Express Entry Immigration to Canada: The Basics

3) “Job Offer” really does mean job offer

A big misconception held by many in Canada who are working on LMIA-exempt work permits, such as the IEC Working Holiday Visas, is that the “job offer” that they have from their current employer is equal to what IRCC considers a “valid job offer.”

Whenever you see the phrase, “valid job offer”, this means that the job meets a number of conditions specific to Express Entry. Find out more about what makes a job offer valid in Express Entry.

4) Everything carries over from your Express Entry profile

Did you fudge a few months of work experience on your Express Entry profile without knowing the real consequences? Well, you’re in for a big surprise . . .

The majority of the important data that you enter into your Express Entry profile carries over automatically into your electronic Permanent Residence (PR) application. Any changes you make at this stage could jeopardize your application.

Consequently, it is important to be conscious about everything that you enter in the first time around. You will be asked to provide documentation to support the claims you’ve made.

Lying on an immigration application is a serious crime and can result in a five-year ban from Canada.

5) FSTC and CEC Applicants – get your Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) done!

Even though the ECA is not a requirement for FSTC and CEC, you should still get it done. Once the ECA is completed and added to an Express Entry profile, scores typically increase drastically. Therefore, if you’re a FSTC or CEC applicant with a post-secondary credential, begin the ECA process as soon as possible.

This question is best answered in two parts: before entering the Express Entry pool, and once in the pool.

• Before entering the Express Entry pool

There are three Canadian immigration programs through which you may become a candidate for Express Entry immigration to Canada: the Federal Skilled Worker Class (FSWC), the Federal Skilled Trades Class (FSTC), and the Canadian Experience Class (CEC).

The FSTC is for qualified tradespersons with recent experience in a listed occupation, and CEC is for people with recent skilled Canadian work experience. Neither the FSTC nor the CEC require candidates to satisfy a points requirement to be eligible to submit a profile.

The FSWC, on the other hand, is open to people around the world who satisfy a minimum points requirement for eligibility. Note: this is a completely separate points system from the CRS score. Under the FSWC points-grid, you need to be awarded at least 67 points out of 100 in order to enter the Express Entry pool. You can view the FSWC points grid and factors here.

• Once in the Express Entry pool

In the Express Entry pool, candidates — regardless of which program they are eligible under — receive a CRS score. This score determines where an individual candidate ranks in the Express Entry pool. When IRCC conducts an Express Entry draw, this score is the main determining factor to decide which candidates are invited to apply for permanent residence. CRS cut-off thresholds for FSWC and CEC candidates have been as low as 413 points previously, with cut-off thresholds for FSTC candidates having been even lower than that on occasion. See our Express Entry Canada draw page for details.

However, please note that the CRS cut-off thresholds are not pre-determined, and that the threshold is subject to change for different Express Entry draws. Ultimately, there is no strict or written number of points you need to immigrate to Canada through Express Entry, but previous draws give an indication of which candidates have the best chances of being invited to apply, based on CRS score. See our Express Entry draw page for more information.

See the table below for an overview of the costs associated with Express Entry immigration to Canada.

This table may not include all costs. Incremental costs for shipping, etc. are also not included.