Permanent Residence
Family sponsorship
Frequently asked questions
To be eligible to apply through Express Entry as a skilled worker, you must:
- Have at least one year of continuous full-time (or equivalent part-time) paid work experience in a skilled occupation within the last 10 years
- Demonstrate at least Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 in English or French on an approved language test
- Hold a post-secondary education credential that has been assessed for Canadian equivalency through an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA)
These are the basic eligibility criteria to enter the Express Entry pool as a skilled worker. Meeting them does not guarantee you will receive an invitation to apply for permanent residence in Canada.
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You do not need a job offer to be eligible for Express Entry. In fact, the majority of candidates invited to apply do not have a formal job offer from a Canadian employer.
A valid job offer for a full-time, skilled position can add up to 50 or 200 points to your profile, depending on the occupation. In most cases, this offer must be supported by a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) to be valid.
Unofficial or verbal job offers do not add points to your Express Entry profile and should not be included in your application.
There are several effective ways for candidates to boost their CRS score after entering the Express Entry pool. Points are mainly awarded based on language proficiency, educational credentials, skilled work experience, and age. Additional points may be earned by demonstrating advanced French skills, having a Canadian sibling, receiving a valid job offer, or obtaining a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) nomination, which significantly increases the chance of receiving an invitation.
There is no official age limit for applying through Express Entry. However, candidates between 20 and 29 years old receive the maximum points for age under the CRS. If you are over 35, you can still be competitive—strong language scores, higher education, Canadian work or study experience, or family ties in Canada can help make up for the lower age score.