What Is Express Entry Canada and How Does It Work?
Written by Macropus Immigration
Canada Immigration Express Entry was first introduced in the year 2015 and has become the main motivational factor behind Canada’s economic immigration, making it one of the most sought-after immigration systems in the world. Until this concept was introduced, most people wanting to immigrate to the Canada used to depend majorly on family sponsorship, study visa for Canada, and Canadian Work Permit.
How does the Express Entry System Work?
As complicated as it may sound, the Express Entry Canada is actually extremely strategized and convenient for anyone to follow through. Additionally, there are specialized immigration agencies such as Macropus immigration services which can guide interested applicants to successfully apply for the express entry. Let us take a look at the step-by-step process for Canada Immigration Express Entry.
- First, to apply for the express entry, an applicant must be eligible under a number of factors but most importantly, they must follow under either their Federal Skilled Worker Class, the Federal Skilled Trades Class, or the Canadian Experience Class. An applicant needs to fall under one of these categories to be eligible to apply.
- Alternatively, the candidates could also be sponsored by a province or employer under the Provincial Nominee Program to be a part of the local labor market.
- The applicant has to review and compare his/her experience based from the National Occupational Classification (NOC) and make sure it is at least 90% matched. It is important to note that work experience letters, matching the NOC indicated, will be required once an invitation is received under the Canadian Immigration Express Entry.
- The applicant must have his/her language scores and Educational Credential Assessment scores ready as those will be required to create the Express Entry Profile on the website.
- Create an express entry profile under the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) website. There is an eligibility screening in creating an express entry profile, if the applicant is eligible a Personal Reference Code will be issued which will be used throughout the application.
- Considering that the applicant has required points based on the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), an applicant will be included in the Express Entry Pool for a period of one year.
The applicant is now entering a crucial stage in the process and be mindful of important steps, such as: creating a Job Match Account with the Job Bank (seek the opportunity of getting a job offer), improving CRS score by increased English language proficiency scores or achievement of additional educational credential and updating personal profile such as change in marital status, change of address or birth of a child. - The Express Entry Draw happens twice a month. Once an invitation to apply for permanent residency by the Canadian government is received, a candidate is given 60 days from the date of invitation to apply for their permanent residency, otherwise, an applicant has to reapply again because your profile will be removed from the pool. Remember each invitation has a set of instructions to be followed.
- It is now time to complete the application process by providing appropriate documentation based on the Document Checklist provided. Make sure the information provided are accurate and substantial.
- After 3 to 5 months of submission, the candidate receives a request for passport submission from the Canadian government which will be stamped with a Permanent Residence (PR) visa and sent back to the candidate within a week.
- After receiving the passport with the PR visa, the candidate must enter the country within 365 days from the medical examination. Point to note here is that the medical examination must be taken only after the applicant receives an invitation to apply from the Canadian government. Your Canadian dream is about to materialize and remember perseverance and hard work will make it happen. You have the key to make it happen.
Article author
About the Author
Further reading
Further Reading
Article
skilled migration agent darwin: help with your australian migration journey
Skilled Migration Agent Darwin: Help With Your Australian Migration Journey explains how skilled migration works for individuals considering Darwin as part of their Australian migration journey. The article covers the role of a skilled migration agent, key visa pathways, eligibility considerations, documentation, and h
September 17, 2026
Article
How AI Is Changing Canadian Immigration in 2026: What Applicants Should Know
Learn how AI is changing Canadian immigration processing in 2026 and what applicants can do to prepare accurate and complete applications.
September 5, 2026
Article
Protecting Your Family's Future: A Florida Family Law Guide
Cases related to family law are generally complex. It doesn’t matter if you are in the process of getting a divorce, working out a parenting arrangement, or attempting to change a previous court ruling, the emotional charge given to these issues will make every situation seem much more complicated.
September 3, 2026
Article
What Canada's 2026 PGP Pause Means for Families Planning Reunification
This article explains what Canada's 2026 pause on new Parents and Grandparents Program applications means for families hoping to reunite with parents or grandparents. It discusses the Super Visa as an alternative and highlights practical steps families can take while waiting for future PGP updates.
August 10, 2026