Express Entry, all three programs

Express Entry Eligibility Checker

See whether you meet the minimum requirements of the three Express Entry programs and where you stand on the 67-point Federal Skilled Worker grid. Built from the IRCC pages that set the rules, checked October 2026.

Built from IRCC's program pages
Checked September 2026
Built by a licensed RCIC

Programs checked: 3; CEC, FSWP and FSTP
FSWP pass mark: 67 / 100; selection factor points
Funds, one person: $15,263; IRCC table, July 7, 2025
Rules checked: October 1, 2026; Latest IRCC page update September 24, 2026

IRCC rules checked October 1, 2026

Part 1 of 5

About you

Age and family size feed the Federal Skilled Worker grid and the proof of funds table. Where you plan to live applies to every program.

Your ageWill a spouse or common-law partner immigrate with you?Answer no if you are single, or if your partner is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident who will not be on the application.Family sizeCount yourself, your spouse or partner and every dependent child, even if they are not coming to Canada or are already citizens or permanent residents.Do you plan to live outside Quebec?Quebec selects its own skilled workers. Work done in Quebec can still count if you plan to settle elsewhere.

Part 2 of 5

Language

Every program needs approved test results in English or French that are under two years old. Enter the CLB or NCLC level for each ability.

Do you have valid results from an approved test?IELTS General Training, CELPIP-General, PTE Core, TEF Canada or TCF Canada, taken in the last two years. IELTS Academic and PTE Academic are not accepted.

Part 3 of 5

Work experience

IRCC counts paid work in NOC TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 where you did the lead statement and most of the main duties. One year means 1,560 hours: 30 hours a week for 12 months, or the same total part-time.

Skilled work in Canada in the last three yearsOnly work done while you held temporary resident status with authorization to work. Self-employment (except some physicians, under a temporary public policy) and work while you were a full-time student, including co-op, do not count here.

I have done at least one year of full-time skilled work (TEER 0 to 3) in Canada on a work permit, at any timeWorth 10 adaptability points on the Federal Skilled Worker grid. Part-time work does not count for these points.

Skilled work experience in the last ten years, in Canada or abroadThe total the Federal Skilled Worker grid scores. Work while studying and self-employment count here, unlike the Canadian Experience Class.

Is your primary occupation a skilled trade in the NOC groups IRCC lists?Major Groups 72 (except 726), 73, 82, 83, 92 and 93 (except 932), Minor Group 6320 (cooks, butchers and bakers) and Unit Group 62200 (chefs). The first two digits of your NOC code are the major group.

Part 4 of 5

Education

Only the Federal Skilled Worker Program requires education. Choose the level an educational credential assessment gives, not the name on the diploma.

Highest completed credential

I completed at least two academic years of full-time study, in a program at least two years long, at a Canadian secondary or post-secondary schoolWorth 5 adaptability points on the Federal Skilled Worker grid. Full-time means at least 15 hours of classes a week in good academic standing.

Part 5 of 5

Job offer, funds and family ties

A valid job offer no longer adds CRS points, but it still counts for the Federal Skilled Worker grid, the trades program and the proof of funds exemption.

Do you have a valid job offer from a Canadian employer, as IRCC defines it?Written, continuous, paid, full-time (at least 30 hours a week), not seasonal, for at least one year after you become a permanent resident, in TEER 0 to 3, and either supported by a new LMIA, made by the employer you already work for on an LMIA-based work permit, or made by your employer on an LMIA-exempt work permit after a year of full-time work for them. An open work permit does not qualify, and a work permit on its own is not a job offer.

I, or my spouse or partner, have a relative living in Canada who is 18 or older and a Canadian citizen or permanent residentA parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, sibling, aunt, uncle, niece or nephew. Worth 5 adaptability points.

Answer the questions and the three program checks build here.

