Permanent residence in Canada: Express Entry

Canada’s federal immigration department. It sets the rules of Express Entry, holds the draws and decides on permanent residence applications.

The online system IRCC uses to manage permanent residence applications for three federal programs. It is not a program in itself: it is the shared entry point.

You create a free profile there, which receives a CRS score and joins the pool of candidates.

The right to live, work and study anywhere in Canada with no time limit, with access to public health insurance.

After 1,095 days of physical presence in Canada within five years, a permanent resident can apply for Canadian citizenship.

The Express Entry program for skilled workers trained and experienced abroad. It is the most accessible from Cameroon: no Canadian experience is required.

You need at least one year of continuous skilled work experience, CLB 7 in all four skills, and 67 out of 100 points on its selection grid.

The Express Entry program for people with at least one year of skilled work experience in Canada, gained in the last three years.

It requires neither a diploma nor proof of funds. Its draws often have high cut-offs.

The Express Entry program for tradespeople: electricians, welders, mechanics, cooks, plumbers…

You need two years of experience in the trade in the last five years, and a job offer or a Canadian certificate of qualification.

Provinces and territories can choose candidates based on their own needs. A nomination obtained through Express Entry adds 600 points to the CRS score, which virtually guarantees an invitation.

Each province has its own streams and criteria. Quebec is not part of it: it selects its immigrants through its own programs.

All active Express Entry profiles. Your profile stays there for up to twelve months; without an invitation in that time, you must create a new one.

The score out of 1,200 points that ranks candidates in the pool. The higher it is, the better your chances of being invited.

It has four parts: core human capital (age, education, languages, Canadian experience), spouse or partner factors, skill transferability and additional points (provincial nomination, French, studies in Canada, sibling in Canada).

Not to be confused with the CRS. It is an eligibility test out of 100 points, specific to the FSWP: you need at least 67 points to enter the pool.

It assesses six factors: languages, education, experience, age, job offer and adaptability. Once you are in the pool, it is the CRS score that counts.

A selection held by IRCC, often several times a month. Each draw invites a set number of candidates, starting with the highest scores.

The score of the last candidate invited in a draw. It is only known after the draw and changes each time.

When several candidates have exactly the cut-off score, only those whose profile was submitted before the stated date and time are invited.

Draws reserved for candidates who meet a specific criterion: speaking French, or having experience in an in-demand occupation. Their cut-offs are often much lower than those of general draws.

IRCC sets the categories every year. In 2025 and 2026, draws targeted in particular: French-language proficiency, healthcare and social services, trades, transport, education, and profiles with Canadian experience (senior managers, physicians).

The message that allows you to submit your permanent residence application. You then have 60 days to send a complete application.

The document issued when the application is approved. With the permanent resident visa, it lets you enter Canada and officially become a permanent resident.

The official scale measuring your level in English (CLB) and French (NCLC), from 1 to 12. IRCC converts your test results into a level, skill by skill.

It is this level, not the raw test score, that determines your points. CLB and NCLC are the same scale, one for English and one for French.

Examples for listening: each skill has its own thresholds. The calculator does the conversion for you.

Listening, reading, speaking and writing. Each receives its own level.

Requirements apply to each skill: “CLB 7” means at least CLB 7 in all four.

For French: TEF Canada or TCF Canada. For English: IELTS General Training, CELPIP-General or PTE Core. Results are valid for two years.

Your first official language is the one with your best test: it earns the most points. A test in the other official language adds “second language” points.

Canada’s official list of occupations. Each occupation has a five-digit code and a description of its main duties.

You must find the code that matches what you actually do, not just your job title. This code determines whether your experience is skilled and whether you are eligible for category-based draws.

To find your code: the official NOC search tool, or ask us during the call. Choosing the wrong code is one of the most common mistakes.

An occupation’s skill level, from 0 to 5. For Express Entry, only TEER 0, 1, 2 and 3 occupations count as skilled work experience.

The TEER is the second digit of the NOC code.

Paid work in a TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 occupation, at least 30 hours a week for one year (1,560 hours), or the part-time equivalent, performing the main duties described in the NOC.

Volunteering and unpaid internships do not count. For the Canadian Experience Class, self-employment does not count either.

A report confirming that a credential earned outside Canada is valid and stating its Canadian equivalent. Without an ECA, your studies in Cameroon earn no points.

It is done by an IRCC-designated organisation, such as WES, and is valid for five years.

Evidence that you have the money needed to settle in Canada. The amount depends on family size and IRCC revises it every year.

It is required for the FSWP and the FSTP, but not for the Canadian Experience Class or for people already authorised to work in Canada with a valid job offer.

An approval a Canadian employer applies for to hire a foreign worker, showing that no Canadian is available for the job.

Since 25 March 2025, a job offer, even with an LMIA, no longer earns CRS points. It remains useful to get a work permit.

A document issued by a Canadian province or territory recognising a person’s competence in a skilled trade. It earns transferability points.

After the invitation, each family member has a medical exam with an IRCC-approved panel physician and provides a police certificate from every country where they have lived for six months or more since the age of 18.