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If you completed your education outside Canada and want to apply for permanent residence through Express Entry, you almost certainly need an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA). An ECA is the official document that verifies your foreign degree, diploma, or certificate is valid and equivalent to a Canadian credential. Without it, you cannot claim Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points for your education, and under the Federal Skilled Worker Program you will not even be eligible to enter the Express Entry pool. In this guide Who Needs an ECA for Express Entry? Which Credentials Do You Actually Need Assessed? The Critical "Immigration Purposes" Rule The Five Designated Organizations for General ECAs Regulated Professions: You Must Use a Designated Professional Body How Your ECA Translates into Points How Long Is an ECA Valid? Step-by-Step: How to Get Your ECA Questions People Actually Ask Common Mistakes That Cause Rejections Ready to Take the Next Step? This page covers everything in one place: who needs an ECA, which designated organization to choose, exact fees, processing times, how your education translates into points, and the mistakes that cause real applications to be rejected. Who Needs an ECA for Express Entry? The short answer is anyone who completed their education outside Canada and wants to benefit from it in their Express Entry profile. More precisely, you need an ECA in three situations. First, if you are applying as a principal applicant under the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), an ECA is a mandatory minimum requirement. You cannot even enter the Express Entry pool under FSWP without one. Second, if you are applying under the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) or Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) and you want to claim CRS points for your foreign education, you need an ECA. You can technically enter the pool without one, but you would receive zero education points, which significantly lowers your CRS score. Third, if your spouse or common-law partner is accompanying you to Canada and you want to claim CRS points for their foreign education (up to 10 points), they also need their own ECA. You do not need an ECA for any education completed at a Canadian institution. Which Credentials Do You Actually Need Assessed? In most situations you only need to assess your highest completed credential. If you have a Master's degree, you assess the Master's degree only. You do not need a separate ECA for your Bachelor's degree. There is one important exception. If you want to claim points for "two or more certificates, diplomas, or degrees," at least one of which must be for a program of three or more years, you need a valid ECA for each credential you are claiming. For example, if you hold a 3-year Bachelor's degree and a 1-year Post-Graduate Diploma, you would need two separate ECAs to claim the higher point bracket. The order in which you completed the credentials does not affect your points. If your post-secondary credential does not assess as equivalent to a Canadian credential, you can also get your secondary school (high school) credential assessed to at least claim points for completing high school. The Critical "Immigration Purposes" Rule You must order an ECA specifically for immigration purposes. If you submit an ECA that was issued for general employment, continuing education, or professional licensing, IRCC will reject your Express Entry profile or PR application outright. This is one of the most common and costly mistakes applicants make. When you apply to any designated organization, you will see different product types. Always select the immigration or IRCC-specific option. This is not a minor technicality. Applicants have had their PR applications rejected at the final stage because they submitted the wrong ECA type, and there is no appeal process. The Five Designated Organizations for General ECAs IRCC only accepts ECAs from organizations it has officially designated. All five general organizations were designated on either April 17, 2013 or August 6, 2015. IRCC treats reports from all five equally, so there is no official preference. The right choice depends on your situation, budget, and timeline. Organization Base ECA Fee Typical Processing Time Best For World Education Services (WES) C$264 + HST About 35 business days after documents accepted Speed; most widely recognized IQAS (Alberta Government) C$260 + C$25 admin fee About 15 business days after "In line" status Rush service available CES (University of Toronto) C$241.50 per application About 60 business days Up to 2 credentials per application fee ICAS Canada C$210 Varies (often longer) Budget-conscious applicants ICES (BCIT) C$200 per credential Varies BC-based applicants All fees are in Canadian dollars, are non-refundable, and are subject to change. Re-confirm on each organization's website before applying. WES (World Education Services). WES (wes.org/eca) is the most commonly used ECA provider for Express Entry. The base fee is C$264 plus 13% HST. Delivery fees are additional: standard mail is C$14, next-day courier within Canada is C$29, and international courier is C$97. WES processes your ECA in two phases after all documents are received and accepted: document review typically takes up to 4 weeks and the evaluation itself up to 2 weeks, for a total of about 35 business days. WES stores your verified documents electronically, which is useful if you need to renew or update your report later. IQAS (International Qualifications Assessment Service). IQAS (alberta.ca/iqas-immigration) is an Alberta government service. The fee is C$260 for the first credential, plus a mandatory C$25 administration fee, plus courier fees of C$25 (Canada) or C$90 (international). If you need your ECA quickly, IQAS offers a rush service for an additional C$250, which reduces processing to about 5 business days. Rush spots are limited and reset daily at 8:15 a.m. Mountain Time. Standard processing is about 15 business days once your application reaches "In line for processing" status. CES (Comparative Education Service, University of Toronto). CES (learn.utoronto.ca/comparative-education-service) charges C$241.50 per application, and as of September 2025 you can submit up to two credentials under a single application fee. Delivery options include a certified electronic copy for C$21, Canada/US courier for C$65, and international courier for C$83. Average processing time is 60 business days. ICAS (International Credential Assessment Service of Canada). ICAS (icascanada.ca) charges C$210 for its Canadian Immigration Assessment Package, which includes two original paper reports and an electronic copy. ICAS requires your institution to send official transcripts directly to their office. Documents submitted by the applicant in a sealed envelope are not accepted. Processing times vary, so contact ICAS directly. ICES (International Credential Evaluation Service, BCIT). ICES (bcit.ca/ices/eca) charges C$200 per educational credential. This includes two original hard copies and secure electronic access for IRCC. Courier delivery is optional at C$26 (Canada) or C$75 (international). ICES also offers a QR code electronic copy for C$50. Regulated Professions: You Must Use a Designated Professional Body If your primary occupation is as a physician, pharmacist, or architect, you cannot use the five general organizations above. IRCC requires you to use the specific professional body for your occupation. Occupation NOC Code Designated Professional Body Specialist physicians and surgeons 31100, 31101 Medical Council of Canada (mcc.ca) General practitioners and family physicians 31102 Medical Council of Canada (mcc.ca) Pharmacists (needing a licence to practise) 31120 Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (pebc.ca) Architects (needing a licence to practise) 21200 Canadian Architectural Certification Board (cacb.ca) Note for architects: if you already have a valid ECA from one of the five general organizations that was issued before October 31, 2024, IRCC will still accept it. The CACB requirement applies to new ECA applications made after that date. If you are a pharmacist or architect in a role that does not require a provincial licence, you may use one of the five general organizations instead. How Your ECA Translates into Points Your education can earn you up to 150 CRS points if you are applying without a spouse, or up to 140 CRS points if applying with an accompanying spouse or common-law partner. Level of Education Points Without Spouse Points With Spouse Secondary diploma (high school) 30 28 One-year degree, diploma, or certificate 90 84 Two-year program 98 91 Bachelor's degree or 3+ year program 120 112 Two or more credentials (one must be 3+ years) 128 119 Master's degree or professional degree 135 126 Doctoral degree (Ph.D.) 150 140 Beyond the core education points, your education also contributes to Skill Transferability factors, where combining a post-secondary credential with strong language scores (CLB 7 or higher) or Canadian work experience can earn you up to an additional 50 CRS points. For the Federal Skilled Worker Program you must also score at least 67 out of 100 on the selection factors grid, where education is worth a maximum of 25 points: Ph.D. 25, Master's or professional degree 23, two or more credentials (one 3+ years) 22, Bachelor's or 3+ year program 21, two-year program 19, one-year program 15, secondary diploma 5. How Long Is an ECA Valid? Your ECA is valid for five years from the date it was issued. It must be valid on two separate dates: when you submit your Express Entry profile, and when you submit your final PR application after receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA). If your ECA will expire before you expect to apply, contact the issuing organization. Most organizations offer a renewal or re-issuance option for a reduced fee. If you apply with an expired ECA, IRCC will refuse your application. Step-by-Step: How to Get Your ECA Determine which organization is right for you. Check your occupation against the professional body requirements. If you are not a physician, pharmacist, or architect needing a licence, choose from the five general organizations based on your budget and timeline. Create an account and complete the application online. Select the immigration-specific ECA product. You will receive a reference number after applying. Pay the application fee. Fees are non-refundable. Gather and submit your documents. In most cases your institution must send official transcripts directly to the ECA organization, either by mail in a sealed stamped envelope or via secure electronic transfer. Documents submitted by the applicant in a sealed envelope are not accepted by ICAS and some other organizations. Wait for processing. Processing time begins only after all required documents have been received and accepted by the organization, not from the date you submitted your application. Receive your report and reference number. Enter both into the "Study and languages" section of your Express Entry profile. Keep your original documents. You will need to upload copies if you receive an ITA. Questions People Actually Ask Q: Do I need an ECA if I studied in the United States or the United Kingdom? Yes. Any education completed outside Canada requires an ECA, regardless of how internationally recognized the institution is. Can I enter the Express Entry pool while waiting for my ECA? Under FSWP, no. An ECA is a minimum requirement, and you cannot create a valid FSWP profile without it. Under CEC or FSTP you can technically enter the pool without an ECA, but you will not receive any CRS points for your foreign education. Do not claim to have an ECA in your profile if you are still waiting for the report, as this constitutes misrepresentation. My ECA says my Master's degree is equivalent to a Canadian Bachelor's degree. Can I dispute this? Most organizations have a formal appeal or review process. CES, for example, allows you to appeal within 90 days of the report date for a fee of C$199 (refundable if the appeal succeeds). You can also try a different designated organization, as each assesses independently and outcomes can differ. Does my ECA need to be translated if my documents are not in English or French? Your original academic documents do not need to be in English or French, but you will need certified translations of any documents that are not. Each organization has specific translation requirements. Q: Can I use the same ECA for multiple Express Entry profiles? Yes, for any number of profiles during its five-year validity, as long as it has not expired. What happens if my ECA expires while I am in the Express Entry pool? Contact the issuing organization to request a renewal or re-issuance, then update your profile with the new report details. If you receive an ITA and your ECA has expired, resolve this before submitting your PR application. Does my spouse need a separate ECA? Only if you want to claim CRS points for their foreign education, which can add up to 10 points. If you do not need those points, or if your spouse is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident and non-accompanying, they do not need an ECA. Can I use an ECA from one organization to apply to a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)? In most cases yes. Many PNP streams accept ECAs from the same IRCC-designated organizations, but some have specific requirements. The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program, for example, strongly recommends using WES and selecting the OINP as a recipient. Always check the specific stream. Common Mistakes That Cause Rejections Ordering the wrong ECA type. This is the single most common reason for a PR application rejection related to the ECA. Always order the immigration-specific version. Submitting documents yourself instead of through the institution. Most organizations require your institution to send transcripts directly, and will reject documents you send yourself even in a sealed envelope. Assuming processing time starts when you apply. It begins only after all required documents have been received, reviewed, and accepted. Not accounting for the ECA expiry in your planning. If you apply early and spend a long time in the pool, your ECA could expire before your ITA or PR application. Build the five-year window into your plan. Claiming two credentials without the right combination. To earn the "two or more credentials" bracket, at least one credential must be for a program of three or more years. Ready to Take the Next Step? Understanding your ECA is just one piece of the Express Entry puzzle. Your CRS score, language results, work experience, and the specific program you qualify for all play a role in your chances of receiving an Invitation to Apply. Start Your Free Initial Eligibility Assessment Our team at KGraph, led by Mathews Benny (RCIC, CAPIC member), has helped over 10,000 clients navigate the Express Entry process. Reach us at info@kgraph.ca or on WhatsApp at Toronto/Scarborough +1 416 989 7788, Mississauga +1 905 516 7920, or Kitchener +1 226 753 5747. Last verified July 2026. Reviewed by an RCIC. General information, not legal advice. Prepared by KGraph Immigration Consultants. This guide is for informational purposes only. For personalized immigration advice, consult a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC). Related Articles Create Your Express Entry Profile How the CRS Score Is Calculated Certified Translations Top 5 Express Entry Mistakes Express Entry Service

TCF Canada is the French test IRCC accepts for Express Entry. Learn the four required components, the NCLC levels, and how to register.

PTE Core is the Pearson English test IRCC accepts for Express Entry. Learn how to book it, the CLB levels, and how long results stay valid.

A spousal open work permit lets you work for almost any employer in Canada without a job offer. You cannot work for a non compliant employer, or in certain adult service businesses. In this guide Spouses of workers Which workers CANNOT make a spouse eligible Spouses of students Flagpoling is over Fees How long the permit lasts What you need Processing times Questions people actually ask Everything about this changed on 21 January 2025, and again through 2026. If you are reading an older guide, it is wrong. Here is the current position. The single biggest change: dependent children lost eligibility For applications made on or after 21 January 2025, dependent children of high skilled workers, and dependent children of international students, are NO LONGER eligible for an open work permit under the family measure. Children remain eligible only where the principal applicant is on an eligible permanent residence pathway. More on that below. If you have been told your child can come and work, check the date of the advice. Spouses of workers Whether your spouse qualifies depends entirely on which box the principal worker falls into. The principal worker Who can get a permit The condition High skilled, NOT on a PR pathway Spouse or common law partner ONLY The job must be TEER 0, TEER 1, or a SELECTED TEER 2 or TEER 3 occupation from IRCC's list. The worker's authorisation must be valid for at least 16 MONTHS after IRCC receives the spouse's application Has APPLIED for PR through an eligible economic program or pilot Spouse, dependent child, and dependent grandchild The worker's permit must be valid at least 6 MONTHS after IRCC receives the family application TEER 4 or 5, on an eligible PR pathway but has NOT yet applied Spouse, dependent child, and dependent grandchild At least 6 MONTHS of authorisation must remain TEER 4 or 5, NOT on a PR pathway Nobody. No new permits under this measure An existing family permit in Canada may sometimes be extended to match a longer principal permit, if filed before it expires Two things people get wrong here. Not every TEER 2 or TEER 3 job qualifies. IRCC publishes a specific, enumerated list of NOC codes. Your occupation must appear on it by code. "It is a skilled trade" is not an argument. The 16 month rule is a real cliff. If the principal worker has 15 months left, the spouse is not eligible, full stop, unless an exception applies. One exception that is easy to miss: for applicants under the Rural Community Immigration Pilot and the Francophone Community Immigration Pilot, only dependent children and their children are eligible under this measure. Spouses get a separate open work permit under those pilots. Which workers CANNOT make a spouse eligible The measure does not apply if the principal person is a refugee claimant referred to the IRB, is under an unenforceable removal order, holds a study permit, is working on or off campus without a work permit, has a pending post graduation work permit with no positive decision yet, or holds a spousal open work permit themselves. That second to last one matters. A spouse can FILE while the principal's PGWP is pending, but the PGWP must be APPROVED before IRCC will process the spouse's application. If it is refused, so is the spouse's. The 2026 exceptions Exception The rule Quebec recruited health professionals, from 25 May 2026 Spouses of workers in NOC 31301, 32103 or 32120 are exempt from the 16 month rule. Enter CONJOINTSANTEQC in the Job title box British Columbia significant investment projects, from 23 March 2026 A spouse of a qualifying project worker may qualify at ANY TEER level, and the 16 month rule is waived. Enter SIPSPOUSEBC in the Job title box Quebec skilled worker selection (PSTQ), from 5 June 2026 The spouse must have been included as an accompanying family member in the demande de sélection permanente. DEPENDENT CHILDREN ARE NOT ELIGIBLE. Enter PPTR2PRQC2026 in the Job title box, and apply online Free trade agreements A spouse may qualify under the agreement itself rather than this measure. Check separately Those job title codes are not decorative. Enter the wrong thing and the application is processed under the wrong rules. Spouses of students Yes, some still qualify. But only some. The student must hold a valid study permit AND be enrolled in one of: A master's degree program of AT LEAST 16 MONTHS. A doctoral program. An eligible university professional degree: dental surgery, law (LLB, JD, BCL), medicine, optometry, pharmacy, veterinary medicine, science in nursing, nursing science, nursing, education, or engineering. A named eligible program. The 16 month master's rule is the one that catches people. A 12 month master's, which is extremely common, does NOT make your spouse eligible. The named programs include the Francophone Minority Communities Student Pilot outside Quebec (from 26 August 2024); named nursing, respiratory therapy and medical technology recognition programs in Quebec; the Supervised Practice Experience Partnership and Nurse Re Entry at Red River College Polytechnic in Ontario and Manitoba; and the Internationally Educated Midwives Bridging Program, Canadian Pharmacy Practice Program, and Post Degree Diploma in Nursing Practice in Canada in British Columbia. Dependent children of students are not eligible for applications made on or after 21 January 2025. A note on the "final term" rule. You will see it said that the student must not be in their final term. That condition applies to EXTENDING a spouse's open work permit, not to the initial application. It sits alongside other extension requirements: full time study, a PGWP eligible program at a DLI, and being physically in Canada. The sponsored spouse open work permit Yes, this still exists, and it is a different thing entirely. If you are a spouse, common law partner or conjugal partner being sponsored for permanent residence from inside Canada, you can apply for an open work permit while you wait. Accompanying dependent children of the principal applicant are also eligible here. You must: Be in a genuine relationship with your sponsor. Be included in a permanent residence application, and hold the acknowledgement of receipt (AOR). Be living in Canada with your sponsor. Apply online after the AOR arrives. There is one exception to the AOR requirement. You may apply without it if your work permit, study permit or temporary resident status expires in 2 WEEKS OR LESS and you have already applied under the spouse or common law partner in Canada class or the family class. If you have no valid status and are relying on the spousal public policy, you wait for the approval in principle letter, then apply on paper with that letter and an explanation. Two hard limits: you cannot use this route if the permanent residence application was refused, withdrawn or returned. And you cannot apply at a port of entry. Flagpoling is over Most foreign nationals already in Canada can no longer apply for a work permit at a port of entry. You apply online and you wait. Fees Fee Amount Work permit CAD $155 per person Open work permit holder fee CAD $100 per person Base total CAD $255 per person Biometrics, if required CAD $85 per person, CAD $170 family maximum Pay both the work permit fee and the open work permit holder fee. One detail worth knowing before you file. If the principal applicant's application is refused, the family applications are refused too. IRCC refunds the $100 open work permit holder fee but NOT the $155 processing fee. How long the permit lasts Route The ceiling Spouse of a worker Never beyond the principal's authorisation, your passport expiry, or your biometric validity, whichever comes first Spouse of a student Usually matched to the study permit, and never extended beyond it Sponsored spouse with an AOR May be extended for 2 more years if the PR application is still in process Renew the passport before you apply if it is short. Your permit cannot outlive it. What you need Your personalised IRCC checklist governs. In general: Identity: valid passport, photo, and the forms. Applying from outside Canada normally means IMM 1295. Relationship: marriage certificate, or the Statutory Declaration of Common Law Union (IMM 5409), plus evidence the relationship is genuine. The worker's status: work permit, letter of introduction, or proof of authorisation to work without a permit. The worker's job: an employer letter showing duties, NOC and TEER. Not just a job title. Economic pathway cases: the acknowledgement of receipt and proof the family member appears on the PR application, such as IMM 0008. The student's status: study permit plus an acceptance letter, enrolment letter or current transcripts, and named program proof if relevant. Sponsored spouse: the AOR, IMM 5707, marriage certificate or IMM 5409, and birth certificates naming both parents for dependent children. Processing times IRCC publishes no single timeline. It varies by application type and location, and it is not a guarantee. Check the live tool. The main refusal risks Wrong category. Confirm the NOC, the TEER, the pathway, the remaining authorisation, and the exclusions before you file. Weak job proof. A job title is not evidence. Show duties, NOC and TEER. Weak relationship proof. Use the marriage certificate or IMM 5409, and be consistent. Insufficient validity. Check whether 16 months or 6 months must remain, and check the passport. A pending principal PGWP. It must be approved before your file is processed. Missing pathway proof where you rely on an economic stream. Wrong sponsorship timing. Normally wait for the AOR. Questions people actually ask Q: Does every TEER 2 job qualify? No. The exact NOC must appear on IRCC's selected list. Q: Does every master's program qualify? No. It must be at least 16 months long. Q: Can my child come and work? Not under the regular high skill measure, for applications on or after 21 January 2025. A child may qualify where the principal is on an eligible PR pathway. Not under the Quebec PSTQ exception. Q: Can I apply while my husband's PGWP is pending? You may file, but his PGWP must be approved before IRCC processes yours. Q: Can a sponsored spouse apply without an AOR? Only if current status expires in 2 weeks or less and every other condition is met. Q: Can my permit last longer than my wife's? Normally no. Her status, your passport, and your biometrics each cap it. Q: Why trust KGraph? With a 98% success rate, over 10,000 clients served, and a 4.9 Google rating, KGraph Immigration provides expert guidance you can rely on. Rules like this one move. We have tracked these changes for more than ten years, and we can confirm what applies to your timing.Start Your Free Initial Eligibility Assessment Prepared by KGraph Immigration. Last updated July 2026. General information, not legal advice. Related Articles Who Can Sponsor a Spouse? Inland vs Outland Sponsorship Family Sponsorship Service Spouse Open Work Permit Service Open vs Closed Work Permit

The PGWP is an open work permit. Any employer, any occupation, anywhere in Canada, and you can change jobs whenever you like. In this guide Basic eligibility How long your PGWP will be Fees Flagpoling is over Applying from inside or outside Canada What gets applications refused IRCC does not publish a refusal list, so here are the disqualifiers it does state: Questions people actually ask It is also a once in a lifetime document. If you have already held one, you cannot get another, no matter what you study next. That single fact should shape which program you choose and when you graduate. The rules changed hard in late 2024 and again through 2025. Almost everything written about the PGWP before November 2024 is now wrong. Here is the current position. Basic eligibility You are eligible if: You completed a program at a PGWP eligible designated learning institution that was at least 8 months long, or 900 hours for Quebec programs. You held full time student status in every semester. You may study part time in your final semester only. You apply within 180 days of confirmation that you completed your program. Your study permit was valid at some point during those 180 days. Authorised leave of up to 150 days is allowed, but you must show your DLI approved it. Unauthorised leave can cost you the permit entirely if IRCC decides you broke your study permit conditions. You are NOT eligible if you already received a PGWP, studied ESL or FSL, took general interest or self improvement courses, completed a non credit program other than flight school, received Global Affairs Canada funding requiring you to return home, completed more than 50% of your program by distance learning, studied at a non Canadian institution located in Canada, or studied at a DLI that is not PGWP eligible. Two dates that disqualify people who never saw them coming: curriculum licensing programs, the public private partnership arrangements, are ineligible if you began a same province one after 15 May 2024, or a cross province one after 1 February 2023. The field of study requirement This is the rule that ends the most applications, and the one most people misunderstand. You are EXEMPT from the field of study requirement if any of these apply: You graduated with a bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree. You graduated from a PGWP eligible flight school. You applied for your STUDY PERMIT before 1 November 2024. You submitted your PGWP application before 1 November 2024. Everyone else, meaning graduates of non degree programs at colleges, polytechnics and universities, must have graduated in an eligible field of study. Note carefully what the clock is tied to. The trigger is the date you applied for your STUDY PERMIT, not the date you apply for the PGWP. Applied for your study permit on or after 1 November 2024 and you are in a non degree program? You need an eligible field. Eligible fields are defined by six digit Classification of Instructional Programs codes and are tied to occupations in long term shortage in Canada. The list lives on the IRCC field of study page, and you must be on it when you submit either your study permit application or your PGWP application. Some genuinely good news for 2026. IRCC has FROZEN the field of study list for the year. It will not add or remove any eligible fields in 2026. After the churn of 2025, when 178 fields were removed on 25 June and then partly restored on 4 July, that stability is worth a great deal. And if you applied for your study permit before 25 June 2025, you keep your eligibility if your field was on the list at that time, even if it has since been removed. One filing trap. Because of a system limitation, the document checklist will NOT ask you for proof that you graduated in an eligible field. If you need to provide it, you upload it yourself in the "Client information" section of your account. Miss that and you have submitted an incomplete application without being told. The language requirement New since 1 November 2024. If you apply on or after that date, you must prove your English or French. Your program Minimum level, in all four abilities Bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree CLB 7 in English, or NCLC 7 in French Any other university program CLB 7 or NCLC 7 Any other college, polytechnic or non university program CLB 5 or NCLC 5 PGWP eligible flight school No language requirement at all Read that table again, because the split is not what people assume. It is UNIVERSITY versus COLLEGE, not degree versus non degree. A non degree program at a university still needs CLB 7. Accepted tests: CELPIP General, IELTS General Training, and PTE Core for English. TEF Canada and TCF Canada for French. IRCC says tests should be taken in person, and results must be less than 2 years old when you submit. For IELTS General Training, CLB 7 means 6.0 in every band. CLB 5 means 4.0 reading, 5.0 writing, 5.0 listening, 5.0 speaking. Submit incomplete language proof and IRCC says plainly that your application may be refused for not meeting the requirement. If you are extending a PGWP only because your passport expired early, you do not need to provide language proof again. How long your PGWP will be The length depends on your program and on your passport, whichever runs out first. Your program PGWP length Master's degree, as of 15 February 2024 Up to 3 years, EVEN IF the program was under 2 years, provided it was at least 8 months or 900 hours in Quebec Any program at least 8 months but under 2 years Up to the same length as your program. A 9 month program gets up to 9 months Any program 2 years or more Up to 3 years The master's rule is the most valuable line on this page. A 12 month master's degree can yield a 3 year work permit. A 12 month college diploma yields 12 months. That is a two year difference in Canadian work experience, and Canadian work experience is what wins Express Entry. It does not apply to certificates or diplomas, only master's degrees. Two limits people trip over. Your PGWP cannot outlast your passport, so renew the passport BEFORE you apply. And the PGWP is only valid for the time you actually studied IN Canada. Time studying online from outside Canada after 31 August 2024 is deducted. If you completed more than one eligible program, you may be able to combine their lengths, but each program must independently meet every eligibility requirement, including the higher language threshold if one of them demands it. The 180 day rule, and how not to lose your right to work You have 180 days from confirmation of completion to apply. Your study permit has to be valid at some point in that window. To prove you finished, you need a degree, diploma or certificate, or an official letter from your school, or an official transcript. You also need proof of full time enrolment, which is your official transcript. Now the part that costs people money. You can work FULL TIME while waiting for the PGWP decision, but only if all three of these are true: Your study permit was VALID at the moment you submitted the application. You completed your program. You were eligible to work off campus without a permit while studying, and you did not exceed your allowed hours. Leaving and re entering Canada does not break this. You can travel and keep working. But if you let your study permit expire and then restore your status, you CANNOT work until the PGWP is actually approved. Same permit, same eligibility, months of lost income, purely because of timing. So: do not let your status lapse while you wait for marks. If your permit will expire first, either apply for a visitor record to stay legally, or leave Canada and apply from abroad. If your status has already expired You have up to 90 days after your study permit expires to apply for the PGWP and restore your status as a student. You apply online for the PGWP, pay $255, and separately pay the restoration fee online and attach the receipt to the PGWP application. You do not file a separate restoration application. You cannot work during this period. Past 90 days, you must leave Canada. Fees Fee Amount Work permit, per person CAD $155 Open work permit holder fee CAD $100 PGWP total CAD $255 Biometrics, per person CAD $85 Biometrics, family of 2 or more CAD $170 maximum Pay BOTH the work permit fee and the open work permit holder fee. IRCC's page says so in bold, because people pay one and not the other. Biometrics are needed once every 10 years, and you get 30 days from the date of the letter. Flagpoling is over If you were planning to drive to the border, turn around and come back to collect your permit, stop. Flagpoling for work and study permits ended on 23 December 2024. The exemptions are narrow and cover United States citizens and permanent residents, certain free trade agreement professionals, some international truck drivers, and people with a pre booked CBSA appointment. An ordinary PGWP applicant is not exempt. You apply to IRCC and you wait. Applying from inside or outside Canada You can apply from within Canada or from another country. One consequence worth planning around: if you apply from OUTSIDE Canada and are approved, IRCC issues you a new visitor visa or eTA along with the permit. If you apply from INSIDE Canada and you need a visitor visa, IRCC will not issue one, and you have to apply for it separately. What gets applications refused IRCC does not publish a refusal list, so here are the disqualifiers it does state: Having already held a PGWP. A program under 8 months, or under 900 hours in Quebec. A DLI that is not PGWP eligible, or a curriculum licensing program past the cut off dates. More than 50% of the program completed by distance learning. Applying more than 180 days after completion. A study permit that was not valid at any point in those 180 days. Unauthorised leave from your program. Incomplete language proof, or test results 2 years old or older. Working more hours off campus than you were allowed. Questions people actually ask Q: I did a one year master's. Do I really get 3 years? Yes, since 15 February 2024, provided the program was at least 8 months. This does not apply to certificates or diplomas. Q: I am doing a college diploma. Do I need an eligible field of study? If you applied for your study permit on or after 1 November 2024, yes. Q: Is the field of study list going to change again? Not in 2026. IRCC has frozen it for the year. Q: My study permit expires next month and I have not got my marks. Apply for a visitor record now, or leave and apply from abroad. Do not let it lapse, because restoration means you cannot work while you wait. Q: Can I still flagpole? No. That ended on 23 December 2024. Q: My passport expires in a year. Will that cap my PGWP? Yes. Renew it before you apply. Q: Why trust KGraph? With a 98% success rate, over 10,000 clients served, and a 4.9 Google rating, KGraph Immigration provides expert guidance you can rely on. Most of the costly mistakes here are timing mistakes. Our team can look at your dates before you commit to them.Start Your Free Initial Eligibility Assessment Prepared by KGraph Immigration. Last updated July 2026. General information, not legal advice. Related Articles How Long Is a PGWP? From PGWP to PR Study Permit Requirements How to Find a DLI PGWP Service

