Express Entry — Federal Skilled Worker (FSW)

IRCC holds general, program-specific and category-based rounds, but does not promise a fixed schedule. Check the official rounds page for each round type, invitation count and CRS cut-off rather than relying on forecasts.

The 2026 categories include French, healthcare and social services, STEM, trades, education, transport, physicians with Canadian work experience, senior managers with Canadian work experience, researchers with Canadian work experience and skilled military recruits. For the renewed occupation categories, the qualifying work-experience requirement increased from 6 to 12 months in one listed occupation during the previous 3 years.

The IRCC table still shows CAD 15,263 for 1 family member, CAD 19,001 for 2 and CAD 23,360 for 3, updated 7 July 2025. IRCC updates the table annually, so recheck it when submitting or updating a profile and again after an invitation. Count a spouse or partner and dependent children even if they are not accompanying you.

No. A job offer is not a minimum FSW requirement. A qualifying offer can contribute selection-factor points and can remove the settlement-funds requirement only where the applicant is also currently authorized to work in Canada.

Yes. The Federal Skilled Worker stream is a points-based permanent-residence route for skilled workers whose experience is outside Canada, and it does not require sponsorship or a job offer. You need at least 1 year of continuous skilled work experience (TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3) in the past 10 years, CLB 7 English or French, and 67/100 on the selection grid.

The Federal Skilled Worker stream is for skilled workers whose experience is outside Canada and requires at least 1 year of continuous skilled work in the past 10 years plus 67/100 on the selection grid. The Canadian Experience Class instead requires at least 12 months of skilled Canadian work experience in the 3 years before applying.

Yes. An Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) for your foreign qualifications is listed as typical required evidence for the Federal Skilled Worker stream, alongside employer reference letters and a language test.