By now you should have the following information on hand:
With this information, you can now determine your eligibility for Express Entry using the government’s Come to Canada tool.
After clicking on the link, scroll down and click on the "Check your eligibility" button towards the bottom of the page.
The form will now ask you to provide information about:
- which province you would like to live in (if you are applying for Express Entry, do not choose Quebec as your destination. The province of Quebec has a separate pathway outside of Express Entry. Choosing "Quebec" will automatically disqualify you for Express Entry)
- your language ability (you will have to provide your language test scores)
- whether you obtained previous work experience in Canada (choose “None” if you have never worked in Canada)
- how many years of skilled work experience you have obtained (refer to your NOC code to find out if your occupation is considered skilled or not)
- how much money you intend to bring with you to Canada (in Canadian dollars)
- how many family members you have (spouse/common-law partner and dependent children only)
- whether you have a valid job offer in Canada
- your date of birth
- your highest level of education (based on your ECA report)
- marital status, as well as information about your spouse or common-law partner (if applicable)
The entire form should not take too long to complete, however we recommend taking your time with it.
Read each question slowly and make sure to answer every question carefully and truthfully.
If the evaluation times out (expires) or you make a mistake, you can always start over at the beginning. There is no penalty for starting over.
Like any tool, the 'Come to Canada' evaluation is not perfect.
We strongly recommend reviewing the eligibility criteria of the programs under Express Entry to know where you stand.
Reviewing the requirements will allow you to accurately determine your eligibility and give you a better understanding of the process at the same time:
- You must intend to live outside the province Quebec, which has its own pathway for selecting skilled workers.
- You must score at least 67 points out of 100 on the Federal Skilled Worker selection factor points grid. The points are broken down as follows:
Education | Points |
|---|---|
Doctoral degree (Ph.D.) | 25 |
Masters or professional degree | 23 |
Two or more post-secondary credentials (one must be for a program of at least 3 years) | 22 |
Post-secondary credential of 3 years or longer | 21 |
Post-secondary credential of 2 years | 19 |
Post-secondary credential of 1 year | 15 |
Secondary/High school diploma | 0 |
Age | Points |
|---|---|
Under 18 | 0 |
18-35 | 12 |
36 | 11 |
37 | 10 |
38 | 9 |
39 | 8 |
40 | 7 |
41 | 6 |
42 | 5 |
43 | 4 |
44 | 3 |
45 | 2 |
46 | 1 |
47 or older | 0 |
First official language | Speaking | Listening | Reading | Writing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
CLB 9 or higher | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
CLB 8 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
CLB 7 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
Below CLB 7 | Ineligible | Ineligible | Ineligible | Ineligible |
Second official language:
You can claim up to an additional 4 points for second official language if you have a score of at least CLB 5 in each of the language abilities.
To claim points for your work experience, it must have been full-time (or an equal amount in part-time) paid work experience within the last 10 years in an occupation classified as Skill Type 0, or Skill Levels A or B of the 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) (you will be able to determine your NOC in module 2).
Experience | Points |
|---|---|
1 year | 9 |
2-3 years | 11 |
4-5 years | 13 |
6 or more years | 15 |
You can claim 10 points for a job offer from a Canadian employer. The job offer must be:
- for continuous, full-time, paid work that is not seasonal and is for at least 1 year
- in an occupation listed as skill type 0 or skill level A or B
To get points for a valid job offer under arranged employment, one of the following scenarios must apply:
Scenario | Points |
|---|---|
You currently work in Canada on a work permit and you meet all the following conditions:
| 10 |
You currently work in Canada in a job that is exempt from the LMIA requirement because of an international agreement (i.e. North American Free Trade Agreement) or because it is of significant benefit to Canadian interests or because it is under a federal-provincial agreement. You must also meet all the following conditions:
| 10 |
You must meet all the following conditions:
| 10 |
You must meet all the following conditions:
| 10 |
You (and your spouse/common-law partner who will be immigrating to Canada with you) can earn points under the Adaptability factor.
Between the two of you (for any combination below), you can earn a total of 10 points.
Adaptability | Points |
|---|---|
Your spouse or partner's language level Your spouse or common-law partner has a language level in either English or French at CLB 4 level or higher in all 4 language abilities (speaking, listening, reading and writing). To get these points, you must submit your spouse or common-law partner’s test results from an approved agency when you apply. The 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. | 5 |
Your past studies in Canada You completed at least 2 academic years of full-time study (in a program at least 2 years long) at a secondary or post-secondary school in Canada. Full-time study means at least 15 hours of classes per week. You must have stayed in good academic standing (as set out by the school) during that time. | 5 |
Your spouse or partner's past studies in Canada Your spouse or common-law partner completed at least 2 academic years of full-time study (in a program at least 2 years long) at a secondary or post-secondary school in Canada. | 5 |
Your past work in Canada You did at least 1 year of full-time work in Canada:
| 10 |
Your spouse or partner's past work in Canada Your spouse or partner did at least 1 year of full-time work in Canada on a valid work permit or while authorized to work in Canada. | 5 |
Arranged employment in Canada You earned points for having arranged employment. | 5 |
Relatives in Canada You, or your spouse or common-law partner, have a relative who is:
The relative must be a parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, your or your spouse’s sibling (child of your or your spouse’s parent), your or your spouse’s aunt or uncle (by blood or marriage), your or your spouse’s niece or nephew (grandchild of your or your spouse’s parent). | 5 |
- Skilled Work Experience: You must have at least one year (or 1,560 hours total at 30 hours per week) of full-time, continuous paid work experience (or an equal amount in part-time) within the last 10 years in an occupation classified as NOC A, 0, or B according to the National Occupational Classification system.