Program minimums

Canadian Experience ClassCECWaiting for answers
- One year of skilled work in Canada in the last three years1,560 hours of paid TEER 0 to 3 work in Canada, gained while you held temporary resident status with authorization to work. Self-employment (except some physicians, under a temporary public policy) and work while you were a full-time student do not count.
- Language minimum for your TEERCLB 7 in all four abilities for TEER 0 or 1 jobs, CLB 5 for TEER 2 or 3.
- Plan to live outside QuebecQuebec selects its own skilled workers, so all three programs require you to plan to settle in another province or territory.
- No education, job offer or proof of funds requirementEducation can still raise your CRS score, but the Canadian Experience Class does not require it. A job offer no longer adds CRS points.
Federal Skilled Worker ProgramFSWPWaiting for answers
- One continuous year of skilled work in the last ten years1,560 hours of paid TEER 0 to 3 work in one occupation, continuous, in Canada or abroad, within the last 10 years. Part-time hours count; hours above 30 a week do not.
- CLB 7 in all four abilitiesCLB or NCLC 7 in speaking, listening, reading and writing on one approved test.
- Secondary school or higher, with an ECA for foreign credentialsA completed Canadian secondary or post-secondary credential, or a completed foreign credential with an educational credential assessment.
- 67 of 100 selection factor points0 so far. Finish the questions to see the full score.
- Proof of fundsThe Federal Skilled Worker Program needs settlement funds unless you are authorized to work in Canada and hold a valid job offer. Answer the family size question to see the amount.
- Plan to live outside QuebecQuebec selects its own skilled workers, so all three programs require you to plan to settle in another province or territory.
Federal Skilled Trades ProgramFSTPWaiting for answers
- Occupation in an eligible skilled trade groupNOC Major Groups 72 (except 726), 73, 82, 83, 92 and 93 (except 932), Minor Group 6320 or Unit Group 62200.
- Two years in the trade in the last five years3,120 hours of paid, full-time or equivalent work in that one trade within the last five years, in a place where you were qualified to practise it. Work while studying does not count.
- Valid job offer or certificate of qualificationA full-time job offer in the trade for at least one year, from up to two employers, or a certificate of qualification issued by a Canadian province, territory or federal authority.
- CLB 5 speaking and listening, CLB 4 reading and writingCLB or NCLC 5 in speaking and listening and 4 in reading and writing.
- Proof of fundsThe Federal Skilled Trades Program needs settlement funds unless you are authorized to work in Canada and hold a valid job offer. Answer the family size question to see the amount.
- Plan to live outside QuebecQuebec selects its own skilled workers, so all three programs require you to plan to settle in another province or territory.

Federal Skilled Worker selection factors

0/ 100

Pass mark67 (answers missing)

Points breakdown

First official languageEnter all four abilities0 / 24
Second official languageNot claimed0 / 4
EducationChoose your highest credential0 / 25
Skilled work experienceChoose your years of skilled work0 / 15
AgeChoose your age0 / 12
Arranged employmentSay whether you hold a valid job offer0 / 10
AdaptabilityNothing claimed0 / 10

Estimate My CRS Score

This check is general guidance only and takes your answers at face value. It does not assess admissibility, and IRCC decides eligibility, which program an invitation is issued under, and every application. Rules checked October 1, 2026.

How the three programs differ

Express Entry is one system for three programs, and each sets its own minimum. Meeting any one of them puts a profile in the pool. IRCC decides which program an invitation is issued under, so keep every part of the profile current even if you only expect one program to apply.

Requirement	Canadian Experience Class	Federal Skilled Worker	Federal Skilled Trades
Work experience	1 year in Canada in the last 3 years, TEER 0 to 3, full-time or part-time combined	1 year continuous in your primary occupation within the last 10 years, TEER 0 to 3, in Canada or abroad	2 years within the last 5 years in one skilled trade
Language	CLB 7 for TEER 0 or 1, CLB 5 for TEER 2 or 3	CLB 7 in all four abilities	CLB 5 speaking and listening, CLB 4 reading and writing
Education	Not required	Secondary school or higher; foreign credentials need an assessment	Not required
Job offer	Not required	Not required; a valid offer earns selection factor points	Required, unless you hold a Canadian certificate of qualification
Proof of funds	Not required	Required, unless you can work in Canada and hold a valid job offer	Required, unless you can work in Canada and hold a valid job offer
Pass mark	None	67 of 100 selection factor points	None

Source: IRCC, Express Entry: who can apply, read October 1, 2026. All three programs also require that you plan to live outside Quebec and that you are admissible to Canada.

