be eligible for all of the Express Entry programs.

Full Package

$1250

End-to-End Representation

Initial Consultation Credit

Authorized Representation

Secure Online Client Portal

Consultations - As Required

Online, Phone & Email Support

Express Entry Profile Submission

ECA Submission

Post-Submission Support (1 Year)

One-Time Free Resubmission

Discounted Add-Ons: Adding Spouse/Partner (+$250); Adding Child (Free); Status Extension/Restoration Per Applicant (+$500)

Do It YourselF

$750

Guided Application Process

Initial Consultation Credit

Authorized Representation

Secure Online Client Portal

1-Hour Feedback Session

Online, Phone & Email Support

Assistance with EE Profile

Assistance with ECA Submission

Post-Submission Support (1 Year)

One-Time Free Resubmission

Discounted Add-Ons: Adding Spouse/Partner (+$150); Adding Child (Free); Status Extension/Restoration Per Applicant (+$300)

Peace of Mind

$425

Package Review Before Submission

Initial Consultation Credit

Authorized Representation

Package Drop-Off / Google Drive

1-Hour Feedback Session

One 15-min Follow-Up Session

Full Review Before Feedback

ECA Submission

Post-Submission Support (1 Year)

One-Time Free Resubmission

Discounted Add-Ons: Adding Spouse/Partner (+$125); Adding Child (Free); Status Extension/Restoration Per Applicant (+$100)

Consultation

$50 - $200

One-Time Consultation

Initial Consultation Credit

Authorized Representation

Review of Documents, Forms, Eligibility and/or Case-Specific Questions During Consultation

In-Office / Online / Phone

Up to 15-min Session - $85

Up to 30-min Session - $135

Up to 1-hour Session - $200

Eligibility Assessment Only - $50 (Not Available for All Programs)

Review Before Consultation

Personalized Document Checklist

Completion of Forms

Writing Letters