The time wanted to navigate Canada’s Specific Entry system on the journey to everlasting residence (PR) can fluctuate extensively: from a couple of months to a multi-year course of.
There isn’t any “catch-all” reply to this query—the precise time-frame to obtain PR by Specific Entry will depend on every candidate’s private circumstances, their Complete Rating System (CRS) rating, their eligibility for Specific Entry classes, and extra.
This text will subsequently define the elements that may make up your timeline to obtain PR, so you’ll be able to have a greater concept of how lengthy you might be in Canada’s Specific Entry system.
See your eligibility for all Specific Entry streams
The phases to acquire PR underneath Specific Entry can broadly be damaged down into:
Time taken to satisfy the minimal eligibility
The Specific Entry system incorporates three distinct packages, all of which function on an Expression of Curiosity (EOI) mannequin. These packages embrace the:
Underneath these packages, the time taken to satisfy minimal eligibility often corresponds to the work expertise necessities. It is because IRCC’s technique of counting work hours necessitates that work expertise be accrued over a set time interval.
Based mostly on the required work expertise, the minimal period of time {that a} overseas nationwide would want to achieve eligibility underneath every Specific Entry program is as follows:
| CEC | FSWP | FSTP |
|---|---|---|
| One 12 months (of Canadian work expertise) | One 12 months (of full-time work) | Two years (of full-time work within the expert commerce of their selecting) |
Readers ought to notice that they might want extra time to satisfy different fundamental standards required to submit a candidate profile.
The next desk provides an outline of all eligibility standards underneath every Specific Entry program:
| Eligibility Issue | Federal Expert Employee Program (FSWP) | Federal Expert Trades Program (FSTP) | Canadian Expertise Class (CEC) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary work expertise requirement | At the least 1 12 months of expert steady, full-time (or equal part-time) paid work expertise inside 10 years of the appliance date | At the least 2 years of full-time (or equal part-time) work expertise within the expert commerce within the 5 years earlier than making use of. | At the least 1 12 months (12 months) of expert, paid work expertise in Canada inside 3 years of the appliance date. |
| The place work expertise should be gained | Work could be exterior or inside Canada. | Work expertise could be both in or exterior of Canada, however should be in an eligible expert commerce occupation (see NOC teams under). | Work expertise should be in Canada. |
| NOC / occupation necessities | Work expertise should be in a talented occupation labeled underneath NOC TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3. | Expert work expertise should be in an eligible NOC 2021 group | Expert, skilled or technical work expertise in Canada in NOC TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 jobs. |
| Language necessities | Minimal CLB 7 in all 4 skills | Minimal CLB 5 for talking and listening and CLB 4 for studying and writing | Minimal CLB 5 for NOC TEER 2 or 3 jobs;
CLB 7 for NOC TEER 0 or 1 jobs. |
| Training necessities | Will need to have both:
– a Canadian academic credential; or – a overseas credential with an Academic Credential Evaluation (ECA). |
No minimal schooling requirement | No minimal schooling requirement |
| Job provide / certificates necessities | No job provide required. | Will need to have both:
– A sound job affords of steady, paid, full-time employment (not less than 30 hours/week) from as much as two Canadian employers for not less than one 12 months, OR – A certificates of qualification from a provincial or territorial physique proving the individual is certified to work within the commerce. |
No job provide required. |
| Factors / choice mannequin | Should rating not less than 67 out of 100 factors on the FSWP choice grid to submit a candidate profile (along with the CRS) | No further factors choice mannequin | No further factors choice mannequin |
| Settlement funds | Should meet settlement funds standards, except licensed to work in Canada with a sound job provide within the nation. | Should meet settlement funds standards, except licensed to work in Canada with a sound job provide within the nation. | No settlement funds requirement |
For extra data on eligibility necessities and situations of Specific Entry packages, go to our devoted webpage.
Time spent within the candidate pool
After assembly fundamental eligibility for certainly one of Specific Entry’s packages, overseas nationals should submit an EOI profile within the Specific Entry pool (after which they turn out to be Specific Entry candidates).
For a lot of who immigrate by Specific Entry (relying on how aggressive their CRS rating is), this era could be the longest of their immigration timeline, as they look forward to an ITA.
Candidates can use this time within the Specific Entry pool to extend elements that positively affect their CRS rating—comparable to schooling, language means, and work expertise.
Candidates within the pool may need to spend time constructing eligibility for category-based choice attracts by Specific Entry, which frequently function decrease CRS cut-off scores than program-based attracts underneath the system.
Occupational classes sometimes require six months of related work expertise in an eligible occupation (that is along with, or could be included inside, the fundamental work necessities coated earlier for Specific Entry packages), whereas French category-based choice requires a confirmed language proficiency equal to a Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) stage 7 in all language skills.
Specific Entry profiles expire after one 12 months of submission and should be resubmitted by the candidate to proceed to be thought of for immigration attracts by the system.
For extra data on the way to maximize your time within the Specific Entry pool, go to our devoted article on the subject.
See how aggressive your Specific Entry profile is
Whether or not or not your CRS rating is presently aggressive within the candidate pool, it’s typically a good suggestion to submit a profile and enter the Specific Entry pool as quickly as doable, as each draw sorts and draw sizes can fluctuate drastically and are unpredictable.
Whereas it’s inconceivable to say for sure how lengthy every candidate will spend within the pool, sure clues will help us assess the probability of an individual receiving an ITA primarily based on earlier traits.
To get a greater concept of how lengthy you might spend within the candidate pool, you might want to think about the frequency of attracts on your program/class and the way the most recent CRS cut-off rating compares to yours.
