Canada Express Entry Guide 2026: Programs, CRS Points and Fees

Express Entry is the main way skilled workers become permanent residents of Canada, and it's entirely online. There's no lottery and no fee to enter the pool, but there's also no guarantee: you're ranked against everyone else, and only the top candidates in each round are invited.

This guide explains who can enter, how points work, what category-based draws mean in 2026, which documents to prepare and what it costs. IRCC changes selection priorities often, so check every detail on canada.ca before you rely on it.

How Express Entry works

Express Entry isn't a program itself. It's the online system Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) uses to manage three federal economic programs.

1. You check you're eligible for at least one program.
2. You create an online profile and enter the pool.
3. You get a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score.
4. IRCC holds rounds of invitations, inviting the highest-ranked candidates for that round.
5. If you get an Invitation to Apply (ITA), you submit a full permanent residence application.

Provinces also use the pool. A province can nominate you through its own Express Entry-linked stream, which adds a large number of points.

The three programs

TEER stands for Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities, the skill levels in Canada's National Occupational Classification (NOC). CLB means Canadian Language Benchmark, the scale IRCC uses to convert test scores. For French, the equivalent scale is NCLC.

The Federal Skilled Worker points grid

The Federal Skilled Worker Program has an extra hurdle. Before you can enter the pool, you must score at least 67 out of 100 on six selection factors: language (up to 28), education (up to 25), work experience (up to 15), age (up to 12), arranged employment (up to 10) and adaptability (up to 10).

This grid is separate from your CRS score. It only decides whether you're eligible.

CRS points: what counts

The CRS gives each candidate a score out of 1,200.

The additional points are where scores jump. A provincial nomination gives 600 points. Strong French can add 25 to 50 points, a sibling in Canada who is a citizen or permanent resident adds 15, and Canadian post-secondary education adds 15 or 30.

Ways people raise their score

• Retake your language test. Language is the biggest single factor, and it multiplies other points through skill transferability.
• Learn French. Even moderate French can add points and open French-language rounds.
• Get your spouse's credentials counted. Their language results and education can add up to 40 points.
• Gain Canadian work experience. It counts in both the core and transferability sections.
• Apply to a provincial stream. A nomination changes your position more than anything else.

Category-based draws in 2026

IRCC holds three broad kinds of round: general rounds for all programs, program-specific rounds (for example Canadian Experience Class only) and category-based rounds that invite people with particular skills or experience.

At the time of writing, IRCC lists 10 categories:

1. French-language proficiency
2. Healthcare and social services occupations
3. Science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) occupations
4. Trade occupations
5. Education occupations
6. Transport occupations
7. Physicians with Canadian work experience
8. Senior managers with Canadian work experience
9. Researchers with Canadian work experience
10. Skilled military recruits

For occupation categories, you need at least 12 months of full-time work experience (or the same amount part time) in one listed occupation within the past three years. It doesn't have to be continuous, and for most categories it can be in Canada or abroad. For physicians, senior managers and researchers, the experience must be in Canada. The French category needs NCLC 7 in all four abilities.

IRCC says category rounds supplement other rounds, and it won't hold one if general rounds already invite enough people in that group. Categories and eligible occupations can change, so check the official list against your NOC code.

Provincial nominations inside Express Entry

Provinces and territories can pick candidates from the Express Entry pool through their own "enhanced" streams. There are usually two ways this happens.

• The province finds you. Some provinces search the pool and send a notification of interest to candidates who fit their needs. You then apply to the province directly.
• You apply to the province first. Many streams ask you to register an Expression of Interest or apply on the provincial website, then link your Express Entry profile once nominated.

Either way, you must accept the nomination in your Express Entry account for the 600 points to appear. Provincial streams have their own eligibility rules, draws and fees, and a nomination doesn't replace IRCC's own checks.

Base streams work differently

Provinces also run "base" streams that aren't linked to Express Entry. If you're nominated through one of those, you apply to IRCC for permanent residence separately, outside the Express Entry system, and the nomination doesn't add CRS points. Check which kind of stream you're applying to before you start, because the steps, timelines and fees differ.

