Express Entry Document Checklist: Required Documents
The documents required for Express Entry depend on the applicant’s immigration program, personal history, family situation and stage of the application. Some documents are used to complete an Express Entry profile, while applicants who receive an Invitation to Apply must upload supporting evidence with their permanent residence application. IRCC generates a personalized document checklist after the online forms are completed, so the exact requirements can differ between applicants. Preparing key documents early can help identify missing information, check expiry dates and resolve inconsistencies before an invitation is received.
Required Documents for Express Entry
Applicants should gather the information and supporting documents needed to complete their Express Entry profile accurately. Not every document is uploaded when the profile is created, but the information entered must later be supported if the applicant receives an Invitation to Apply.
Documents and information commonly needed for an Express Entry profile include:
- a valid passport or travel document. If it will expire within 6 months from the date of application, IRCC recommends renewing it and updating the application with the new passport details;
- results from an approved English or French language test that are less than 2 years old when the Express Entry profile is created and when the permanent residence application is submitted;
- Canadian education documents or an Educational Credential Assessment for foreign education, where required. An ECA must be less than 5 years old when the Express Entry profile is created and when the permanent residence application is submitted;
- information and evidence supporting qualifying work experience;
- a written Canadian job offer, if applicable;
- a certificate of qualification in a skilled trade, if applicable;
- proof of a provincial or territorial nomination, if applicable.
Applicants relying on a Canadian job offer should keep the written offer and supporting employment details required for their circumstances. As of November 3, 2026, an LMIA is no longer required for a qualifying Express Entry job offer, but IRCC continues to assess whether the offer is genuine and meets the applicable program requirements.
Proof of settlement funds may also be required, depending on the Express Entry program and the applicant’s circumstances.
After receiving an Invitation to Apply through an Express Entry draw, including a category-based selection round where applicable, the applicant begins the Express Entry application process by completing the online permanent residence application. Applicants in Canada may also need to consider whether a Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP) is relevant while their permanent residence application is being processed.
Documents commonly required after an invitation include:
- passport or travel document pages;
- language test results;
- educational credentials and an Educational Credential Assessment, where applicable;
- employer reference or experience letters supporting the work experience declared in the application, including details such as job duties, employment dates and salary, with additional evidence such as employment contracts, pay records or tax documents where appropriate;
- proof of funds, when required under the applicant’s Express Entry program;
- police certificates;
- proof of the required immigration medical examination;
- documents supporting a valid job offer or certificate of qualification, where applicable;
- proof of a provincial or territorial nomination, where applicable; and
- civil-status and family documents required by the personalized checklist.
Additional program-specific documents may also be required:
- Canadian Experience Class (CEC) — documents supporting the qualifying Canadian work experience being claimed, such as employer reference or experience letters and other employment records. Education documents or an Educational Credential Assessment may also be relevant if the applicant is claiming CRS points for education.
- Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) — documents supporting qualifying skilled work experience and, for foreign education, an Educational Credential Assessment where required to establish FSWP eligibility.
- Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) — evidence of either a valid Canadian job offer or a certificate of qualification in the applicant’s skilled trade. Education documents are not required for FSTP eligibility, although a valid Educational Credential Assessment may be used to claim CRS points for foreign education.
- Proof of settlement funds – Generally required for applicants under the Federal Skilled Worker Program and Federal Skilled Trades Program. Canadian Experience Class applicants do not need to show settlement funds. FSWP and FSTP applicants may be exempt if they are authorized to work in Canada, including through a valid work permit where applicable, and have a valid job offer. If the Express Entry system still requests proof of funds from an exempt applicant, they can upload a letter explaining why the requirement does not apply to them.
There is no single Express Entry document checklist that applies identically to every applicant. The personalized checklist in the applicant’s IRCC account is the final guide for the documents required in that application.
Additional Forms and Supporting Document Requirements
Additional forms and documents may be required depending on the applicant’s marital status, family composition, whether a representative has been appointed, personal history and the information declared in the permanent residence application.
These may include:
- Birth certificate — for a declared dependent child, where required;
- Marriage certificate — if the applicant is married;
- Statutory Declaration of Common-Law Union (IMM 5409) — where applicable;
- Divorce or legal separation documents — where applicable;
- Death certificate — for a deceased spouse or partner;
- Adoption documents — for an adopted dependent child;
- Use of a Representative (IMM 5476) — if a representative has been appointed;
- Authority to Release Personal Information to a Designated Individual (IMM 5475) — where applicable;
- proof of relationship to a relative in Canada — if relevant to the application;
- documents confirming another name or alias;
- digital photographs — if requested in the personalized checklist; and
- any other evidence specifically requested by IRCC.
Applicants may also need supporting documents for work experience and education, such as employer reference letters, employment records, educational credentials and an Educational Credential Assessment where applicable.
Police certificates may be required for the applicant and family members aged 18 or older for every country, other than Canada, where they stayed for 6 months in a row or longer during the last 10 years, excluding any period before they turned 18. For the country where a person currently lives, the police certificate must generally have been issued no more than 6 months before the permanent residence application is submitted. For another country, it generally must have been issued after the last time the person stayed there for 6 consecutive months or longer. Express Entry applicants do not normally need to provide a police certificate for time spent in Canada. Applicants should also follow IRCC’s country-specific instructions.
An immigration medical examination is also required for permanent residence. Applicants who require a new immigration medical examination should complete it after receiving an Invitation to Apply but before submitting their permanent residence application. A previous eligible medical examination may be reused in some cases under IRCC rules, and applicable family members may also need an examination even if they are not accompanying the principal applicant.
Documents that are not in English or French must be accompanied by an English or French translation that meets IRCC requirements, including any required translator certification or affidavit, as well as translations of stamps and seals. Applicants should follow the document and upload requirements shown in their personalized IRCC checklist.
Common Express Entry Document Mistakes
Express Entry applications can be delayed, rejected as incomplete or refused when required documents are missing, outdated, inconsistent or do not adequately support the information declared in the application.
Common document mistakes include:
- not following the personalized document checklist generated in the IRCC account;
- entering information in the Express Entry profile that does not match the documents submitted after an invitation;
- submitting expired or no longer valid language test results or Educational Credential Assessments;
- providing employer letters that do not contain enough information to support the claimed work experience;
- submitting incomplete or unacceptable proof of funds when settlement funds are required;
- providing police certificates that do not meet IRCC’s requirements;
- failing to include required marriage, divorce, birth, adoption or other family documents;
- failing to submit a required situation-specific form, such as IMM 5409, IMM 5476 or IMM 5475;
- submitting documents in another language without the required translation and supporting material;
- uploading incomplete, unclear or unreadable documents; and
- failing to explain inconsistencies in names, dates, employment, education, travel or family information.
Before submitting the permanent residence application, applicants should review the full document package against the information declared in their Express Entry profile and personalized IRCC checklist.
