Canada Permanent Residence 2026: Express Entry, PNP, Costs
Most skilled workers become permanent residents of Canada through Express Entry, the online system that ranks candidates by points and invites the highest-ranked to apply. This guide sets out who qualifies, what it costs, how much money you must show and how long it takes, read from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) on 13 October 2026.
Quick answer
Canada manages three skilled-worker programs through Express Entry: the Canadian Experience Class, the Federal Skilled Worker Program and the Federal Skilled Trades Program. You create a profile, receive a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score, and IRCC invites the top-ranked candidates in rounds. An invitation is valid for 60 days. The fee is CAD 1,590 per adult, including the right of permanent residence fee, and CAD 270 per dependent child. A single applicant under the two federal skilled programs must show CAD 15,263 in settlement funds. IRCC's tool currently estimates about 6 months for the Canadian Experience Class and about 7 months for federal skilled workers. To keep permanent resident status you must be in Canada for at least 730 days in every five years.
What permanent residence gives you
A permanent resident is someone who has been given that status by immigrating to Canada but is not a Canadian citizen. IRCC lists what the status brings. As a permanent resident you:
- can live, work or study anywhere in Canada;
- get most social benefits that Canadian citizens receive, including a social insurance number to work and health care coverage;
- can apply for Canadian citizenship;
- are protected under Canadian law and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms;
- must pay taxes and respect all Canadian laws.
You cannot vote or run for political office, or hold some jobs that need a high-level security clearance.
The main routes to permanent residence
| Route | Who it is for |
|---|---|
| Express Entry | Skilled workers and tradespeople, through three federal programs |
| Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) | People a province or territory nominates because their skills, education and work experience help its economy |
| Atlantic Immigration Program; Rural and Francophone Community Immigration Pilots | Regional programs |
| Quebec-selected skilled workers | People who plan to live in Quebec, which selects its own skilled workers |
| Caregivers; medical doctors | Home care workers and physicians |
| Family sponsorship | People sponsored as a spouse or family member |
IRCC's list also shows several programs as paused or closed in October 2026, including the Start-up Visa (paused), the self-employed persons program (paused) and the Agri-Food Pilot (closed). Check the status of any program before you plan around it.
Express Entry: the three programs compared
| Requirement | Canadian Experience Class | Federal Skilled Worker | Federal Skilled Trades |
|---|---|---|---|
| Language | CLB 7 for TEER 0 or 1 occupations; CLB 5 for TEER 2 or 3 | CLB 7 | CLB 5 for speaking and listening; CLB 4 for reading and writing |
| Work experience | 1 year in Canada in the last 3 years | 1 year continuous within the last 10 years | 2 years within the last 5 years, in a skilled trade |
| Type of work | Canadian experience in TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 | Experience in TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3, in Canada or abroad | A skilled trade in listed groups of TEER 2 or 3 |
| Job offer | Not required | Not required | A full-time job offer of at least 1 year, or a Canadian certificate of qualification in the trade |
| Education | Not required | Secondary education required | Not required |
| Proof of funds | Not among the programs that need it | Required | Required |
CLB stands for Canadian Language Benchmark, the Canadian standard for measuring English ability. TEER categories come from the National Occupation Classification, Canada's list of occupations, and are based on the training, education, experience and responsibilities a job needs.
The 67-point test for federal skilled workers
The Federal Skilled Worker Program has its own eligibility grid, separate from the ranking score. IRCC assigns a score out of 100, and you need 67 points or higher to qualify. The maximum for each factor is: language skills 28, education 25, skilled work experience 15, age 12, arranged employment in Canada 10 and adaptability 10. Your experience must be paid work of at least 1 year of continuous work, or 1,560 hours in total. Foreign education needs an Educational Credential Assessment.
Federal skilled workers must plan to live outside Quebec.
How Express Entry works, step by step
- Check you meet one program's minimum requirements.
- Take an approved language test. For English: CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training or PTE Core. For French: TEF Canada or TCF Canada. Results must be less than 2 years old when you complete your profile and when you apply.
- Get an Educational Credential Assessment if you apply as a federal skilled worker or want points for education from outside Canada.
- Create a profile and enter the pool. You receive a CRS score based on your skills, education, language ability, work experience and other factors.
- Wait for a round of invitations. IRCC invites the highest-ranking candidates eligible for that round.
- Apply within 60 days of your invitation, uploading police certificates, proof of funds and the other documents on your personal checklist, and get an immigration medical exam.
- Give your biometrics. Applicants aged 14 to 79 give fingerprints and a photo for every permanent residence application, within 30 days of the letter asking for them.
- Receive a decision. If you are approved you get a Confirmation of Permanent Residence, and a permanent resident visa if your country needs one.
Rounds of invitations and CRS scores
IRCC holds three types of round: general rounds, program-specific rounds, and category-based rounds for categories the Minister sets to meet an economic goal. The most recent round when we checked was a Trades Occupations round on 1 October 2026: 3,500 invitations, with a CRS score of 476 for the lowest-ranked candidate invited. Cut-off scores vary from round to round.
Two rules change the arithmetic. A provincial nomination adds 600 points to your score. And since 25 March 2025, a job offer no longer earns CRS points; it previously added 50 or 200.
What it costs
| Fee | Amount (CAD) |
|---|---|
| Your application, including the right of permanent residence fee | 1,590 |
| Your application, without the right of permanent residence fee | 990 |
| Spouse or partner, including the right of permanent residence fee | 1,590 |
| Each dependent child | 270 |
| Biometrics, per person | 85 |
| Permanent resident card | 50 |
The same fees apply to the Atlantic Immigration Program, provincial nominees, the rural and francophone community pilots and Quebec-selected skilled workers. You must pay at least the processing fee when you submit; IRCC advises paying the right of permanent residence fee at the same time to avoid delays. The language test is booked with, and paid to, an agency approved by IRCC. Budget separately for the credential assessment, the medical exam and police certificates. Our Canada visa fees guide covers the temporary visas.
