How Does Express Entry Work? Step-by-Step Process

How Does Express Entry Work?

Express Entry is Canada’s online application management system for three federal economic immigration programs: the Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Worker Program and Federal Skilled Trades Program.

The process begins with determining whether you qualify for at least one of these programs. An eligible candidate can create an Express Entry profile and enter the pool. Candidates in the pool receive a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score and may be considered in invitation rounds.

If IRCC invites you, you can then submit an electronic application for permanent residence. IRCC reviews the application and supporting evidence before making a final decision.

Step 1: Check Whether You Qualify for an Express Entry Program

Before creating a profile, you need to determine whether you meet the requirements of at least one federal immigration program managed through Express Entry.

The three programs are:

• Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
• Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
• Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)

Each program has its own requirements. Relevant factors can include the type and duration of your work experience, your occupation, language test results, education and other program-specific criteria.

Eligibility comes before CRS ranking

CRS is not the first test. You must first qualify for at least one Express Entry program. CRS is then used to rank eligible candidates after they enter the pool.

Step 2: Prepare the Information You Need

Before completing an Express Entry profile, you should have the information and results needed to establish your eligibility and calculate your CRS score accurately.

Depending on your circumstances, this can include:

• passport or travel document information;
• approved language test results;
• education information;
• an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) where required for foreign education;
• details of your skilled work experience;
• your occupation and corresponding NOC code and TEER category;
• information about your spouse or common-law partner, where applicable;
• provincial nomination information, if applicable; and
• other information required by the Express Entry profile.

Language test results

Express Entry uses approved language tests. Your results can affect both program eligibility and your CRS score.

You can use Maplevisa’s Language Test Score Converter to understand how approved test results correspond to Canadian Language Benchmark or Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens levels.

Identify the correct NOC

Work experience must be assessed using Canada’s National Occupational Classification. The duties you performed are important when determining the appropriate occupation—not simply your job title.

Use the NOC and TEER Code Finder as a starting point for identifying the relevant occupation.

Step 3: Create and Submit an Express Entry Profile

Once you have the information needed to establish eligibility, you can create an online Express Entry profile through your IRCC account.

The profile asks for information about you and, where applicable, your spouse or common-law partner. This can include age, education, language results, work experience and other factors relevant to eligibility and ranking.

A profile is not a permanent residence application

Submitting an Express Entry profile does not mean that you have applied for permanent residence. The profile is used to determine eligibility, place eligible candidates in the pool and assign a CRS score.

Step 4: Enter the Express Entry Pool

If the information in your profile shows that you meet the requirements of at least one Express Entry program, your profile can be placed in the Express Entry pool.

The pool is not a waiting list based simply on the date a profile was submitted. Candidates are ranked using CRS points and are considered according to the rules of individual invitation rounds.

How long can you remain in the pool?

An eligible profile can generally remain in the Express Entry pool for up to 12 months. If you are not invited during that period, the profile expires. If you remain eligible, you may submit a new profile.

Update your profile when circumstances change

Relevant changes should be reflected in your profile. For example, new language results, additional work experience, changes in education, family circumstances or a provincial nomination can affect the information used by the system.

Step 5: Receive a CRS Score and Ranking

Eligible profiles in the pool are ranked using the Comprehensive Ranking System. The CRS has a maximum of 1,200 points.

Your score can reflect factors such as:

• age;
• education;
• English and French language ability;
• Canadian work experience;
• spouse or common-law partner factors;
• skill-transferability combinations; and
• additional CRS factors.

Your CRS score is not a fixed Express Entry pass mark

There is no permanent CRS cut-off that guarantees selection. Invitation results depend on the type of round, the number of invitations issued and the ranking of eligible candidates considered in that round.

Step 6: Wait for Express Entry Invitation Rounds

IRCC conducts invitation rounds during the year. The candidates considered depend on the type of round.

What is the CRS cut-off?

After an invitation round, the published result identifies the CRS score of the lowest-ranked candidate invited in that round. That score is a result of that particular round—not a permanent eligibility threshold.

Follow current results on the Latest Express Entry Draws page.

Step 7: Receive an Invitation to Apply

If you are selected in an invitation round, IRCC sends an Invitation to Apply (ITA) through your account.

An ITA allows you to proceed from the candidate pool to the permanent residence application stage. Receiving an ITA does not itself make you a permanent resident.

How long do you have to respond?

You have 60 days after receiving an ITA to submit your complete electronic application for permanent residence.

What if you qualify for more than one program?

If you qualify for more than one Express Entry program, IRCC currently applies the following order when determining the program under which you are invited:

1. Canadian Experience Class;
2. Federal Skilled Worker Program; and
3. Federal Skilled Trades Program.

You cannot simply choose a different program after the system has determined the program under which the invitation is issued.

Step 8: Submit Your Permanent Residence Application

After receiving an ITA, you complete the electronic application for permanent residence and upload the documents requested through your personalized document checklist.

Depending on your circumstances, supporting documents can relate to:

• identity and civil status;
• language test results;
• education and ECA documentation;
• work experience;
• police certificates;
• medical examination requirements;
• proof of funds where applicable;
• family members; and
• other information relevant to your application.

