The time needed to navigate Canada’s Express Entry system on the journey to permanent residence (PR) can vary widely: from a few months to a multi-year process.
There is no “catch-all” answer to this question—the exact time frame to receive PR through Express Entry depends on each candidate’s personal circumstances, their Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score, their eligibility for Express Entry categories, and more.
This article will therefore outline the factors that can make up your timeline to receive PR, so you can have a better idea of how long you may be in Canada’s Express Entry system.
See your eligibility for all Express Entry streams
The stages to obtain PR under Express Entry can broadly be broken down into:
- Time taken to meet program minimum eligibility;
- Time spent in the Express Entry candidate pool, to receive an invitation to apply (ITA);
- Time spent applying; and
- Time spent waiting for the PR application to be processed.
Time taken to meet the minimum eligibility
The Express Entry system contains three distinct programs, all of which operate on an Expression of Interest (EOI) model. These programs include the:
- Canadian Experience Class (CEC);
- Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP); and
- Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP).
Under these programs, the time taken to meet minimum eligibility usually corresponds to the work experience requirements. This is because IRCC’s method of counting work hours necessitates that work experience be accumulated over a set time period.
Based on the required work experience, the minimum amount of time that a foreign national would need to gain eligibility under each Express Entry program is as follows:
| CEC | FSWP | FSTP |
|---|---|---|
| One year (of Canadian work experience) | One year (of full-time work) | Two years (of full-time work in the skilled trade of their choosing) |
Readers should note that they may need more time to meet other basic criteria required to submit a candidate profile.
The following table gives an overview of all eligibility criteria under each Express Entry program:
Express Entry minimum eligibility criteria
| Eligibility Factor | Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) | Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) | Canadian Experience Class (CEC) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic work experience requirement | At least 1 year of skilled continuous, full-time (or equivalent part-time) paid work experience within 10 years of the application date | At least 2 years of full-time (or equivalent part-time) work experience in the skilled trade in the 5 years before applying. | At least 1 year (12 months) of skilled, paid work experience in Canada within 3 years of the application date. |
| Where work experience must be gained | Work can be outside or inside Canada. | Work experience can be either in or outside of Canada, but must be in an eligible skilled trade occupation (see NOC groups below). | Work experience must be in Canada. |
| NOC / occupation requirements | Work experience must be in a skilled occupation classified under NOC TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3. | Skilled work experience must be in an eligible NOC 2021 group | Skilled, professional or technical work experience in Canada in NOC TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 jobs. |
| Language requirements | Minimum CLB 7 in all four abilities | Minimum CLB 5 for speaking and listening and CLB 4 for reading and writing | Minimum CLB 5 for NOC TEER 2 or 3 jobs; CLB 7 for NOC TEER 0 or 1 jobs. |
| Education requirements | Must have either: - a Canadian educational credential; or - a foreign credential with an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA). | No minimum education requirement | No minimum education requirement |
| Job offer / certificate requirements | No job offer required. | Must have either: - A valid job offers of continuous, paid, full-time employment (at least 30 hours/week) from up to two Canadian employers for at least one year, OR - A certificate of qualification from a provincial or territorial body proving the person is qualified to work in the trade. | No job offer required. |
| Points / selection model | Must score at least 67 out of 100 points on the FSWP selection grid to submit a candidate profile (in addition to the CRS) | No extra points selection model | No extra points selection model |
| Settlement funds | Must meet settlement funds criteria, unless authorized to work in Canada with a valid job offer in the country. | Must meet settlement funds criteria, unless authorized to work in Canada with a valid job offer in the country. | No settlement funds requirement |
For more information on eligibility requirements and conditions of Express Entry programs, visit our dedicated webpage.
Time spent in the candidate pool
After meeting basic eligibility for one of Express Entry’s programs, foreign nationals must submit an EOI profile in the Express Entry pool (after which they become Express Entry candidates).
For many who immigrate through Express Entry (depending on how competitive their CRS score is), this period can be the longest of their immigration timeline, as they wait for an ITA.
Candidates can use this time in the Express Entry pool to increase factors that positively impact their CRS score—such as education, language ability, and work experience.
Candidates in the pool may also want to spend time building eligibility for category-based selection draws through Express Entry, which often feature lower CRS cut-off scores than program-based draws under the system.
Occupational categories typically require six months of relevant work experience in an eligible occupation (this is in addition to, or can be included within, the basic work requirements covered earlier for Express Entry programs), while French category-based selection requires a proven language proficiency equivalent to a Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) level 7 in all language abilities.
Express Entry profiles expire after one year of submission and must be resubmitted by the candidate to continue to be considered for immigration draws through the system.
For more information on how to maximize your time in the Express Entry pool, visit our dedicated article on the topic.
See how competitive your Express Entry profile is
Whether or not your CRS score is currently competitive in the candidate pool, it is generally a good idea to submit a profile and enter the Express Entry pool as soon as possible, as both draw types and draw sizes can vary greatly and are unpredictable.
While it is impossible to say for certain how long each candidate will spend in the pool, certain clues can help us assess the likelihood of a person receiving an ITA based on previous trends.
To get a better idea of how long you may spend in the candidate pool, you may wish to consider the frequency of draws for your program/category and how the latest CRS cut-off score compares to yours.
