Express Entry

Express Entry is Canada's main federal route to permanent residence for skilled workers, and it has changed a great deal since 2024. This page is for families and professionals, in Canada or abroad, who want to know honestly where they stand in 2026 and which approach fits them.

What Express Entry is

Express Entry is not one program. It is the online system that manages three federal programs: the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSW), the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP). You create a profile, IRCC ranks you against everyone else in the pool with the Comprehensive Ranking System (out of 1,200 points), and from time to time it sends an Invitation to Apply (ITA) to the people it selects. Provinces also pick from the same pool through their Provincial Nominee Programs.

All three programs are for people who plan to live outside Quebec.

Who fits each program

Federal Skilled Worker — for skilled workers, often abroad:

• at least one year (1,560 hours) of continuous paid work in the last 10 years, in one occupation at NOC TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3;
• CLB 7 in all four language abilities;
• secondary or post-secondary education, with an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) for studies outside Canada;
• at least 67 out of 100 on the FSW selection grid (language, education, experience, age, arranged employment, adaptability);
• proof of funds.

Canadian Experience Class — for people already working in Canada:

• at least one year (1,560 hours) of skilled work in Canada in the three years before applying, in TEER 0–3;
• CLB 7 for TEER 0 or 1 jobs, CLB 5 for TEER 2 or 3 jobs;
• no education requirement. Self-employment (except certain physicians), work while a full-time student, volunteer work and unpaid internships do not count.

Federal Skilled Trades — for tradespeople:

• at least two years (3,120 hours) of full-time work in the last five years, in one eligible trade;
• a valid full-time job offer of at least one year, or a Canadian certificate of qualification in that trade;
• CLB 5 in speaking and listening, CLB 4 in reading and writing.

In practice, trades candidates have been invited through the trades category draws rather than FSTP-only draws, and IRCC's service-standard report shows almost no recent FSTP volume.

How draws work in 2026

Since January 2025, IRCC has held no general (all-program) draws and no FSW-only or FSTP-only draws. Invitations go to three groups, usually in a near-fortnightly cycle:

1. Provincial nominees — a nomination adds 600 points, so these draws have cut-offs in the 700s and 800s.
2. Canadian Experience Class — cut-offs in 2026 have run in the low 500s.
3. One category draw — chosen from the ten 2026 categories.

The ten categories for 2026, announced on 18 February 2026:

• Renewed: French-language proficiency; healthcare and social services; STEM; trades; education.
• New: physicians with Canadian work experience; researchers with Canadian work experience; senior managers with Canadian work experience; transport occupations; skilled military recruits.

The renewed categories now need 12 months of qualifying experience in the last three years (up from six). Physicians, researchers and senior managers need that experience in Canada. The French category needs NCLC 7 in all four abilities and has no occupation condition.

Category cut-offs vary widely. French draws in 2026 have been large and have run roughly in the high 300s to around 420; healthcare and trades in the high 400s; physicians far lower. Some categories — STEM, education and researchers — have had no draw at all in 2026 so far, so we never promise those routes. For each draw as it happens, read IRCNews, and see our data page for the ranges.

What this means for a candidate abroad: without Canadian experience, French, a nomination or an eligible occupation, the chance of an invitation has been very small. The realistic approaches are French, a category occupation, a provincial nomination, or a plan that first builds Canadian experience — which is what our SAPR program is for.

Proof of funds

FSW and FSTP candidates must show settlement funds, unless they are authorized to work in Canada and have a valid job offer. The table on IRCC's page, in force since 7 July 2025 (CAD):

CEC candidates, and those authorized to work in Canada with a valid job offer, are exempt but must still upload a letter explaining why. IRCC usually updates these amounts once a year, so we check the page again before you apply.

How many people Canada plans to admit

Under the 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan, Canada plans 380,000 new permanent residents in each year. The Express Entry share (Federal High Skilled) is 109,000 in 2026 and 111,000 in 2027 and 2028; provincial nominee targets are 91,500 in 2026 and 92,500 in each later year. New temporary-resident arrivals are being cut. In short, fewer Express Entry places than before, with more of them going to people already in Canada.

After an invitation

An ITA gives you 60 days to submit a complete application for permanent residence. IRCC's service standard is to finalize 80% of Express Entry applications within six months; its latest report shows it meeting that standard for CEC and FSW. Every document — police certificates, medicals, funds, reference letters — should be ready before the invitation arrives, not after.

Changes that are proposed, not in force

In April–May 2026, IRCC consulted on a major reform. The proposals include merging FSW, CEC and FSTP into one program with a CLB 6 minimum, giving points for high-wage Canadian jobs and job offers, and possibly reducing points for French, a spouse, a sibling and Canadian study. None of this is law yet: IRCC says changes will be published in the Canada Gazette, and no regulatory text has appeared. We plan on the rules in force today and tell you when that changes.

Common mistakes

• Choosing a NOC code from the job title. Your occupation is decided by the duties you actually performed, and your reference letters must show them. A wrong code can make you ineligible.
• Letting a language test expire. Results must be less than two years old both when you create your profile and when you submit your application. Accepted tests: CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training and PTE Core for English; TEF Canada and TCF Canada for French.
• Funds that do not hold up. The money must be available and documented for the whole process, not borrowed for a day.
• Waiting for a general draw. There have been none since 2024. Build a plan around the routes that are actually drawing.

How Polinsys helps

Joy Stephen, RCIC (CICC licence R419719), gives you an honest written assessment before any fee is charged: which program you qualify for, the NOC code your duties support, your likely CRS score and the approaches that are drawing for someone like you. If you go ahead, we prepare your profile, reference letters and funds evidence, and keep every document ready for the 60-day window. Ask your questions first at our free Friday Q&A: FREE Webinars: Resource Guides and AR Q&A.