Review the information that led to your ITA

Before submitting the application, review whether the information in your profile remains accurate and whether your documented circumstances support the eligibility and CRS points on which the invitation was based.

Step 9: IRCC Reviews Your Application

After submission, IRCC assesses the permanent residence application and the supporting evidence.

The assessment can include whether:

• the application is complete;
• the applicant meets the requirements of the applicable immigration program;
• the documents support the work experience, education, language results and other information claimed;
• the applicant continued to have the required eligibility and points at the relevant stages; and
• the applicant and applicable family members meet admissibility requirements.

Accuracy matters throughout the process

Information submitted through Express Entry must be truthful and complete. False information or material omissions can result in serious immigration consequences, including refusal and, where the legal requirements for misrepresentation are met, inadmissibility and the applicable period of inadmissibility.

Step 10: Receive the Final Decision

If IRCC is satisfied that the requirements for permanent residence have been met, the application can be approved and the applicant moves to the final steps required to obtain permanent resident status.

The exact finalization process can depend on the applicant’s circumstances and whether the person is inside or outside Canada.

An Express Entry invitation is not PR status

It is useful to keep the stages separate: entering the pool is not an application for permanent residence, receiving an ITA is not an approval, and submitting a permanent residence application does not itself grant permanent resident status.

How Long Does the Express Entry Process Take?

There is no single timeline for the entire Express Entry process because it contains separate stages.

The time before receiving an ITA can vary significantly. It depends on factors such as your CRS score, the invitation rounds for which you are eligible, category or program requirements and changes to your profile.

Once an ITA is issued, the candidate has 60 days to submit the permanent residence application.

Processing after submission is a separate stage. IRCC processing times can change and are not a guarantee of how long an individual application will take.

Check Maplevisa’s Canada Immigration Processing Times page for current processing-time information.

Can You Improve Your Position While in the Pool?

In some cases, yes. A candidate’s circumstances can change while the profile remains active. Depending on the situation, changes can affect the CRS score or eligibility for particular invitation rounds.

Examples can include:

• obtaining stronger language test results;
• gaining additional qualifying work experience;
• completing additional education;
• obtaining an eligible provincial nomination;
• improving French-language results; or
• becoming eligible for a category-based round.

Do job offers still provide CRS points?

No. Since March 25, 2025, job offers no longer provide additional CRS points. A qualifying job offer can nevertheless remain relevant to certain immigration program or provincial nomination requirements.

Common Express Entry Process Mistakes

Understanding the sequence of Express Entry can help prevent several common errors.

Confusing eligibility with CRS competitiveness

Meeting the requirements of an Express Entry program allows a candidate to participate in the system. It does not necessarily mean the candidate’s CRS score will be high enough for an invitation.

Treating the profile as a PR application

An Express Entry profile is the stage used to establish eligibility and enter the candidate pool. The permanent residence application comes after an ITA.

Assuming one CRS cut-off applies permanently

CRS results can vary between rounds. A previous cut-off should not be treated as a permanent threshold or a guarantee of future selection.

Failing to update important information

Relevant changes should be reflected in the Express Entry profile. Information that is no longer accurate can affect eligibility, CRS ranking or the basis for an invitation.

Assuming an ITA guarantees approval

An ITA allows a candidate to submit a permanent residence application. IRCC still assesses the application and supporting evidence before making a final decision.

How Does Express Entry Work? FAQs

What is the first step in Express Entry?

The first step is determining whether you meet the requirements of at least one of the federal immigration programs managed through Express Entry.

Can I create an Express Entry profile without being eligible?

A profile must establish eligibility for at least one Express Entry program before the candidate can enter the Express Entry pool.

Does creating a profile mean I applied for permanent residence?

No. Creating and submitting an Express Entry profile is not the same as submitting a permanent residence application. A PR application is submitted after receiving an ITA.

How are candidates selected from the pool?

Eligible candidates are ranked using CRS points. IRCC conducts invitation rounds and selects top-ranking candidates who meet the requirements of the particular round.

Is there one CRS score that guarantees an invitation?

No. There is no permanent CRS score that guarantees an invitation. Selection depends on the applicable invitation round and the candidates considered in that round.

How long can an Express Entry profile stay active?

An eligible profile can generally remain in the pool for up to 12 months.

How much time do I have after receiving an ITA?

You have 60 days to submit the electronic permanent residence application after receiving an Invitation to Apply.

Can I decline an Invitation to Apply?

Yes. If you decline an ITA and continue to meet the requirements for the pool, your profile can return to the pool and may be considered in future rounds. Another invitation is not guaranteed.

What happens if my ITA expires?

If you do not submit the permanent residence application or decline the invitation within the required period, the invitation expires and the profile is removed from the pool. If you remain eligible and want to be considered again, you generally need to submit a new profile.

Can I use Express Entry if I live outside Canada?

Yes. Express Entry is available to eligible candidates outside Canada as well as candidates in Canada. The applicable program requirements still need to be met.

Does entering the Express Entry pool guarantee permanent residence?

No. Entering the pool does not guarantee an ITA, and receiving an ITA does not guarantee approval of the permanent residence application.