A Canadian study permit is written authorisation to study at a Designated Learning Institution. It is not a visa and it is not a travel document. If you need a visitor visa or an eTA to actually enter Canada, IRCC issues that alongside your approval. In this guide Who needs a study permit What you must show Three rules that end applications: Who is exempt from the PAL or TAL Proof of funds Medical exam and police certificate Biometrics Fees How to apply Processing times Working while you study Changing schools or programs Why study permits get refused Common mistakes Questions people actually ask Start with the news that invalidates most of what you will read elsewhere. The Student Direct Stream is CLOSED. IRCC ended it at 2:00 pm Eastern on 8 November 2024. Every new application now goes through regular processing. Any blog still telling you to use SDS for faster approval is out of date. Who needs a study permit Most foreign nationals do. You do not need one for a program lasting 6 months or less. A word of caution on that. If you might continue into a longer program afterwards, get the permit anyway before you travel. Holding one lets you apply to extend your studies from inside Canada rather than leaving and starting over. Other exemptions cover people with Registered Indian status, designated foreign armed forces members on duty, and certain family or staff of accredited foreign representatives. Some Quebec French language and cultural integration courses, provincial settlement courses, and qualifying construction apprentices may also be exempt. Check the live criteria before you rely on any of these. Minor children in Canada are exempt in several situations, including being a refugee or refugee claimant, having a parent who is one, having a parent who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, or attending preschool through secondary school with a parent who is authorised to study or work. A permit is still needed once the child reaches the age of majority in their province. What you must show You must be enrolled at a DLI, prove you have enough money without working in Canada, obey the law, be admissible, complete a medical exam or provide a police certificate if asked, and satisfy an officer that you will leave when your authorised stay ends. That last one is where applications die. More on it below. Dual intent is lawful. Wanting permanent residence one day does not disqualify you. But you must still satisfy the officer that you would leave if you did not obtain another legal status. The DLI and the letter of acceptance A DLI is a school a province or territory has approved to host international students. You need its letter of acceptance before you apply. All primary and secondary schools are designated, even though they do not appear on IRCC's postsecondary list. To find a DLI number, open IRCC's DLI list, filter by school type and province, and search by name or city. Copy the number into your application. One thing the list does NOT tell you: DLI status does not mean every program at that school qualifies for a Post Graduation Work Permit. If a PGWP is part of your plan, and for most people it is, check your specific program before you enrol. PGWP eligibility, including the field of study requirement, is keyed to WHEN you submit your study permit application. Get this wrong and you cannot fix it later. Your letter of acceptance should be on official letterhead and show tuition, expected start and finish dates, and the registration deadline. IRCC will ask your school to validate it. If the school misses the validation deadline, IRCC returns your application and refunds the processing fee. Upload the letter of acceptance in its own field. Nothing else belongs there. The PAL or TAL Most applicants need a Provincial Attestation Letter or a Territorial Attestation Letter. It confirms the province allocated you one of its capped study permit places. Your intended DLI issues it, so ask the school about its process. You may have to accept your offer and pay some or all of your tuition first. Three rules that end applications: Every applicant needs their own letter, even a family applying together. You must submit it WITH the application. IRCC will not accept it afterwards. A letter for the 2026 cap year is valid until 31 December 2026 and must have been issued within that year. You cannot use one from a previous cap year. Quebec applicants use the Quebec Acceptance Certificate instead. Who is exempt from the PAL or TAL Exempt situation What to include Preschool, primary, or secondary school up to grade 12 Proof of study level A DEGREE GRANTING master's or doctoral program at a PUBLIC DLI, starting 1 January 2026 Proof the school and program qualify Francophone Minority Communities Student Pilot applicant A letter of acceptance identifying you as a pilot applicant Federally designated military college Proof of enrolment Quebec vocational programs leading to a DVS, AVS or STC Proof of the qualifying program Exchange student paying no tuition to the Canadian DLI Proof of the exchange Global Affairs Canada scholarship recipient Scholarship evidence Read the second row twice. The exemption requires BOTH that the program is degree granting AND that the DLI is public. A graduate certificate is not a degree. A private institution does not qualify. People assume "master's level" is enough and it is not. There are also in Canada exemptions: extending at the same DLI at the same level, an unenforceable removal order, a temporary resident permit valid for at least 6 months, protected person status, and eligibility for permanent residence on humanitarian and compassionate grounds, under a public policy, or in the spouse or common law partner in Canada class. Proof of funds You must show money available to you WITHOUT working in Canada, covering tuition, living expenses for you and any accompanying family, and return transportation. For a program longer than a year, show the first year and explain how you will fund the rest. For applications submitted on or after 1 September 2025, outside Quebec: Family members coming to Canada Living expenses for one year 1 CAD $22,895 2 CAD $28,502 3 CAD $35,040 4 CAD $42,543 5 CAD $48,252 6 CAD $54,420 7 CAD $60,589 Each additional person CAD $6,170 These are LIVING EXPENSES ONLY. Tuition and transportation come on top of these figures, and people routinely underestimate by exactly that margin. IRCC updates these amounts every year, usually effective 1 September. Check the live page before you apply. Quebec sets its own amounts through the MIFI, not IRCC. Acceptable evidence includes proof of paid first year tuition and housing, a Canadian bank account in your name, a Guaranteed Investment Certificate, a bank education loan, four months of bank statements, a convertible bank draft, a support letter backed by actual funds, or Canadian scholarship evidence. The documents must show the money is genuinely available to you. Medical exam and police certificate For a stay of 6 months or less, you generally do not need a medical exam, unless you will work in a job where public health must be protected. For a longer stay, you also need one if you lived in or travelled to a listed country or territory for 6 consecutive months or more in the year before you come to Canada. The country list changes, so check it live. Only an IRCC approved panel physician can do the exam, and results are valid for 12 months. Not everyone needs a police certificate upfront. IRCC may ask you and family members aged 18 or older for one depending on your situation. A certificate not in English or French needs the original plus a certified translation. Biometrics Fingerprints and a photo. Exemptions include United States nationals, children under 14, and applicants over 79. Pay when you apply, wait for the instruction letter, and attend an official collection site. Biometrics are generally valid for 10 years. Fees Fee Amount Study permit, including extensions, per person CAD $150 Biometrics, one person CAD $85 Biometrics, family maximum CAD $170 Restore student status and get a new study permit CAD $396.25 total How to apply You must apply ONLINE. This is not a preference. Paper applications are allowed only if you have a disability that prevents applying online, or you hold an identity or travel document issued to a non national resident, a refugee, or a stateless person. And flagpoling is over. Most foreign nationals already in Canada can no longer get a study permit at a port of entry. The steps: Choose a DLI and a program, checking PGWP eligibility if that matters to you. Get the letter of acceptance. Get your PAL or TAL, or the Quebec CAQ, unless exempt. Gather identity, funds, medical, police and local documents. Complete the forms and upload clear evidence. Pay the fees. Submit, then give biometrics when instructed. Watch your account and answer IRCC requests promptly. Forms: applying from outside Canada, Guide 5269 lists IMM 1294, IMM 5707, and the checklist IMM 5483. Applying from inside Canada, the core form is IMM 5709. Your online account builds a personalised checklist, which is the one you should follow. Doctoral students, note that IRCC now offers faster processing for PhD students and accompanying family. Ask about it. After approval If you applied from OUTSIDE Canada, IRCC sends you a port of entry letter of introduction. That letter is NOT your study permit. A border officer issues the actual permit when you arrive, so bring the letter and show it. If you applied from inside Canada, IRCC mails the permit to you. Processing times IRCC publishes no universal study permit time. Estimates vary by country, update weekly, exclude the time you take to give biometrics, and are not guarantees. Check the live tool for your country before you book anything. Your conditions once you are here Stay enrolled at a DLI. Actively pursue your studies. Enrol every academic semester apart from scheduled breaks. Make progress. Do not take authorised leave longer than 150 days. Leave Canada or get new status before your permit expires. And know this one, because it catches graduates every year: your study permit becomes INVALID 90 days after you complete your program, no matter what expiry date is printed on it. Completion is dated from when your school first tells you, by letter, transcript or diploma. Breaking your conditions can cost you your status, lead to removal, and in some cases trigger a 6 month wait before you can apply for another permit or visa from inside Canada. Working while you study You cannot work before your program starts. Not one day. Situation Maximum work Off campus during a regular term 24 hours per week, across ALL jobs combined Off campus during a scheduled break Unlimited, if you are eligible before and after the break Off campus when your program has no scheduled break 24 hours per week On campus No IRCC hour limit During authorised leave No work at all Between schools, while not studying No work The 24 hour figure is current. If your permit still says 20 hours, the 24 hour rule overrides it, provided you continue to meet the eligibility requirements. To work off campus you normally need to be a full time student at a DLI in a program of at least 6 months leading to a degree, diploma or certificate, with work authorisation on your permit and a Social Insurance Number. A part time exception applies in your final semester. Students in language only, general interest or prerequisite programs need a separate work permit. Changing schools or programs As of 8 November 2024, you can no longer change schools on the same study permit. A postsecondary student changing DLI must get a NEW study permit by applying to extend, BEFORE starting at the new school. Since 22 January 2025, that application also needs a new PAL or TAL. You may start at the new DLI while the extension is pending only in narrow circumstances: you have not left Canada since receiving the new letter of acceptance, you still meet your previous permit's conditions, and your former DLI closed, discontinued your program, was suspended, or lost its designation. There is a 60 day service standard for postsecondary students changing DLI, but only if you answer "Yes" to the DLI change question when you apply online. At the same DLI, you can usually change programs unless a permit condition prevents it. Extend if the new program finishes later. Why study permits get refused IRCC will refuse you if you lack a valid letter of acceptance, show insufficient funds, fail a required medical exam, do not establish that study is your genuine main purpose, or do not satisfy the officer that you will leave at the end of your authorised stay. The problem What a strong application shows Insufficient funds Money available for tuition, living costs, family and travel, plus a credible plan for later years Weak study purpose Why THIS program, THIS school, THIS timing, and how it progresses your education Temporary intent not established A truthful plan, real ties and obligations at home, and respect for permit conditions Missing LOA or PAL evidence Current documents in the correct fields, or proof of an exemption Inconsistent documents Dates, amounts, names, education history and explanations that all match each other On dual intent, be honest. Wanting permanent residence later is lawful and is not itself a refusal reason. Hiding it, or writing a study plan that nobody believes, is what sinks applications. Common mistakes Relying on future Canadian earnings as proof of funds. Using a PAL or TAL from a previous cap year. Assuming any DLI program leads to a PGWP. Working more than 24 hours a week in term. Starting at a new DLI before the new permit is approved. Forgetting that the permit dies 90 days after you finish, whatever the printed date says. Questions people actually ask Q: Do I need a permit for a 6 month course? Usually not. But get one before you travel if you might continue into further studies. Q: Can I send my PAL after I apply? No. It goes in with the application, or you upload proof of an exemption. Q: Can I work more than 24 hours off campus during term? No. Twenty four hours a week, across all jobs. Q: Is the Student Direct Stream still available? No. It ended on 8 November 2024. Q: I want PR eventually. Will saying so get me refused? No. Dual intent is lawful. You must still show you would leave if no other status were available to you. Q: My master's is at a private college. Am I PAL exempt? No. The exemption needs a degree granting master's or doctoral program at a PUBLIC DLI. Q: Why trust KGraph? With a 98% success rate, over 10,000 clients served, and a 4.9 Google rating, KGraph Immigration provides expert guidance you can rely on. Rules like this one move. We have tracked these changes for more than ten years, and we can confirm what applies to your timing.Start Your Free Initial Eligibility Assessment Prepared by KGraph Immigration. Last updated July 2026. General information, not legal advice. Related Articles How to Find a DLI PGWP – How to Apply Study Permit Conditions Explained Best Courses to Study in Canada for PR PGWP Service

A DLI is a school a provincial or territorial government has approved to host international students. In this guide Which schools are DLIs How to use the official list IRCC's fraud warning, in its own words Other signs IRCC lists: Curriculum licensing, and why it destroys PGWP plans IRCC gives you two options if your school is de designated while you are studying there: Changing schools Quebec IRCC does not publish a checklist, so use this one, built from the rules above: Questions people actually ask You need a letter of acceptance from one to apply for a study permit. IRCC's language is blunt: if your acceptance letter is not from a DLI, your application will be refused. But choosing a DLI is not just a box to tick. Get this step wrong and you can spend two years and forty thousand dollars on a program that leads nowhere. Which schools are DLIs All primary and secondary schools in Canada are automatically DLIs. They do not appear on the list, and they do not need to. Postsecondary schools are different. Each province and territory designates which universities, colleges, CEGEPs, vocational schools, private career colleges and language schools may enrol international students. Only those appear on the IRCC list. IRCC adds a warning worth repeating: provincial governments do not necessarily regulate private schools. If you are looking at a private institution, confirm it meets provincial education requirements AND that it is on the DLI list. How to use the official list IRCC's DLI list now has three tabs, and knowing which one you are on matters more than most people realise. Tab What it shows All post secondary DLIs Every public and private postsecondary DLI in Canada, by province DLIs offering PGWP eligible programs Only the schools with programs that can make you eligible for a Post Graduation Work Permit Public DLIs offering PAL or TAL exempt graduate programs Schools where a degree granting master's or doctoral program means you do not need a provincial attestation letter, for applications after 1 January 2026 To find your school: Pick the tab that matches what you actually need. Choose your province or territory. Search by school name or city. Copy the DLI number into the "Details of intended study in Canada" section of your study permit application. DLI numbers begin with a capital letter O followed by a string of digits, for example O19273743562. Copy it exactly. The single most important thing on this page Being a DLI does NOT mean the school gets you a Post Graduation Work Permit. IRCC states it directly: "Graduating from a designated learning institution (DLI) doesn't automatically make you eligible for a PGWP." And it goes further. Not all programs offered by a PGWP eligible DLI are themselves PGWP eligible. The school can be on the list while your specific program is not. This is why the "DLIs offering PGWP eligible programs" tab exists, and why it has an "Eligible programs" column. Check the school AND the program. Then check that you personally meet the PGWP requirements, because a qualifying program at a qualifying school still will not help you if you miss the language or field of study rules. If a recruiter tells you otherwise, read the next section carefully. IRCC's fraud warning, in its own words IRCC publishes a list of signs that you are being scammed. One of them is this, quoted exactly: Someone "tells you that all DLIs and programs of study can make you eligible for a post graduation work permit (PGWP)." That is not our warning. That is the Government of Canada telling you that this specific claim is a hallmark of fraud. Other signs IRCC lists: Telling you to apply for a student visa without a letter of acceptance from a DLI. Have the DLI send the letter directly to you. Promising you a letter of acceptance if you pay them. Offering a discounted tuition rate for a fee. Always pay tuition directly to the school. Charging you to apply for a scholarship, or guaranteeing a scholarship. Telling you that you can stay in Canada much longer than your study permit allows. Promising you a job or permanent residence. Asking for documents or payment through social media. It is also illegal in Canada for anyone not authorised by a governing body to charge fees to help you complete and submit immigration applications. Unauthorised representatives sometimes call themselves visa agents, immigration agents, or visa fixers. Providing false or misleading information can get your application refused and can ban you from Canada for up to 5 years. Curriculum licensing, and why it destroys PGWP plans A curriculum licensing agreement, also called a public private partnership or P3, is where a private career college delivers a program on behalf of a public college. IRCC: these programs are NOT PGWP eligible in most cases. The two exceptions are dated, and the dates are unforgiving. Type of arrangement You may still be PGWP eligible if you BEGAN the program Private college delivering on behalf of a public college in the SAME province On or before 15 May 2024 Private college delivering on behalf of a public college in ANOTHER province On or before 31 January 2023 Begin a same province P3 program after 15 May 2024, or a cross province one after 1 February 2023, and you are not eligible for a PGWP. Full stop. If a school is vague about whether it delivers a program under a licensing agreement, that vagueness is your answer. If your school loses its designation It happens, and it is survivable if you act. IRCC gives you two options if your school is de designated while you are studying there: Keep studying there until your current study permit expires. Apply for a new study permit at a different DLI. What you cannot do is extend your study permit to keep studying at a school that has lost its designation. If you had deferred your enrolment and the school is de designated before you start, you cannot start studying there at all. If you are in Canada with a valid permit, you find a new DLI, get accepted, and apply for a new study permit. If your permit was approved but not yet issued, IRCC will ask you for a new letter of acceptance from a new DLI. If your school is suspended or closes You may attend a DLI on the suspension list ONLY to finish a program you had already started. You cannot start something new there. If your school closed, discontinued your program, was suspended, or lost its designation before you finished, you may start at a new DLI while your extension application is pending, provided you have not left Canada since receiving the new letter of acceptance and you still meet the conditions of your previous permit. A permanent school closure also counts as grounds for authorised leave, which is capped at 150 days. Changing schools Since the current rules took effect, you cannot simply move DLI on your existing permit. You must get a NEW study permit, by applying to extend your current one, BEFORE you start at the new school. Your new school must also be a DLI. Check the list before you commit to anything. You will need a letter explaining why you are changing schools, and since 22 January 2025, a new valid PAL or TAL unless you are exempt. There is a 60 day service standard for postsecondary students changing DLI, but only if you answer "Yes" to the question asking whether you are a student in Canada changing your designated learning institution. Miss that question and you lose the fast lane. Do not just move and say nothing. IRCC spells out what happens: your old school reports you as not enrolled, you are in breach of your study permit conditions, the permit may become invalid or be cancelled, you may be asked to leave Canada, and you may be barred from returning. If you are outside Canada and your permit has been approved but you change schools, you file a NEW application with a new letter of acceptance, and you pay all the fees again. One more thing that catches transfers: if you moved from a non DLI to a DLI, only the time at the DLI counts. You need at least 8 months at the DLI to qualify for a PGWP. Quebec Quebec schools appear on the same national IRCC list. But Quebec adds its own document. You need an attestation of issuance of your Quebec Acceptance Certificate, the CAQ, issued by the Government of Quebec. Ask your school how to apply for it. Most students who are exempt from the PAL still need a CAQ, with very few exceptions. Reusing a CAQ when changing schools is narrowly limited. You can only reapply with the same valid CAQ if it was issued before 6 December 2024 and you are changing schools at the same level of study, or if you are a minor at primary or secondary level and the CAQ is not tied to a specific school. Changing between vocational training centres in Quebec does not need a new study permit, but does need a new CAQ. And note the PGWP measure in Quebec is 900 hours, not 8 months. Before you enrol, ask the school IRCC does not publish a checklist, so use this one, built from the rules above: Are you on the DLI list, and what is your DLI number? Is THIS PROGRAM on the PGWP eligible list, not just the school? Is this program delivered under a curriculum licensing or public private partnership arrangement? Will you validate my letter of acceptance with IRCC when asked? Is the program at least 8 months, or 900 hours in Quebec? That fourth one matters more than it looks. IRCC now asks schools to validate letters of acceptance, and if your school does not respond by the deadline, IRCC returns your application and refunds your fee. Weeks lost, for something entirely outside your control. Questions people actually ask Q: The school is on the DLI list. Am I guaranteed a work permit after I graduate? No. IRCC says so explicitly. Check the PGWP eligible tab, check your specific program, and check that you meet the PGWP requirements yourself. Q: My school just lost its designation. Am I finished? No. You can keep studying there until your current permit expires, or move to a new DLI with a new study permit. What you cannot do is extend your permit at that school. Q: Can I switch colleges once I am in Canada? Yes, but you need a new study permit approved before you start, plus a new PAL or TAL and a letter explaining the change. Moving without telling IRCC risks losing your status entirely. Q: An agent promised me a letter of acceptance for a fee. That is on IRCC's own list of scam signals. Have the school send the letter directly to you, and pay tuition only to the school. Q: Do I need a CAQ for Quebec? Almost certainly yes, even if you are exempt from the PAL. Q: Why trust KGraph? With a 98% success rate, over 10,000 clients served, and a 4.9 Google rating, KGraph Immigration provides expert guidance you can rely on. Rules like this one move. We have tracked these changes for more than ten years, and we can confirm what applies to your timing.Start Your Free Initial Eligibility Assessment Prepared by KGraph Immigration. Last updated July 2026. General information, not legal advice. Related Articles Study Permit Requirements PGWP – How to Apply Study Permit Conditions Explained Best Courses to Study in Canada for PR PGWP Service

