Express Entry Canada 2025: Complete Guide
The lengthy times of the bureaucracy behind an immigration process can make you desist from applying. Some countries have studied simpler and shorter immigration systems to encourage the transfer of foreigners within their territory.
Canada’s Express Entry is the reference model for any nation that wants to encourage immigration. It is an online process that allows workers from all over the world to check if they are qualified to apply for Canadian permanent residency. If you meet the requirements in a matter of months you will be able to become a resident of Canada. Here is a complete guide to Express Entry.
What is Express Entry?
Express entry is a system used by the Canadian government to manage immigration applications in the country and at the same time remedy the job deficit in the various provinces through the entry of foreign workers with experience.
It is a procedure that can be implemented online on the official portal of the Canadian government and by completing a form in which personal data relating to work experience and language skills are requested, you will receive a score that will determine the fate of immigration. Only those who obtain the highest score of a predefined cut-off will be able to successfully move to Canada.
Table of Contents
How many types of Express Entry are there?
Express entry is a program designed for foreign workers by the federal government. Three types of immigration programs have been identified:
Federal Skilled Worker Program
It is the program aimed at workers with experience abroad who want to apply for permanent residence in Canada.
Federal Skilled Trades Program
It is the program intended for those who have a qualification for a specific job and, after gaining experience abroad, want to move to Canada.
Canadian Federal Work Experience Program
It is the program aimed at those who have already worked in Canada and want to settle permanently.
In addition to this subdivision by category, there is also a territorial one. Each province, in fact, uses an immigration program based on the appointment system.
Provinces collect candidate data from the same recruitment system as Express Entry, but instead of relying on a points system, they forward the invitation to apply for permanent residence to the workforce they lack. Receiving a nomination from a province significantly increases your Express Entry score.
What are the requirements for Express Entry?
Express Entry is a program that significantly accelerates the time required for a traditional immigration, but in order to have the privilege of being able to use it, it is necessary to meet predefined requirements.
In order to apply for Express Entry, of any type, you must:
- Be under 30 years old
- Have had at least one year of continuous full-time work experience within the last ten years
- Have a language certification attested by the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB)
- Have a post-secondary education appropriate to Canadian standards
How do I participate in the Express Entry?
The steps to obtain the Express Entry are simple and can be summarized in three steps:
1. Create your own profile
The first step in requesting express entry is to enter your profile on the Canadian government website. You will be asked for information regarding your skills, work experience and language skills.
2. Get the Comprehensive Ranking System score
Based on the information provided during the profile creation phase, you will receive a score that will place you in the annual Express Entry ranking.
3. Receive an invitation to apply for permanent residency
Only by exceeding a certain threshold value will it be possible to receive an invitation to apply for Canadian permanent residence through one of the three Express Entry programs.
How does the scoring system work?
The more information you provide about yourself, the more points you will get in the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). The draws of those who have exceeded the threshold value take place several times a year. However, the score can be modified, so if you have not been extracted, you can always improve the classification by updating your information. Even increments of a few points can make a difference.
The minimum score to be able to aspire to participate in one of the immigration programs is 67, while the threshold value varies from extraction to extraction.
The points system evaluates:
- Age
- Skills
- Education
- Language skills
- Work experiences
- Other factors
The Canadian government provides a tool to be able to verify in advance the hypothetical obtainable score. This is an indicative value and has no correlation with the official ranking, whose positioning is communicated personally after submitting your profile.
How to improve the score?
The score obtained in the Comprehensive Ranking System can be improved, so you may have the opportunity to be selected even after an initial failure. There are several ways to improve your score. Here are some:
- Receive a nomination from a province
- Receive an offer from a Canadian employer
- Apply for Express Entry with your partner
- Improve your work experiences
- Learn French
- If you have a blood or romantic relationship with someone living in Canada you will get more points
Update your profile often, because even the smallest point can be the difference between obtaining permanent residency in Canada or not.
Express Entry – Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average score to be drawn in the Express Entry?
The threshold score for being extracted from the Express Entry varies, but considering the latest extractions it can be said that the cut-off is between 450 and 475.
What documents are required to access Express Entry?
In order to access the Express entry you must be in possession of:
- Language test results
- Assessment of educational credentials (only if you are not educated in Canada)
How many points can you get?
The maximum score obtainable with Express Entry is 1200, made up of 600 points for personal factors and an extra 600 for additional factors.
How long does it take to obtain permanent residency with Express Entry?
Express Entry is the fastest program to obtain permanent residency. It is estimated that if it is extracted, a visa can be obtained in just over 6 months.
