Permanent residence in Canada - Express Entry, the PR card and staying a resident

Express Entry manages applications for three federal programs. Language ability is measured in Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) levels.

• Canadian Experience Class: at least one year of skilled work experience in Canada in the last three years; language CLB 7 or CLB 5 depending on the job's TEER category; no job offer or education requirement.
• Federal Skilled Worker Program: at least one year of continuous skilled work experience in the last ten years (it can be abroad); language CLB 7; secondary education required, and post-secondary education earns points; a job offer is optional but earns points.
• Federal Skilled Trades Program: two years of experience in a skilled trade in the last five years; language CLB 5 for speaking and listening and CLB 4 for reading and writing; a job offer or a Canadian certificate of qualification in the trade.

If you qualify for one of these programs, a provincial nomination, for example through the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program, can be added to your profile and gives you extra points.

1. Check your eligibility with IRCC's online tool and prepare documents: language test results, an educational credential assessment if your education is from outside Canada, proof of work experience and, for most applicants, proof of funds.
2. Create a profile. You have 60 days to complete and submit it in your IRCC account. Your profile receives a score under the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), based on factors such as age, education, language, work experience and any job offer or nomination.
3. Wait in the pool. IRCC holds rounds of invitations throughout the year. In each round it invites the highest-ranked candidates: in general rounds, in program-specific rounds (such as for provincial nominees) or in category-based rounds set by the Minister for specific economic goals. Being in the pool does not guarantee an invitation, and you must keep your profile up to date.
4. Apply after an invitation. An invitation to apply is valid for 60 days. You submit the full application online with police certificates, proof of funds where required, civil status documents, an immigration medical exam by a panel physician and fees.
5. Decision. IRCC reviews the application. Check the official processing times tool for the current estimate.

According to IRCC's fee list (modified September 21, 2026), the economic immigration fee for a principal applicant is $1,590, which includes the $600 right of permanent residence fee ($990 without it). The same applies to an accompanying spouse or partner; each dependent child adds $270. Biometrics cost $85 per person (maximum $170 for a family). Medical exams, language tests, credential assessments, police certificates and translations cost extra.

If your application is approved, IRCC sends you a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR). You become a permanent resident when your status is confirmed, either by a border officer when you enter Canada or, if you are already in Canada, through IRCC's online Permanent Residence Portal. Give IRCC your Canadian mailing address and a photo at that point so that your PR card can be sent to you.

The PR card proves your status and is what you show, with your passport, to board a plane or other commercial transport back to Canada.

• First card: IRCC sends it automatically if you provide a Canadian mailing address and photo within 180 days of becoming a permanent resident; after that, you must apply and pay the fee. Cards are only mailed to Canadian addresses. Allow the current processing time plus up to six weeks for delivery.
• Validity: a PR card is usually valid for five years (in some cases one year).
• Renewal: apply online when your card expires in less than nine months, or has expired. The fee is $50 (2026).
• An expired card does not end your PR status. If you are outside Canada without a valid card, you need a PR travel document ($50) to return by plane.

To keep your status, you must have been physically present in Canada for at least 730 days (two years) in the last five years. The days do not have to be continuous, and some time abroad, for example accompanying a Canadian citizen spouse, may count. Keep a record of your trips. You do not lose status automatically if you fall short: it can only be removed after an official decision, if you renounce it, if a removal order takes effect, or when you become a citizen.

After some years as a permanent resident, you can apply for Canadian citizenship if you meet the requirements for physical presence, tax filing, language and knowledge of Canada. The adult application fee is $653 in 2026. Check IRCC's citizenship eligibility page and its physical presence calculator before you apply.