Canada's public healthcare system is one of the country's most valued institutions, but it is not a single national plan. Every province and territory runs its own health insurance program, with its own eligibility rules, its own application process, and its own waiting period. You apply to the province where you live, not to the federal government. Ottawa sets national standards through the Canada Health Act, but it does not issue health cards and it does not pay your doctor. In this guide Who is eligible How to apply in Ontario (OHIP) How to apply in British Columbia (MSP) How to apply in Alberta (AHCIP) How to apply in Quebec (RAMQ) What to do during the waiting period What provincial plans do not cover Moving between provinces Questions people actually ask Common mistakes That distinction is the first thing to understand. The second is that speed matters. Some provinces cover you from the day you arrive. Others make you wait up to three months, during which one emergency room visit can cost thousands of dollars out of your own pocket. At KGraph Immigration, we have helped over 10,000 clients navigate the Canadian system, with a 98% success rate and a 4.9 Google rating. The waiting period by province Province Plan Waiting period for newcomers arriving from outside Canada Ontario OHIP None. Coverage begins immediately once you are approved British Columbia MSP The rest of the month you become a resident, plus two more full months Alberta AHCIP None, if you apply within 3 months of establishing residency. Coverage runs from the date you established residency Quebec RAMQ Up to 3 months from your registration date. Children under 18 are exempt, and so are several other groups (see below) Nova Scotia MSI None for citizens and permanent residents. Study permit holders wait 12 months Manitoba Manitoba Health None for citizens and permanent residents. Study permit holders are not covered at all Saskatchewan Saskatchewan Health Coverage on or before the first day of the third month after arriving in Canada Prince Edward Island PEI Health Returning citizens and permanent residents may be granted first day coverage Newfoundland and Labrador MCP No waiting period rule is published. Coverage starts on the later of approval, arrival, or your document's effective date New Brunswick, Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut Various Not confirmed from an official source. Check the territorial or provincial site directly before you rely on anything Waiting periods change. Verify the current rule on the official provincial site on the day you apply. One exemption that is easy to miss: the waiting period is waived for military families in Alberta, British Columbia, Nova Scotia and Manitoba. Who is eligible Permanent residents are eligible in every province. You establish your primary home there and you meet the province's physical presence requirement, which is usually around six months a year. Work permit holders are usually eligible, but the minimum permit or employment duration is not the same everywhere, and this is where people get caught out. Province What the work permit or job must satisfy Ontario Full time work for an Ontario employer for at least 6 months British Columbia Permit valid for 6 months or more (you may be deemed a resident, it is not automatic) Quebec Permit valid for MORE than 6 months Manitoba Permit of 12 consecutive months or more Nova Scotia Permit of 12 months or more Prince Edward Island At least 183 days Study permit holders are the group with the widest variation, and any blanket answer you read online is wrong. Ontario does not cover international students under OHIP. Manitoba removed them from coverage entirely, effective 1 September 2018. But Saskatchewan, Alberta, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Nova Scotia (after 12 months) all provide a route to public coverage for study permit holders. Check your own province, not a forum post. One useful wrinkle in Ontario: a student who also holds a valid work permit and works full time for an Ontario employer for at least 6 months can qualify under the work criterion, even though the study permit alone gets them nothing. Protected persons and convention refugees are eligible in most provinces once a positive decision has been issued. If your refugee claim is still undecided, you may instead be covered by the federal Interim Federal Health Program. Note that the IFHP is not entirely free: there is a co payment of $4 per prescription and 30% on supplemental benefits such as dental, vision, mental health and physiotherapy. How to apply in Ontario (OHIP) Ontario abolished its waiting period. If you are eligible, coverage starts as soon as you are approved, and you can apply the day you arrive. There are three minimum qualifications, and most guides only tell you about two. You must make Ontario your primary residence. You must be physically in Ontario for 153 days in any 12 month period. You must be physically in Ontario for 153 of the first 183 days immediately after you begin living in the province. That third one is the trap. A newcomer who lands, then leaves for two months to wrap up affairs abroad, can fail it without realising. Then you need at least one additional qualifying status: Canadian citizen, Indigenous person, permanent resident, permanent residence applicant whose eligibility IRCC has confirmed and not denied, valid work permit with full time work for an Ontario employer for at least 6 months, Live in Caregiver Program, Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program, convention refugee or protected person, a Temporary Resident Permit of certain case types (for example 86 through 95), or a clergy member ministering full time for at least 6 months. You must apply in person at a ServiceOntario centre. There is no online application. The form is the Registration for Ontario Health Insurance Coverage (014-0265-82). You bring three separate documents: proof of qualifying status, proof of Ontario residency, and proof of identity. Photocopies are not accepted. Note the nuance: your status and identity documents must be original, but the residency document may be original, printed, or digital, depending on what the official list says for that document type. ServiceOntario does not publish a single processing time. Call 1 800 268 1154, or 416 314 5518 in the Toronto area, for a current estimate. How to apply in British Columbia (MSP) Everyone in BC must enrol in the Medical Services Plan. Your coverage begins after the rest of the month in which you become a resident, plus two more full months. Arrive on 10 March, and you are covered from 1 June. Budget for private insurance to bridge that gap. To qualify you must make your home in BC and be physically present there at least six months in a calendar year. Holders of work or study permits valid for six months or more may be deemed residents. May. It is not automatic. Apply online at gov.bc.ca/AHDC, in person at a Service BC location, or by mail using the BC Application for Health and Drug Coverage. Getting the card itself is a separate errand. Most adults aged 18 years and six months or older must attend a BC driver licensing office (ICBC) in person with primary and secondary identification, declare BC residency, and have a photo taken. Anyone under 18 years and six months, and temporary document holders, are mailed a non photo BC Services Card instead. Health Insurance BC: 1 604 683 7151 in the Lower Mainland, 1 800 663 7100 elsewhere. How to apply in Alberta (AHCIP) If you are arriving from outside Canada, you may be covered from the date you established residency, provided you apply within three months and supply all the required documents. Miss that window and you lose the backdating. If you are moving from another Canadian province, coverage begins on the first day of the third month following the date you established residency. Establish residency on 12 July and you are covered from 1 October. You must be legally entitled to remain in Canada, make your permanent home in Alberta, and commit to being physically present in Alberta for at least 183 days in any 12 month period. Complete the Application for AHCIP Coverage, form AHC0102, and take it with your original documents to a participating registry agent. There is no charge for this service. Processing takes up to five days and the card arrives by mail. The waiting period is waived for military families. How to apply in Quebec (RAMQ) The Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec runs Quebec's plan, and it has the longest wait of the four. Coverage usually begins after a maximum of three months, counted from your registration date, and this applies even if you are a Canadian citizen. Register the day you arrive, not the day you get around to it. Children under 18 are exempt from the waiting period. So are several other groups that most guides never mention: people arriving from a country with a social security agreement with Quebec, refugees and protected persons, repatriated Canadians, people receiving last resort financial assistance, holders of a Quebec education ministry fellowship, and agricultural workers from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and Salvador under the seasonal and temporary foreign worker streams. Even during a waiting period, some care is free in Quebec: pregnancy, childbirth and termination, care for victims of conjugal, domestic or sexual violence, and public health infectious diseases. To qualify as settled in Quebec you must have your main residence there and be present 183 days or more per calendar year. If you are staying temporarily, you must not be absent from Quebec for more than 21 consecutive days, and your work permit must be valid for more than six months. International students qualify only if they come from a country that has a social security agreement with Quebec. Register online. Each family member needs their own form. RAMQ currently states a processing time of 60 working days, and you have 12 months from your registration date to supply any missing documents. RAMQ: 1 800 561 9749. What to do during the waiting period If your province makes you wait, you are personally liable for every medical bill until coverage starts. A single emergency room visit can run into thousands of dollars. Buy private visitor or newcomer health insurance before you land, not after. Look for a plan covering emergency hospitalisation, physician visits, and prescription drugs dispensed in hospital, and check how it treats pre existing conditions. Cancel it once your provincial card is active. What provincial plans do not cover Public insurance covers medically necessary care: your family doctor, the emergency room, surgery in hospital. It does not cover everything, and the exclusions surprise people. Service Covered? Family doctor and specialist visits Yes, when medically necessary Emergency room treatment Yes Surgery in hospital Yes, when medically necessary Prescription drugs dispensed outside hospital No. Separate provincial drug plans exist for some groups Routine dental care No Eyeglasses and contact lenses No. Some limited optometry may be covered Ambulance Partly. You usually pay a share Cosmetic surgery No, unless medically necessary Private or semi private hospital room No. You or your insurer pay the difference Exclusion lists vary by province. The list above follows Ontario's. Confirm your own province's rules. Dental and vision are the two that catch newcomers hardest. They normally come through an employer's group benefits or a private supplemental plan. Moving between provinces Your coverage does not travel with you. You register with the new province, and most provinces impose a wait of up to three months on arrivals from elsewhere in Canada. During that wait, your old province keeps covering you. Tell your old province you are leaving, and give them your moving date. Saskatchewan, for instance, keeps you covered for the rest of the month you move plus the next two full months. Apply in your new province the moment you arrive. Applying late can push your start date out beyond the standard wait. Keep your old card until the new one arrives. You will need it. Questions people actually ask Q: Can I apply before I arrive? No. You have to be physically present and have established residency in the province first. Nova Scotia is a partial exception: you can apply up to 90 days before your eligibility date. Q: Does my newborn have to wait? No. Babies born in Canada to eligible parents are covered immediately. In Ontario the hospital usually helps you register before you go home. In Quebec, under 18s have no waiting period at all. Q: I am an international student in Ontario. Am I covered? Not by OHIP on the strength of your study permit. You need private insurance, and most Ontario institutions bundle a mandatory plan into your fees. If you also hold a work permit and work full time for an Ontario employer for at least six months, that is a separate route in. Q: What if my work permit expires before my card arrives? Your coverage is tied to your immigration document. If the permit lapses, coverage stops. If you have applied to extend, take your IRCC confirmation to the provincial health office and ask about interim coverage while the renewal is processed. Q: I have an emergency during my waiting period. Any hospital in Canada will treat you. Then they will bill you. This is exactly why interim private insurance matters. Q: Can I use my card in another province? Usually. Interprovincial billing agreements let provinces bill each other for insured services. Not everything is covered, and some provinces make you pay upfront and claim it back. Carry the card when you travel. Q: I am a refugee claimant awaiting a decision. You may not qualify provincially yet, but the federal Interim Federal Health Program provides limited temporary coverage until you do. Expect small co payments. Q: How long until my card arrives? Alberta says up to five days. Quebec says 60 working days. Ontario publishes no figure, so call ServiceOntario. In BC, the card is issued to you in person at the ICBC office. Common mistakes Waiting to apply. In Alberta, applying later than three months costs you the backdated start date. In Quebec, failing to supply missing documents within 12 months delays your eligibility. Assuming your status alone qualifies you. It does not. A study permit gets you nothing in Ontario or Manitoba. A six month work permit is enough in Ontario and BC but not in Quebec, which requires more than six months, or Manitoba and Nova Scotia, which want twelve. Overlooking Ontario's second presence test. The 153 days in any 12 month period is the one everybody quotes. The 153 of your first 183 days is the one that catches people who fly back out after landing. Letting the card expire, or forgetting to update your address. Renewal notices go to the address on file. Mail sent to the wrong place is how coverage quietly lapses. Why trust KGraph? With a 98% success rate, over 10,000 clients served, and a 4.9 Google rating, KGraph Immigration provides expert guidance you can rely on. Whether this fits you depends on facts no article can see. Our licensed consultants can work through yours with you. Start Your Free Initial Eligibility Assessment Prepared by KGraph Immigration. Last updated July 2026. General information, not legal advice. Prepared by KGraph Immigration Consultants. This guide is for informational purposes only. For personalized immigration advice, consult a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC). Related Articles Apply for Your SIN Your First PR Card After Landing Opening a Bank Account as a Newcomer Landing at a Canadian Port of Entry Getting a Driver's Licence as a Newcomer

  You cannot be paid legally in Canada without a Social Insurance Number, and getting your social insurance number in Canada is usually a same-day task. It is a 9 digit number issued by Service Canada, and you need it to work, to get paid, to pay taxes, and to access government programs such as Employment Insurance and the Canada Pension Plan (canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/sin.html). In this guide Two kinds of SIN, and which one is yours Who needs to apply, and when What to bring How to apply for your SIN number You can work before your SIN arrives If your SIN expires There are no plastic SIN cards any more If you have forgotten your number Common mistakes Questions people actually ask At KGraph Immigration we have helped more than 10,000 clients settle in Canada, with a 98% success rate and a 4.9 Google rating. The SIN is usually the very first thing a newcomer needs after landing, and it is also one of the easiest things to get wrong. This page explains exactly who needs one, what to bring, how to apply, how long it takes, and the one rule that saves people weeks of lost income. The single most useful thing to know: you can start working as soon as you apply. You do not have to wait for the number to arrive (canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/sin/temporary-residents.html).   Two kinds of SIN, and which one is yours Which SIN you get depends entirely on your status in Canada. Your status Your SIN Does it expire? Temporary resident (work permit, study permit or visitor record that authorizes work) Always starts with the digit 9 Yes. It expires on the same date your permit expires Canadian citizen or permanent resident Does not start with 9 No. It is permanent and never expires If your SIN begins with a 9, it is tied to your immigration document. The moment your permit expires, so does your SIN. This is the detail that catches people out. Who needs to apply, and when You must apply for a SIN, or update your existing SIN record, if any of these apply to you: You are legally authorized to work in Canada and you are going to work You need proof or confirmation of your SIN You have received a new permit with a new expiry date Your immigration status has changed, for example from temporary resident to permanent resident Your legal name has changed There is an error on your record that needs correcting Note that a study permit only gets you a SIN if it actually authorizes you to work. Check the conditions printed on your permit. If your study permit does not carry a work condition, Service Canada cannot issue you a SIN on the strength of it. What to bring Your primary document. A valid work permit, study permit or visitor record issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada that authorizes you to work. Read this part twice, because it is where applications get rejected: an email message from IRCC is not accepted. A port of entry letter, an approval email, or a screenshot of your online account will not do. Service Canada needs the actual permit document. One secondary document that confirms your identity, such as a passport or a government issued driver's licence. A supporting document if your current name does not match the name on your other documents, for example a marriage certificate or a legal name change document. Full details and translation requirements are on the Service Canada required documents page (canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/sin/required-documents.html). How to apply for your SIN number You have three routes. How Where Processing time Online (fastest) sin-nas.canada.ca/en/Sin/ About 5 business days to view your SIN confirmation letter in My Service Canada Account, or before the confirmation is mailed By mail Service Canada, Social Insurance Registration Office, PO Box 7000, Bathurst NB E2A 4T1, Canada About 20 business days, and you receive a SIN confirmation letter by mail In person Any Service Canada office (offices.service.canada.ca/en) Varies by office Online is the fastest route and it is the one we recommend to almost every client. If you apply by mail, Service Canada will post your documents back to you once your application is complete. Be aware that Service Canada is not responsible for documents lost in the mail, so think carefully before putting your passport in an envelope. You can work before your SIN arrives This is the rule that saves people money, and most newcomers do not know it. You can start working as soon as you have applied for your SIN. You do not need to hold the number in your hand first (canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/sin/temporary-residents.html). If an employer tells you they cannot put you on payroll until the number arrives, they are adding a rule that Service Canada does not impose. You give them the number when you receive it. If your SIN expires If your SIN has expired but you applied to extend your permit before it ran out, you are on maintained status, and you can keep working with your expired SIN until IRCC makes a decision on your extension. Once your new permit is issued, update your SIN record so the expiry date matches your new permit. After you extend your SIN, destroy the old SIN document. It is no longer valid. There are no plastic SIN cards any more Service Canada stopped issuing plastic SIN cards. You now receive a Confirmation of SIN letter, in paper or digital format. If you still hold an old plastic card, it remains usable. If you have lost it or it is damaged, request a Confirmation of SIN instead of a replacement card. If you have forgotten your number Sign in to My Service Canada Account to view and print your SIN (canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/my-account/sin.html). If you cannot get into your account, your SIN also appears on your income tax return, your T4 slip, your Record of Employment, and your RRSP contribution receipt. Common mistakes Bringing an IRCC email instead of the permit. Service Canada explicitly does not accept email messages from IRCC. Bring the permit document itself. Waiting for the SIN before starting work. You are allowed to work from the day you apply. Waiting costs you paychecks for no reason. Letting the SIN lapse quietly. Your SIN expires with your permit. It does not renew itself when your permit is renewed. You must update the record. Using a study permit that has no work condition. Not every study permit authorizes work. Check the conditions printed on yours. Mailing your passport without thinking. Service Canada is not responsible for documents lost in the mail. Apply online or in person if you can. Forgetting to update after becoming a permanent resident. A change in immigration status is a trigger to update your SIN record. Questions people actually ask Q: Can I start working before my SIN arrives? Yes. Service Canada is explicit that you can start working as soon as you apply. You do not have to wait for the number. Q: My employer says they cannot pay me without a SIN. Is that right? They will need the number in order to run payroll properly and report your income, but Service Canada allows you to begin working from the day you apply. Give them the number as soon as your confirmation arrives. Q: My SIN expired but my work permit extension is still being processed. Can I keep working? Yes, if you applied to extend before your permit expired, you are on maintained status and you can keep working with the expired SIN until IRCC decides. Q: My study permit does not mention work. Can I still get a SIN? Only a permit that authorizes you to work supports a SIN application. Check the conditions on your permit. If it does not authorize work, you will need the condition added or a separate work permit. Q: Why does my SIN start with a 9, and will it change? A SIN beginning with 9 is issued to temporary residents and is tied to the expiry of your permit. A change in your immigration status, for example becoming a permanent resident, is a reason to apply to update your SIN record. Q: I lost my SIN letter. Do I need to reapply? No. Sign in to My Service Canada Account to view and print it, or find it on a past tax return, T4, Record of Employment or RRSP receipt. Whether this fits you depends on facts no article can see. Our licensed consultants can work through yours with you.Start Your Free Initial Eligibility Assessment Prepared by KGraph Immigration. Last updated July 2026. General information, not legal advice.   Related Articles Your First PR Card After Landing Registering for Provincial Health Insurance After Landing PR Card Renewal: How to Renew Your PR Card in Canada Reviewed by Mathews Benny, RCIC — Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant. This page is updated regularly to reflect current IRCC guidelines. Need help with your SIN application? Contact KGraph to speak with a regulated immigration consultant.  

Super Visa Canada: A practical guide for parents and grandparents A Super Visa is a multiple entry visitor visa for eligible parents and grandparents of people living in Canada. It can allow longer family visits than a regular visitor visa. Under current IRCC rules, a person granted entry may be eligible to stay in Canada for up to five years at a time. The visa itself can be valid for up to ten years, but a Canada Border Services Agency officer makes the final entry decision at the border. IRCC Super Visa overview | IRCC stay rules This guide explains who may qualify, what the host and applicant should prepare, how the financial support rules work, how to apply online, and what to expect before travelling. It also answers common Super Visa questions families ask when preparing an application. IN THIS GUIDE Who can apply for a Super Visa? What the host in Canada must prepare How the income and family size rules work Super Visa medical insurance requirements Documents to prepare before applying How to apply online After approval and before travelling Frequently asked questions Common preparation mistakes to avoid Who can apply for a Super Visa? Both the applicant and the host in Canada must meet the requirements. The applicant must be the biological or adopted parent or grandparent of the host. The host must be at least 18 years old, live in Canada, and be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or registered Indian. The host must sign an invitation letter and meet the current financial support rules. IRCC Super Visa eligibility requirements | IRCC host financial support rules The applicant must apply from outside Canada, complete an immigration medical exam, have qualifying private health insurance, and meet the general requirements to visit Canada. IRCC considers the purpose of the visit, home country ties, family, finances, and whether the applicant will leave Canada at the end of the authorized stay. IRCC Super Visa eligibility requirements A Super Visa application is individual. You cannot include dependants in a Super Visa application. Each eligible parent or grandparent needs a separate application. A couple may apply at the same time, but each person must complete the required forms and provide their own required documents. IRCC Super Visa eligibility requirements | IRCC guidance for family visa applications Applicant requirement What it means in practice Relationship to the host Provide evidence that the applicant is the host's biological or adopted parent or grandparent. Location when applying Submit the Super Visa application from outside Canada. Separate applications Do not add dependants. Each eligible applicant needs their own Super Visa application. Medical exam Complete an immigration medical exam with an approved panel physician and include the required proof. Health insurance Obtain a qualifying private health insurance policy before applying. General visitor requirements Show a genuine purpose of visit, home country ties, and a credible plan to leave Canada at the end of the authorized stay. What the host in Canada must prepare The host should prepare a signed invitation letter, proof of Canadian status or registration, proof of relationship, and proof that the financial support requirement is met. The invitation letter must include the financial support commitment, the people included in the family size calculation, and the name and date of birth of each person included in that count. IRCC forms and documents | IRCC host financial support rules A qualifying spouse or common law partner may co sign the invitation letter and add income if needed. Other relatives, such as siblings, cannot co sign. IRCC host financial support rules Document area What to prepare Invitation letter A signed letter confirming the visit, financial support, and the people included in the family size calculation. Host status Proof of Canadian citizenship, permanent resident status, or registration as an Indian, as applicable. Relationship A birth certificate, baptismal certificate, or another official document that proves the relationship. Income evidence Current evidence from the host, and any qualifying co signer, for the correct family size. How the income and family size rules work Family size is not limited to the people currently living in the host's home. IRCC counts the applicant and other Super Visa applicants the host supports, the host, the host's spouse or common law partner, dependent children, certain previously approved Super Visa holders, and people the host or co signer previously sponsored where the undertaking is still in effect. IRCC host financial support rules IRCC provides two current routes to show financial support. Under the first route, the host's combined income with a qualifying co signer, if applicable, meets or exceeds the minimum necessary income in either of the two tax years before the application. Under the second route, the host and qualifying co signer show at least 75 percent of the required amount in the previous year, and the applicant can add income to cover the remaining amount if the combined total meets the threshold. The applicant must prove that their income will continue while in Canada. IRCC host financial support rules | IRCC income requirement update Family size Current minimum income shown on the IRCC page 1 CAD 30,526 2 CAD 38,002 3 CAD 46,720 4 CAD 56,724 5 CAD 64,336 6 CAD 72,560 7 CAD 80,784 Each additional person Add CAD 8,224 Check the current IRCC host financial support page immediately before submitting an application, because the amount and evidence rules can change. Super Visa medical insurance requirements The applicant must have a private health insurance policy that meets all current Super Visa requirements. The policy must be valid for at least one year from the date of entry, provide at least CAD 100,000 in emergency coverage, cover health care, hospitalization, and repatriation, and be valid for each entry to Canada. IRCC Super Visa forms and documents The policy must identify the insurer and be paid in full or in instalments with a deposit. An insurance quote is not accepted as proof of coverage. The insurer must meet the current IRCC requirements. If the policy is from outside Canada, check the official requirements carefully before buying it. IRCC Super Visa forms and documents | IRCC health insurance change notice Insurance check What to confirm Coverage period At least one year from the date of entry. Minimum coverage At least CAD 100,000 in emergency coverage. Required coverage Health care, hospitalization, and repatriation. Payment evidence A paid policy, or instalments with a deposit, not only a quote. Entry and re entry Valid for each entry and available for border officer review. Documents to prepare before applying All documents should be clear and easy to read. IRCC may return an application or take longer to process it if the information is unreadable. Check the local visa office instructions for the country or territory where the applicant is applying, because additional documents can be required. IRCC Super Visa forms and documents Document area What to check Medical exam proof Complete the exam with an approved panel physician and include the required proof. Insurance evidence Upload a qualifying paid policy, not only a quote. Host documents Include status, relationship, invitation, and income evidence. Translations Documents not in English or French need the required translation documents. An affidavit is required if the translator is not certified. Local instructions Review the applicable visa office instructions before submitting. Document quality Use complete, clear, and readable copies. How to apply online The applicant must be outside Canada when applying. The standard application route is through the IRCC Portal. When the portal asks I want to apply for, select Visitor visa or super visa. When it asks Why do you need a visitor visa?, select To visit my children or grandchildren for more than 6 months (super visa). The questionnaire then produces a personalized document checklist. IRCC Super Visa application instructions Submit the completed application and pay the required fees through the eligible IRCC portal. If biometrics are required, wait for the biometrics instruction letter and book the appointment as soon as possible. Check the official IRCC page for current fees and payment instructions before submitting, because these can change. IRCC Super Visa application instructions After approval and before travelling If IRCC approves an application for a visa required applicant, it will send instructions to submit the passport to a visa application centre. Visa exempt applicants can receive a letter to present to a border services officer on arrival, and may need an electronic travel authorization for air travel. IRCC Super Visa overview | IRCC next steps after applying Before travelling, keep the passport or travel document, the documents used for the Super Visa application, and proof of paid health insurance accessible. A valid Super Visa does not guarantee entry. A border services officer decides whether entry is allowed and the authorized period of stay. IRCC next steps after applying A Super Visa does not itself authorize work or study in Canada. Most visitors need a separate permit to work or study. Keep the passport and health insurance valid during the stay and on any re entry to Canada. IRCC next steps after applying Frequently asked questions Can I apply for a Super Visa while a parent or grandparent sponsorship application is pending? Yes. IRCC states that a person who has already submitted a sponsorship application can apply for a Super Visa while waiting for a decision. The Super Visa application still has to meet all its separate eligibility, insurance, medical examination, and financial support requirements. IRCC Super Visa overview | KGraph Family Sponsorship service Can I include dependants in a Super Visa application? No. You cannot include dependants in a Super Visa application. Each eligible parent or grandparent must apply separately. If two eligible parents or grandparents plan to visit, they can submit their own applications at the same time, but each person must complete their required forms and meet the requirements individually. IRCC Super Visa eligibility requirements | IRCC guidance for family visa applications Can a parent or grandparent apply for a Super Visa from inside Canada? No. The applicant must be outside Canada when submitting a Super Visa application. If someone is already in Canada as a visitor, their situation may involve visitor status rules rather than a new Super Visa application. IRCC Super Visa overview | IRCC Super Visa application instructions Can the host's spouse or common law partner help meet the income requirement? Yes, if they qualify. A host's spouse or common law partner may co sign the invitation letter and contribute income. Other relatives, including siblings, cannot co sign. The family size calculation must still include everyone IRCC requires. IRCC Super Visa forms and documents | IRCC host financial support rules Can the visiting parent or grandparent add their own income? Possibly. Under the current second income route, applicant income can cover the remaining amount when the host and any qualifying co signer meet the required minimum percentage and the combined income reaches the full threshold. The applicant must provide evidence that the income will continue while they are in Canada. IRCC host financial support rules | IRCC income requirement update Does Super Visa insurance have to be paid before applying? Yes. IRCC requires evidence of a qualifying policy that has been paid in full or in instalments with a deposit. An insurance quote by itself is not accepted. IRCC Super Visa forms and documents Can a visa exempt parent or grandparent apply for a Super Visa? Yes. A visa exempt parent or grandparent can still apply for a Super Visa to stay longer. If approved, IRCC issues a letter for the border services officer. An electronic travel authorization may also be needed for travel to Canada by air. IRCC Super Visa overview | IRCC Super Visa application instructions How long can a Super Visa holder stay in Canada, and can the stay be extended? Under current IRCC rules, a holder may be eligible to stay in Canada for up to five years at a time if entry is granted. Before visitor status expires, the holder must leave Canada or apply to extend the stay. An extension is not automatic and depends on the person meeting the applicable requirements. IRCC stay rules Can a Super Visa holder work or study in Canada? A Super Visa does not itself authorize work or study in Canada. Most visitors need a separate work permit or study permit. IRCC next steps after applying Common preparation mistakes to avoid Avoid Why it matters Using an insurance quote as proof IRCC requires proof of a qualifying paid policy, not only a quote. Counting the wrong family size The income threshold depends on the full IRCC family size calculation. Forgetting that applicants apply separately Dependants cannot be included in a Super Visa application. Using old income information IRCC can update income amounts and evidence rules. Applying from inside Canada The Super Visa applicant must be outside Canada when the application is submitted. Submitting unclear documents IRCC may return the application or take longer to process it. Skipping translations or local instructions Missing translation documents or local requirements can create avoidable problems. Related Articles   Immigration Medical Exam: What to Expect Read more →   Family Sponsorship to Canada Read more →   Explore All KGraph Immigration Resources Read more → Not sure which pathway is right for you? Start with a free initial eligibility assessment so KGraph can better understand your immigration goals. This preliminary assessment is not a consultation, legal opinion, confirmation of eligibility, or guarantee of approval. Start Your Free Initial Eligibility Assessment Prepared by KGraph Immigration. Last updated July 2026. General information, not legal advice.