Documents to prepare before you create a profile

Language test

IRCC accepts CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training and PTE Core for English, and TEF Canada and TCF Canada for French. Results must be less than two years old both when you create your profile and when you submit your permanent residence application. If you think your ITA could take time, plan for a retest.

Educational credential assessment

If you studied outside Canada, you need an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) to qualify for the Federal Skilled Worker Program or to earn points for that education. It must be less than five years old when you create your profile and when you apply.

The designated organizations for most people are:

• World Education Services (WES)
• Comparative Education Service, University of Toronto
• International Credential Assessment Service of Canada (ICAS)
• International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS)
• International Credential Evaluation Service, British Columbia Institute of Technology

Physicians use the Medical Council of Canada, and pharmacists who need a licence use the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada.

Proof of funds

Federal Skilled Worker and Federal Skilled Trades candidates must show settlement funds, unless they're already authorised to work in Canada and have a valid job offer. Canadian Experience Class candidates are exempt.

IRCC reviews these amounts every year, so check the table before you apply. The money can't be borrowed, and you can't count equity in property. Banks usually provide a letter showing your current balance and six-month average.

Step by step: from profile to permanent residence

1. Check eligibility. Use IRCC's online tool and read the requirements for each program.
2. Take a language test and get an ECA. You'll need both results to create an accurate profile.
3. Gather work evidence. Reference letters should show your job title, duties, hours, pay and dates.
4. Create your profile. You have 60 days to finish and submit it once started.
5. Wait in the pool. Your profile lasts up to 12 months. Keep it updated if your language score, experience or family situation changes.
6. Consider provincial streams. Many provinces search the pool or accept Expression of Interest profiles from Express Entry candidates.
7. Receive an ITA. You then have 60 days to submit your full application. If you miss the deadline, the invitation expires and your profile is removed.
8. Submit your application. Upload police certificates, proof of funds, identity and civil documents, and complete an immigration medical exam with an approved panel physician. Documents not in English or French need certified translations.
9. Give biometrics and wait. Check your application in your IRCC account for processing times and requests.
10. Get your Confirmation of Permanent Residence. You then complete your landing in Canada.

Costs and money

These amounts come from IRCC's fee list, last updated in July 2026. Budget separately for your language test, ECA, medical exam, police certificates, translations and your move.

A provincial nomination adds provincial application fees, which vary by province.

If you arrive with savings, compare how banks handle large incoming transfers and exchange rates. Many Canadian banks offer newcomer packages, and it's worth opening an account soon after landing so you have a Canadian credit history.

Mistakes and scams to avoid

Most refused Express Entry applications fail on paperwork, not on eligibility.

• Claiming experience you can't prove. Every point in your profile must match your documents.
• Choosing the wrong NOC code. Your duties matter more than your job title.
• Letting test results or your ECA expire between profile and application.
• Borrowed or unexplained funds. Large recent deposits need a clear paper trail.
• Forgetting a family member. Undeclared family members can cause serious problems later.

Scammers target Express Entry candidates with fake "guaranteed ITAs", paid job offers and websites that copy IRCC's design. IRCC never asks for payment by money transfer or gift card. If you pay someone for advice, they must be a licensed immigration consultant or lawyer, and you can check their licence yourself.

Next steps

• Confirm which program you're eligible for.
• Book an accepted language test and aim above the minimum.
• Order your ECA if you studied outside Canada.
• Collect detailed reference letters and pay records.
• Check the current proof of funds table and start documenting your savings.
• Create your profile and review recent rounds of the type you'd qualify for.
• Look at provincial streams in the provinces where you'd genuinely live.

If you're already working in Canada or planning to, our guide to working in Canada as a foreigner explains work permits and the first month. To choose where to settle, see the best places to live and work in Canada, and if you're comparing provincial options, read our Manitoba guide.