Express Entry
Express Entry Overview
Applicants must qualify in the an immigration class to enter Express Entry!
Immigration Classes include:
- Federal Skilled Worker (FSW)
- Federal Skilled Trades (FST)
- Canada Experience Class (CEC)
Candidates with the highest passmark will be selected drawn (the passmark changes constantly depending on the candidates in the pool).
Federal Skilled Worker Categories
Express Entry launched categories to better support its economic goals. According to Canada Immigration, “Category-based rounds are intended to supplement other round types to meet the identified economic goal.”
The current categories are:
- French-language proficiency
- Healthcare and social services occupations
- Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) occupations
- Trade occupations
- Agriculture and agri-food occupations
- Education occupations
1. French-language proficiency
- French language test entered on Express Entry profile
2. Healthcare and social services occupations
Removed: Many former occupations were removed from this list
- Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians 32104
- Audiologists and speech language pathologists 31112
- Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists 32123
- Chiropractors 31201
- Dental hygienists and dental therapists 32111
- Dentists 31110
- Dieticians and nutritionists 31121
- General practitioners and family physicians 31102
- Licensed practical nurses 32101
- Massage therapists 32201
- Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations 33101
- Medical laboratory technologists 32120
- Medical radiation technologists 32121
- Medical sonographers 32122
- Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates 33102
- Nurse practitioners 31302
- Nursing co-ordinators and supervisors 31300
- Occupational therapists 31203
- Optometrists 31111
- Other medical technologists and technicians 32129
- Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations 33101
- Medical laboratory technologists 32120
- Medical radiation technologists 32121
- Medical sonographers 32122
- Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates 33102
- Nurse practitioners 31302
- Nursing co-ordinators and supervisors 31300
- Occupational therapists 31203
- Optometrists 31111
- Other medical technologists and technicians 32129
- Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists 32103
- Social and community service workers 42201
- Social workers 41300
- Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine 31100
- Specialists in surgery 31101
- Therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies 41301
- Veterinarians 31103
3. Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) occupations
Removed: Many former occupations were removed from this list
- Architecture and science managers 20011
- Civil engineering technologists and technicians 22300
- Civil Engineers 21300
- Cybersecurity specialists 21220
- Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians 22310
- Electrical and electronics engineers 21310
- Geological Engineers 21331
- Industrial and manufacturing engineers 21321
- Insurance agents and brokers 63100
- Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians 22301
- Mechanical Engineers 21301
4. Trade occupations (and Includes Non Trades and Cooks)
- Machinists and machining and tooling inspectors 72100
- Home building and renovation managers 70011
- Construction managers 70010
- Cooks 63200
- Construction estimators 22303
- Machinists and machining and tooling inspectors 72100
- Home building and renovation managers 70011
- Construction managers 70010
- Cooks 63200
- Construction estimators 22303
- Contractors and supervisors, oil and gas drilling and services 82021
- Floor covering installers 73113
- Painters and decorators (except interior decorators) 73112
- Roofers and shinglers 73110
- Concrete finishers 73100
- Other technical trades and related occupations 72999
- Water well drillers 72501
- Electrical mechanics 72422
- Heating, refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics 72402
- Heavy-duty equipment mechanics 72401
- Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics 72400
- Bricklayers 72320
- Cabinetmakers 72311
- Carpenters 72310
- Gas fitters 72302
- Plumbers 72300
- Industrial electricians 72201
- Electricians (except industrial and power system) 72200
- Welders and related machine operators 72106
- Sheet metal workers 72102
5. Agriculture and agri-food occupations
Added: Butcher’s retail and Wholesale 63201
- Butcher’s retail and Wholesale 63201 is the only remaining
6. Education occupations
- Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants 43100
- Instructors of persons with disabilities 42203
- Early childhood educators and assistants 42202
- Elementary school and kindergarten teachers 41221
- Secondary school teachers 41220
How to Calculate Express Entry Points
The points in Express Entry are calculated based on 4 major groups:
A – Core/Human Capital factors (max 500) +
B – Spouse or Common Law factors (max 40) +
C – Skills Transferability Factors (max 100) +
D – Additional Points (max 600)
MAXIMUM TOTAL = 1,200 points
These factors focus on the age, level of education, official language ability and work experience of the applicant and their common law partner/ spouse (if applicable).