  PR card renewal is a routine process when your residency days are in order. Your Permanent Resident card is proof of your status. You need it, together with your passport or travel document, to return to Canada on a commercial carrier: a plane, train, bus or boat. In this guide Who can renew Guide 5445 lists six conditions. You must: Two pieces of evidence of residence Humanitarian and compassionate grounds How to apply What goes in the package Photo requirements Fees PR card renewal processing time Urgent processing Common mistakes Questions people actually ask Start with the thing that causes the most panic and the least actual harm. A PR card is not the same as PR status. An expired card does not mean your status expired. Permanent resident status continues until it is formally lost through an official decision, voluntary renunciation, an enforceable removal order, or becoming a Canadian citizen. An expired card is an inconvenience, not a catastrophe. It only becomes a serious problem when you are outside Canada and need to board a plane home. When to renew Renew if your card has expired, or if it will expire in less than 9 months. IRCC writes it as "less than nine (9) months (270 days)." Apply earlier than that and IRCC will simply return your application, unless you are also changing your legal name or gender identifier. There is no reward for starting your PR card renewal early here. There is only a returned package. Who can renew Guide 5445 lists six conditions. You must: Be a permanent resident of Canada. Be physically present in Canada. Meet the residency obligation, or qualify on humanitarian and compassionate grounds. Not be under an effective removal order. Not be a Canadian citizen. Not have been convicted of an offence related to the misuse of a PR card. The second one catches people out. You cannot apply for a PR card, and IRCC cannot deliver one, while you are outside Canada. IRCC does not mail PR cards abroad. If you are outside Canada with an expired card, the route home is a Permanent Resident Travel Document, and you apply for the card once you are back. The residency obligation This is the substance of the application. Everything else is paperwork. If you have been a permanent resident for five years or more, you must have been physically present in Canada for at least 730 days within the five years immediately before your application. The days do not need to be consecutive. It is a total, not a streak. If you have been a permanent resident for less than five years, you must show that you will be able to accumulate 730 days within the five year period that began the day you became a PR. The legal basis is section 28 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, with the counting rules in section 61 of the Regulations. You must declare every absence from Canada in the relevant period on form IMM 5444. Every one. Including the weekend trip to Buffalo and the day trip across the border. Undeclared absences are the fastest way to turn a routine renewal into a problem. Two pieces of evidence of residence Provide copies of two pieces of evidence showing you have met the residency obligation. Send copies. IRCC does not return originals. Useful evidence includes employment records and pay stubs, bank statements, CRA Notices of Assessment for the past five years, proof of Canadian government benefits, rental agreements, and other reliable records of a life lived in Canada. The 1,095 day figure, explained properly You will see the number 1,095 quoted online as though it were a pass mark. It is not. The binding number is 730 days present in Canada. What IRCC actually says is this: if you spent fewer than 1,095 days outside Canada, the extra supporting documents are not mandatory, although leaving them out may affect how your obligation is assessed. If you spent more than 1,095 days outside Canada, you may count some of that time abroad toward your 730 days, but only in specific situations, and you have to prove it. Treat 1,095 as a documentation trigger, not a threshold you pass or fail. When time abroad counts toward your 730 days Situation What it means What you must prove Qualifying employment abroad You were an employee of, or under contract to, a Canadian business or the public service of Canada, a province or a territory, and were assigned full time outside Canada A detailed employer letter, the assignment or contract records, corporate records, pay statements, tax documents Accompanying a Canadian citizen You were accompanying your Canadian citizen spouse, common law partner, or a parent if you are their child Proof of their citizenship, proof of the relationship, their residential and travel history Accompanying another permanent resident You were accompanying a PR spouse, common law partner or parent who was employed full time abroad by a qualifying Canadian business or public service Proof that they meet their own residency obligation, plus their employment records A note on the third one: the permanent resident you accompanied must themselves comply with the residency obligation. If they do not, their days do not rescue yours. Humanitarian and compassionate grounds If you do not meet the residency obligation, you can ask IRCC to consider your application on humanitarian and compassionate grounds by answering question 5.7 on IMM 5444. There is no fixed document list. Submit evidence of the exceptional circumstances or the factors beyond your control, why the obligation was not met, the hardship that losing status would cause, the effect on family members directly affected, and the best interests of any child directly affected. An officer decides on the evidence in front of them. This is the point at which a licensed representative earns their fee. How to apply Applications go through the Permanent Residence Portal. Not GCKey. Not the IRCC secure account. Those are for linking and tracking afterwards, not for applying. Create or sign in to a PR Portal account. Complete the digital IMM 5444. Complete and upload IMM 5644, the document checklist. It is mandatory, and incomplete applications get returned. Upload your identity, residency and photo documents. Pay the fee through the IRCC online payment service. Note that payment happens outside the portal. Upload the official payment receipt. Sign electronically by typing your full name exactly as it appears in your passport. Submit. Paper is available only as an accommodation, including for accessibility, and you have to request it from IRCC. A representative can prepare your forms and communicate with IRCC through their own account. What they cannot do is open your portal account, sign in with your credentials, or sign for you. IRCC is explicit: you must be the one who types your name and clicks submit. After you submit, you can link the application to an IRCC secure account. It can take up to five days to appear. You get five attempts to link, and five failures locks you out for 24 hours, so enter the details exactly as they appear in the application. What goes in the package The digital IMM 5444. The IMM 5644 checklist. The official IRCC payment receipt. A compliant PR card photo. Proof you meet the residency obligation. A copy of a qualifying primary identity document. A copy of your current PR card. Any representative, name change, gender identifier, H&C or minor child documents that apply. Your primary identity document is a copy of a valid passport or travel document, or the passport you held when you became a PR including the stamped landing page, or a certificate of identity or travel document issued by IRCC or a foreign country. The copy must show the document type and number, the issue and expiry dates, your name, your photo and your date of birth. Photo requirements One digital photo, uploaded through the portal, taken no more than 12 months before you apply. Requirement Detail Format .jpeg or .jpg File size 4 MB or less Dimensions Between 715 x 1000 and 2000 x 2800 pixels Quality Clear and sharp Lighting Uniform, no shadows, glare or flash reflection Background Plain, untextured, white Expression Neutral, mouth closed, eyes open Alterations None. No retouching, no background replacement, no facial editing IRCC does not accept a photo of a paper photo taken with your phone or camera. If you have a professional print, scan it with a professional scanner or a scanner app. Better still, ask the studio for the digital file. Fees Fee Amount PR card renewal or replacement CAD $50 per person Permanent Resident Travel Document CAD $50 per person For almost everyone renewing a PR card, the cost is CAD $50. That is it. Biometrics are a common source of confusion and unnecessary worry. IRCC says most PR card applicants do not need to give biometrics. The exception is narrow: if you were under 14 when IRCC received your original PR application and you are now over 14, you may be asked for them, and the biometrics fee is CAD $85 per person or CAD $170 for a family of two or more. If that does not describe you, biometrics is not part of your renewal and you should not be paying for it. Fees are not refunded once processing begins, and not refunded if the application is refused. PR card renewal processing time IRCC published 34 days for a PR card renewal and 37 days for a new card as of 14 July 2026. These are live figures that move, and IRCC calls them estimates rather than guarantees. Check the IRCC processing times tool for the current number before you plan around it. Then add reality on top. It can take up to 6 weeks beyond the posted processing time for the card to actually reach you in the mail. Urgent processing IRCC allows an urgent request if you need to travel within the next three months because of your own serious illness, the serious illness or death of a family member, work connected to your current job, a job opportunity, a crisis or emergency or vulnerable situation, or the loss or theft of your PR card while you were temporarily outside Canada. Include proof of travel, a letter explaining the urgency, and evidence supporting the reason. In the portal, select "Yes, my request is urgent." Two hard limits. IRCC cannot process a PR card application in less than 3 weeks, no matter what. And urgency is discretionary, so even a strong case does not guarantee the card arrives before you fly. If your flight is sooner than three weeks and you are already outside Canada, the PR card route is closed to you and the PRTD is the answer. The 60 day rule, which almost nobody knows This is the single most important paragraph on this page for anyone with travel plans. Once you apply for a new PR card, your current card stops being valid 60 days after the date IRCC issues the new one. Not 60 days after you receive it. Sixty days after it is issued, which may happen while you are abroad and while the new card sits in a mailbox in Canada. If you leave Canada with your old card and the new one is issued in the meantime, you may find you cannot board a plane home with the card in your pocket. At that point you need a PRTD to return. The safe move is straightforward: do not book international travel in the window between applying and holding the new card in your hand. Common mistakes Applying too early. More than 9 months of validity left and IRCC returns it. Trying to apply from outside Canada. You must be physically in Canada, and IRCC will not mail the card abroad. Assuming an expired card means lost status. It does not. Omitting short trips or same day border crossings from IMM 5444. Declare every absence. Confusing the PR residency obligation with citizenship physical presence. The PR obligation is 730 days in 5 years. Citizenship uses a different calculation entirely. Uploading a phone photo of a printed photo. Treating 1,095 days as a pass or fail line. The number that matters is 730 days present. Paying a biometrics fee you do not owe. Travelling after applying without understanding the 60 day rule. Questions people actually ask Q: Can I renew my PR card from outside Canada? No. You must be physically present in Canada to apply, and IRCC will not deliver a PR card abroad. If you are outside Canada without a valid card, apply for a PRTD to return, then apply for the card once you are home. Q: Do days abroad with my Canadian citizen spouse count toward the 730 days? Yes, if you were accompanying them. You will need to prove their Canadian citizenship, the relationship, and their residential and travel history. Q: Can I renew if I have spent fewer than 730 days in Canada? Only if the time abroad counts under one of the permitted situations, or if you request humanitarian and compassionate consideration. Do not simply apply and hope. Q: My professionally taken photo was rejected. What now? Check the specification rather than the photographer's assurances. It must be a .jpeg or .jpg, 4 MB or less, between 715 x 1000 and 2000 x 2800 pixels, sharp, evenly lit, plain white background, no editing. And it cannot be a phone snapshot of a printed photo. Q: I requested urgent processing and heard nothing. How long does it take? Urgent processing is discretionary and IRCC cannot process a PR card in less than 3 weeks under any circumstances. It also does not guarantee the card will reach you before you travel. Q: I applied two months ago and cannot link the application to my account. Online applications can take up to 5 days to appear for linking, and the details must match the application exactly. You get 5 attempts before a 24 hour lockout. Q: Why trust KGraph? With a 98% success rate, over 10,000 clients served, and a 4.9 Google rating, KGraph Immigration provides expert guidance you can rely on. Most of the costly mistakes here are timing mistakes. Our team can look at your dates before you commit to them.Start Your Free Initial Eligibility Assessment Prepared by KGraph Immigration. Last updated July 2026. General information, not legal advice. Related Articles Your First PR Card After Landing IRCC Secure Account Check Your IRCC Application Status IRCC Photo Specifications Express Entry Service Reviewed by Mathews Benny, RCIC — Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant. This page is updated regularly to reflect current IRCC guidelines. Need help with your PR card renewal? Contact KGraph to speak with a regulated immigration consultant.  

The Permanent Resident card is the official wallet sized document that proves you have permanent resident status in Canada. Most new permanent residents never apply for their first one. IRCC issues it automatically, and the whole thing is free, provided you do two small things inside a 180 day window. Miss that window and the same card costs you CAD $50 and a full application. This page walks through the automatic process, the deadline, the mailing rules, what to do when the card does not arrive, and how to travel before it does. In this guide Who gets a first card automatically Who must submit a separate first card application Fees Address rules Photos Processing time and tracking Travelling before the card arrives Why some cards are valid 5 years and some only 1 Renewing later Common mistakes Questions people actually ask The PR card is a status document and a travel document. It is not what creates your status. You became a permanent resident the moment your landing or virtual confirmation was completed. An expired PR card does not mean you lost PR status. IRCC is explicit: you do not lose permanent resident status when your card expires. Who gets a first card automatically IRCC states it plainly: most people do not need to apply for their first PR card. IRCC automatically sends it if you give them two things within 180 days of becoming a permanent resident: A Canadian mailing address, and An acceptable photograph. If you land at a port of entry, you give your Canadian address to the CBSA officer and IRCC normally uses the photograph attached to your Confirmation of Permanent Residence. If you confirm your status virtually from inside Canada, you supply both through the Permanent Residence Portal. Children who become permanent residents get their own cards. A child is never added to a parent's card, and the fee, when a fee applies, is per person. Two things worth knowing before you start. IRCC warns you not to create your own PR Confirmation Portal account before IRCC invites you, because it can delay processing. And you cannot complete virtual confirmation while outside Canada. The 180 day deadline This is the single most expensive detail on this page. The 180 days runs from the date you became a permanent resident. Not from the day you found an apartment. Not from the day your eCOPR appeared. If IRCC does not have your Canadian mailing address and an acceptable photo inside that window, the automatic card does not come and you have to apply for one, using form IMM 5444 and paying CAD $50. If you land without permanent housing, that is fine and it is common. Give IRCC an address you can actually receive mail at, and then update it the moment you move. IRCC asks you to tell them if you are moving within three weeks or have already moved, and that applies even before the first card has arrived. Who must submit a separate first card application You will need to apply rather than wait if any of these apply to you: You did not give IRCC a Canadian address and photo within 180 days of becoming a permanent resident. Your card was never received and 180 days or more have passed, under the IRCC non receipt process. IRCC asked you to collect the card at an office and you did not collect it within 180 days, after which IRCC may destroy it. You became a permanent resident before June 28, 2002 and were never issued a PR card. IRCC otherwise tells you to apply. Fees Service Fee First PR card, issued automatically when address and photo are given within 180 days Free PR card application, when the automatic card was not issued or a new card is needed CAD $50 per person Permanent Resident Travel Document (PRTD) CAD $50 per person Both $50 figures appear on the IRCC fee schedule. Government fees change. Confirm the amount on the IRCC fee page before you pay. Address rules IRCC mails PR cards only to an address in Canada. The rules are narrow and people trip on them. Rule What IRCC says Canadian address The card is mailed only to a Canadian address. IRCC will not mail it outside Canada. Third party addresses IRCC will not mail the card to a third party. PO boxes Used only where you live in a rural location and mail is not delivered directly to houses. Moving Tell IRCC if you are moving within three weeks or have already moved. Photos For a port of entry landing, IRCC normally uses the photo attached to your COPR and will contact you if it does not meet the PR card standard. For a virtual landing or an online application, the digital photo requirements are specific. Requirement Detail Quantity 1 digital photo Source Taken by a commercial photographer or studio, not on your phone Timing Taken no more than 12 months before you apply Dimensions Between 715 x 1000 and 2000 x 2800 pixels File size 4 MB or less Format .jpeg or .jpg Background Plain white, untextured Appearance Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open, facing the camera, unaltered, natural skin tone Lighting Uniform, with no shadows, glare or flash reflection For a paper application you need 2 identical printed photos, taken within the previous 12 months, finished size 50 mm wide by 70 mm high, with the head measuring between 31 mm and 36 mm from chin to crown, printed on professional photographic paper. One genuine inconsistency to be aware of. The IRCC photo specification says .jpeg or .jpg, but the help section further down that same page, and Guide 5445, both say JPEG or PNG. The formal specification is the safer instruction, so use a JPEG or JPG file and check what the live upload screen accepts. Forms you may need Form What it is IMM 5292 or IMM 5688 Confirmation of Permanent Residence, used to complete landing or confirmation IMM 5444 Application for a Permanent Resident Card or Permanent Resident Travel Document Guide 5445 The instruction guide for PR card applications IMM 5644 PR card document checklist IMM 5451 Solemn Declaration Concerning a Lost, Stolen, Destroyed or Never Received PR Card IMM 5531 with Guide 5530 Request to reissue a PR card when IRCC made an error Guide 5529 The PRTD instruction guide Always download a fresh copy of a form from IRCC. Saved copies go out of date without warning. Processing time and tracking IRCC publishes its PR card processing time as a live figure that changes, so this page does not quote a number. Check the IRCC processing times tool for the current estimate, and remember that IRCC calls it an estimate, not a guarantee. There is no way to track your first PR card. IRCC says so directly. A photo showing as "in review" in the PR Portal is not shipment tracking, and treating it as such is the source of a great deal of unnecessary anxiety. If you submitted a separate PR card application, that is different. IRCC sends an acknowledgement of receipt and you can then check it through Client Application Status or link it to your IRCC secure account. If the card never arrives First, wait properly. IRCC says it can take up to 6 weeks beyond the normal processing time for your card to reach you. Filing a non receipt declaration before that time has passed just adds delay. After that, IRCC splits the situation in two. More than 6 weeks but less than 180 days: complete the solemn declaration, form IMM 5451. IRCC will reissue the card. 180 days or more: you must fill out an application for a new card, complete the section on a lost, stolen, damaged or never received card, and pay the fee. If IRCC finds that its own error caused the non receipt, it refunds the fee. If your card comes back to IRCC as undeliverable, update your Canadian address immediately and then follow whichever of the two routes above applies. A returned card is not automatically remailed. If IRCC asks you to collect the card at an office, bring your passport or travel document and the originals of any documents you submitted copies of. If you do not collect it within 180 days, IRCC may destroy it and you will need a new application and a new fee. If IRCC made a mistake on the card If the card comes back with an IRCC error, a wrong name, wrong date of birth or wrong sex designation, you can have it reissued at no cost. You must request it within 60 days of receiving the card, using form IMM 5531 and Guide 5530. Past 60 days you are back to a full application and the fee. One thing that is not a mistake: a shortened name. PR cards have a 28 character limit, and IRCC will shorten a long name to fit. IRCC says this is not an error and will not reissue the card for it. Travelling before the card arrives This is where new permanent residents get stranded, so read it carefully. To return to Canada on a commercial carrier, an airplane, bus, train or boat, you need a valid PR card together with a valid passport or travel document. Your COPR proves your permanent resident status, but it is not the document a commercial carrier needs to board you. If you are outside Canada without a valid PR card, you normally need a Permanent Resident Travel Document. PRTD essential Detail Where you apply You must already be outside Canada Fee CAD $50 How Normally online through the Permanent Residence Portal Forms IMM 5444, checklist IMM 5644, instruction guide 5529 What it does Lets a permanent resident without a valid card satisfy a commercial carrier Validity Normally issued for the authorised trip. It cannot be valid beyond your passport expiry date The PRTD application assesses your identity, your status and your compliance with the residency obligation. Approval is not automatic just because you hold an eCOPR. Arriving by land in a private vehicle is a different situation. Without a PR card or a PRTD, IRCC says you can travel to Canada only by land in a private vehicle. CBSA officers make the final decision on entry. On urgency, IRCC is blunt. A PR card cannot be processed in less than 3 weeks, no matter how urgent your situation. If you are already outside Canada and your flight back is leaving within the next 5 days, you can request urgent PRTD processing. It is not guaranteed. Why some cards are valid 5 years and some only 1 Most PR cards are valid for 5 years from the date of issue. Section 54 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations sets a 1 year validity instead when, at the time the card is issued, the permanent resident is caught up in unresolved proceedings: a process under paragraph 46(1)(b) of the Act concerning loss of status, a report prepared under subsection 44(1), a removal order made by the Minister under subsection 44(2) where the appeal period is still open or an appeal has not been finally decided, or a 44(1) report referred to the Immigration Division under subsection 44(2). A 1 year card is not a normal first card. It signals an unresolved question about status, admissibility or removal, and it is worth speaking to a licensed representative if you receive one. Renewing later Renew your PR card if it will expire in less than 9 months, or if it has already expired. There is no penalty for holding an expired card while you are inside Canada, but you cannot board a commercial carrier back to Canada with one. Common mistakes Leaving Canada before the card arrives without understanding the PRTD rule. This is the expensive one. Missing the 180 day address and photo deadline, which turns a free automatic card into a CAD $50 application. Reading the PR Portal photo status as shipment tracking. Uploading a phone photo when IRCC requires a commercial photographer or studio. Using an overseas address or a third party address for mailing. Filing IMM 5451 too early, before the normal processing time plus 6 weeks has passed. Waiting past 180 days to report non receipt, after which a free reissue becomes a paid application. Questions people actually ask Q: My PR Portal photo still says "In Review." How long until my card comes? That status is not a tracker. There is no way to track a first PR card. Check the IRCC processing times tool for the current estimate, and treat it as an estimate. Q: IRCC says the card was mailed but it never arrived. Will they resend it, or do I pay again? It depends on timing. Once you are past the normal processing time plus 6 weeks but still under 180 days, file the solemn declaration IMM 5451 and IRCC will reissue the card. At 180 days or more, you file a new application and pay the fee, refunded only if IRCC finds its own error caused the loss. Q: I have my eCOPR and I need to travel. Can I use it to fly back to Canada? No. To board a commercial carrier back to Canada you need a valid PR card with your passport, or a PRTD. The eCOPR proves your status, but it is not the boarding document. Q: Can I apply for a PRTD before I leave Canada, just in case? No. You must already be outside Canada to apply. Q: I landed without a permanent address. What now? Give IRCC an address where you can reliably receive mail, and update it as soon as you move. The 180 day clock is running from the date you became a permanent resident, and IRCC asks to be told if you are moving within three weeks. Q: My name is spelled short on the card. Is that an IRCC error? Probably not. PR cards have a 28 character name limit and IRCC shortens longer names to fit. IRCC does not treat that as a mistake and will not reissue the card for it. Q: Why trust KGraph? With a 98% success rate, over 10,000 clients served, and a 4.9 Google rating, KGraph Immigration provides expert guidance you can rely on. Most of the costly mistakes here are timing mistakes. Our team can look at your dates before you commit to them.Start Your Free Initial Eligibility Assessment Prepared by KGraph Immigration. Last updated July 2026. General information, not legal advice. Related Articles How to Renew Your PR Card Landing at a Canadian Port of Entry Apply for Your SIN Provincial Health Insurance After Landing Getting a Driver's Licence as a Newcomer

A Canadian passport is available only to a Canadian citizen. If you are a permanent resident, your PR card is not a passport and you cannot apply for one yet. Citizenship first, passport second. In this guide Every one of these must be true of your most recent Canadian passport: What disqualifies you from renewal Why renewal is worth qualifying for Guarantors References Photos Child passports Fees How long it takes Supporting forms Common mistakes Questions people actually ask This page covers applying inside Canada. If you are in the United States or another country, the forms and submission steps differ, so use the instructions for your location. One thing before the details: passport and travel document fees increased on 31 March 2026, and they now adjust every year under the Service Fees Act. Anything you read on a blog written before that date is wrong. Which application do you actually need? Choosing the wrong route is the most common way to have an application sent back. Your situation Route Form in Canada You are 16 or older and have never held an adult Canadian passport New adult passport PPTC 153 You have an adult passport and meet EVERY simplified renewal condition Adult renewal PPTC 054 You are 16 or older but do not meet every renewal condition New adult passport PPTC 153 The applicant is 15 or younger New child passport PPTC 155 A child passport has expired New child passport PPTC 155 Always download a fresh form from canada.ca. An outdated form can be rejected. When you can use simplified renewal Every one of these must be true of your most recent Canadian passport: It was an adult passport, issued when you were at least 16. It was issued within 15 years of the date you apply. It was valid for 5 years or 10 years. It shows the same name, date of birth and place of birth you want on the new one. It shows the same gender identifier you want, either printed in the passport or via the X observation sticker. Note what the test is keyed to: the date of ISSUE, not the date of expiry. An expired passport can still qualify for simplified renewal, provided it was issued within the past 15 years and everything else lines up. A lot of people apply for a whole new passport when they did not need to. There is a catch at the other end. If you apply more than a year before your passport expires, the Passport Program will ask why. By mail, you must include a written explanation. And if they are not satisfied with your reason, the application may be refused. What disqualifies you from renewal Your last passport was issued before you turned 16. It was issued more than 15 years ago. It had a validity other than 5 or 10 years. Your name, date of birth, place of birth or gender identifier has changed. It is a child passport. A child passport can never be renewed. Why renewal is worth qualifying for A simplified renewal does not require a guarantor, proof of Canadian citizenship, or a supporting identity document. That is three fewer things to chase. You still need the form, 2 references, 2 compliant photos, your most recent passport details, and the fee. A first adult passport A new adult application needs proof of Canadian citizenship, a supporting identity document, 2 identical photos, a guarantor, and 2 references. If you hold a valid Canadian passport or other Canadian travel document, you submit it too. Proof of citizenship is a Canadian birth certificate or a Canadian citizenship certificate. A paper certificate must be the original. An electronic certificate should be printed and included. Your supporting identity document can be an original or a photocopy. If you use a photocopy, copy both sides and have your guarantor sign and date it. Guarantors Your guarantor must: Be a Canadian citizen aged 18 or over. Have known you for at least 2 years. Have been at least 16 when they applied for their own passport. Hold a 5 year or 10 year Canadian passport that is either valid, or expired by no more than one year. Be available if the Passport Program contacts them. Your guarantor writes on the back of one photo: "I certify this to be a true likeness of" followed by your name, and then signs that same photo. The signature is not optional and people forget it. They also sign and date each photocopy of supporting identity for an adult application. A guarantor cannot charge you money. You also cannot help them complete their part. If you have no guarantor You are not stuck. Contact the Passport Program or visit a passport service location and ask for the Statutory Declaration in Lieu of Guarantor form. It is deliberately not available online. You swear and sign it before a notary public, a justice of the peace, or a commissioner for oaths in Canada. One rule catches almost everyone: the references named on that declaration must be different people from the references on your passport application. References You need 2. Each must be 18 or over, have known you for at least 2 years, agree to be contacted, and be available. Your reference cannot be your guarantor, your spouse, your common law partner, or a family member. A former spouse or former common law partner may qualify. A boyfriend or girlfriend may qualify, provided the relationship is not common law. References do not have to be Canadian citizens. Canada.ca sets no citizenship or residency requirement for a reference, and anyone telling you otherwise is guessing. Photos Hand these rules to a commercial photographer. Non compliant photos get applications refused. Requirement Rule Number 2 identical, unaltered photos Age of photo Taken no more than 6 months before you apply Size 50 mm wide by 70 mm high Face height 31 mm to 36 mm from chin to crown Background Plain white or light coloured Expression Eyes open, mouth closed, facing the camera, no smile, no frown Quality Sharp, evenly lit, no shadow, glare or flash reflection Printing Professionally printed. Home printed photos are rejected Editing None. No filters, no cropping around the head, no background replacement, no AI alteration Glasses Clear glasses allowed if eyes are visible with no glare. Sunglasses and tinted lenses are not Head covering Allowed when worn daily for religious or medical reasons, with the full face visible On the back of one photo the photographer writes or stamps the date taken, the studio name, and the complete address. Stick on labels are not accepted. For a new adult or child application, the guarantor adds the true likeness statement and signs. A renewal needs no signature on the photos. Child passports A child passport is for a Canadian citizen aged 0 to 15 and is valid for a maximum of 5 years. It stays valid to its expiry date even after the child turns 16. You cannot renew it. Ever. Submit a new child application each time until the child is 16, and then use the adult process. Use form PPTC 155. A parent may apply when the parents are not separated or divorced. If they are, the parent with custody or decision making responsibility applies. A legal guardian may apply and must include the relevant legal documents. All parents or guardians should sign, and the Passport Program may contact the others. The applying parent cannot act as guarantor. Another parent or guardian may, if eligible. Fees Passport or service Fee Adult passport, 5 years, age 16 and up CAD $122.50 Adult passport, 10 years, age 16 and up CAD $163.50 Child passport, age 0 to 15 CAD $58.50 Urgent pickup, by end of the next business day CAD $125.75 extra Express pickup at an eligible passport office (2 to 9 business days) See canada.ca for current fee Standard pickup at an eligible passport office (10 or more business days) See canada.ca for current fee Replacing a valid lost or stolen passport CAD $45 extra Express pickup and standard pickup also carry extra charges. We are not printing the amounts, because those two figures could not be confirmed from a readable official source, and we would rather tell you that than guess. Check the live fee page. You cannot pay cash and you cannot use a personal cheque. Two fee details worth knowing. There are no refunds if you cancel, are refused, or receive a shorter validity than you asked for. Only the CAD $25 consular fee on adult applications is refundable. And for a mailed application, the fee owed depends on the date the Passport Program RECEIVES it, not the date you posted it. How long it takes These are service standards under normal conditions, not guarantees. The clock starts when the Passport Program has your completed form, all documents, and payment. Corrections, replacement photos, verification and security checks add time. How you apply Service standard In person at a passport office, or a Service Canada Centre offering 10 day processing 10 business days In person at a regular Service Canada Centre, at an outreach site, by mail, or online 20 business days Urgent pickup at an eligible passport office By the end of the next business day Express pickup at an eligible passport office 2 to 9 business days Mailing time is on top of all of these, including the 10 day standard. Online renewal now exists, though it is available to a limited number of people. It takes 20 business days plus mailing time, it is the only channel you can pay for online, and your current passport is cancelled the moment you apply. Express is not uniformly 2 to 9 days everywhere. Kelowna and Pointe Claire run 4 to 9 business days, and Charlottetown 3 to 9. Urgent and express both require you to apply in person at a passport office that offers the service, and to show proof of the need: a ticket, a paid itinerary, evidence of illness or death requiring travel, or a written explanation. A third party cannot request expedited service on your behalf. Do not finalise travel until you have the passport in your hand. This is the government's own advice. If your name has changed You cannot use simplified renewal to change your name. Apply for a new passport. Include supporting identity in the new name, proof of citizenship in either the old or new name, your current passport if still valid, and a document explaining the change. For a surname change after marriage, separation, divorce or another relationship change, the evidence can be a marriage certificate, a common law relationship certificate, a court order, a certificate dissolving a registered common law relationship, or a resumption of surname certificate. It must show the surname you are requesting and be in English or French. It does not need a guarantor signature. For a legal name change, court order or adoption order, your supporting identity must show the new name. If your citizenship proof still shows the old name, include both it and a legal change document showing the old and new names together. Documents not in English or French need a certified translation. Book travel in the name printed in your passport. A mismatch causes problems at check in and at the border. If your passport is lost or stolen In Canada, call 1 800 567 6868 as soon as you can. If the passport was still VALID, submit form PPTC 203 with your application and pay the regular fee plus the $45 replacement charge. An adult can still use renewal if every renewal condition is met. A child always needs a new child application. If the lost or stolen passport had already EXPIRED, you do not need the special declaration. Apply in the normal way, with no $45 charge. If you are not sure whether it had expired, submit PPTC 203 anyway. The Passport Program may review or investigate the loss before issuing a replacement, and that adds time. Supporting forms Form Purpose PPTC 084 Credit card payment authorisation inside Canada and the United States PPTC 056 Additional address and occupation information PPTC 057 Additional identity documents and references PPTC 203 Declaration for a lost, stolen, inaccessible, damaged or found travel document PPTC 662 Additional information when an adult requires authorised third party assistance PPTC 643 Request concerning the sex or gender identifier, adult 16 or older PPTC 644 Request concerning the sex or gender identifier, child under 16 How much validity do you need to travel? There is no universal rule, and this is where a very popular myth needs killing. You will hear that every country requires 6 months of passport validity beyond your travel date. Canada.ca confirms no such blanket rule. Each country sets its own entry requirements. Check the official entry and exit requirements for every country on your itinerary, including any country you merely transit through, before you book. Common mistakes Using PPTC 054 without meeting every single renewal condition. Trying to renew a child passport. It cannot be done. Applying for a whole new passport when your expired one was issued within the past 15 years and would have qualified for simplified renewal. Submitting an identity photocopy without the guarantor's signature and date. Forgetting the guarantor's signature on the back of the photo, not just the true likeness wording. Choosing a family member as a reference. Forgetting that mailing time sits on top of the service standard. Assuming every country will accept your passport right up to its printed expiry date. Questions people actually ask Q: Can I apply right after my citizenship ceremony? As soon as you have acceptable proof of citizenship to submit. Print an electronic certificate. Submit the original of a paper one. Q: Can the same person be my guarantor and a reference? No. Q: Do my references have to be Canadian citizens? No. Canada.ca sets no citizenship requirement for references. Q: Is there a 10 year passport for children? No. A child passport is valid for a maximum of 5 years. Q: Can I book travel while my application is being processed? The government's advice is not to finalise travel until you have the passport. Q: My passport expired three years ago. Do I need a whole new application? Probably not. Check the issue date. If it was issued within the past 15 years and everything else matches, you can use simplified renewal. Q: Why trust KGraph? With a 98% success rate, over 10,000 clients served, and a 4.9 Google rating, KGraph Immigration provides expert guidance you can rely on. Most of the costly mistakes here are timing mistakes. Our team can look at your dates before you commit to them.Start Your Free Initial Eligibility Assessment Prepared by KGraph Immigration. Last updated July 2026. General information, not legal advice. Related Articles Physical Presence Calculator IRCC Photo Specifications The Citizenship Test Explained Can You Get a Free Passport in Canada? IRCC Secure Account

