Express Entry

EE is the federal application management system utilized by IRCC to select and process permanent residence applications. This merit-based system manages candidates from three key economic immigration pathways: the Canadian Experience Class, the Federal Skilled Worker Program , and the Federal Skilled Trades Program .

Candidates are assessed under a points-based Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) evaluating human capital factors—including age, education, language proficiency in English or French, and skilled work experience—to align applicant selection with Canada’s labor market needs.

CEC

Canadian Experience Class

FSTP

Federal Skilled Trade Program

FSWP

Federal Skilled Worker Program

Canadian Experience Class (CEC)

CEC is an immigration program that aims to attract skilled workers with work experience in Canada. Here are the requirements for eligibility under this program:

Work Experience: Minimum of 1 year of continuous or non-continuous, full-time (minimum 30 hours/week, or equivalent part-time) skilled work experience in Canada within the 3 years prior to applying.
NOC Alignment: Experience must fall under National Occupational Classification (NOC) TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3.
Language Proficiency: Minimum CLB 7 for TEER 0 and 1 occupations; CLB 5 for TEER 2 and 3 occupations.

Additional important notes to consider:

Co-op or internship experiences and self-employment will not be considered as eligible work experience.
While education is not a mandatory requirement, it can improve the applicant’s points for eligibility.

Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSW)

FSW of Canada is a program that allows skilled workers from other countries to live and work in Canada. Here are the requirements to qualify for this program:

One year of continuous skilled work experience within the last ten years, which translates to at least 1560 hours or 30 hours per week.
Skilled work experience that falls under the categories of TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3.
A minimum language proficiency of CLB 7.
High school diploma or post-secondary education. Higher education is preferred.
A finance statement must be submitted unless the applicant has a job offer or is currently working in Canada.

Additional important notes to consider:

Working while in school may count toward work experience.
The work experience must be a paid job.
Work reasonability/titles are classified as TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3.

By meeting these requirements, individuals can apply for the Federal Skilled Worker Program and become eligible to work and live in Canada as a skilled worker.

Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)

FST of Canada is designed to facilitate the immigration of skilled workers with experience in specific trades, and here are the requirements to qualify for this program:

A minimum of two years of full-time skilled work experience within the last five years in one of the specified occupational categories.

A valid job offer for a minimum of one year, or a certificate issued by a Canadian authority.
Language proficiency with a minimum CLB 5 score in speaking and listening, and a CLB 4 score in reading and writing.
A finance statement must be submitted unless the applicant has a job offer or is currently working in Canada.

2026 System Trends & Policy Changes

12-Month Experience Rule

For all occupational categories, IRCC has increased the minimum work experience requirement from 6 months to 12 months within the past 3 years. This experience no longer needs to be continuous, but must be in the same NOC code.

Elimination of CRS Job Offer Points

The removal of the 50/200 CRS points for Arranged Employment shifts pool competitiveness entirely back to language, education, and legitimate Canadian work experience.

Elevated General Draw Cut-offs

Due to high candidate volume and the removal of job offer points, traditional General Draw cut-offs consistently exceed 500 CRS points.

PNP Integration

An EE-aligned provincial nomination remains the most effective boost, automatically adding 600 points to a candidate's profile.

Strict 60-Day ITA Window

Once an Invitation to Apply (ITA) is issued, candidates have exactly 60 calendar days to submit a complete and error-free application.