NOTE: The Core/Human Capital factors have a maximum of 500 points, with OR without a spouse/ common-law partner.
A. Points for Core/human capital factors
Age
- With a spouse of common-law partner: Maximum 460 points total for all factors
- Without a spouse of common-law partner: Maximum 500 points total for all factors
Age | With a spouse or common-law partner (Maximum 100 points) |
Without a spouse or common-law partner (Maximum 100 points) |
---|---|---|
17 years of age or less | 0 | 0 |
18 years of age | 90 | 99 |
19 years of age | 95 | 105 |
20-29 years of age | 100 | 110 |
30 years of age | 95 | 105 |
31 years of age | 90 | 99 |
32 years of age | 85 | 94 |
33 years of age | 80 | 88 |
34 years of age | 75 | 83 |
35 years of age | 70 | 77 |
36 years of age | 65 | 72 |
37 years of age | 60 | 66 |
38 years of age | 55 | 61 |
39 years of age | 50 | 55 |
40 years of age | 45 | 50 |
41 years of age | 35 | 39 |
42 years of age | 25 | 28 |
43 years of age | 15 | 17 |
44 years of age | 5 | 6 |
45 years of age | 0 | 0 |
Education
Level of Education | With a spouse or common-law partner (Maximum 140 points) |
Without a spouse or common-law partner (Maximum 150 points) |
---|---|---|
Less than secondary school (high school) | 0 | 0 |
Secondary Diploma (high school graduation) | 28 | 30 |
One-year degree, diploma or certificate from a university, college, trade or technical school, or other institute | 84 | 90 |
Two-year degree, diploma or certificate from a university, college, trade or technical school, or other institute | 91 | 98 |
Bachelor’s degree or a three or more year degree, diploma or certificate from a university, college, trade or technical school, or other institute | 112 | 120 |
Two or more certificates, diploma or degrees. One must be for a program of three or more years. | 119 | 128 |
Master’s degree, OR professional degree needed to practice in a licensed profession (For “professional degree,” the degree program must have been in: medicine, veterinary medicine, dentistry, optometry, law, chiropractic medicine, or pharmacy.) | 126 | 135 |
Doctoral level university degree (Ph.D.) | 140 | 150 |
Canadian Work Experience
Canadian work experience | With a spouse or common-law partner (Maximum 70 points) |
Without a spouse or common-law partner (Maximum 80 points) |
---|---|---|
None or less than a year | 0 | 0 |
1 Year | 35 | 40 |
2 Years | 46 | 53 |
3 Years | 56 | 64 |
4 Years | 63 | 72 |
5 Years or More | 70 | 80 |
First Language Ability
Maximum points:
- 32 for each ability (reading, writing, speaking and understanding) with a spouse or common-law partner
- 34 for each ability (reading writing, speaking and understanding) without a spouse or common-law partner
Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level per ability | With a spouse or common-law partner (Maximum 120 points) |
Without a spouse or common-law partner (Maximum 136 points) |
---|---|---|
Less than CLB 4 | 0 | 0 |
CLB 4 or 5 | 6 | 6 |
CLB 6 | 8 | 9 |
CLB 7 | 16 | 17 |
CLB 8 | 22 | 23 |
CLB 9 | 29 | 31 |
CLB 10 or more | 32 | 34 |
Second Language Ability
Maximum points for each ability:
- 6 with a spouse or common-law partner (up to a combined maximum of 22 points)
- 6 without a spouse or common-law partner (up to a combined maximum of 24 points)
Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level per ability | With a spouse or common-law partner (Maximum 22 points) |
Without a spouse or common-law partner (Maximum 24 points) |
---|---|---|
CLB 4 or less | 0 | 0 |
CLB 5 or 6 | 1 | 1 |
CLB 7 or 8 | 3 | 3 |
CLB 9 or more | 6 | 6 |
B. Points for Spouse or common-law partner factors (if applicable)
Education
Spouse’s or common-law partner’s level of education | With a spouse or common-law partner (Maximum 10 points) |
Without a spouse or common-law partner (N/A) |
---|---|---|
Less than secondary school (high school) | 0 | N/A |
Secondary school (high school graduation) | 2 | N/A |
One-year program at a university, college, trade or technical school, or other institute | 6 | N/A |
Two-year program at a university, college, trade or technical in school, or other institute | 7 | N/A |
Bachelor’s degree OR,a three or more year program at a university, college, trade or technical school, or other institute | 8 | N/A |
Two or more certificates, diplomas, or degrees. One must be for a program of three or more years | 9 | N/A |
Master’s degree, or professional degree needed to practice in a licensed profession (For “professional degree”, the degree program must have been in: medicine, veterinary medicine, dentistry, optometry, law, chiropractic medicine, or pharmacy.) | 10 | N/A |
Doctoral level university degree (PhD) | 10 | N/A |
Note: (n/a) means that this factor does not apply in this case.