Almost every Canadian citizenship application that fails on eligibility fails on one number: days. Not tests, not language, not fees. Days. This page explains exactly how IRCC counts your physical presence, how the half day credit works, what the calculator actually does, and why applying with exactly the minimum is a bad idea. In this guide Time outside Canada that still counts Fees What gets an application returned Things people get wrong Questions people actually ask The core rule You must have been physically present in Canada for at least 1,095 days, which is 3 years, during the 5 years immediately before the date you sign your application. That 5 year window is your eligibility period. Two things about it matter enormously. First, it must include at least 730 days as a permanent resident. You cannot build the whole 1,095 out of pre PR time. Second, it does not include time in prison, on parole, on probation, or the time you spent waiting for a decision on a refugee claim. Those days are simply not in the window. The legal basis is section 5 of the Citizenship Act. IRCC anchors the count to the date you sign the application, and the signature date on your form must match the "Application date" in your presence calculation exactly. The half day credit for time before you were a PR This is the part people either miss entirely or over claim. Every day you were physically in Canada as a temporary resident or a protected person, before you became a permanent resident, counts as half a day of physical presence. There is a hard ceiling. You can claim a maximum of 365 days of credited presence this way, which means a maximum of 730 calendar days of pre PR time. Beyond that, extra time gives you nothing. Your status What a day is worth Permanent resident 1 full day Temporary resident before PR (visitor, student, worker, temporary resident permit holder) 0.5 days, capped at 365 credited days Protected person before PR 0.5 days, capped at 365 credited days Crown servant abroad, or the family member of one 1 full day In prison, on parole, or on probation 0 Waiting for a decision on a refugee claim 0 Two details that quietly disqualify people. Your temporary resident status had to be valid. A visitor, student, worker or temporary resident permit holder with valid status counts. Time out of status does not. For protected persons, the clock only starts when your claim or your pre removal risk assessment was approved, and it runs until the day before you became a permanent resident. The months you spent waiting for that decision are not countable. Time outside Canada that still counts There is one real exception. Days you were employed outside Canada as a Crown servant, or days you resided abroad with a Crown servant family member, count as full days of physical presence in Canada. A Crown servant means a person employed in or with the Canadian Armed Forces, the federal public administration, or the public service of a province or territory. It does not include a locally engaged person. Family member means a spouse, common law partner or child. There is a trap attached to this. If your calculation includes Crown servant time abroad, you cannot apply online. You must apply on paper and include form CIT 0177. The calculator itself IRCC provides an online Physical Presence Calculator, and how you use it depends on how you apply. If you apply online, the calculator lives inside your online account and you must use it there. You can run the standalone calculator first to check whether you are likely over 1,095 days, but the in account version is the one that counts. If you apply on paper, you have two options. The recommended one is to fill in the online calculator, print the completed calculation, and include the printout in your application. If you cannot or do not want to use it, fill in and print form CIT 0407, How to Calculate Physical Presence, and include that instead. Either way, a physical presence calculation must be in the package. It is a required document for a paper application, not an optional extra. The travel journal IRCC offers is genuinely optional. You do not need to include it. Keep it for yourself, because reconstructing five years of trips from memory is where the errors come from. Apply with a buffer. IRCC says so itself. IRCC's own words: "We encourage you to apply with more than 1,095 days of living in Canada in case there's a problem with the calculation." Read that again, because it is unusual. The department is telling you not to cut it fine. A forgotten weekend in Buffalo, a misremembered date on a boarding pass, a trip you took before you started counting properly, any of these can drag you under the line, and the consequence is not a polite request to correct it. If you can wait an extra month or two and apply with 1,150 or 1,200 days, do it. The application does not get better by being early. It gets riskier. The other requirements, briefly Physical presence is the hard one, but it is not the only one. Taxes. You may need to have filed your income taxes for at least 3 years within that same 5 year period. IRCC asks both whether you were required to file and whether you actually did. Language. If you are between 18 and 54 on the day you sign the application, you must show adequate knowledge of English or French, at Canadian Language Benchmarks level 4 or higher in speaking and listening. IRCC accepts a range of proof: secondary or post secondary education in English or French, or a test result. Expired test results are accepted for citizenship. One trap: IELTS Academic is not accepted. Only IELTS General Training. The citizenship test. If you are between 18 and 54, you take it. It is 20 questions, multiple choice and true or false, 45 minutes, and you need 15 correct to pass. You get 3 chances. Every question comes from the study guide, Discover Canada. Adults 55 and over do not need to prove language or take the test. Neither do minors under 18. Fees Applicant Fee Adult, 18 and over CAD $653, which includes the processing fee and the right of citizenship fee Minor, under 18 CAD $100, processing fee only Right of citizenship, listed separately CAD $123 If an adult application is refused, IRCC refunds the right of citizenship fee. For a minor's application there is no refund. Do not trust a breakdown of the adult fee you find on a forum. IRCC publishes the $653 total and the separate $123 right of citizenship line. It does not itemise the adult processing component, and neither will we. What gets an application returned IRCC will return your paper application if it arrives more than 90 days after the date on the form, or if it is incomplete. If you send several applications together and even one of them is incomplete, IRCC returns all of them. Before you sign, check that you are still eligible on the day before you sign, that you sign and date the form on the same real day, that you do not backdate or postdate it, that the signature date matches the Application date in your presence calculation, and that you post it promptly. Things people get wrong Assuming marriage to a Canadian shortens the road. It does not. You do not become a citizen by marrying one, and a spouse of a Canadian citizen meets exactly the same requirements as everyone else. Assuming an expired PR card blocks the application. It does not. You can apply for citizenship with a valid or an expired PR card. What does block you is a removal order or unfulfilled conditions attached to your PR status. Claiming more than 365 credited days of pre PR time. The cap is the cap. Counting time out of status as temporary resident time. Only valid status counts. Counting the wait for a refugee decision. It does not count. Only from approval onwards. Forgetting that Crown servant time forces a paper application. Assuming a representative can submit online for you. They cannot. If you want your representative to complete and submit the application for you, you have to apply on paper. Applying with exactly 1,095 days. Questions people actually ask Q: I have 1,096 days. Should I just apply? You can. IRCC still advises against it. One overlooked absence and you are under the line, holding a refusal instead of a citizenship ceremony. Q: Do my student years in Canada count? Half of each day, up to a maximum of 365 credited days, and only for days your student status was valid. Q: I was a refugee claimant for two years before I was approved. Does that count? Not the waiting period. Your countable time as a protected person starts on the day your claim or your PRRA was approved, and runs to the day before you became a permanent resident. Q: Do I have to use IRCC's calculator? If you apply online, yes, the version inside your account. On paper you can use the online calculator and print the result, or complete form CIT 0407. Either way a calculation must be in the package. Q: I am 56. Do I still take the test? No. Adults 55 and over do not take the citizenship test and do not need to prove language ability. Q: Can I use my IELTS Academic result? No. Citizenship accepts IELTS General Training only. Q: Why trust KGraph? With a 98% success rate, over 10,000 clients served, and a 4.9 Google rating, KGraph Immigration provides expert guidance you can rely on. Most of the costly mistakes here are timing mistakes. Our team can look at your dates before you commit to them.Start Your Free Initial Eligibility Assessment Prepared by KGraph Immigration. Last updated July 2026. General information, not legal advice. Related Articles The Citizenship Test Explained The Oath of Citizenship Ceremony How to Apply for a Canadian Passport RCMP Criminal Record Check IRCC Secure Account

Understand Express Entry proof of funds requirements, family size amounts, bank letter details, and important exceptions before you submit your profile.

Language test results are required for many Canadian immigration programs. The correct test, test version, and language level depend on the immigration program and your individual circumstances. Tests Accepted for Express Entry For Express Entry, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, IRCC, currently accepts these language tests: Language Accepted test English CELPIP General English IELTS General Training English PTE Core French TEF Canada French TCF Canada Do not book IELTS Academic, CELPIP General LS, or IELTS One Skill Retake for Express Entry. These are not accepted for Express Entry. Need detailed TCF Canada booking steps? Read How to Book TCF Canada for Canada Immigration. Choose the Correct Test Version Before you book, check the current IRCC language test requirements for your exact immigration program. A test that is accepted for Express Entry may not be the right test for citizenship or another immigration program. For Express Entry, language test results must be less than two years old when you complete your profile and when you submit your permanent residence application. Book Through the Official Provider Book directly through the official test provider or an official test centre. Test fees, availability, result timing, cancellation rules, and centres can change, so do not rely on an older guide or a third party booking service. Official sources: IRCC language test requirements | CELPIP | IELTS | PTE Core | TEF Canada | TCF Canada Not sure which pathway is right for you? Start with a free initial eligibility assessment so KGraph can better understand your immigration goals. This preliminary assessment is not a consultation, legal opinion, confirmation of eligibility, or guarantee of approval. Start Your Free Initial Eligibility Assessment Prepared by KGraph Immigration. Last updated July 2026. General information, not legal advice. Related Articles Book IELTS General Training Book CELPIP Book TEF Canada ECA for Express Entry Express Entry Service How to Book TCF Canada

Your NOC code is the official Canadian occupation code for your job. Your TEER category tells IRCC the general level of training, education, experience and responsibilities connected to that occupation. In this guide What is NOC 2021? What is the TEER system? How is a 5 digit NOC code structured? How do you find your NOC code on the official Government of Canada NOC website? How do you use Job Bank to cross check your NOC? How do you know if your job duties match the NOC? Is there an official percentage of duties that must match? Which TEER levels qualify for Express Entry? Does your NOC or TEER affect CRS points? Can NOC still matter for CRS or invitations? Does TEER affect language requirements? Common mistakes when choosing a NOC Questions people actually ask A practical checklist before choosing your NOC When should you get help choosing a NOC? How KGraph can help For Express Entry, choosing the right NOC is not about picking the best sounding job title. It is about matching your real job duties to the official NOC profile. IRCC expects your work experience to match the NOC lead statement and most of the main duties for that occupation. For the Federal Skilled Worker Program and Canadian Experience Class, your work must usually be in TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3. For the Federal Skilled Trades Program, only specific trade groups are eligible. TEER 4 and TEER 5 work usually cannot be used as qualifying skilled work for Express Entry. Official IRCC NOC page: (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/find-national-occupation-code.html)Official NOC website: (https://noc.esdc.gc.ca/)Official Express Entry eligibility page: (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/who-can-apply.html) What is NOC 2021? NOC means National Occupational Classification. It is Canada’s official system for classifying jobs. IRCC uses the NOC to understand what kind of work you did and whether that work can count for an immigration program. Canada now uses NOC 2021 for Express Entry. NOC 2021 uses 5 digit occupation codes and TEER categories. TEER means Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities. Official sources:IRCC NOC page: (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/find-national-occupation-code.html)Statistics Canada NOC 2021 introduction: (https://www.statcan.gc.ca/en/subjects/standard/noc/2021/introductionV1) What is the TEER system? The TEER system replaced the older NOC “Skill Type 0, Skill Level A, B, C and D” language. There are six TEER categories, from TEER 0 to TEER 5. TEER does not simply mean “good job” or “bad job.” It describes the usual training, education, experience and responsibility level for that occupation. TEER category What it generally means Express Entry note TEER 0 Management occupations Can qualify for Federal Skilled Worker and Canadian Experience Class if all other program requirements are met TEER 1 Occupations that usually require a university degree, or previous experience and expertise from a related TEER 2 occupation Can qualify for Federal Skilled Worker and Canadian Experience Class TEER 2 Occupations that usually require 2 to 3 years of post secondary education, apprenticeship training of 2 to 5 years, supervisory responsibilities, significant safety responsibilities, or several years in a related TEER 3 occupation Can qualify for Federal Skilled Worker and Canadian Experience Class. Some TEER 2 trades may qualify for Federal Skilled Trades TEER 3 Occupations that usually require less than 2 years of post secondary education, apprenticeship training under 2 years, more than 6 months of on the job training, or several years in a related TEER 4 occupation Can qualify for Federal Skilled Worker and Canadian Experience Class. Some TEER 3 trades may qualify for Federal Skilled Trades TEER 4 Occupations that usually require secondary school, several weeks of on the job training, or experience in a related TEER 5 occupation Usually not qualifying skilled work for Express Entry Federal Skilled Worker or Canadian Experience Class TEER 5 Occupations that usually need short work demonstration and no formal education requirement Usually not qualifying skilled work for Express Entry Federal Skilled Worker or Canadian Experience Class Official source: (https://www.statcan.gc.ca/en/subjects/standard/noc/2021/introductionV1) How is a 5 digit NOC code structured? NOC 2021 uses a 5 digit code. Each digit helps place the occupation inside Canada’s occupation system. Part of the NOC code What it shows First digit Broad occupational category Second digit TEER category First and second digits together Major group Third digit Sub major group Fourth digit Minor group Fifth digit Unit group The full 5 digit code is the unit group. This is the occupation code normally used when choosing your NOC for immigration. Official source: (https://www.statcan.gc.ca/en/subjects/standard/noc/2021/introductionV1) How do you find your NOC code on the official Government of Canada NOC website? Use this process before you submit an Express Entry profile or an application. Go to IRCC’s “Find your National Occupational Classification” page(https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/find-national-occupation-code.html) Search your job title in the NOC table on the IRCC page. Write down the possible NOC code, job title and TEER category. Go to the official Government of Canada NOC website(https://noc.esdc.gc.ca/) Make sure you are using NOC 2021 Version 1.0. Search by your job title or by the 5 digit NOC code. Open the NOC profile. Read the lead statement, example titles, main duties, exclusions and employment requirements. Compare the NOC profile with what you actually did in your job. If the duties do not match, do not force the NOC. Search again using another job title or related occupation. IRCC says the NOC table on its page is a reference. If there is a difference, the official NOC website should be treated as the correct source. Official sources:IRCC NOC page: (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/find-national-occupation-code.html)Official NOC website: (https://noc.esdc.gc.ca/) How do you use Job Bank to cross check your NOC? Job Bank can help you understand occupation profiles in plain language. Go to Job Bank’s occupation search page(https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/trend-analysis/search-occupations) Search your job title. Open the closest occupation profile. Check the NOC code shown on the Job Bank profile. Review the job description, duties, related job titles, wages and job requirements. Compare the Job Bank result with the official NOC website profile. Use the official NOC website as the final source if there is any difference. Job Bank is useful for checking related titles and common descriptions, but your final NOC choice should be based on the official NOC profile and your real job duties. Official Job Bank search page: (https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/trend-analysis/search-occupations)Example Job Bank occupation profile: (https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/marketreport/occupation/12536/ca) How do you know if your job duties match the NOC? Your NOC match should be based on what you actually did, not only on your job title. You should check three parts of the official NOC profile. Part of the NOC profile What to check Lead statement This is the general description of the occupation. Your work should fit this description Main duties Your real duties should match most of the main duties listed for the NOC Exclusions These show related occupations that may look similar but belong under a different NOC IRCC’s Express Entry instructions say applicants must show they performed the actions in the lead statement and most of the main duties for the occupation. The current Express Entry Ministerial Instructions use the wording “a substantial number of the main duties, including all of the essential duties.” Official sources:Federal Skilled Worker page: (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/who-can-apply/federal-skilled-workers.html)Canadian Experience Class page: (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/who-can-apply/canadian-experience-class.html)Express Entry Ministerial Instructions: (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/mandate/policies-operational-instructions-agreements/ministerial-instructions/express-entry-application-management-system/current.html) Is there an official percentage of duties that must match? No official percentage was confirmed. You may see people online say that 50 percent, 60 percent, 70 percent or 80 percent of duties must match. Those numbers are not official IRCC rules. The safer way to explain the rule is this: your job should match the lead statement and most of the main duties, including all essential duties where applicable. Do not choose a NOC only because it gives a better immigration result. Choose the NOC that best matches your actual work. Which TEER levels qualify for Express Entry? The answer depends on the Express Entry program. Express Entry program Which NOC or TEER work can qualify Main work experience rule Canadian Experience Class TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 At least 1 year of skilled Canadian work experience, equal to 1,560 hours, in the 3 years before applying Federal Skilled Worker Program TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 At least 1 year of continuous paid work experience in the same NOC as the primary occupation, within the last 10 years Federal Skilled Trades Program Specific trade groups in TEER 2 or 3 At least 2 years of skilled trade work experience, equal to 3,120 hours, within the last 5 years For Federal Skilled Trades, not every TEER 2 or TEER 3 job qualifies. IRCC lists specific eligible trade groups. These include Major Groups 72 excluding Sub Major Group 726, 73, 82, 83, 92, 93 excluding Sub Major Group 932, Minor Group 6320 and Unit Group 62200. Official sources:Express Entry program comparison: (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/who-can-apply.html)Canadian Experience Class: (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/who-can-apply/canadian-experience-class.html)Federal Skilled Worker Program: (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/who-can-apply/federal-skilled-workers.html)Federal Skilled Trades Program: (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/who-can-apply/federal-skilled-trades.html) Does your NOC or TEER affect CRS points? NOC and TEER affect eligibility more directly than CRS points. For example, if your work is TEER 4 or TEER 5, it usually cannot be used as qualifying skilled work for Federal Skilled Worker or Canadian Experience Class. If the work does not qualify, you may not be eligible to enter or remain eligible in the Express Entry pool under that program. But a higher TEER does not automatically mean more CRS points. CRS points are based on factors such as age, education, language, Canadian work experience, foreign work experience, skill transferability, provincial nomination and other official CRS factors. Official CRS criteria: (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/check-score/crs-criteria.html) Can NOC still matter for CRS or invitations? Yes, in some situations. First, your NOC can affect whether your work experience counts at all. If the work does not meet the TEER and duty requirements, you may lose eligibility or points connected to that work experience. Second, some Express Entry category based selection rounds are based on work experience in specific occupations. For those rounds, the exact NOC can matter because IRCC may invite candidates who have qualifying experience in listed occupations. Third, as of March 25, 2025, IRCC removed CRS points for arranged employment job offers. Before that change, some job offers could add 50 or 200 CRS points depending on the job. IRCC now says a valid job offer may still matter for some program requirements, but it no longer gives CRS points. Official sources:CRS criteria: (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/check-score/crs-criteria.html)Category based selection: (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/rounds-invitations/category-based-selection.html)Job offer page: (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/documents/job-offer.html) Does TEER affect language requirements? For Canadian Experience Class, yes. IRCC’s Express Entry program comparison shows different minimum language levels for CEC depending on TEER: CEC job TEER Minimum language level TEER 0 or TEER 1 CLB 7 TEER 2 or TEER 3 CLB 5 Official source: (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/who-can-apply.html) Common mistakes when choosing a NOC Choosing by job title only This is one of the biggest mistakes. Your title may be “coordinator,” “assistant,” “specialist,” “supervisor” or “manager,” but those words alone do not decide your NOC. The official duties matter more. Choosing the NOC with the best TEER instead of the best match Some applicants try to move from TEER 4 to TEER 3, or from a non qualifying occupation to a qualifying one, by choosing a NOC with better immigration value. This is risky if the actual duties do not match. Using the old 4 digit NOC Express Entry now uses NOC 2021 with 5 digit codes and TEER categories. Do not use the old Skill Type 0, Skill Level A or Skill Level B language as your main classification. Assuming all TEER 2 and TEER 3 jobs qualify for Federal Skilled Trades Federal Skilled Trades is limited to specific trade groups. A job being TEER 2 or TEER 3 does not automatically make it eligible for FSTP. Using TEER 4 or TEER 5 work for Express Entry skilled work TEER 4 and TEER 5 work usually cannot be used as qualifying skilled work for Federal Skilled Worker or Canadian Experience Class. Ignoring the exclusions section The exclusions section can show that a similar job belongs in a different NOC. Always check it before finalizing your code. Treating forum percentages as official rules There is no confirmed official percentage of duties that must match. Use IRCC’s wording: lead statement, most main duties and essential duties where applicable. Copying the NOC duties word for word There is no official rule confirmed that copied wording alone causes refusal. But your reference letter should honestly describe what you actually did. If the wording looks forced or does not reflect your real role, it can create problems. Assuming wage decides the NOC Wage can be useful context, especially on Job Bank, but no official Express Entry rule was confirmed that a specific wage automatically proves a NOC. The NOC choice should be based on the real duties and official NOC profile. Questions people actually ask Q: My job title is TEER 4, but my duties look like TEER 3. Can I choose TEER 3? Possibly, but only if the TEER 3 NOC genuinely matches your actual work. You should not rewrite or stretch your duties just to make the job qualify. IRCC looks at whether your work matches the lead statement and main duties of the NOC. Q: Does IRCC look at my job title or my job duties? Your job duties are central. Your job title can help, but it is not enough by itself. The title should make sense with the duties, but the NOC match should be based on the lead statement and main duties. Q: How many NOC duties must match? There is no official percentage. The official wording is most main duties, and the Express Entry Ministerial Instructions refer to a substantial number of the main duties, including all essential duties. Q: Can I copy the duties from the NOC website into my reference letter? Your reference letter should describe your real work. It is normal for some wording to be similar if the NOC is correct, but copying duties without reflecting your actual role can be risky. Q: What if my employer will not include enough duties in the reference letter? This is a common problem. Your work experience letter should support the NOC you are claiming. If the letter does not clearly show the lead statement and most main duties, the officer may not be satisfied that the work matches the NOC. Q: Do I need to meet the employment requirements listed in the NOC? This depends on the program and the occupation. For Federal Skilled Trades, IRCC specifically says you must meet the job requirements for that skilled trade as set out in the NOC, except for needing a certificate of qualification. Q: Can I use more than one NOC in Express Entry? You may have work experience in more than one NOC. But for Federal Skilled Worker, your primary occupation must meet the program’s work experience rules, including at least 1 year of continuous paid work in the same NOC within the last 10 years. Q: If my NOC is TEER 3, can I still use it for Express Entry? Yes, TEER 3 can qualify for Federal Skilled Worker and Canadian Experience Class if all other program requirements are met. For Federal Skilled Trades, the occupation must also be in one of the eligible trade groups listed by IRCC. Official source: (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/who-can-apply.html) Q: Does a manager NOC work if I am not officially a manager? Only if the duties and responsibilities genuinely match that manager NOC. A title like “manager” is not enough. At the same time, not having the word “manager” in your title does not automatically disqualify you if the actual duties match. A practical checklist before choosing your NOC Before you finalize your NOC, ask yourself: Am I using a 5 digit NOC 2021 code? Did I confirm the code on the official NOC website? Does my job fit the lead statement? Do my real duties match most of the main duties? Did I check the exclusions section? Is the TEER level eligible for my Express Entry program? Does my reference letter support the NOC I selected? Am I choosing this NOC because it is accurate, not because it gives a better result? Did I avoid relying on unofficial duty match percentages? Did I check whether my occupation may be relevant to category based selection? When should you get help choosing a NOC? You should be extra careful if: Your job title and duties point to different NOCs. Your role is close to TEER 3 or TEER 4. Your employer uses a generic title. You have duties from more than one occupation. Your reference letter is short or vague. You are relying on a manager or supervisor NOC. You are applying under a category based selection occupation. Your job is regulated, trade based or highly technical. A wrong NOC can affect eligibility, CRS points connected to work experience, category based selection and the strength of your application documents. How KGraph can help KGraph Immigration can review your job duties, reference letter and Express Entry strategy to help identify whether your selected NOC and TEER category are consistent with official requirements. KGraph is a licensed Canadian immigration and study abroad consultancy led by Mathews Benny, RCIC and CAPIC member. Toronto and Scarborough WhatsApp: +1 416 989 7788Mississauga WhatsApp: +1 905 516 7920Kitchener WhatsApp: +1 226 753 5747Kochi, India WhatsApp: +91 94470 05776Email: info@kgraph.caEligibility check: (https://kgraph.ca/eligibility-check) Start Your Free Initial Eligibility Assessment Last verified July 2026. Reviewed by an RCIC. General information, not legal advice. Prepared by KGraph Immigration Consultants. This guide is for informational purposes only. For personalized immigration advice, consult a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC). Related Articles Express Entry Service Jobs in Demand for Canada Express Entry Category-Based Selection LMIA Service Immigration for Tech Professionals