What the checker does not cover

Admissibility. IRCC refuses people for security, criminal or medical reasons no matter how strong the profile is.
Whether your duties match the lead statement and most of the main duties of the NOC you choose. Reference letters decide this, not the job title.
Whether a job offer's paperwork fits one of IRCC's LMIA or work permit situations. The checker takes your answer at face value.
Whether an educational credential assessment will return the level you chose. The assessment report, not the diploma, sets the level IRCC uses.
Getting an invitation. Meeting the minimum puts a profile in the pool; invitations depend on your CRS score and the type of draw.

Express Entry eligibility questions

Which Express Entry program should I aim for?

Express Entry manages three programs. The Canadian Experience Class is for people with at least one year of skilled work in Canada in the last three years. The Federal Skilled Worker Program is for people with skilled work in Canada or abroad who also meet the education requirement and score 67 or more on the selection factors. The Federal Skilled Trades Program is for qualified tradespeople with a job offer or a Canadian certificate of qualification. You can meet more than one, and IRCC says you do not always know ahead of time which program you will be invited under.

What counts as skilled work experience?

Paid work in a NOC TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 occupation where you performed the actions in the lead statement and most of the main duties. IRCC counts 30 hours a week for 12 months as one year (1,560 hours). Part-time work adds up to the same total, and hours above 30 a week are not counted. Volunteer work and unpaid internships do not count.

Does work while I was a student count?

Not for the Canadian Experience Class: self-employment (except some physicians, under a temporary public policy) and work done while you were a full-time student, including co-op terms, do not count toward its minimum. Not for the Federal Skilled Trades Program either. For the Federal Skilled Worker Program, work while studying may count if it was paid, continuous and meets the other rules.

What language level do I need?

Canadian Experience Class: CLB 7 in all four abilities if your Canadian job was TEER 0 or 1, CLB 5 if it was TEER 2 or 3. Federal Skilled Worker: CLB 7 in all four abilities. Federal Skilled Trades: CLB 5 in speaking and listening and CLB 4 in reading and writing. French results use the NCLC scale at the same levels. Results must be less than two years old when you complete your profile and when you apply, and only IELTS General Training, CELPIP-General, PTE Core, TEF Canada and TCF Canada are accepted.

How much money do I need to show?

Nothing for the Canadian Experience Class. For the Federal Skilled Worker and Federal Skilled Trades programs you need settlement funds unless you are authorized to work in Canada and hold a valid job offer. IRCC's table, updated July 7, 2025, starts at $15,263 for one person and $19,001 for two, rising with family size. Count your spouse or partner and dependent children even if they are not coming with you. The money must be yours to access, not borrowed and not equity in property, and it must still be there when the visa is issued.

Does a job offer still help?

Not for your CRS ranking: IRCC removed job offer points from the Comprehensive Ranking System on March 25, 2025. A valid job offer still matters for eligibility. It earns up to 10 selection factor points plus 5 adaptability points under the Federal Skilled Worker Program, it is one of the two ways to qualify for the Federal Skilled Trades Program, and with authorization to work in Canada it removes the proof of funds requirement.

What does "minimum requirements met" mean here?

It means the answers you gave satisfy the published minimums of that program. It is not an eligibility decision. IRCC checks admissibility, verifies every claim against documents, and decides which program an invitation is issued under. A profile that meets the minimum enters the pool; whether it is invited depends on the CRS score and the draws IRCC holds.

I plan to live in Quebec. Can I use Express Entry?

No. All three programs require you to plan to live outside Quebec, because Quebec selects its own skilled workers. Work experience gained while living in Quebec can still count if you can show you do not plan to settle there.

Official sources reviewed

Rules checked against these pages on October 1, 2026. IRCC changes program rules, the proof of funds table and the accepted tests without notice; the checker reports the published minimums and does not predict draws.

Related tools

Eligible Is Not the Same as Invited

Meeting the minimum for a program puts you in the pool. Documents, CRS score and timing decide the rest. We check all three before you build a profile.

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