PR & Express Entry

People with skilled work experience can apply under this program. Skilled work includes managerial jobs (skill type 0), professional jobs (skill level A), and technical jobs and skilled trades (skill level B).

The six selection factors are: age, education, work experience, whether you have a valid job offer (arranged employment in Canada), English and/or French language skills, and adaptability. These factors form a 100-point grid used to assess eligibility — you need 67 points to qualify. If you attended school in Canada you can earn additional points, and foreign education can be assessed through an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA).

This program is designed for skilled workers who want to become permanent residents based on their qualifications in a specific skilled trade or industry.

You must reach the required language levels — a minimum of CLB 4 in both writing and reading, and CLB 5 in both listening and speaking — and have at least two years of full-time work experience in your skilled trade within the five years before you apply. You must also meet the job requirements described in the National Occupational Classification (NOC) for your trade, and either hold a valid job offer from a Canadian employer for at least one year or a certificate of qualification from a Canadian provincial, territorial, or federal authority.

While education is not a mandatory requirement for this program, it can improve your ranking in the Express Entry pool. You must also provide proof of funds to support yourself and your family while you look for work, unless you already have a valid job offer.

This program is designed for individuals with skilled work experience in Canada, including temporary foreign workers and foreign graduates who have qualifying Canadian experience.

For the language requirement you need a minimum of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 for NOC 0 or A jobs, or CLB 5 for NOC B jobs. There is no formal education requirement; however, you can improve your ranking in the pool by earning points — for Canadian education (a certificate, diploma, or degree from a Canadian secondary or post-secondary institution) or for foreign education assessed through an ECA report from a designated organization.