To create an Express Entry profile, you need to confirm that you may qualify under at least one of the three Express Entry programs, gather your language test result, ECA if you are using foreign education, NOC and TEER details, passport information, and proof of funds if your program requires it, then complete the profile through your IRCC secure account. In this guide What is an Express Entry profile? Which Express Entry program should you qualify under? What do you need before you start? Which language tests are accepted for Express Entry? What are the minimum language levels? Do you need an ECA before creating the profile? How do you find your NOC and TEER? How much proof of funds do you need? What counts as proof of funds? How do you create the profile online? What happens after you submit? How long is an Express Entry profile valid? What if your situation changes after you enter the pool? What happens if you get an invitation to apply? Common mistakes when creating an Express Entry profile Questions people actually ask Should you create the profile yourself or get help? An Express Entry profile is not a permanent residence application. It is the online profile IRCC uses to decide whether you can enter the Express Entry pool. If IRCC finds you eligible, your profile enters the pool, you receive a CRS score, and you wait for a round of invitations. Creating a profile or entering the pool does not guarantee an invitation to apply. Official source: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/create-profile.html What is an Express Entry profile? Express Entry is the online system Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada uses to manage applications for three federal economic immigration programs. Program Who it is for Official source Canadian Experience Class Skilled workers with eligible Canadian work experience https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/who-can-apply.html Federal Skilled Worker Program Skilled workers with eligible foreign or Canadian work experience https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/who-can-apply.html Federal Skilled Trades Program Skilled workers qualified in a skilled trade https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/who-can-apply.html Your profile tells IRCC about your age, education, language ability, work experience, family details, NOC, TEER, settlement funds, job offer if any, and other factors that may affect eligibility and ranking. Official source: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/create-profile.html Which Express Entry program should you qualify under? You do not choose the program manually after you submit your profile. IRCC uses the answers in your profile to decide which Express Entry program or programs you appear to qualify for. If you qualify for more than one program, IRCC says invitations are issued in this order: Canadian Experience Class, then Federal Skilled Worker Program, then Federal Skilled Trades Program. Official source: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/create-profile.html Program Key minimum points to understand before creating the profile Official source Canadian Experience Class You need at least 1 year of eligible skilled Canadian work experience, or 1,560 hours, gained in Canada within the 3 years before you apply. The work must be in NOC TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3, paid, authorized, and performed while you had temporary resident status. Self employment and work gained while you were a full time student usually do not count. https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/who-can-apply/canadian-experience-class.html Federal Skilled Worker Program You need at least 1 year of continuous paid skilled work experience, or 1,560 hours, in the same NOC as your primary occupation, within the last 10 years. The work must be in TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3. You also need CLB 7 in English or French and must score at least 67 out of 100 on the Federal Skilled Worker selection grid. https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/who-can-apply/federal-skilled-workers.html Federal Skilled Trades Program You need at least 2 years of full time work experience, or 3,120 hours, in an eligible skilled trade within the 5 years before you apply. You must also have either a valid full time job offer for at least 1 year, or a certificate of qualification from a Canadian provincial, territorial, or federal authority. https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/who-can-apply/federal-skilled-trades.html What do you need before you start? Prepare these details before you open the profile. Some items are needed to submit the profile. Some are needed later if you receive an invitation to apply. Item Why it matters Official source Passport or travel document IRCC says you may need information from your passport or travel document. If your passport will expire within 6 months from the day you apply, IRCC recommends renewing it. https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/documents.html Language test result You must take an IRCC approved language test and enter the test result details in your Express Entry profile. https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/documents/language-test.html ECA for foreign education If you completed education outside Canada, you need an Educational Credential Assessment for immigration purposes if you are applying through the Federal Skilled Worker Program as a principal applicant, or if you want CRS points for foreign education. https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/documents/education-assessment.html NOC code and TEER category IRCC uses the 2021 National Occupational Classification to identify and categorize jobs by TEER category. Your NOC must match the work you are claiming. https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/find-national-occupation-code.html Proof of funds amount Federal Skilled Worker and Federal Skilled Trades candidates usually need proof of settlement funds, unless an IRCC exception applies. Canadian Experience Class candidates do not need proof of funds. https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/documents/proof-funds.html Job offer details, if you have one A valid job offer may still matter for program eligibility, even though IRCC removed CRS job offer points on March 25, 2025. https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/documents/job-offer.html Personal reference code, if you used Come to Canada If you used IRCC’s Come to Canada tool, the personal reference code transfers some answers into your profile. IRCC says the code expires 60 days after you get it. https://ircc.canada.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.asp?qnum=830 Which language tests are accepted for Express Entry? IRCC accepts specific language tests for Express Entry. You must enter the test result details in your profile, including the test result form or certificate number and PIN if the system asks for it. Official source: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/documents/language-test.html Language Accepted tests listed by IRCC Important note English CELPIP General, IELTS General Training, PTE Core IRCC says IELTS One Skill Retake is not accepted for Express Entry. PTE must be PTE Core. French TEF Canada, TCF Canada French results are measured against NCLC levels. Your language results must be less than 2 years old when you complete your Express Entry profile and when you submit your permanent residence application. IRCC says an application will be refused if language results expire before you apply for permanent residence. Official source: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/documents/language-test.html What are the minimum language levels? Program Minimum language level Official source Canadian Experience Class, TEER 0 or TEER 1 work CLB 7 or NCLC 7 in each ability https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/documents/language-test.html Canadian Experience Class, TEER 2 or TEER 3 work CLB 5 or NCLC 5 in each ability https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/documents/language-test.html Federal Skilled Worker Program CLB 7 or NCLC 7 in the first official language https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/documents/language-test.html Federal Skilled Trades Program CLB 5 or NCLC 5 for speaking and listening, and CLB 4 or NCLC 4 for reading and writing https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/documents/language-test.html Do you need an ECA before creating the profile? You need an ECA if you completed education outside Canada and you want that education to count for Express Entry. IRCC says you need an ECA for immigration purposes if you are applying as a principal applicant under the Federal Skilled Worker Program, or if you want points for foreign education. You do not need an ECA for a Canadian degree, diploma, or certificate. If you want points for 2 or more credentials, IRCC says you need an assessment for each credential, and at least one of those credentials must be for 3 or more years of study. An ECA must be less than 5 years old when you complete your Express Entry profile and when you submit your permanent residence application. Official source: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/documents/education-assessment.html How do you find your NOC and TEER? Your NOC is not just a job title. IRCC says it uses the 2021 National Occupational Classification to identify and categorize occupations by TEER category. You should search the official NOC website, choose NOC 2021, find the closest match, and write down the numeric code, job title, and TEER. The job duties matter. If your title sounds close but the lead statement and main duties do not match your actual work, the NOC may be wrong. Official source: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/find-national-occupation-code.html How much proof of funds do you need? IRCC says the proof of funds amounts are updated every year based on 50 percent of the low income cut off totals. These numbers must be confirmed again before publishing and again before a client submits a profile. Current official source checked: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/documents/proof-funds.html Family size Funds required in Canadian dollars 1 $15,263 2 $19,001 3 $23,360 4 $28,362 5 $32,168 6 $36,280 7 $40,392 Each additional family member $4,112 Your family size includes you, your spouse or common law partner, your dependent children, and your spouse or common law partner’s dependent children. IRCC says you must include your spouse or partner and dependent children even if they are Canadian citizens or permanent residents, and even if they are not coming to Canada with you. You usually need proof of funds for the Federal Skilled Worker Program and the Federal Skilled Trades Program. IRCC says you do not need proof of funds if you are applying under the Canadian Experience Class, or if you are authorized to work in Canada and have a valid job offer, even if you are applying under FSWP or FSTP. Important: the Express Entry system may still ask for proof of funds documents after you receive an invitation. If proof of funds does not apply to you, IRCC says you must upload a letter explaining that you were invited under CEC or that you have both a valid job offer and authorization to work in Canada. Official source: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/documents/proof-funds.html What counts as proof of funds? IRCC says the funds must be available when you apply and when a permanent resident visa is issued. You must be able to legally access the money. IRCC says you cannot use equity on real property and you cannot borrow the money from another person. If your spouse is coming with you, IRCC says you may count money held in a joint account. You may also count money in an account under your spouse’s name only, if you prove you can access the money. For proof, IRCC requires official letters from banks or financial institutions. The letters must be printed on the financial institution’s letterhead and include contact information, your name, outstanding debts such as credit card debts and loans, and for each account, the account number, date opened, current balance, and average balance for the past 6 months. Official source: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/documents/proof-funds.html How do you create the profile online? You create the Express Entry profile through your IRCC secure account. Official account page: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/account.html 1Step 1: Prepare your documents and numbers Before you sign in, gather your passport, language test result, ECA report number if using foreign education, NOC and TEER, work history dates, education dates, family details, settlement funds amount if required, and job offer details if you have a valid job offer. Official source: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/documents.html 2Step 2: Sign in to your IRCC secure account IRCC lists two sign in options for the secure account. Sign in option What it means Official source GCKey A Government of Canada username and password. IRCC says anyone in any country can sign up for GCKey. https://www.canada.ca/en/government/sign-in-online-account/gckey.html Canadian Interac Sign In Partner A sign in option using participating Canadian online banking credentials. https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/account.html IRCC says you should use the same sign in option every time because the option is tied to your account and profile. Official source: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/account.html 3Step 3: Create or access your account If you use GCKey, create a username, password, recovery questions, and recovery email. After creating the GCKey credentials, you still need to register for the IRCC service account. Official source: https://www.canada.ca/en/government/sign-in-online-account/gckey.html 4Step 4: Start the Express Entry profile Inside the IRCC secure account, start the Express Entry profile. If you used the Come to Canada tool, enter your personal reference code when asked. If you did not use the tool, continue by answering the questions directly in your account. Official source: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/create-profile.html 5Step 5: Enter your personal details Enter the details requested by the online profile. This normally includes personal information, family details, education, language test results, work history, NOC, TEER, settlement funds if required, job offer details if applicable, and other eligibility information. IRCC says you can exit the profile at any time and your information will be saved. IRCC also says dependent children are not asked about until after you are invited to apply. Official source: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/create-profile.html 6Step 6: Submit within 60 days IRCC gives you 60 days to complete and submit the Express Entry profile. If you do not complete and submit it within 60 days, you must start again. Official source: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/create-profile.html 7Step 7: Review carefully before submitting Before submitting, check every date, NOC, TEER, language score, ECA number, funds amount, marital status, and work history answer. IRCC warns that giving false information or leaving out important details can lead to refusal, a finding of inadmissibility, and a 5 year ban from applying to come to Canada for any reason. Official source: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/create-profile.html What happens after you submit? If IRCC finds that you are eligible for at least one Express Entry program, your profile is placed in the pool. IRCC gives your profile a Comprehensive Ranking System score and ranks you against other candidates in the pool. IRCC uses the CRS to assess, score, and rank profiles. Rounds of invitations are held, and IRCC says it invites top candidates from the pool. IRCC’s rounds page says rounds happen about every 2 weeks, but the program, category, number of invitations, and CRS cut off can vary. Official sources: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/create-profile.html | https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/mandate/policies-operational-instructions-agreements/ministerial-instructions/express-entry-rounds.html How long is an Express Entry profile valid? If you are not invited to apply within 12 months of submitting your Express Entry profile, IRCC says the profile automatically expires and is removed from the system. You can create a new profile after expiry. If your profile is about to expire, IRCC suggests printing screenshots to make re entering the information easier. IRCC says not to create a new profile until the existing one expires. If you create a new one before expiry, you need to withdraw the existing profile first. Official source: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/apply-permanent-residence.html What if your situation changes after you enter the pool? Update your Express Entry profile if your situation changes. IRCC gives examples such as a change in career, gaining or losing a job offer, a change in language test results, marital status changes, or having a new child. Your profile can become ineligible while in the pool if your work experience no longer meets requirements, your language test expires, your ECA expires, you no longer have enough proof of funds, or you change your primary occupation. Official source: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/create-profile.html What happens if you get an invitation to apply? If you receive an invitation to apply for permanent residence, IRCC sends a message in your account telling you which program you were invited under and what to do next. The invitation is valid for 60 days only. After an invitation, you complete the permanent residence application, upload the documents in your personalized checklist, and pay the required fees in your account. IRCC says a profile alone does not count as applying for Express Entry. You only answer yes to having applied for Express Entry before if you submitted an electronic permanent residence application. Common documents after invitation can include the documents used for your profile, police certificates, proof of funds, birth certificates for dependent children, Use of a Representative form IMM 5476 if you hired a representative, common law union form IMM 5409 if you declared common law status, marriage certificate if married, divorce documents if divorced, death certificate if widowed, and adoption certificate if a dependent child is listed as adopted. Official source: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/apply-permanent-residence.html Common mistakes when creating an Express Entry profile Mistake 1: Creating the profile before language results are ready You need valid language test results to complete the profile. The results must still be valid when you apply for permanent residence. Language tests expire after 2 years for Express Entry purposes. Official source: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/documents/language-test.html Mistake 2: Using the wrong IELTS test IRCC accepts IELTS General Training for Express Entry. IELTS Academic is not listed as an accepted Express Entry test. IRCC also says IELTS One Skill Retake is not accepted for Express Entry. Official source: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/documents/language-test.html Mistake 3: Forgetting that foreign education needs an ECA for points A foreign credential does not automatically give CRS education points. IRCC says you need an ECA for immigration purposes if you want points for foreign education, or if you need it for Federal Skilled Worker eligibility as the principal applicant. Official source: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/documents/education-assessment.html Mistake 4: Picking a NOC by job title only IRCC uses the NOC to categorize work by TEER. A job title alone is not enough. The NOC must match the actual duties and job requirements of your work. Official source: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/find-national-occupation-code.html Mistake 5: Misunderstanding proof of funds CEC candidates do not need proof of funds. FSWP and FSTP candidates usually do, unless they are authorized to work in Canada and have a valid job offer. IRCC may still ask for a proof of funds document upload after invitation, and if you are exempt, you must upload an explanation letter. Official source: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/documents/proof-funds.html Mistake 6: Assuming a job offer still gives CRS points IRCC removed CRS points for job offers on March 25, 2025. A valid job offer can still matter for eligibility under some programs or streams, but it does not add CRS points under the current IRCC rule. Official source: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/documents/job-offer.html Mistake 7: Letting someone else control your sign in If a representative helps you, make sure you understand what is being submitted and keep access to your own information. IRCC lists IMM 5476 Use of a Representative as the form used if you hire a representative after invitation. A consultant should not leave you unable to see what was submitted. Official source: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/apply-permanent-residence.html Mistake 8: Leaving out important information IRCC warns that false information or missing important details can lead to refusal, inadmissibility, and a 5 year ban. Do not try to hide jobs, refusals, family changes, marital changes, or other material information. Official source: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/create-profile.html Questions people actually ask Q: Can I create an Express Entry profile before I complete 1 year of Canadian work experience? People often ask this when they are close to reaching 1,560 hours for Canadian Experience Class. The safer point is to create the profile only when the work experience you are claiming meets the program requirement. For CEC, IRCC requires at least 1 year of eligible skilled Canadian work experience, equal to 1,560 hours, within the 3 years before applying. Community source:  Official source: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/who-can-apply/canadian-experience-class.html Q: Do I need anything else before creating the profile if I already have CELPIP, WES, CRS estimate, and a reference code? You should also confirm your NOC and TEER, passport details, work dates, proof of funds requirement, job offer details if any, and whether your ECA and language results are valid for Express Entry. A CRS estimate is not the same as eligibility, and the online profile must still be submitted through your IRCC secure account. Community source:  Official sources: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/documents.html | https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/create-profile.html Q: Should I list all my work history or only the jobs I am claiming CRS points for? People ask this often because they worry about reference letters. At the profile stage, enter the information truthfully and consistently. After invitation, IRCC gives a personalized document checklist. For the permanent residence application, IRCC says the documents are used to check if you meet the program requirements, and the application can be refused or rejected if required documents are missing. Community sources:  | https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/threads/ee-profile-include-all-work-history-or-only-work-for-which-i-can-claim-points.606508/ Official source: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/apply-permanent-residence.html Q: Do I need reference letters for every job? The online profile is based on information you enter. If you receive an invitation, the document checklist tells you what to upload. For work experience you rely on to meet eligibility or claim CRS points, you should expect to document it properly if requested. Community source:  Official source: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/apply-permanent-residence.html Q: Can I use multiple NOC codes in one profile? Yes, your work history can include more than one occupation if that is true. For Federal Skilled Worker eligibility, IRCC requires at least 1 year of continuous paid skilled work in the same NOC as your primary occupation. That is why the primary NOC must be chosen carefully. Community source:  Official source: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/who-can-apply/federal-skilled-workers.html Q: Why did my profile become ineligible? Common reasons include expired language results, expired ECA, work experience that no longer meets the program requirements, not enough proof of funds, or a changed primary occupation. IRCC lists these as reasons a profile may become ineligible while in the pool. Community source: https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/threads/ineligible-express-entry-profile.804350/ Official source: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/create-profile.html Q: Can I create a new profile after my old one expires? Yes. IRCC says if you are not invited within 12 months, your profile automatically expires and is removed from the system. You can create a new profile. If your current profile has not expired yet, IRCC says not to create a new one unless you withdraw the existing profile first. Community sources:  | https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/threads/how-can-i-recreate-express-entry-profile-after-it-has-been-expired.438295/ Official source: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/apply-permanent-residence.html Q: Do I upload documents when I create the Express Entry profile? Usually, the profile stage asks you to enter information. If you receive an invitation, IRCC gives you a personalized document checklist and you upload documents for the permanent residence application. Community source: https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/threads/have-a-valid-offer-do-i-still-need-to-register-for-job-bank.488286/ Official source: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/apply-permanent-residence.html Q: Does my spouse need work reference letters? Spouse details can affect CRS in some situations. If work history is entered and the checklist asks for documents, you need to follow the checklist. Be careful not to enter work history only because it looks better. Enter accurate information and understand whether it actually affects your score or eligibility. Community sources: https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/threads/spouse-work-experience-letters-questions.389002/ | https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/threads/do-i-need-to-submit-foreign-work-experience-documents-for-spouse-in-ee-after-ita.730024/ Official source: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/apply-permanent-residence.html Q: Why is my CRS calculator score different from my profile score? The CRS calculator is only as accurate as the answers entered. The actual profile score depends on IRCC’s system and the details in your submitted profile, including language, ECA, work experience, spouse factors, job offer rules, and eligibility. If the profile shows 0 or ineligible, review the program requirements first. Community source: https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/threads/express-entry-profile-overall-score-0.693158/ Official source: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/check-score.html Should you create the profile yourself or get help? You can create your own Express Entry profile through your IRCC secure account. The hard part is not just clicking through the online form. The hard part is making sure your program eligibility, NOC, TEER, ECA, language results, proof of funds, work history, and family details are entered correctly before you submit. KGraph can help review your eligibility, identify the right NOC and TEER, prepare your profile strategy, and avoid avoidable mistakes before you enter the pool. Start Your Free Initial Eligibility Assessment Last verified July 2026. Reviewed by an RCIC. General information, not legal advice. Prepared by KGraph Immigration Consultants. This guide is for informational purposes only. For personalized immigration advice, consult a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC). Related Articles How Express Entry Draws Work How the CRS Score Is Calculated ECA for Express Entry Express Entry Proof of Funds Express Entry Service

If IRCC has asked you for a Canadian criminal record check, you need a fingerprint based check processed by the RCMP. Not the quick name based check your employer runs. Not a vulnerable sector check. This page explains exactly which one, how to get it, what it costs (less than you think, and possibly nothing), and the mistakes that get applications rejected. In this guide Two kinds of check, and only one of them counts Police certificates from outside Canada Three clarifications that save people a great deal of unnecessary work: Validity How to get the RCMP check, step by step What it costs How long it takes Common mistakes Questions people actually ask Two kinds of check, and only one of them counts A name based criminal record check compares your name and date of birth against the Canadian Police Information Centre. It is fast, and for most everyday purposes it is enough. A certified criminal record check, which the RCMP also calls a fingerprint based check, uses your actual fingerprints. In the RCMP's words, fingerprints are "the most accurate way to confirm a person's identity. They ensure that individuals cannot evade their criminal past, and protect individuals from being falsely associated with a criminal record that is not theirs." For immigration, the fingerprint route is the one that matters. IRCC's instruction is unambiguous: fingerprints must be submitted electronically to Canadian Criminal Real Time Identification Services (CCRTIS). Paper submissions will not be processed and will be sent back to you. Being asked for fingerprints does not mean anyone suspects you of anything. The RCMP says so directly, and adds that the prints are used only for the record check and are destroyed afterwards. When IRCC actually asks for it Here is something most people do not realise. You do not need to supply a Canadian criminal record check when you first apply for permanent residence. IRCC's own words: "You don't need to provide a police certificate when you apply for permanent residence in Canada. We'll tell you if you need a Canadian criminal record check while your application is being processed." So wait to be asked, then move quickly. Police certificates from other countries are a different story entirely. Those you do need upfront. Police certificates from outside Canada For Express Entry, IRCC's system will ask for a police certificate for you and every family member aged 18 or older, from every country you stayed in during the last 10 years for six months in a row or longer. Three clarifications that save people a great deal of unnecessary work: Time before you turned 18 does not count. A stay of eight months in the United States at age 16 does not trigger a certificate. Time more than 10 years ago does not count. Seven months in Turkey twenty years ago does not trigger one. Several short stays do not add up. Four month study periods in Spain, repeated, are not "six months in a row." The system will not ask, though an officer still might later. If that is you, consider getting the certificate anyway. And you never need a police certificate for time spent in Canada as part of that list. Validity For the country where you currently live, the certificate must be issued no more than six months before you submit your application. For any other country, it must be issued after the last time you lived there for six consecutive months or longer since you turned 18. An expiry date printed on it does not automatically disqualify it, provided it meets that test and is not for your current country. IRCC can ask for updated documents at any point during processing. Upload scanned colour copies of the originals. Certified true copies and unauthorised copies are not accepted and will get your application rejected. How to get the RCMP check, step by step If you are inside Canada Go to either your local police service or an RCMP accredited fingerprinting company. Both can take your prints and submit a certified criminal record check. Some police services will simply point you to an accredited company. Fine. Use the RCMP's list of accredited companies, which is updated at the start of every month. Your prints are submitted electronically to CCRTIS and checked against the National Repository of Criminal Records. The result is mailed to the address you provide. If you are outside Canada This is where people get stuck, because electronic submission is not available from outside Canada. There is a two step route. Step one. Get a paper copy of your fingerprints from an authorised agency where you are: a police service, a foreign government embassy or consulate (not a Canadian one), a government department, a notary public, or a foreign fingerprinting company that has an arrangement with an accredited Canadian company or a Canadian police service. The paper copy must show all ten fingers in black ink, the name and address of the agency, and the signature and name of the official who took them. Step two. Contact an accredited fingerprinting company in Canada. They digitise your paper prints and submit them to CCRTIS electronically on your behalf. Do not mail your fingerprints or your application directly to the RCMP. The RCMP says plainly that it will not be accepted. One exception worth knowing: if you are applying for citizenship, your fingerprints must be collected inside Canada. What it costs Fee Amount RCMP federal processing fee CAD $25 per check Local police or accredited company fee Set by them. The RCMP publishes no figure, no range and no cap Now the part almost nobody knows. The $25 federal fee is WAIVED if you are applying to immigrate to Canada, or applying for Canadian citizenship, or applying to do volunteer work in Canada. But it IS charged if you are sponsoring a family member to come to Canada, or if you are travelling and need a visa, a United States entry waiver, or a border crossing document. Read that twice. The immigrant does not pay the federal fee. The sponsor does. You will still pay whatever the police service or accredited company charges to take and submit your prints, and that is separate. The RCMP does not publish those prices, and anyone quoting you a single all in national figure is guessing. Ask your provider directly. How long it takes The RCMP publishes times for electronic submissions only. Outcome RCMP processing time No match to a criminal record 3 business days or less A possible match, or manual processing is involved 120 business days That is a gap of roughly six months between the best and worst case, and you do not get to choose which one applies to you. Add Canada Post delivery on top, because results are mailed. The RCMP's own advice is the right advice: plan ahead. If your Express Entry profile is in the pool, start on your police certificates now rather than after an invitation lands. If the RCMP is running slow, IRCC has your back on this one. Because of high demand, IRCC automatically extends the deadline to provide a criminal record check by 30 days. You do not need to contact IRCC or the RCMP to get that extension. The 60 day problem, and what to do about it An invitation to apply gives you 60 days. A police certificate can take 120 business days. The arithmetic does not work, and IRCC knows it. If you cannot get a certificate in time, submit a letter of explanation plus proof that you made your best effort. Acceptable proof includes a confirmation receipt, a payment receipt, a delivery notice, a tracking number, or a written explanation from the issuing agency about the delay. An officer decides whether your effort was genuine. If they are not satisfied, the application can be rejected as incomplete. So keep every receipt and every tracking number. Some countries only issue a police certificate when IRCC formally requests one. If that is your country, upload a document in the police certificate field that says: "I am applying from a country that requires an official request letter from IRCC to get a police certificate." IRCC will then tell you what to do. The vulnerable sector check is not what you need A vulnerable sector check is a police information check plus a search for record suspensions relating to sexual offences. It exists to protect children and vulnerable people, and it is tied to a specific position of trust or authority. Three things follow from that, and they matter. The organisation must request it. You consent, but you do not request it yourself. It must be done by your local police service. Accredited private fingerprinting companies do not provide them. It is an offence to conduct one when the position does not meet the legal requirements. IRCC names the document it wants: a criminal record check. That is what to ask for. Do not walk into a police station and request a vulnerable sector check for an immigration file. If you have a criminal record If you were convicted in Canada, a record suspension from the Parole Board of Canada removes the record from CPIC. IRCC is explicit: "If you get a Canadian record suspension, you will no longer be inadmissible." Understand its limits, though. A record suspension does not erase the conviction, it sets it aside. It does not guarantee entry to any other country. It is flagged in CPIC for former sexual offenders. And it can be revoked if you are convicted again, are found not to be of good conduct, or made a false statement when you applied for it. If your conviction and pardon are from another country, do not assume it carries over. Check with the visa office serving your region. It will tell you whether that pardon is recognised in Canada. Separately, IRCC has two rehabilitation routes for convictions abroad. Deemed rehabilitation applies when enough time has passed and the equivalent Canadian offence carries a maximum prison term of less than 10 years. Individual rehabilitation requires at least five years since the end of your sentence, including probation, and IRCC warns those applications can take over a year. This is the point in the process where a licensed representative is worth the money. Criminal inadmissibility is not a form filling problem. One more thing that surprises people. For permanent residence and citizenship checks, the RCMP releases not just convictions but outstanding charges and non conviction information. A charge that never led to a conviction can still appear. Common mistakes Mailing prints or the application straight to the RCMP. It will not be accepted. Submitting on paper. IRCC will send it back unprocessed. Assuming you can submit electronically from abroad. You cannot. Ink prints must be digitised by an accredited Canadian company. Uploading a photocopy or a certified true copy of a police certificate. Colour scans of the original only, or your application gets rejected. Confusing these fingerprints with IRCC biometrics. They are two different things for two different purposes. Waiting for the invitation before starting. With 120 business days as a possible outcome, that is how people run out of the 60 day clock. Questions people actually ask Q: Do I need a criminal record check to apply for PR? Not at the outset. IRCC will tell you if it needs one while your application is being processed. Police certificates from other countries are a separate requirement and those you do need upfront. Q: Is a name based check enough? No. IRCC requires fingerprints submitted electronically to CCRTIS. Q: How much does it cost? The RCMP federal fee is $25, and it is waived for people applying to immigrate to Canada. You still pay whatever your local police service or accredited company charges to take the prints. Those prices are not published. Q: I am sponsoring my spouse. Is my check free too? No. The RCMP charges the $25 federal fee for sponsorship. The fee waiver covers the person immigrating, not the sponsor. Q: My check is taking months. Will I miss my deadline? IRCC automatically extends the criminal record check deadline by 30 days because of the current RCMP backlog. You do not need to ask. Q: Are these the same fingerprints as my biometrics? No. IRCC states directly that police certificate fingerprints are not the same as the biometrics you give for an application. Q: Why trust KGraph? With a 98% success rate, over 10,000 clients served, and a 4.9 Google rating, KGraph Immigration provides expert guidance you can rely on. Details like these are where applications come apart. Our consultants have handled these documents for over a decade, and we can check yours before you file.Start Your Free Initial Eligibility Assessment Prepared by KGraph Immigration. Last updated July 2026. General information, not legal advice. Related Articles Police Certificate Certified Translations The Citizenship Test Explained Family Sponsorship Service IRCC Secure Account