The following table provides the count of Express Entry draws by type (program or category), and the latest CRS cut-off scores as of this time of writing:
| Draw Type | Number of Draws in 2025 (as of time of writing) | Latest CRS Cut-off Score |
|---|---|---|
| Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) | 21 | 738 |
| Canadian Experience Class (CEC) | 12 | 533 |
| French-language proficiency | 7 | 416 |
| Healthcare and social services | 6 | 462 |
| Education | 2 | 462 |
| Trade | 1 | 505 |
It is worth noting that IRCC can change the draw types, the draw sizes (which in turn influence CRS cut-off scores), and the frequency of draws as they see fit, based on their immigration goals.
Time spent applying
After a candidate receives an ITA for PR, they have 60 days to submit a complete application.
Theoretically, if a candidate has an application ready, they can submit it as soon as they get an ITA. However, due to the kind of documents needed for a complete application, this is rarely the case.
In particular, certain documents, like an immigration medical exam and police clearance certificates, are contingent on third-party entities to deliver those documents, and so the time to submit a complete PR application can often climb to weeks.
A full list of needed documents for a PR application under Express Entry can be found below:
Documents needed for an Express Entry application
| Document Category | Key Documents (with caveats) |
|---|---|
| Identity & Travel | Passport/travel document for you and accompanying family; digital photos (must be valid at time of application). |
| Language Test | Original/official language test results from an approved test provider (must be valid on the date you submit your PR application). |
| Education / ECA | Canadian certificates/diplomas/degrees and/or ECA report + number for foreign education (needed wherever eligibility/points rely on education). |
| Work Experience | Employer reference letters for each job you’re claiming (showing duties, dates, hours, pay); any supporting docs IRCC asks for (e.g., pay stubs, contracts). |
| Police Certificates | Police certificates for you and accompanying family members aged 18+ for required countries; if delayed, upload proof of request + explanation. |
| Medical Exam | Proof of immigration medical exam from a panel physician (information sheet or IMM 1017B). |
| Family & Civil Status | Marriage/common-law/ divorce/ separation/ death certificates as applicable; birth certificates for dependent children; adoption papers if any. |
| Checklist-Specific Items | Any other documents listed in your personalized IRCC document checklist (this controls if something appears above that is not shown for your case). |
Additional documents for an Express Entry application (if needed)
| Document Category | Key Documents (with caveats) |
|---|---|
| Job Offer / LMIA | Written job offer, and LMIA if required |
| Trade Certification | Certificate of qualification from a Canadian province/territory if you’re relying on it (especially for trades/FSTP). |
| Proof of Funds | Bank/financial letters listing all accounts, balances, 6-month averages, and debts; generally required for FSWP/FSTP unless exempt (e.g., CEC or certain job offers). |
| Relative in Canada | Proof of relationship and relative’s status in Canada if you claim CRS points for a qualifying relative. |
| Representative / Info Release | IMM 5476 (Use of a Representative) and/or IMM 5475 (Authority to Release Personal Information), only if you use a representative or designated individual. |
| Provincial Nomination | Nomination certificate/confirmation if you apply as a provincial nominee through Express Entry. |
| Translations & Certified Copies | Certified translations + copy/certified copy of any document not in English or French (applies only if you submit non-English/French documents). |
| Biometrics | Biometrics (fingerprints + photo) given at a collection point after IRCC issues a biometrics instruction letter (you don’t upload these yourself). |
Note: Based on an applicant’s circumstances (for example, what Express Entry program they apply under), they may not be required to submit some documents needed in a standard PR application. Many people choose to retain an immigration lawyer as they begin the application process to ensure that they receive guidance to submit the best possible application.
Consult with an experienced immigration representative
Time waiting for an application to be processed
Finally, after submitting a complete application for PR, you must now wait for your application to be processed.
Processing times for PR applications can easily take multiple months. At this stage, applicants should take note of two separate time measures:
- Processing times; and
- Service standards.
Processing times give you real-time updates* as to how your application is being processed, while service standards can give you a general idea of how long the entire process may take.
More specifically, processing times are a measure of how long IRCC has taken to process applications of a certain type, with consideration to recent processing efficiency.
IRCC has recently made some drastic changes to how it reports processing times, giving applicants under some programs a far more personalized view of their application processing.
You can take a look at the time required to process a PR application here.
Service standards are IRCC’s formal target for how quickly they aim to process a specific type of application under normal conditions. Service standards
- Are a commitment or goal, not a guarantee.
- Don’t get updated as frequently as processing times; and
- Are not present for every program IRCC runs.
IRCC’s service times for Express Entry applications are six months. Their adherence to these standards, and target for future applications, is as follows:
| Program | Service Standard | IRCC adherence to service standards | IRCC targets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canadian Experience Class | 180 days | 85% | 80% |
| Federal Skilled Worker Program | 180 days | 86% | 80% |
| Federal Skilled Trades Program | 180 days (not including provincial/territorial processing, where applicable) | N/A | 80% |
*IRCC publishes two kinds of processing times:
- Historical processing times
- Forward-looking processing times
Historical processing times show how long it took IRCC to finalize 80% of applications in the past. These are based on real, completed applications, and are updated every week.
Forward-looking processing times are an estimate of how long IRCC expects it will take to process a new application submitted today. These are predictive and future-oriented processing times that are updated every month.
See your eligibility for all Express Entry streams