- For part-time work, you can work more or less than 15 hours/week as long as it adds up to 1,560 hours in total.
- If you gained work experience while studying, it can be counted if it was continuous and you were paid by wages or commissions.
- Language Ability: You must take an approved language test in English or French and get a minimum score of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 in all four factors (Reading, Writing, Speaking, and Listening). Language tests are valid for two years.
- Education:
- If you went to a school in Canada, you must have a degree, diploma or certificate from a Canadian secondary institution (high school) or a post-secondary institution.
- If you have a foreign education, you must complete an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) for immigration purposes from a designated organization (i.e. World Education Services (WES)) showing that your education is equal to a Canadian degree, diploma, or certificate.
- Proof of funds: You must show that you have enough money for you and your family to settle in Canada. You do not need to provide proof of funds if you are currently able to legally work in Canada or have a valid job offer from a Canadian employer.
- You must be admissible to Canada.
- You must intend to live outside the province Quebec, which has its own pathway for selecting skilled workers.
- Language Ability: You must take an approved language test and get a minimum score of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 5 in Listening and Speaking, and CLB 4 in Reading and Writing. Language tests are valid for two years.
- You must have at least two years of full-time work experience (or an equal amount in part-time) in a skilled trade within the 5 years before you apply.
- You must meet the job requirements for your skilled trade, as it is described in the National Occupational Classification (NOC) system. Your skilled trade must fall under one of the following groups:
- 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 either a:
- valid full-time job offer from a Canadian employer for a period of at least 1 year; or
- certificate of qualification in your skilled trade issued by a Canadian provincial, territorial or federal authority
- Education: While education is not a requirement for the Federal Skilled Trades Program, you may be able to improve your rank in the Express Entry pool in the following ways:
- If you went to a school in Canada, you can claim points if you have a degree, diploma or certificate from a Canadian secondary institution (high school) or a post-secondary institution; or
- If you have a foreign education, you can claim points for an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) from a designated organization (i.e. World Education Services (WES)) showing that your education is equal to a Canadian degree, diploma, or certificate.
- Proof of funds: You must show that you have enough money for you and your family to settle in Canada. You do not need to provide proof of funds if you are currently able to legally work in Canada or have a valid job offer from a Canadian employer.
- You must be admissible to Canada.
- You must intend to live outside the province Quebec, which has its own pathway for selecting skilled workers.
- Language Ability: You must take an approved language test and get a minimum score of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 in all four factors (Reading, Writing, Speaking, and Listening) if your occupation is NOC 0 or A, or CLB 5 if your occupation is NOC B. Language tests are valid for two years.
- Education: While education is not a requirement for the Canadian Experience Class, you may be able to improve your rank in the Express Entry pool in the following ways:
- If you went to a school in Canada, you can claim points if you have a degree, diploma or certificate from a Canadian secondary institution (high school) or a post-secondary institution; or
- If you have a foreign education, you can claim points for an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) from a designated organization (i.e. World Education Services (WES)) showing that your education is equal to a Canadian degree, diploma, or certificate.
- Canadian Work Experience: You must have at least one year of full-time (or an equal amount in part-time) skilled work experience in Canada within the last 3 years before you apply. This work experience must have been gained by working in Canada legally. You work experience must have been in an occupation classified as NOC A, 0, or B.
- You must be admissible to Canada.
After completing the government’s form, you will not immediately know which program you are eligible for. The tool is only designed to evaluate if you have potential for Express Entry. You will only be shown which program you are eligible for after completing your Express Entry profile.
Once you have completed the Come to Canada tool, you will receive detailed instructions on what to do next depending on whether the tool concluded you are eligible or ineligible for Express Entry:
If the Come to Canada tool determined that you are not eligible, do not lose hope! Please refer to the What to do if you are not eligible for Express Entry lesson at the end of this module for more information on what you can do next.
If the Come to Canada tool has determined that you are eligible for Express Entry, you will find your reference code at the top of the results page.
Do not worry if you lost the reference code from the last time you evaluated your eligibility using this tool. You can simply get a new one by completing the evaluation again.
Once you have determined your eligibility using the Come to Canada tool, the next step involves creating a GCKey account.