Six selection factors – Federal Skilled Worker Program (Express Entry)

Language skills (maximum 28 points)

It’s very important to be able to communicate in 1 or both of Canada’s official languages. Knowing English, French or both helps you in the Canadian job market.

You can get up to 28 points for your language skills in English and French. We’ll give you points based on your ability to:

• write
• read
• listen
• speak

Language testing

You must take an approved language test to prove your language levels.

To measure your English or French levels, we use:

• Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) for English
• Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) for French

You must get a minimum level of CLB 7 or NCLC 7 for 1 official language in all 4 language areas. To get points for the second official language, you must meet the minimum level of CLB 5 or NCLC 5 in all 4 language areas.

Once you take the language test, you can use it to see exactly how many points we’ll give you for the language selection factor.

Find out more about language testing and how to get tested.

Calculate your language points

First official language (maximum 24 points)

Check the table below and add the points that match your skill level:

Second official language (maximum 4 points)

You can get 4 points only if you have a score of at least CLB 5 in each of the 4 language abilities.

Education (maximum 25 points)

If you went to school in Canada, you must have a certificate, diploma or degree from a Canadian:

• secondary institution (high school) or
• post-secondary institution

If you have foreign education, you must have:

• an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report for immigration purposes from a designated organization showing that your education is equal to a completed certificate, diploma or degree from a Canadian:
  • secondary institution (high school) or
  • post-secondary institution

You must include your Canadian credential or your foreign credential and Educational Credential Assessment report when you apply.

Work experience (maximum 15 points)

You can get points for the number of years you’ve spent doing full-time paid work (at least 30 hours per week, or an equal amount of part-time [15 hours per week for 24 months]) at skill type 0, or skill levels A or B of the 2016 National Occupational Classification.

To get selection factor points, your work experience will count if it was:

• in Canada or abroad
• while you were studying
• while being self-employed

Finding your National Occupational Classification (NOC)

The NOC is a list of all the occupations in the Canadian labour market and is used to classify jobs in the Canadian economy. It describes duties, skills, talents and work settings for different jobs.

You will need to identify the “NOC code” for each job that you want to include in your Express Entry profile. Find your NOC to find the information that best matches each of your past jobs.

You’ll need this information again, so make sure to save it.

If the description and list of main duties match what you did at your job(s), you can count this experience for points.

Use this chart to find the number of points based on your number of years of experience.

Age (maximum 12 points)

You’ll get points based on your age on the day we get your application.

Arranged employment in Canada (maximum 10 points)

You can get points if you have a job offer of at least 1 year from a Canadian employer. You must get the job offer before you apply to come to Canada as a Federal Skilled Worker.

A valid job offer has to be:

• for continuous, paid, full-time work (minimum of 30 hours/week) that is:
  • not seasonal
  • for at least 1 year
• in an occupation listed as Skill Type 0 or Skill Level A or B of the NOC.

We must be convinced that:

• you’re able to do the job offered to you
• you’ll be able to become licensed or certified when in Canada (if the occupation is regulated in Canada)

To get 10 points for a valid job offer, 1 of these situations must also apply.

Situation 1

You currently work in Canada on a work permit and you meet all of the following conditions:

• Your work permit is valid both when you apply and when the permanent resident visa is issued (or you’re allowed to work in Canada without a work permit when your visa is issued).
• We issued your work permit based on a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) from Employment and Social Development Canada in an occupation listed under skill type 0 or skill level A or B of the NOC.
• You’re working for an employer named on your work permit.
• That employer has made a valid job offer based on you being accepted as a skilled worker.

Situation 2

You currently work in Canada in a job that is exempt from the LMIA requirement because of 1 of the following:

• an international agreement (such as, the North American Free Trade Agreement) or
• significant benefit to Canadian interests or
• a federal-provincial agreement

You must also meet all of the following conditions:

• Your work permit is valid both when you apply and when the permanent resident visa is issued (or you’re allowed to work in Canada without a permit when your permanent resident visa is issued).
• Your current employer has made a valid job offer based on you being accepted as a skilled worker.
• You are currently working for the employer specified on your work permit.
• You have been working for that employer for at least 1 year, continuous full-time or part-time equivalent.

Situation 3

You must meet all of the following conditions:

• You currently don’t have a work permit, or don’t plan to work in Canada before you get a permanent resident visa.
• An employer has a LMIA.
• That employer has made you a valid job offer based on that LMIA and on you being accepted as a skilled worker.

Situation 4

You must meet all of the following conditions:

• You have a valid work permit or are allowed to work in Canada without a work permit.
• You’re currently working in Canada in a job that is exempt from a LMIA, but it is not under an international, federal-provincial agreement or because of significant benefit to Canadian interests.
• An employer other than the one you are currently working for:
  • has a LMIA
  • has made you a valid job offer based on that LMIA and on you being accepted as a skilled worker.

LMIAs and valid job offers

• You can’t get a LMIA (your employer must do this for you).
• Employment and Social Development Canada will only confirm valid job offers for occupations listed in skill type 0, or skill level A or B, of the NOC.

Adaptability (maximum 10 points)

You and your spouse or common-law partner who will immigrate with you to Canada can earn points for adaptability.