PERMANENT RESIDENCE
Express Entry
Express Entry aims faciliate the immigration of qualified candidates to Canada through faster processing times, increased accessibility for candidates from a broader range of occupations, and a great emphasis on application quality control
Express Entry programs
Canadian Experience Class
The Canadian Experience Class is for skilled workers who have Canadian work experience and want to become permanent residents.
Federal Skilled Worker
This program is for skilled workers with foreign work experience who want to immigrate to Canada permanently.
Federal Skilled
Trades
The Federal Skilled Trades Program is for skilled workers who want to become permanent residents based on being qualified in a skilled trade.
BC Provincial Nominee Program
Connected to the federal Express Entry system, the Express Entry stream of BC PNP allows for eligible skilled workers to gain permanent residency in BC quicker.
You must have at least 1 year of skilled work experience in Canada, in the last 3 years before you apply, and the work experience must be:
- full-time, or
- an equal amount in part-time
You must have gained your work experience by working in Canada legally.
According to the Canadian National Occupational Classification, skilled work experience means:
- managerial jobs (skill level 0)
- professional jobs (skill type A)
- technical jobs and skilled trades (skill type B)
Your work experience can be in 1 or more NOC 0, A or B jobs.
Self-employment and work experience gained while you were a full-time student (even if you were on a co-op work term) doesn’t count towards the minimum requirements for this program.
You must:
- meet the minimum language level of:
- Canadian Language Benchmark 7 for NOC 0 or A jobs or
- Canadian Language Benchmark 5 for NOC B jobs
- take approved language tests for:
- writing
- reading
- listening
- speaking
- describe the test results in your Express Entry profile
Your language tests are valid for 2 years after the date of the test result and must be valid on the day you apply for permanent residence.
There is no education requirement for the Canadian Experience Class.
If you want to improve your rank in the Express Entry pool for immigration purposes, there are 2 ways you can do this.
- If you went to school in Canada, you can get points for a certificate, diploma or degree from a Canadian:
- secondary institution (high school) or
- post-secondary institution
or
- If you have foreign education, you can get points for:
- a completed foreign credential, and
- an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report for immigration purposes from a designated organization showing that your education is equal to a completed certificate, diploma or degree from a Canadian:
- secondary institution (high school) or
- post-secondary institution
Skilled Work Experience
Skilled work experience means that you’ve worked in 1 of these National Occupational Classification (NOC) job groups:
- Managerial jobs (skill type 0)
- Professional jobs (skill level A)
- Technical jobs and skilled trades (skill level B)
Your skilled work experience must be
- in the same type of job (have the same NOC) as the job you want to use for your immigration application (called your primary occupation)
- within the last 10 years
- paid work
- at least 1 year of continuous work or 1,560 hours total (30 hours per week)—you can meet this in a few different ways:
- Full-time at 1 job: 30 hours/week for 12 months = 1 year full time (1,560 hours)
- Equal amount in part-time: 15 hours/week for 24 months = 1 year full time (1,560 hours)
- Full-time at more than 1 job: 30 hours/week for 12 months at more than 1 job = 1 year full time (1,560 hours)
Part-Time Work Experience
For part-time work, you can work more or less than 15 hours/week as long as it adds up to 1,560 hours. Any hours you work above 30 hours/week are not counted.
Student Work Experience
Work experience gained while you were studying may count towards your minimum requirements if the work:
- was paid by wages or commissions
- was continuous (no gaps in employment), and
- meets all the other requirements of the Progra
You must:
- take approved language tests in English or French for:
- writing
- reading
- listening
- speaking
- get a minimum score of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 in all 4 abilities
Your language tests are valid for 2 years after the date of the test result. They must be valid on the day you apply for permanent residence.
If you went to school in Canada, you must have a certificate, diploma or degree from a Canadian:
- secondary institution or
- post-secondary institution
If you have foreign education, you must have:
- a completed credential, and
- an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) for immigration purposes from a designated organization showing that your education is equal to a completed certificate, diploma or degree from a Canadian secondary or post-secondary institution
Skilled trades for the Federal Skilled Trades Program are organized under these groups of the National Occupational Classification (NOC):
- Major Group 72, industrial, electrical and construction trades
- Major Group 73, maintenance and equipment operation trades
- Major Group 82, supervisors and technical jobs in natural resources, agriculture and related production
- Major Group 92, processing, manufacturing and utilities supervisors and central control operators
- Minor Group 632, chefs and cooks
- Minor Group 633, butchers and bakers
You must:
- have at least 2 years of full-time work experience (or an equal amount of part-time work experience) in a skilled trade within the 5 years before you apply
- meet the job requirements for that skilled trade as set out in the National Occupational Classification, except for needing a certificate of qualification
- have a
- valid job offer of full-time employment for a total period of at least 1 year or
- certificate of qualification in that skilled trade issued by a Canadian provincial, territorial or federal authority
You must
- meet the minimum score of Canadian Language Benchmark 5 for speaking and listening, and Canadian Language Benchmark 4 for reading and writing
- take approved language tests for
- writing
- reading
- listening
- speaking
Your language tests are valid for 2 years after the date of the test result. They must be valid on the day you apply for permanent residence.