The next desk offers the depend of Specific Entry attracts by sort (program or class), and the most recent CRS cut-off scores as of this time of writing:
| Draw Sort | Variety of Attracts in 2025 (as of time of writing) | Newest CRS Minimize-off Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) | 21 | 738 |
| Canadian Expertise Class (CEC) | 12 | 533 |
| French-language proficiency | 7 | 416 |
| Healthcare and social companies | 6 | 462 |
| Training | 2 | 462 |
| Commerce | 1 | 505 |
It’s value noting that IRCC can change the draw sorts, the draw sizes (which in flip affect CRS cut-off scores), and the frequency of attracts as they see match, primarily based on their immigration objectives.
Time spent making use of
After a candidate receives an ITA for PR, they’ve 60 days to submit a whole software.
Theoretically, if a candidate has an software prepared, they’ll submit it as quickly as they get an ITA. Nonetheless, because of the form of paperwork wanted for an entire software, that is not often the case.
Specifically, sure paperwork, like an immigration medical examination and police clearance certificates, are contingent on third-party entities to ship these paperwork, and so the time to submit a whole PR software can typically climb to weeks.
A full record of wanted paperwork for a PR software underneath Specific Entry could be discovered under:
| Doc Class | Key Paperwork (with caveats) |
|---|---|
| Identification & Journey | Passport/journey doc for you and accompanying household; digital pictures (should be legitimate at time of software). |
| Language Take a look at | Unique/official language check outcomes from an accredited check supplier (should be legitimate on the date you submit your PR software). |
| Training / ECA | Canadian certificates/diplomas/levels and/or ECA report + quantity for overseas schooling (wanted wherever eligibility/factors depend on schooling). |
| Work Expertise | Employer reference letters for every job you’re claiming (displaying duties, dates, hours, pay); any supporting docs IRCC asks for (e.g., pay stubs, contracts). |
| Police Certificates | Police certificates for you and accompanying relations aged 18+ for required international locations; if delayed, add proof of request + rationalization. |
| Medical Examination | Proof of immigration medical examination from a panel doctor (data sheet or IMM 1017B). |
| Household & Civil Standing | Marriage/common-law/ divorce/ separation/ demise certificates as relevant; start certificates for dependent kids; adoption papers if any. |
| Guidelines-Particular Gadgets | Another paperwork listed in your personalised IRCC doc guidelines (this controls if one thing seems above that isn’t proven on your case). |
| Doc Class | Key Paperwork (with caveats) |
|---|---|
| Job Provide / LMIA | Written job provide, and LMIA if required |
| Commerce Certification | Certificates of qualification from a Canadian province/territory if you’re counting on it (particularly for trades/FSTP). |
| Proof of Funds | Financial institution/monetary letters itemizing all accounts, balances, 6-month averages, and money owed; typically required for FSWP/FSTP except exempt (e.g., CEC or sure job affords). |
| Relative in Canada | Proof of relationship and relative’s standing in Canada for those who declare CRS factors for a qualifying relative. |
| Consultant / Data Launch | IMM 5476 (Use of a Consultant) and/or IMM 5475 (Authority to Launch Private Data), provided that you employ a consultant or designated particular person. |
| Provincial Nomination | Nomination certificates/affirmation for those who apply as a provincial nominee by Specific Entry. |
| Translations & Licensed Copies | Licensed translations + copy/licensed copy of any doc not in English or French (applies provided that you submit non-English/French paperwork). |
| Biometrics | Biometrics (fingerprints + picture) given at a set level after IRCC points a biometrics instruction letter (you don’t add these your self). |
Word: Based mostly on an applicant’s circumstances (for instance, what Specific Entry program they apply underneath), they will not be required to submit some paperwork wanted in a regular PR software. Many individuals select to retain an immigration lawyer as they start the appliance course of to make sure that they obtain steering to submit the very best software.
Seek the advice of with an skilled immigration consultant
Time ready for an software to be processed
Lastly, after submitting a whole software for PR, it’s essential to now wait on your software to be processed.
Processing occasions for PR purposes can simply take a number of months. At this stage, candidates ought to be aware of two separate time measures:
- Processing occasions; and
- Service requirements.
Processing occasions offer you real-time updates* as to how your software is being processed, whereas service requirements can provide you a normal concept of how lengthy your complete course of might take.
Extra particularly, processing occasions are a measure of how lengthy IRCC has taken to course of purposes of a sure sort, with consideration to current processing effectivity.
IRCC has lately made some drastic adjustments to the way it reviews processing occasions, giving candidates underneath some packages a much more personalised view of their software processing.
You’ll be able to check out the time required to course of a PR software right here.
Service requirements are IRCC’s formal goal for the way shortly they purpose to course of a selected sort of software underneath regular situations. Service requirements
- Are a dedication or objective, not a assure.
- Don’t get up to date as incessantly as processing occasions; and
- Are usually not current for each program IRCC runs.
IRCC’s service occasions for Specific Entry purposes are six months. Their adherence to those requirements, and goal for future purposes, is as follows:
| Program | Service Normal | IRCC adherence to service requirements | IRCC targets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canadian Expertise Class | 180 days | 85% | 80% |
| Federal Expert Employee Program | 180 days | 86% | 80% |
| Federal Expert Trades Program | 180 days (not together with provincial/territorial processing, the place relevant) | N/A | 80% |
*IRCC publishes two sorts of processing occasions:
- Historic processing occasions
- Ahead-looking processing occasions
Historic processing occasions present how lengthy it took IRCC to finalize 80% of purposes previously. These are primarily based on actual, accomplished purposes, and are up to date each week.
Ahead-looking processing occasions are an estimate of how lengthy IRCC expects it would take to course of a brand new software submitted as we speak. These are predictive and future-oriented processing occasions which can be up to date each month.