In this guide How to Get a Police Certificate for Canada Immigration (Express Entry) The Express Entry rule: who needs a police certificate? When to start and how long certificates stay valid Format and translation requirements Country by country instructions What if a country will not issue a certificate? Common mistakes to avoid Questions people actually ask Ready to get your documents right the first time? How to Get a Police Certificate for Canada Immigration (Express Entry) If you are applying for Canadian permanent residence through Express Entry, providing the correct police certificates is one of the most critical steps in your application. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) uses these documents to ensure applicants are not inadmissible due to criminality or security concerns. Understanding exactly who needs a certificate, from which countries, and how to get them can be confusing. A mistake here, like providing the wrong type of document or missing a deadline, can cause your application to be rejected as incomplete. This guide covers the exact rules for Express Entry, the country-specific instructions, and what to do if you run into delays. The Express Entry rule: who needs a police certificate? For Express Entry applications the rules are specific and differ from other permanent residence programs. You must provide a police certificate for yourself, the principal applicant, and for each family member aged 18 or older. You need a certificate from each country or territory where you spent six months or more in a row within the last 10 years, or since turning 18, whichever is shorter. Three nuances matter enormously. First, "six months in a row" means a single continuous stay of at least six months. You do not add up several short trips to reach six months. Second, the requirement covers the 10 years immediately before you submit your permanent residence application. Third, you do not need a certificate for any period before you turned 18, and you do not need one upfront for time spent in Canada. Even so, an IRCC officer can still request a certificate for any period since you turned 18, even if the online system did not prompt you for one. Important Notice: if you are applying for a non-Express Entry permanent residence program, the checklist may simply say "since age 18" instead of the 10-year rule. Always check your specific program instructions on canada.ca. Official IRCC guidance: Who needs a police certificate (source) | How to get one by country (source) When to start and how long certificates stay valid After you receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA), you have exactly 60 days to submit your complete permanent residence application, including all required police certificates. Because some countries take months to process these requests, IRCC strongly advises starting as soon as your profile enters the Express Entry pool. Your situation Validity requirement Country you currently live in Must be issued no more than 6 months before you submit your PR application Country you no longer live in Must be issued after the last time you stayed there for six months in a row. IRCC may accept it even if the printed expiry date has passed IRCC can always request an updated certificate at any point, so do not assume a certificate that meets these rules is permanently sufficient. Official IRCC guidance: When to get a police certificate (source) Format and translation requirements For Express Entry you must upload a colour scan of the original document. Do not upload a certified true copy, a black-and-white copy, or an unauthorized copy. Any of those can lead to your application being rejected as incomplete. If your certificate is not in English or French, submit the colour scan of the original along with a translation completed by a certified translator. Family members are not permitted to translate your documents. Official IRCC guidance: Police certificate format (source) Country by country instructions The name of the document and the process vary widely, so follow IRCC's country-specific instructions rather than asking for a generic "police check." 1Canada (RCMP) Do not submit a Canadian police certificate upfront. You only need one if IRCC sends you a request letter. When requested, you need a fingerprint-based certified criminal record check from the RCMP Canadian Criminal Real Time Identification Services (CCRTIS). Inside Canada, get electronic fingerprints taken at an RCMP-accredited company or police service, which submits them electronically. Outside Canada, get ink fingerprints taken locally and mail them to an RCMP-accredited company in Canada, which digitizes and submits them for you. Paper prints mailed directly to the RCMP are returned unprocessed. There is currently high demand for these checks, and if the delay affects your deadline IRCC will automatically extend it by 30 days. Official IRCC guidance: How to get a Canadian police certificate (source) | RCMP criminal record checks (source) 2India (PCC) The correct document is a Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) issued through the Ministry of External Affairs. IRCC will not accept a Character Certificate, and certificates with jurisdictional or time limits may be refused. Inside India, apply through the Passport Seva portal: register, pay the fee (officially INR 750, recheck at publish), book an appointment at a Passport Seva Kendra, and bring your original passport and required documents. Police verification may follow. Outside India, apply through the Indian embassy, consulate, or BLS International where contracted; fees vary. Official IRCC guidance: How to get an Indian police certificate (source) | Passport Seva PCC portal (source) 3Philippines (NBI) You need a National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Multi-purpose Clearance Certificate. It must be the NBI clearance specifically, not a barangay or local police clearance, and it must contain your thumbprint and a dry seal. It is issued in English. Apply online at the NBI portal, book an appointment, pay the fee (recheck on the live portal at publish), and attend in person for biometrics. Outside the Philippines, apply via a Philippine embassy or by mail to the NBI. One edge case: if your certificate includes a remark such as "no pending case," IRCC requires an NBI explanation document, the full court decision, and your own written explanation. Official IRCC guidance: How to get a Philippine police certificate (source) | NBI clearance portal (source) 4United Kingdom (ACRO) You must provide a Police Certificate from the ACRO Criminal Records Office. Do not use a DBS check or an International Child Protection Certificate. Apply online through ACRO, provide your address history and ID, and pay the fee (recheck on the live ACRO page at publish). Standard service takes up to 20 working days. If your certificate says "No Live Trace," it means you have a stepped-down record, and IRCC requires details of the offence, sentence, and dates, which you request from ACRO directly. Official IRCC guidance: How to get a UK police certificate (source) | ACRO Police Certificate service (source) 5United States (FBI) You need an FBI Identity History Summary issued by the FBI Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division. A state, local, or commercial background check is not an acceptable substitute. Apply electronically or by mail using form FD-1164 with your fingerprints, or use an FBI-approved channeler (eligibility for channelers can differ for non-US citizens). The direct FBI fee is USD 18 (recheck at publish). Official IRCC guidance: How to get a US police certificate (source) | FBI Identity History Summary FAQs (source) 6United Arab Emirates IRCC accepts a Police Clearance Certificate from an emirate, a national Criminal Clearance Certificate, or a Good Conduct Certificate. You only need one certificate from any emirate. Apply in person at the emirate police, online via the Ministry of Interior website or the MOI UAE app using UAE Pass, through a UAE embassy, or by authorizing someone with a power of attorney. Former residents may need additional documents. Fees vary; recheck on MOI UAE at publish. Official IRCC guidance: How to get a UAE police certificate (source) | UAE Ministry of Interior e-services (source) What if a country will not issue a certificate? If you cannot obtain a certificate from a required country, you must show IRCC that you made every reasonable effort. Upload a letter of explanation and proof of your best efforts in that country's upload field. Acceptable proof includes receipts, payment confirmations, tracking numbers, or a written explanation from the issuing authority. An officer will review your evidence, but acceptance is not guaranteed. If a country requires an official request letter from IRCC before issuing a certificate, do not leave the field blank. Instead upload a document stating: "I am applying from a country that requires an official request letter from IRCC to get a police certificate." IRCC will then provide further instructions. Official IRCC guidance: What to do if you cannot get a police certificate (source) Common mistakes to avoid Mistake What to do instead Using the "since age 18" rule for Express Entry Apply the 10-year lookback for Express Entry Adding short trips together to reach 6 months Count only a single continuous stay of 6 months or more Ordering a Canadian RCMP check upfront Wait for IRCC to request it by letter Confusing police-certificate fingerprints with IRCC biometrics They are two separate requirements Submitting the wrong document type (India Character Certificate, Philippine barangay clearance, UK DBS, US state check) Use only the document IRCC specifies for each country Missing the NBI thumbprint and dry seal Verify your NBI clearance has both before uploading Getting a current-country certificate too early Submit it within 6 months of your application date Getting a former-country certificate before your last qualifying stay ended It must be issued after your last 6-month stay Uploading a black-and-white scan or certified copy Upload a colour scan of the original only Skipping a certified translation Any non-English or French certificate needs one Waiting until the ITA to start Start gathering certificates as soon as you enter the pool Leaving the upload field blank when delayed Upload a letter of explanation and proof of your efforts Assuming "best efforts" guarantees a waiver IRCC decides, it is not automatic Not disclosing details behind a "No Live Trace" (UK) or NBI remark (Philippines) Disclose fully and provide the required supporting documents Questions people actually ask Q: What if my certificate will not arrive before the 60-day deadline? Upload a letter of explanation and proof that you applied for the certificate, such as a receipt, in the correct field before the deadline. Do not leave the field blank. My police certificate is more than 6 months old. Can I still use it? It depends on where you live now. From the country you currently live in, no, it must be issued within 6 months of your submission. From a country you no longer live in, yes, as long as it was issued after your last stay of six months or more there. I left my home country years ago and the certificate's expiry date has passed. Is it still valid? For countries you no longer live in, IRCC generally accepts certificates issued after your last continuous stay of six months, even if the printed expiry has passed. Q: Can I reuse an old certificate if I only went back for short visits? Yes. If those later visits were each less than six months in a row, the certificate issued after your last qualifying stay remains valid. Do certificates from several countries all expire after 6 months? Only the certificate from the country you currently live in must be under 6 months old at submission. Certificates from countries you no longer live in follow the "after your last qualifying stay" rule. Do I need a Canadian police certificate if I have lived in Canada more than 6 months? Not upfront. You only need an RCMP check if IRCC sends you a letter requesting one after you submit. Ready to get your documents right the first time? Police certificates are one of the most common places an Express Entry application stalls, because the rules differ by country and a small error can mean a rejected, incomplete application. KGraph helps you work out exactly which certificates you need, from which countries, and in what order, so nothing is missing when your clock starts. Rated 4.9 on Google, 98% success rate, 10,000+ clients served. Details like these are where applications come apart. Our consultants have handled these documents for over a decade, and we can check yours before you file.Start Your Free Initial Eligibility Assessment Prepared by KGraph Immigration. Last updated July 2026. General information, not legal advice. Related Articles RCMP Criminal Record Check Certified Translations Immigration Medical Exam Family Sponsorship Service IRCC Secure Account

Biometrics are your fingerprints and a photo. IRCC collects them to confirm you are who you say you are, and to help assess your application. The process is short. The rules around it are where people lose weeks. In this guide Who needs to give biometrics Unless you are exempt, you need to give fingerprints and a photo when you apply for: Who is exempt What it costs Where to give them, from outside Canada Two things you cannot do: Appointments What to bring Two documents, both of them: Common mistakes Questions people actually ask This page covers who has to give them, who is exempt, what it costs, the 30 day deadline that starts the moment your instruction letter arrives, and the 10 year rule that decides whether you ever have to do this again. Who needs to give biometrics Unless you are exempt, you need to give fingerprints and a photo when you apply for: A visitor visa. An initial work or study permit, or an extension. United States nationals are excluded. An extension of your stay in Canada, unless you are from a visa exempt country. Permanent residence. A new PR card, if you were previously exempt because of your age, meaning you were 13 or younger when you applied for PR. Refugee or asylum status. You also need them, regardless of where your document was issued, if you are applying with a refugee travel document, a certificate of identity, or a United States Refugee Travel Document together with proof of lawful permanent resident status. Who is exempt You do not need to give biometrics if you are: A Canadian citizen, a citizenship applicant, or a passport applicant. An existing permanent resident. A visa exempt national coming to Canada to visit only, including anyone applying for an eTA. A head of state or head of government. An applicant who qualifies for or holds a diplomatic or official visa. A United States visa holder transiting through Canada. Applying for a visitor visa, study permit or work permit, having already given biometrics for a permanent residence application that is still being processed. A child under 14. An applicant over 79. Note that there is no upper age exemption for asylum claimants. The age rule is decided by the date you submitted the application, not by your age today. If your child was 13 when you filed, they are exempt even if they turn 14 next week. If you were 79 when you filed and you are now 80, you must still give them. You can refuse to give biometrics. IRCC's response is equally plain: it may refuse your application. What it costs Who is applying Biometrics fee One person CAD $85 A family applying at the same time, two or more members CAD $170 maximum in total A group of 3 or more performing artists and their staff applying for work permits together CAD $255 maximum in total Transit visa applicants No fee The family rate covers your spouse or common law partner and your dependent children or their dependent children. Pay the biometrics fee when you apply. Pay it late and you will simply wait longer. The 30 day clock Once you have paid, IRCC sends you a Biometric Instruction Letter, the BIL. It confirms that you need to give biometrics and tells you how to book. You have 30 days from the time you get your BIL to give your biometrics. Book the appointment the day the letter arrives. Not the week after. Appointment availability at busy visa application centres is the single most common reason people run out of clock. If you genuinely cannot make it in time, use IRCC's web form to explain why and ask for more time. Give details. If the problem is that the earliest appointment offered was after your deadline, say so, give the date, and upload a screenshot of the appointment confirmation. One warning worth repeating. Never turn up with a BIL from a previous application. IRCC says this can delay processing or get your current application refused. Where to give them, from outside Canada If you are outside Canada and not in the United States, you go to a Visa Application Centre (VAC). And here is the answer to the question everybody asks: if there is no VAC in the country or territory you are applying from, you can go to any other VAC location. You are not stuck. You travel to the nearest one. If you are in the United States, you can use an Application Support Centre (ASC) or a VAC. There are 128 ASCs across the country. You must already be legally in the United States to attend either. Cuba is a special case. There are no VACs in Cuba, so biometrics are given at the Embassy of Canada in Havana. You email the embassy for an appointment and wait for confirmation. The embassy does not accept walk ins. Two things you cannot do: You cannot give biometrics at a Canadian port of entry if you have already submitted an application and received a BIL. Port of entry collection is only for people who both qualify to apply for a study or work permit at the border AND start and finish that application there. You cannot simply fly to Canada and use a Service Canada office instead. Service Canada collection is for people already in Canada. Appointments You must give biometrics in person, and you need an appointment. At a VAC, booking ahead is best, though some walk in or emergency appointments may be accommodated. At a Service Canada office or a United States ASC, an appointment is required. Booking is free. Read that again, because this is where people get fleeced. IRCC's own warning is blunt: "Biometrics appointments are free. Don't pay anyone for an appointment." Use the official IRCC site to find your VAC. Anyone charging you a booking fee is running a scam. What to bring Two documents, both of them: Your Biometric Instruction Letter. Your valid passport. Asylum claimants and protected persons without a passport bring their refugee protection identity document or claimant document, valid or expired, with the photo attached, or a certified copy of a passport. Some practical rules that catch people at the counter. Glasses are fine if your eyes are clearly visible and there is no glare. Sunglasses and tinted lenses are not, even prescription ones, even if your eyes show. Head coverings worn daily for religious or medical reasons are allowed provided your full face is visible with no shadows. Hair off the face. And one that ruins appointments: your hands must be henna free. Cuts and cracked fingertips must be healed. If the machine cannot capture a clean print, you may have to come back and do the whole thing again. The 10 year rule, and the trap inside it Temporary residence applicants give biometrics once every 10 years. If you gave them in the last 10 years, they are automatically attached to your new visitor visa, work permit, study permit or extension. You do not repeat the process. Here is the trap. IRCC cannot issue a visa or permit that runs beyond the expiry date of your biometrics. So if your biometrics expire in 18 months, your new permit cannot be issued for longer than 18 months, no matter what you asked for. There is a fix, and almost nobody knows it. You can give your biometrics again voluntarily, when you apply, even though the old ones are still valid. That resets the 10 year clock and lets IRCC issue a longer document. But you must do it at the time you apply. Once the visa or permit has been issued, you cannot give biometrics again to extend it. Permanent residence works differently. You must give biometrics every single time you apply for permanent residence, even if you have given them before. There is no 10 year reuse for PR. The reuse does run the other way, though. If you gave biometrics for a PR application and it is still open, IRCC will reuse those for a temporary residence application. If the PR application is refused, they cannot be reused for anything. One more piece of good news. A refusal does not destroy your biometrics. They remain valid for 10 years even if the application they were given for was refused. Do not give them again on the strength of an old BIL. Reapply, pay the fee, and wait for a new BIL. Check what you already have Before you pay anything, use IRCC's biometrics validity check tool. It tells you whether your biometrics are still valid and exactly when they expire. Five minutes there can save you $85 and a trip. After you give them Giving biometrics is a processing step, not an approval. IRCC is explicit: it is one of the things you must do before your application can be processed. Your fingerprints go to the RCMP for checks, may be shared with the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand, and are shared with CBSA so they can verify your identity when you arrive. The collection centres themselves, the VACs and ASCs and Service Canada offices, do not keep your biometric information. IRCC does not publish a figure for how long after your appointment the application starts moving. If you see a confident "48 hours" or "3 business days" claim online, it is not from IRCC. Common mistakes Sitting on the BIL. The 30 days start when it arrives, not when you get around to it. Using an old BIL from a previous application. This can get your current application refused. Paying someone to book your appointment. It is free. Assuming no VAC in your country means you are stuck. Go to any other VAC. Trying to give biometrics at the border after already receiving a BIL. Not allowed. Letting an old set of biometrics quietly shorten your new permit. If your biometrics expire in two years, your permit cannot run longer than that. Give them again when you apply. Giving biometrics again after a refusal, on the old letter. Reapply first. Questions people actually ask Q: There is no VAC in my country. What do I do? Go to any other VAC location. IRCC allows this explicitly. Q: I am a foreign national living in the United States and I already gave biometrics to the Americans. Do I still need to give them to Canada? Yes. IRCC's answer is a flat yes. Q: My application was refused. Are my biometrics wasted? No. They stay valid for 10 years regardless. But do not use the old BIL. Reapply, pay again, and wait for a new letter. Q: My permit was only issued for a year and I asked for three. Check your biometrics expiry. IRCC cannot issue a document that outlives your biometrics. Next time, give them again when you apply. Q: I missed the 30 day deadline. Use IRCC's web form immediately, explain what happened, and give evidence, such as a screenshot showing the earliest available appointment was past your deadline. Q: Do I have to do this again for permanent residence? Yes. PR applicants give biometrics every time. The 10 year reuse only applies to temporary residence. Q: Why trust KGraph? With a 98% success rate, over 10,000 clients served, and a 4.9 Google rating, KGraph Immigration provides expert guidance you can rely on. Details like these are where applications come apart. Our consultants have handled these documents for over a decade, and we can check yours before you file.Start Your Free Initial Eligibility Assessment Prepared by KGraph Immigration. Last updated July 2026. General information, not legal advice. Related Articles Immigration Medical Exam Police Certificate IRCC Secure Account Express Entry Service Visiting Visa Service