There is no education requirement for the Federal Skilled Trades Program. However, you may be able to improve your rank in the Express Entry pool through your educational background.
Categories of the BC Provincial Nominee Program
Skilled Worker
British Columbia’s growing economy requires skilled workers in high-demand occupations. The EEBC Skilled Worker category of the BC PNP is a faster way to gain permanent residence in B.C.
Healthcare Professional
British Columbia needs more health care professionals. The EEBC Healthcare Professional category of the BC PNP helps physicians, specialists, nurses and allied health professionals put your valuable skills to work in the province and get permanent residence.
International Graduate
Did you graduate with a valid qualification from an eligible Canadian university or college within the last three years? The EEBC International Graduate category of the BC PNP can help you gain permanent residence in B.C.
International Post-Graduate
Do you have a graduate degree in the sciences from an eligible B.C. institution? The EEBC International Post-Graduate category of the BC PNP can help you gain permanent residence in B.C. You don’t need a job offer.
To qualify for this category, you must:
- have received an Express Entry Profile Number and a Job Seeker Validation Code from the IRCC Express Entry system.
- have accepted a full-time, indeterminate job offer (a permanent job, or one with no set end date) from a B.C. employer. The job must be in a National Occupational Classification skilled occupation (Skill Type 0 or Skill Level A or B).
- qualify to work in your job in B.C.
- have at least two (2) years of directly related work experience
- show you can support yourself and your dependents
- have, or be eligible for, legal immigration status in Canada
- meet minimum language requirements
- have a wage offer in line with B.C. wage rates for the occupation
To qualify for this category, you must:
- have received an Express Entry Profile Number and a Job Seeker Validation Code from the IRCC Express Entry system
- have the support of, or a full-time, indeterminate job offer (a permanent job, or one with no set end date) from a public health authority as a:
- physician
- specialist
- registered nurse
- registered psychiatric nurse
- nurse practitioner
- allied health professional such as a:
- diagnostic medical sonographer
- clinical pharmacist
- medical laboratory technologist
- medical radiation technologist
- occupational therapist
- physiotherapist
- if you are a midwife, have a letter of confirmation from an established practice group in B.C.
- qualify to work in your occupation in B.C.
- have at least two (2) years of directly related work experience
- show you can support yourself and your dependents
- have, or be eligible for, legal immigration status in Canada
- meet minimum language requirements
- have a wage offer in line with B.C. wage rates for the occupation
To qualify for this category, you must:
- have received an Express Entry Profile Number and a Job Seeker Validation Code from the IRCC Express Entry system
- have accepted a full-time, indeterminate job offer (a permanent job, or one with no set end date) from a B.C. employer. The job must be in a National Occupational Classification skilled occupation (Skill Type 0 or Skill Level A or B)
- qualify to work in your occupation in B.C.
- show you can support yourself and your dependents
- have, or be eligible for, legal immigration status in Canada
- have completed a degree, diploma or certificate from an eligible post-secondary institution in Canada in the past three years
- meet minimum language requirements
- have a wage offer in line with B.C. wage rates for the occupation
You must have graduated in the last three years with a master’s or doctorate (PhD) degree in the natural, applied or health sciences:
- agriculture
- biological and biomedical sciences
- computer and information sciences and support services
- engineering
- engineering technology
- health professions and related clinical sciences
- mathematics and statistics
- natural resources conservation and research
- physical sciences
To qualify for this category, you must:
- have received an Express Entry Profile Number and a Job Seeker Validation Code from the IRCC Express Entry system
- have, or be eligible for, legal immigration status in Canada
- have completed a valid graduate program of study at an eligible post-secondary institution in B.C. in the last three years.
- show your intent and ability to live in B.C.
Disclaimer: The material and information contained on this website is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as professional advice. Although best efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy of information at the time of writing, we cannot guarantee the completeness or accuracy of all information. As information may change without notice, always refer to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s website for the most accurate and up-to-date information.