Last verified: July 6, 2026 · Official source: canada.ca — Express Entry
General information, not legal or immigration advice. For advice on your situation, consult a licensed RCIC or immigration lawyer.
The journey at a glance
Express Entry is a two-stage system: first you get into a ranked pool; then, if you're selected, you submit a full PR application. Here's the whole path.
Step 1 — Check eligibility & gather documents
Confirm you qualify for at least one of the three programs — CEC, FSW, or FST — then get the documents that take longest first:
- A valid language test (CELPIP/IELTS/PTE Core, or TEF/TCF for French).
- An ECA if you have foreign education you want counted.
- Your correct NOC and proof of skilled work experience.
- A valid passport.
Step 2 — Create your profile & enter the pool
Submit an Express Entry profile online. You're scored by the CRS and placed in the pool, ranked against everyone else. Your profile is valid for a period during which you can keep improving it. (Not eligible yet? Fix that first — a profile requires meeting a program's minimum criteria.)
Step 3 — Improve your score while you wait
The pool is dynamic. Use the time to raise your CRS — re-test your language, add French, pursue a provincial nomination (+600), or gain more experience. See how to improve your CRS and track cutoffs in the Draw Tracker.
Step 4 — Receive an ITA
In a round of invitations, IRCC invites the top-ranked candidates (either in a general draw or a targeted category draw). If your score meets the cutoff, you get an ITAITA: Invitation to Apply — the invitation, issued in a round of invitations, that lets you submit a full permanent-residence application. You have a limited window to submit..
Step 5 — Submit your e-APR
After an ITA, you submit your e-APRe-APR: Electronic Application for Permanent Residence — the complete PR application you file after an ITA, with all supporting documents. within the deadline stated in your invitation. This is where you upload everything: work reference letters, settlement funds (if required), education, language, and identity documents.
⚠️ Everything you claimed in your profile must now be proven. If you can't back up a claim (e.g. skilled experience matching your NOC), don't submit against that ITA — an inability to prove claims can lead to refusal.
Step 6 — Biometrics, medical & police certificates
As part of the PR application you'll typically complete biometrics and an immigration medical exam, plus police certificates:
- Biometrics (fingerprints and photo) after an instruction letter — who needs them, cost, and validity.
- An immigration medical exam with an approved panel physician — details here.
- Police certificates from countries where you've lived.
Step 7 — Decision & confirmation of PR
IRCC reviews your application, may request more information, and issues a decision. If approved, you receive confirmation of permanent residence and complete the final landing formalities.
Documents to prepare early
| Document | Why it's slow |
|---|---|
| Language test | Booking + results take time |
| ECA | Depends on your school verifying credentials |
| Police certificates | Some countries are slow to issue |
| Reference letters | Employers can be slow; must match your NOC duties |
Starting these before you get an ITA is the single best way to avoid a rushed, incomplete submission.
Where this fits
This is the backbone of the Permanent Residence hub. If you're on the student path, it follows PGWP and skilled Canadian experience — see the Study → PR pathway map. Know your number first with the CRS Calculator.
Frequently asked questions
If I get married after my ITA or AOR, does my CRS score change?
No. Your CRS is locked at the moment you were issued your Invitation to Apply. Getting married after your ITA or after your acknowledgement of receipt does not recalculate or lower your score. You do, however, have to declare the marriage, and adding a spouse now does not change the locked score either way.
Do I have to declare a marriage that happened after I submitted my application?
Yes. A change in your marital status must be reported to IRCC. Leaving a new spouse off your application is misrepresentation, which carries a five-year ban, so this is not optional even if declaring them feels like it complicates things.
Should I add my new spouse as accompanying or non-accompanying?
Either way you must include and declare them. Accompanying means your spouse is processed with you and can become a permanent resident at the same time. Non-accompanying means you land and they do not come now, but here is the part people miss: a non-accompanying spouse still has to be examined, meaning their own medical and police certificates. If they are listed as non-accompanying and are not examined, they become an excluded family member and you may never be able to sponsor them later, so make sure they complete the examination whichever route you choose.