How Long Does It Take to Get Permanent Residence Through Express Entry?

The time required to obtain permanent residence (PR) through Canada’s Express Entry system can vary significantly. Some applicants achieve PR within a few months, while others may spend much longer in the process. The exact timeline depends on several factors, including eligibility, CRS score, program requirements, documentation, and IRCC’s processing capacity.

This article explains each stage of the Express Entry journey so you can better estimate how long your PR process may take.

1. Time Needed to Meet Minimum Eligibility Requirements

Express Entry manages applications under three programs:

• Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
• Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
• Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)
  
  

The time it takes to become eligible often depends on work experience requirements. IRCC requires that work hours be accumulated over a specific period, so eligibility cannot be fast-tracked.

Minimum work experience needed under each program:

Candidates may need additional time to meet other basic requirements, such as language results, educational credential assessments, or proof of funds.

2. Time Spent in the Express Entry Pool

Once eligible, candidates submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) and enter the Express Entry pool.
For many applicants, this can be the longest wait, depending on how competitive their CRS score is.

While in the pool, candidates can work on improving their CRS score through:

• Additional education
• Higher language test scores
• More skilled work experience
  
  

Candidates may also try to qualify for category-based selection draws, which often have lower CRS cut-offs.

Minimum Requirements for Category-Based Draws

• Occupation-based categories: typically require at least six months of eligible work experience
• French-language category: requires NCLC level 7 in all abilities
  
  

Express Entry profiles are valid for one year and must be resubmitted if no invitation is received.

Recent Draw Trends

The number of draws and CRS scores vary depending on the category. Examples include:

IRCC can change draw types, sizes, and frequencies at any time based on immigration priorities, making exact predictions difficult.

3. Time Needed to Submit a Complete Application

After receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA), candidates have 60 days to submit a full PR application.

Submitting quickly depends on obtaining required documents on time. Some documents, such as police certificates and medical exams, depend on third-party processing and may take several weeks.

Common documents include:

• Passport
• Language test results
• Education assessments
• Police certificates
• Medical exam results
• Employment records
• Proof of funds
• Civil documents
  
  

Additional documents may be required depending on the applicant’s background and the chosen Express Entry program.

4. Time Taken for IRCC to Process the Application

Once submitted, applicants must wait for IRCC to review and finalize the application.

Processing times can vary, and applicants should understand the difference between:

Processing Times

These show how long IRCC has recently taken to process similar applications. They are updated regularly and reflect real-time trends.

Service Standards

These represent IRCC’s target timelines and are not guaranteed.
For Express Entry, the service standard is six months for most applications.

IRCC service standards and adherence:

IRCC publishes two types of processing times:

• Historical processing times: based on how long it took to process 80% of past applications.
• Forward-looking processing times: estimates of how long new applications may take.
  
  

Conclusion

The total time to receive permanent residence through Express Entry varies from person to person. Some may complete the process within a year, while others may wait much longer. Your personal timeline depends on:

• How long it takes to meet eligibility
• Your CRS competitiveness
• Draw patterns
• How quickly you gather documents
• IRCC processing efficiency

Understanding each stage helps you plan your application strategy and set realistic expectations for your PR journey.