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Canada

Migrate to Canada via EXPRESS ENTRY


In January 2015 Canada instituted the new Express Entry system for skilled immigration and permanent residence. The system uses a two stage online process for
applications. Prospective migrants first fill out an Express Entry profile, and if they meet the eligibility requirements are entered into a selection pool.

Express Entry Ranking

Applicants are then ranked according to the information entered on their profile.
Factors taken into consideration include, but are not limited to:

  • Skills 
  • Work experience 
  • English and French Language abilities 
  • Education

Express Entry Visa Categories

The highest ranking applicants will then be invited to apply for permanent residence
under one of three skilled immigration categories, these include the:

  • Federal Skilled Worker Program: allows skilled professionals with significant work experience, employability, and adaptability to gain legal permanent residence in Canada. 
  • Federal Skilled Trades Program: allows skilled workers with experience in a selected number of trades to gain legal permanent residence in Canada. 
  • Canada Experience Class: a popular route to permanent residence for migrants with previous Canadian work experience, such as international students. 


Express Entry: Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS)

The Comprehensive Ranking System ranks eligible candidates for immigration to Canada through Express Entry under the following components:

  • Core Human Capital Factors
  • Skill Transferability Factors and
  • Additional factors relating to a provincial nomination, a qualifying offer of arranged employment, Canadian study experience, a sibling in Canada, and/or French language ability.

Comprehensive Ranking System Points Breakdown 

There is a total of 1,200 points available under the Comprehensive Ranking System. For candidates without an accompanying spouse or common-law partner, there are:

  • a maximum of 500 points available for core human capital factors;
  • a maximum of 100 points available for skill transferability factors;and
  • 600 points available for additional factors (including a provincial nomination, an offer of arranged employment, Canadian study experience, a sibling in Canada, and/or French language ability).

For candidates with an accompanying spouse or common-law partner, there are:

  • a maximum of 460 points available for core human capital factors of the principal applicant;
  • a maximum of 40 points for the core human capital factors of the spouse or common-law partner;
  • a maximum of 100 points available for skill transferability factors; and
  • 600 points available for additional factors (including a provincial nomination, an offer of arranged employment, Canadian study experience, a sibling in Canada, and/or French language ability).

June 6, 2017, changes to the Comprehensive Ranking System include additional points awarded to candidates with French ability and to candidates with a sibling in Canada.

French ability

  • 15 additional points for French-speaking candidates who prove adequate intermediate (equivalent to Canadian Language Benchmark 7) or better French ability, and English language test result of CLB 4 or lower, or no English test results at all.
  • 30 additional points for French-speaking candidates who prove adequate intermediate or better French ability, and who also prove English language test result of CLB 5 or better.

Sibling in Canada

  • 15 additional points for candidates with a sibling in Canada who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of at least 18 years of age. These points may also be awarded if the candidate’s spouse or common-law partner has a sibling in Canada. The candidate or his or her spouse/common-law partner must share a mother and/or father with the sibling in Canada. This relationship can be through blood, adoption, marriage, or common-law partnership.