How much money you must show
Proof of funds is required for the Federal Skilled Worker and Federal Skilled Trades programs. A federal skilled worker does not need it if they are currently able to work legally in Canada and have a valid job offer from an employer in Canada. IRCC bases the amounts on 50% of the low income cut-off totals and updates them every year. The table on its page when we checked was marked as updated on 7 July 2025.
| Family members | Funds needed (CAD) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 15,263 |
| 2 | 19,001 |
| 3 | 23,360 |
| 4 | 28,362 |
| 5 | 32,168 |
| 6 | 36,280 |
| 7 | 40,392 |
| Each additional member | 4,112 |
The money must be available both when you apply and when the visa is issued. You prove it with official letters from your banks showing current balances and the average balance for the past 6 months. You cannot use equity in real property, and you cannot borrow the money from another person.
How long it takes
| Program | IRCC estimate if you apply today | People waiting for a decision |
|---|---|---|
| Canadian Experience Class | About 6 months | About 58,900 |
| Federal skilled workers | About 7 months | About 53,800 |
| Federal skilled trades | Not enough data | Not shown |
| Provincial nominees, via Express Entry | About 7 months | About 12,800 |
| Provincial nominees, not via Express Entry | About 13 months | About 101,500 |
These figures are from IRCC's processing times tool, last updated on 3 September 2026 for the monthly figures. The clock starts the day IRCC receives your complete application and ends when it makes a decision, and it includes the time to give biometrics. IRCC says the times are not a maximum or a guarantee. Time spent in the pool waiting for an invitation is not part of it. See our Canada processing times guide for other application types.
The Provincial Nominee Program
Each province and territory sets its own requirements and the number of people it can nominate each year. Eleven have programs: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, the Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan and Yukon. Quebec and Nunavut do not.
There are two ways to apply. If you qualify for both a provincial stream and a federal Express Entry program, you apply through Express Entry and the nomination gives you 600 extra points. If you qualify for the provincial stream only, you use the non-Express Entry process, where IRCC's current estimate is about 13 months against about 7. A provincial nominee must settle in the province or territory that nominated them.
Keeping your status once you have it
- The 730-day rule. You must have been in Canada for at least 730 days during the last five years. The days do not need to be continuous, and some time outside Canada may count.
- The PR card. You need it, with your passport, to return to Canada on a commercial vehicle such as a plane, train or bus. Without a valid card you apply for a permanent resident travel document before you travel back.
- An expired card does not end your status. You lose status only if an officer determines you are no longer a permanent resident, you renounce it, a removal order comes into force, or you become a Canadian citizen.
Mistakes that cost people their application
- Letting the invitation lapse. It is valid for 60 days only, so gather police certificates and bank letters early.
- An expired language test. Results must be less than 2 years old both at profile and at application.
- Funds that do not count. Borrowed money and property equity are not accepted.
- Anything untrue. If you are not truthful in your profile or application, IRCC may refuse it, find you inadmissible and bar you from applying for 5 years.
- Family members without medicals. Family members must have a medical exam even if they are not coming with you.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get permanent residence in Canada?
Most skilled workers apply through Express Entry. You create a profile under the Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Worker Program or Federal Skilled Trades Program, receive a CRS score, and apply if IRCC invites you in a round of invitations. Other routes include provincial nomination and family sponsorship.
How much does Canada PR cost in 2026?
CAD 1,590 for the main applicant and CAD 1,590 for a spouse or partner, both including the right of permanent residence fee, plus CAD 270 for each dependent child. Biometrics cost CAD 85 per person.
How much money do I need to show for Express Entry?
CAD 15,263 for one person, CAD 19,001 for two and CAD 28,362 for a family of four, according to the IRCC table. Proof of funds is required for the Federal Skilled Worker and Federal Skilled Trades programs.
How long does Canada PR take?
IRCC's tool currently estimates about 6 months for the Canadian Experience Class and about 7 months for federal skilled workers and for provincial nominees who apply through Express Entry. Provincial nominees outside Express Entry are at about 13 months.
What CRS score do I need for Express Entry?
There is no fixed score. Cut-offs vary by round and by round type. In the round of 1 October 2026, for trades occupations, the lowest-ranked candidate invited had 476 points.
Do I need a job offer for Express Entry?
Not for the Canadian Experience Class or the Federal Skilled Worker Program. The Federal Skilled Trades Program requires either a full-time job offer of at least 1 year or a Canadian certificate of qualification. Since 25 March 2025 a job offer no longer adds CRS points.
What language tests does Canada accept for PR?
For English: CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training and PTE Core. For French: TEF Canada and TCF Canada. Results must be less than 2 years old.
How long must I stay in Canada to keep PR status?
At least 730 days during the last five years. The days do not have to be continuous, and some time outside Canada may count towards them.
Sources (official only)
- IRCC — Express Entry
- IRCC — Express Entry: who can apply
- IRCC — Federal Skilled Worker Program
- IRCC — Proof of funds
- IRCC — Language test results
- IRCC — Rounds of invitations
- IRCC — Provincial Nominee Program
- IRCC — Fee list
- IRCC — Check processing times
- IRCC — Understand permanent resident status
All figures read from the official pages above on 13 October 2026. Scores, fees and processing times change, so check IRCC before you apply. Information, not legal advice.