Spouse First Language Ability
Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level per ability (reading, writing, speaking and listening ) | Maximum 20 points for sectionMaximum 5 points per ability | Without spouse or common-law partner (N/A) |
---|---|---|
CLB 4 or less | 0 | N/A |
CLB 5 or 6 | 1 | N/A |
CLB 7 or 8 | 3 | N/A |
CLB 9 or more | 5 | N/A |
Note: (n/a) means that this factor does not apply in this case.
Spouse Canadian Work Experience
Spouse’s Canadian Work Experience | Maximum 10 points | Without spouse or common-law partner (N/A) |
---|---|---|
None or less than a year | 0 | N/A |
1 year | 5 | N/A |
2 year | 7 | N/A |
3 year | 8 | N/A |
4 year | 9 | N/A |
5 year or more | 10 | N/A |
Note: (n/a) means that this factor does not apply in this case.
C. Points for Skill transferability factors
Maximum points for this section = 100
Education and Language
With good official language proficiency (Canadian Language Benchmark Level [CLB] 7 or higher) and a post-secondary degree | Points for CLB 7 or more on all first official language abilities, with one or more under CLB 9(Maximum 25 points) | Points for CLB 9 or more on all four first official language abilities(Maximum 50 points) |
---|---|---|
Secondary school (high school) credential or less | 0 | 0 |
Post-secondary program credential of one year or longer | 13 | 25 |
Two or more post-secondary program credentials AND at least one of these credentials was issued on completion of a post-secondary program of three years or longer (CLB 6,7 and 8 | 25 | 50 |
Education and Canadian Work Experience
With Canadian work experience and a post-secondary degree | Points for education + 1 year of Canadian work experience(Maximum 25 points) | Points for education + 2 year of Canadian work experience or more(Maximum 50 points) |
---|---|---|
Secondary school (high school) credential or less | 0 | 0 |
Post-secondary program credential of one year or longer | 13 | 25 |
Two or more post-secondary program credentials AND at least one of these credentials was issued on completion of a post-secondary program of three years or longer | 25 | 50 |
Foreign Work Experience & Language
Years of experience | Points for foreign work experience + CLB 7 or more on all first official language abilities, one or more under 9(Maximum 25 points) | Points for foreign work experience + CLB 9 or more on all four first official language abilities(Maximum 50 points) |
---|---|---|
No foreign work experience | 0 | 0 |
1 or 2 years of foreign work experience | 13 | 25 |
3 years or more of foreign work experience | 25 | 50 |
Foreign Work Experience – With Canadian Work Experience
Years of Experience | Points for foreign work experience + 1 year of Canadian work experience (Maximum 25 points) | Points for foreign work experience + 2 years or more of Canadian work experience (Maximum 50 points |
---|---|---|
No foreign work experience | 0 | 0 |
1 or 2 years of foreign work experience | 13 | 25 |
3 years or more of foreign work experience | 25 | 50 |
With a Certificate of Qualification & Language
Certificate of qualification (trade occupations) – With good official language proficiency (Canadian Language Benchmark Level [CLB] 5 or higher) | Points for certificate of qualification + CLB 5 or more on all first official language abilities, one or more under 7(Maximum 25 points) | Points for certificate of qualification + CLB 7 or more on all four first official language abilities(Maximum 50 points) |
---|---|---|
With a certificate of qualification | 25 | 50 |
Subtotal: A. Core / human capital + B. Spouse or common-law partner + C. Skill transferability factors – Maximum 600 points.
D. Additional Points Factors
Additional points | Maximum 600 points |
---|---|
Arranged employment (positive Labour Market Impact Assessment required) | 50 |
Provincial or territorial nomination | 600 |