An Immigration Medical Exam (IME) is a required medical assessment for most Canadian immigration applications. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) uses the results to ensure applicants are not medically inadmissible due to public health risks, public safety risks, or excessive demand on Canadian health and social services. In this guide Who Needs an Immigration Medical Exam Upfront Medical Exams Versus Requested Exams How to Find an Approved Doctor Step by Step Guide to the Appointment What to Bring to Your Appointment Understanding the Costs Results, Validity, and Follow Up Common Mistakes to Avoid Questions People Actually Ask Whether you are applying for permanent residence, a work permit, or a study permit, navigating the medical requirements can feel overwhelming. This guide explains exactly who needs an exam, when to get one, how to find an approved physician, and what to expect during the appointment. Who Needs an Immigration Medical Exam The requirement for an IME depends on the type of application you are submitting and how long you plan to stay in Canada. 1Permanent Residence Applicants As a general rule, every applicant for permanent residence must complete an IME. This requirement also applies to your spouse or partner and dependent children, including non-accompanying dependants. They must complete the exam so they can potentially be sponsored in the future. 2Temporary Residence (Stay of 6 Months or Less) If you are visiting, studying, or working in Canada for six months or less, you usually do not need an IME. However, an exam is required if you will work in an occupation where public health must be protected. These occupations include health care workers, clinical laboratory workers, patient attendants, medical students, physicians on medical electives, primary or secondary school workers, childcare workers, domestic workers, in-home caregivers, and day nursery employees. Agricultural workers who have lived in or visited certain listed countries for six months in a row during the year before coming to Canada also require an exam. 3Temporary Residence (Stay of More Than 6 Months) If you plan to stay in Canada for more than six months, you must complete an IME if any of the following apply to you: You lived in or travelled to a listed country for six months in a row during the year before coming to Canada. The six month rule applies to continuous time spent in a listed country, not your nationality. Check the current country list to confirm, as the list changes over time. You will work in a public health protected job, as listed above. You are applying for a parent and grandparent Super Visa. 4Temporary Public Policy Exemption (In Canada) A temporary public policy, effective until October 5, 2029, exempts some applicants already in Canada from completing a new IME. You may qualify if you have applied or are applying for permanent or temporary residence, currently live in Canada, completed a previous IME within the last five years, and that IME was assessed as low or no risk to public health or safety. You must include the previous IME or unique medical identifier number with your application. This policy does not mean an IME is valid for five years, as standard validity remains 12 months, and IRCC may still request a new exam. Reconfirm this policy before applying. Upfront Medical Exams Versus Requested Exams The timing of your exam depends on your application category. You will either complete an upfront exam before applying or wait for IRCC to request one after you apply. Situation What You Receive from the Clinic What You Submit to IRCC Upfront IME (eMedical clinic) eMedical Information Sheet Upload as proof with application Upfront IME (Paper clinic) IMM 1017B (Upfront Medical Report) Upload client copy with application Requested IME (Standard) None (Clinic submits results) Bring IMM 1017E issued by IRCC to appointment Requested IME (Streamlined) None (Clinic submits results) Bring IMM 1020 issued by IRCC to appointment 1Express Entry Applicants Since August 21, 2025, Express Entry applicants who need a new IME must complete an upfront exam. If you have never completed an IME, arrange the appointment after receiving your Invitation to Apply (ITA) and as close as practical to submitting your permanent residence application. IRCC will not send an IMM 1017E form for this. You must contact the panel physician yourself and upload the eMedical Information Sheet or IMM 1017B form with your application. Do not book more than one appointment. 2Other Permanent Residence Applicants For other permanent residence categories, including spousal, partner, and child sponsorship, you must submit your full application and wait for IRCC to send medical instructions. Once you receive the instruction letter, you must complete the exam within 30 days. Notify IRCC immediately if you cannot meet this deadline. 3Temporary Residence Applicants Temporary residence applicants have the option to complete an upfront exam before applying or to apply first and follow the medical instructions sent by IRCC. How to Find an Approved Doctor You cannot use your own family doctor for an IME unless they are specifically approved by IRCC. Only an IRCC approved panel physician can conduct the exam. You can use the IRCC panel physician finder to locate an approved doctor in any country. Rosters and availability change, so confirm the clinic still performs Canadian IMEs when booking. Step by Step Guide to the Appointment Knowing what to expect can help your appointment go smoothly. Confirm Requirements: Verify if an IME is required for your application and determine the correct timing (upfront or requested). Contact a Panel Physician: Find an approved doctor and confirm if they use the eMedical system, what identification they accept, if photos are needed, and the total costs for the clinic, laboratory, and radiology. Ask if any preparation is required. Gather Documents: Bring all required documents to your appointment (see checklist below). Identity Verification and Medical History: The clinic will verify your identity and take a photograph. The physician will take your medical history. Disclose your history accurately, as gaps or omissions can delay your assessment. Physical Examination: The exam may include checking your weight, height, hearing, vision, heart, lungs, abdomen, limb movement, and skin. A genital or rectal exam is not part of the IME. You have the right to request a chaperone or ask the physician to pause the exam at any time. Routine Testing: Routine tests usually include a posterior anterior chest X-ray for applicants aged 11 and older, and syphilis, HIV, and serum creatinine testing for applicants aged 15 and older. The physician can order testing below these ages if risk factors justify it. Complete Follow Up: Complete any requested follow up promptly, such as extra tests, repeat X-rays, or specialist reports. Being asked for further tests does not mean your application will be refused. Submission: The physician submits the medical file to IRCC. Ask for a copy of the completion document at the appointment if you want one, as reports and X-rays become the property of IRCC. Upload Proof (If Applicable): For an upfront exam, upload the eMedical Information Sheet or IMM 1017B form with your application. For a requested exam, you usually do not need to submit anything unless IRCC specifically asks. What to Bring to Your Appointment Prepare the following items for your medical exam: Item Notes Passport (preferred ID) Approved alternatives listed below Approved alternative ID National identity card; driver's licence from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, UK, or US (in issuing country); original birth certificate for child under 18; refugee travel document; Red Cross travel document; UN laissez passer; seaman's book; OAS travel document; refugee protection identity or claimant document Medical forms IMM 1017E or IMM 1020 if IRCC issued one for a requested exam; IFHP eligible applicants may need IMM 1442, IMM 5695, or IMM 5985 Medical history Reports and results for any past or current conditions Medications List of current medications and relevant prescriptions Vision aids Glasses or contact lenses if worn Photos Four recent photos, only if the clinic does not use eMedical Vaccination records Optional but helpful Use the same ID for the physician, laboratory, radiology, and specialist parts of the exam. Understanding the Costs You must pay the panel physician or clinic directly at the time of your appointment. IRCC does not publish a universal price for the IME, as costs vary significantly by clinic and country. Contact the clinic directly to get a current quote. Possible cost components include the physician's examination fee, the chest X-ray or radiologist fee, laboratory testing, special tests, any treatment connected to the assessment, specialist consultations, and optional vaccinations. These fees are usually non refundable, even if your application is refused or the IME results expire. Refugees and asylum claimants may qualify for IFHP coverage or a fee exemption. Results, Validity, and Follow Up The panel physician does not approve or refuse your immigration application. They only submit the medical findings. IRCC conducts the medical assessment and will contact you if there is a concern. IRCC may request additional laboratory testing, imaging, repeat chest X-rays, sputum testing, specialist reports, treatment information, or a follow up exam. No specific medical condition automatically causes inadmissibility for excessive demand. Every case is assessed individually. A requested medical exam usually appears in your online account within 30 days of the appointment. This does not guarantee a final decision within 30 days. If IRCC requested the exam, more than three weeks have passed, and the result still does not show in your account, use the IRCC web form to inquire. Applicants found to have inactive tuberculosis may require medical surveillance after arriving in Canada, which is a separate process from the IME. Validity Period IME results are normally valid for 12 months from the date of the exam. Permanent residence applicants may need a new exam if they do not become permanent residents within that 12 month period. Visitors, students, and workers may need a new exam if they do not enter Canada before the results expire. For study or work letters of introduction issued after November 30, 2021, the letter may display the medical expiry date. Express Entry applicants should wait for the ITA and complete the exam close to submission. Upfront applicants should apply soon after the exam to avoid wasting the 12 month validity period. Other permanent residence applicants must wait for instructions and meet the 30 day deadline. Do not arrange duplicate exams unless explicitly instructed by IRCC. The five year in Canada public policy exemption does not extend standard IME validity to five years. Pregnancy and the Chest X-Ray Pregnancy does not remove the requirement to complete an IME. However, the chest X-ray may be postponed after discussing it with the panel physician. The physician will use form IMM 5733 to record a pregnancy related X-ray deferral. The X-ray must be completed after the pregnancy or when it is clinically safe to do so. Your medical assessment remains incomplete until the X-ray is finished. Discuss the risks and options with your panel physician. Common Mistakes to Avoid Mistake What to Do Instead Going to a family doctor who is not a panel physician Use the IRCC panel physician finder to confirm the doctor is approved Completing an upfront exam for a non Express Entry PR application Wait for IRCC's medical instruction letter before booking Waiting for an IMM 1017E when you need an upfront Express Entry exam Contact the panel physician directly after your ITA Confusing IMM 1017B and IMM 1017E 1017B is upfront proof; 1017E is the form IRCC sends for a requested exam Treating eMedical as a downloadable form eMedical is the system the physician uses; you receive an Information Sheet Assuming the clinic's submission replaces your upload For upfront exams, also upload the Information Sheet or IMM 1017B Forgetting to bring the IRCC issued form to a requested exam Bring IMM 1017E or IMM 1020 as instructed Not checking if four photos are needed Confirm with the clinic before your appointment Omitting medical history or medications Bring full records; gaps delay assessment Missing the 30 day deadline without notice Contact IRCC immediately if you cannot meet the deadline Booking a second exam because the first is not online yet Wait three weeks, then use the IRCC web form to follow up Believing an abnormal finding means automatic refusal IRCC assesses each case individually Discarding the Information Sheet or IMM 1017B Keep all documents until your application is finalized Questions People Actually Ask Q: Could we do the medical before the ITA? For Express Entry, complete the exam after receiving the Invitation to Apply and as close as practical to submitting your application. Doing it earlier risks the 12 month validity expiring before you submit. Q: Are IMM 1017B and IMM 1017E the same form? No. IMM 1017B is the upfront proof you receive from a paper clinic and upload with your application. IMM 1017E is the form IRCC sends you when they request an exam after you apply. Q: Do I upload the eMedical Information Sheet or does the clinic send everything? The clinic sends the medical results directly to IRCC. For an upfront exam, you must also upload the eMedical Information Sheet or IMM 1017B form with your application as proof. Q: Can I reuse an old medical done within 5 years? Only if you meet the specific conditions of the temporary in Canada public policy. If you qualify, provide the old IME or unique medical identifier number. Otherwise, standard validity is 12 months. Q: Can the chest X-ray be deferred for pregnancy? Yes, it can be deferred using form IMM 5733, but your medical assessment will remain incomplete until the X-ray is finished. Q: Why was I asked for sputum testing after my X-ray? IRCC or the panel physician can request additional testing based on the initial findings. This is a routine part of the assessment process and does not mean your application will be refused. Q: Do family members not coming to Canada still need medicals? For permanent residence applications, all dependent family members normally need to complete the medical exam, even if they are not accompanying you to Canada. This ensures they can be sponsored in the future. Details like these are where applications come apart. Our consultants have handled these documents for over a decade, and we can check yours before you file.Start Your Free Initial Eligibility Assessment Prepared by KGraph Immigration. Last updated July 2026. General information, not legal advice. 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Checking your Canada immigration application status can be confusing because Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) does not have one single status system that covers every application. Depending on what you applied for and how you submitted it, you may need to use a specific secure account, portal, or tracker. In this guide The Different IRCC Status Channels Checking Status Through an IRCC Secure Account Application Status Tracker Client Application Status (CAS) Linking an Application to Your Secure Account Understanding Status Wording IRCC Processing Times Requesting GCMS Notes Through ATIP Using Authorized Representatives Common Mistakes Questions People Actually Ask At KGraph, we understand the anxiety of waiting for a decision. We have helped over 10,000 clients successfully navigate the Canadian immigration system, maintaining a 98% success rate and a 4.9 Google rating. This guide explains exactly how to check your status, what the different status updates mean, and what to do if you encounter technical problems. Always start by using the official IRCC status finder, which routes you to the correct system based on your specific application type (IRCC Status Finder). The Different IRCC Status Channels IRCC uses several different systems to provide application updates. You must use the system that matches your application type and submission method. Status Channel Main Use IRCC secure account Applications submitted or linked through GCKey or a Canadian Interac Sign In Partner IRCC Portal or IRCC Portal, new version Some visitor visa, study permit, asylum, and special measure applications Permanent Residence Portal Most non Express Entry permanent residence applications, family sponsorship submissions, PR cards, and permanent resident travel documents Application status tracker Detailed progress for supported Express Entry, family sponsorship, visitor visa, study permit, and work permit files Citizenship application tracker Citizenship grant applications after acknowledgement of receipt Client Application Status, or CAS A limited set of permanent residence, sponsorship, PR card, and citizenship applications Processing times tool A general estimate, not an individual case tracker Checking Status Through an IRCC Secure Account The IRCC secure account is accessed using either a GCKey username and password or a Canadian Interac Sign In Partner using credentials from a participating Canadian financial institution (IRCC Secure Account). You should normally return to the exact same account and sign in method you used to submit your application. Currently, IRCC directs Express Entry profiles and applications, work permits, post graduation work permits, International Experience Canada applications, visitor record extensions, study permit extensions, and citizenship certificates to the secure account (IRCC Accounts Routing). Once signed in, go to “View my submitted applications or profiles” and choose “Check status and messages.” The account can show the status of individual processing steps, messages and document requests from IRCC, letters issued by IRCC, deadlines for requested documents, medical and background information, and the final decision correspondence (IRCC Help Centre). The secure account is updated in real time. Application Status Tracker The application status tracker is separate from the secure account and provides detailed progress for supported applications, including Express Entry, family sponsorship, and some visitor visa, study permit, and work permit applications (IRCC Status Finder). To access the tracker, you will need your Unique Client Identifier (UCI), application number, principal applicant’s first and last name, date of birth, place of birth, and the email address matching the application. Updates usually appear only after IRCC issues the Acknowledgement of Receipt (AOR) following its completeness check (IRCC Help Centre). Client Application Status (CAS) Client Application Status, formerly called eCAS, is an older status tool that provides general case status updates. It supports a limited set of applications, including family sponsorship, permanent residence, permanent resident cards, and citizenship grants (IRCC Help Centre). CAS is updated daily, but it may not display some internal activities for many weeks and does not display some actions like security checks (IRCC Help Centre 1 | IRCC Help Centre 2). An application may not appear in CAS if IRCC has not started processing it, the application type is not supported, or IRCC has already removed the completed application from the system. Linking an Application to Your Secure Account If you applied on paper or through another method, you may be able to link your application to an IRCC secure account. Linkable applications include Express Entry profiles, most permanent residence classes, family sponsorship (excluding the application to become a sponsor), permanent resident cards, study permits, visitor visas, and work permits (Link Paper Application). To link an application, sign in to your secure account, select “Add (link) your application to your account to check your status,” choose the correct application category, and enter your information exactly as it appeared on the original application. You will need your application number, your UCI, and your personal details. For permanent residence applications, principal applicant information may come from the Generic Application Form for Canada, IMM 0008 (Guide IMM 0008). For family sponsorship, the system asks for the number of family members included in the application. This count must include the sponsor and the co signer, meaning the number will be at least 2 (IRCC Help Centre). You have five attempts to link an application before the account is locked for 24 hours. Understanding Status Wording Status wording varies by application type and system. Do not treat every phrase as a final result. Wording Official Meaning Received IRCC received the application and is checking whether it is complete In progress, overall IRCC is still reviewing the application Closed IRCC approved or refused the application, or the applicant withdrew or abandoned it Not started, section IRCC has not started reviewing that section Waiting on you IRCC needs information or documents from the applicant In progress, section IRCC is still reviewing that section Completed, section IRCC finished reviewing that section Exempted That section is not required for the application In the application status tracker, "Completed" officially means IRCC has finished reviewing that particular section. It does not mean the complete application has been approved. Approval or refusal must be confirmed through IRCC’s final message, letter, passport request, permit document, or confirmation of permanent residence (IRCC Help Centre). “We sent you correspondence” means IRCC issued a communication connected to the application. It does not reveal what the communication says. You must sign in to your account and open the letter to see if it is a request, notice, approval, or refusal (IRCC Help Centre). IRCC Processing Times The official IRCC processing times tool provides an estimate for an application category (IRCC Processing Times). It is not an individualized status report. Processing time starts when IRCC receives a complete application and ends when a decision is made. It includes the time needed to give biometrics. A file may exceed the displayed time if the application is incomplete, complex, requires additional security review, or if documents are difficult to verify. Calling IRCC does not make the application process faster. Requesting GCMS Notes Through ATIP “GCMS notes” is the common name for electronic case records and officer notes from IRCC’s Global Case Management System. You can request these records through an Access to Information Act or Privacy Act request. An Access to Information Act request can be made by a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or an individual or corporation currently in Canada (ATIP Request Info). The fee is exactly CAN$5 per request. If requesting another person’s information, you must include the Consent for an Access to Information and Personal Information Request, IMM 5744 (Form IMM 5744). A Privacy Act request has no fee and allows anyone to request their own personal information regardless of location (Privacy Act Request). Electronic requests must be filed through the ATIP Online Request portal (ATIP Online Portal). The legislated response period is 30 calendar days, though extensions may apply. IRCC now automatically includes officer decision notes with refusal letters for most temporary resident applications refused since July 29, 2025, and most permanent residence applications refused since May 26, 2026 (Officer Decision Notes). Using Authorized Representatives If you use a paid immigration representative, they must be authorized and in good standing. You must submit the Use of a Representative form, IMM 5476, to appoint, update, cancel, or withdraw a representative (Form IMM 5476). The Authority to Release Personal Information to a Designated Individual, IMM 5475, lets a designated person obtain status information but does not allow them to conduct business with IRCC. Representatives check status through specific portals. If you link an application managed by a representative to your own secure account, the representative will lose online access to that application. Common Mistakes Creating multiple accounts: Creating a new GCKey or changing your Sign In Partner can result in your application not appearing automatically. You should not create multiple accounts merely because a status is slow to change. Miscounting family members when linking: For family sponsorship, the family member count must include the sponsor and the co signer. This is a frequent reason for “no applications found” errors. Assuming “Completed” means approved: In the tracker, “Completed” simply means IRCC finished reviewing that section. It does not guarantee final approval. Guessing information when linking: Five unsuccessful linking attempts trigger a 24 hour lockout. You must enter information exactly as it appears on your passport or IMM 0008 form. Expecting CAS to show every step: CAS provides a general status and updates daily. It may not display internal activities like security checks for many weeks. Questions People Actually Ask Q: My background check says in progress in the tracker, but GCKey has not changed. Which one is correct? The secure account and the application status tracker update differently. The secure account shows individual steps and updates in real time, while the tracker provides detailed progress for supported applications. Always rely on the secure account for official correspondence and final decisions. Q: Why did my background verification change from completed back to in progress? IRCC describes background verification as checking the applicant’s background to ensure they are admissible to Canada. Statuses can change as IRCC verifies information, consults other offices, or reviews admissibility issues. A file can take longer than the normal estimate if background checks remain in progress. Q: All four sections in my application tracker say completed. Does that mean my application is approved? No. “Completed” officially means IRCC has finished reviewing that particular section. Approval or refusal must be confirmed through IRCC’s final message, letter, passport request, permit document, or confirmation of permanent residence. Q: I received my AOR, but the account still says no applications found when I try to link my sponsorship application. What am I entering wrong? IRCC identifies three main causes for this error: the application is not yet in the system, the wrong category was selected, or the information does not exactly match IRCC’s record. For family sponsorship, ensure your family member count includes the sponsor and the co signer. Q: eCAS says decision made, but there is no letter, passport request, email, or update in GCKey. How long does it take? In CAS, “Decision made” indicates that a decision has been entered, but you must read the subsequent communication to determine the outcome. It can take time for the official letter or passport request to appear in your secure account or arrive by mail. Q: I received an email saying my application was updated, but there is no visible change in the account. What does that mean? Sometimes an application is updated internally without a visible change in the portal. A static status does not establish that nothing is happening. A file may be waiting in the initial review queue, or checks not displayed in the system may be continuing. Not sure which pathway is right for you? Our team has spent more than ten years working through cases like yours, and we can tell you where you actually stand.Start Your Free Initial Eligibility Assessment Prepared by KGraph Immigration. Last updated July 2026. General information, not legal advice. Related Articles IRCC Secure Account Immigration Medical Exam Biometrics from Outside Canada Express Entry Service Visiting Visa Service

Unless Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) specifically tells you otherwise, every supporting document you submit in a language other than English or French must be accompanied by an English or French translation (ircc.canada.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.asp?qnum=018&top=4). In this guide What documents must be translated? What exactly should be submitted? What is a certified translator for IRCC purposes? Who may prepare the translation? Who cannot translate the documents? What is the translation affidavit? What is a certified photocopy? How to find and verify a certified translator Fees and costs Step by step process for applicants Common mistakes Questions people actually ask Welcome to the complete guide on getting certified translations for Canadian immigration. At KGraph Immigration, we have helped more than 10,000 clients successfully navigate the Canadian system, maintaining a 98% success rate and a 4.9 Google rating. One of the most common reasons for processing delays is submitting an incomplete translation package. Canada does not use a single universal translation rule for every application. The rules for Express Entry differ from the rules for family sponsorship, and both differ from study permit requirements. This page breaks down exactly what you need to submit, who can translate your documents, and how to avoid the most common mistakes. What documents must be translated? This rule applies to any foreign language document you submit as evidence. It is not limited to civil status documents. Depending on your application, this may include: Birth, marriage, divorce, adoption and name change documents Police certificates and court records Education records and transcripts Employment evidence Financial records and bank documents Identity and civil status documents Relationship evidence Letters, emails, text messages and social media conversations The individual document is only required when it appears on your application checklist or when you submit it voluntarily as supporting evidence. For spousal sponsorship, IRCC explicitly says that foreign language letters, printed text messages, emails and social media conversations used as proof of communication must also be translated (canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/application-forms-guides/guide-5289-sponsor-your-spouse-common-law-partner-conjugal-partner-dependent-child-complete-guide.html). The guide permits a maximum of 10 pages of proof of communication documents. IRCC also specifically confirms that a police certificate not issued in English or French must be translated and that translations by family members are not accepted (ircc.canada.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.asp?qnum=039&top=4). Bilingual documents and untranslated stamps A document does not need another translation merely because it originated in another country if the complete document is already in English or French. However, current IRCC instructions say the translation must cover all text appearing on the document, including letterhead, fine print, stamps and seals. Express Entry also says that stamps and seals not in English or French must be translated (canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/apply-permanent-residence.html). A document that is mostly in English or French but contains an untranslated foreign language stamp, handwritten notation, seal, certification or fine print should therefore be treated as containing foreign language content. What exactly should be submitted? The safest central message is to submit the complete original language document with a complete English or French translation. Use a translator accepted by your exact IRCC program. Include the translator's stamp and membership number if certified, or a sworn affidavit if required. Include a certified photocopy whenever the program instructions require one or when the translator worked from that certified copy. Depending on the application program and the person who prepared the translation, your submission package may need: The document in its original language, or a certified photocopy of it. A complete English or French translation. The certified translator's seal or stamp and membership number. An affidavit from the translator if the translator is not recognized as certified under the applicable IRCC instructions. A certified photocopy of the original document where the program guide requires one or where the translator worked from a certified photocopy. IRCC's general Help Centre says to provide the translation, an affidavit and a certified photocopy (ircc.canada.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.asp?qnum=018&top=4). The IRCC glossary and several current program guides say that an affidavit is required only when the translator is not certified (canada.ca/en/services/immigration-citizenship/helpcentre/glossary.html). Express Entry also has more specific rules about when an original scan versus a certified photocopy is required. You should always follow the instructions for your exact application program and personalized document checklist rather than relying on one universal translation package. Route A: Translation by a recognized certified translator The safest package contains: A clear scan or copy of the complete original language document. The complete English or French translation. The translator's seal or stamp showing the membership number. The translation date. A certified photocopy if required by the program guide, checklist or because the translation was prepared from a certified photocopy. Any translation of the translator's foreign language stamp or seal. Under Express Entry, the translator should photocopy and stamp the original document if that is the document on which the translation was based. You must upload a scan of the original or the certified photocopy that the translator worked from. A certified photocopy is only required under the Express Entry wording if the translator worked from a certified photocopy. Express Entry also permits you to include a short scanned letter explaining that no affidavit is included because a certified translator was used (canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/apply-permanent-residence.html). Route B: Translation by an uncertified translator The package should contain: The original language document or the certified photocopy from which the translation was prepared. The complete English or French translation. The translator's affidavit confirming language proficiency and accuracy. The notary or commissioner's execution of the affidavit. A certified photocopy where required by the program instructions. For Express Entry, both the source document and the translation must be referred to in the affidavit. What is a certified translator for IRCC purposes? IRCC's glossary and Express Entry instructions define a certified translator as a member in good standing of a professional translation association in Canada or abroad. Certification must be confirmed by a seal or stamp showing the translator's membership number (canada.ca/en/services/immigration-citizenship/helpcentre/glossary.html). A person who is still applying for certification or accreditation is not considered a certified translator for IRCC purposes. Important program specific differences Several program guides use a narrower definition. They describe a certified translator as a member in good standing of a Canadian provincial or territorial organization of translators and interpreters. Under these guides, a translation completed by anyone other than a Canadian certified translator requires an affidavit. Program Certified translator definition Express Entry A member in good standing of a professional translation association in Canada or abroad. The seal or stamp must display the membership number. Spousal and dependent child sponsorship A Canadian certified translator. A foreign or uncertified translator requires an affidavit. Study permit applications outside Canada A Canadian certified translator. A foreign or uncertified translator requires an affidavit. Visitor visa paper applications A Canadian certified translator. A foreign or uncertified translator requires an affidavit. Parents and grandparents sponsorship A Canadian certified translator. A foreign or uncertified translator requires an affidavit. Adult citizenship applications A Canadian certified translator. A foreign or uncertified translator requires an affidavit. Super visa applications A Canadian certified translator. A foreign or uncertified translator requires an affidavit. Where your checklist or document request gives different instructions, you must follow the checklist or request letter. Who may prepare the translation? 1Canadian certified translator A Canadian certified translator is normally a member in good standing of a provincial or territorial professional organization. The translated document should carry the translator's seal or stamp and a verifiable membership number. Current IRCC instructions also say the translation should: Follow the same order as the original document Include every piece of text Include the letterhead, fine print, stamps and seals Include the date the translation was completed 2Certified translator outside Canada Express Entry and the IRCC glossary recognize members in good standing of professional translation associations abroad, provided certification is shown by a seal or stamp containing a membership number. For other programs, the foreign translator may need to provide a sworn affidavit even if the translator is professionally certified in that country because the program guide only exempts Canadian certified translators. 3Uncertified translator Several IRCC guides allow a person who is fluent in both the original language and English or French to complete the translation. When the translator is not a Canadian certified translator, the translator must provide an affidavit swearing to their language proficiency and the accuracy of the translation. Express Entry says the affidavit route should be used only when a translation cannot be completed by a certified translator. 4Translation agency versus individual translator IRCC's requirements attach certification to the individual translator's membership, seal or stamp and membership number. Using a business that calls itself a certified translation agency is not enough unless the translation is completed or certified by an individual who satisfies IRCC's requirements. Who cannot translate the documents? IRCC does not permit you to translate your own documents. IRCC also prohibits translations by your parent, guardian, sibling, spouse, common law partner, conjugal partner, grandparent, child, aunt or uncle, niece or nephew, and first cousin. For Express Entry, a family member, immigration representative or consultant cannot translate your documents even if that person is also a lawyer, notary or translator. A translation produced only through Google Translate or another automated translation tool would not independently satisfy these requirements because there would be no eligible translator providing the required certification or sworn affidavit. What is the translation affidavit? An affidavit for a translation is a sworn document stating that the translation is a true and accurate representation of the contents of the original document. The translator swears to the accuracy of the translation before a person authorized to administer oaths (ircc.canada.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.asp?qnum=040&top=4). What the affidavit must establish Current IRCC instructions indicate that the affidavit should confirm the translator's proficiency in the original language and English or French, that the translation is true and accurate, and the connection between the translation and the source document. For Express Entry, both the translated document and the original document from which the translation was prepared must be referred to in the affidavit. Who may take the affidavit? In Canada, the translator may swear the affidavit before a notary public, a commissioner of oaths, or a commissioner of taking affidavits. Outside Canada, the affidavit may be taken by a notary public or equivalent person authorized under local law. For Express Entry, IRCC says the commissioner or notary administering the oath must be proficient in English or French. The affidavit cannot be taken by you or by your listed family members, even when that person is a lawyer, notary or authorized translator. There is no dedicated IRCC translation affidavit form or IMM form number in the current official instructions. The affidavit is prepared by the translator or legal professional and sworn before the authorized person. IRCC does not publish a general expiry period for a translation affidavit or certified translation. However, the underlying document may expire or be subject to a recency rule. A new translation may also be necessary if a document is reissued, corrected, amended or contains information not included in the existing translation. What is a certified photocopy? A certified photocopy is a readable photocopy that an authorized person has compared with the original and certified as a true copy (canada.ca/en/services/immigration-citizenship/helpcentre/glossary.html). The authorized person must place the following information on the copy: Their name and signature Their position or title The name of the original document The certification date The phrase: "I certify that this is a true copy of the original document" In Canada, a notary public, a commissioner of oaths, or a commissioner of taking affidavits may certify a photocopy. Authority varies by province and territory. Outside Canada, the authorized person depends on local law. A notary public may be authorized, but IRCC tells applicants to check with the relevant local authority. You and your listed family members cannot certify the copy. A certified translation verifies the accuracy of the English or French translation. A certified photocopy verifies that a photocopy matches the original document. An affidavit is the translator's sworn statement of proficiency and accuracy when required. One does not automatically replace the others. How to find and verify a certified translator The Canadian Translators, Terminologists and Interpreters Council (CTTIC) represents provincial translation associations. CTTIC states that certification is administered at the provincial and territorial level and lists its seven member societies, covering British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia (cttic.org/member-societies/). In Ontario, ATIO provides a public Certified Translator Directory searchable by source language, target language and location (atio.on.ca/directory/translator/). In Quebec, OTTIAQ provides a public directory searchable by profession, source language, target language and specialization (ottiaq.org/en/directory). What to verify before paying Ask for and independently verify: The translator's full name The professional association Current membership status Membership number Certified language direction, such as Arabic to English Whether the final translation will carry the seal or stamp and membership number Whether the service includes an affidavit or certified photocopy if required Whether every page, stamp, seal, handwritten note and reverse side will be translated Fees and costs IRCC does not publish a separate government fee for obtaining or submitting a certified translation. The translation service is arranged and paid for privately by you. There is no national government set translation price. Translators or agencies provide private quotes. Your quote may contain separate charges for translation, certification or translator's seal, additional pages, rush service, affidavit preparation, notary or commissioner service, certified photocopies, and courier delivery or printed originals. These vary by translator, language, location, document length and local notarial fee rules. You should request a current quote from the translator or agency. Step by step process for applicants Check the exact application guide. Identify the program, application portal and document checklist. Check country specific instructions where applicable. Identify every piece of foreign language content. Check the front and back of each document, stamps and seals, letterhead, fine print, handwritten notes, attachments, court or registry certifications, and foreign language text in an otherwise English or French document. Choose the appropriate translation route. Use either a certified translator accepted under the exact program instructions, or an eligible fluent translator who will provide a properly sworn affidavit. Give the translator the complete document. Provide a clear original, clear scan or certified photocopy according to the program requirements and the translator's professional procedures. Do not crop stamps, borders, signatures or reverse sides. Check the completed translation. Confirm that it is in English or French, follows the original order, includes all content, shows the translation date, has the required stamp or seal, shows the membership number, includes an affidavit where required, and correctly identifies the source document. Obtain a certified photocopy where required. Have the original compared with the copy by an authorized person. Make sure all required certification wording and identifying details appear on the copy. Assemble the upload package. A practical order is the original language document, certified photocopy if separate and required, English or French translation, translator certification page, affidavit and notarial or commissioner execution if required, and a short letter of explanation if needed. Check file format and size. Accepted formats depend on the IRCC account. File size limits vary by application system. IRCC permits only one uploaded file per document field. When several pages or documents belong in one field, they must be combined into one file. Common mistakes Submitting only the translation. IRCC generally requires the document in its original language or the certified photocopy from which the translation was prepared in addition to the translation. Missing the translator's membership number. For a certified translator, IRCC expects a seal or stamp showing the professional association membership number. Using a certification candidate. A translator who is still in the process of obtaining certification is not a certified translator for IRCC purposes. Leaving stamps or fine print untranslated. Current IRCC instructions require all text, including letterhead, fine print, stamps and seals. Using a family member. You and your listed family members cannot prepare the translation. For Express Entry, a representative or consultant cannot translate it either. Assuming notarization and certification are the same. A notary may certify a photocopy or witness an affidavit. This does not automatically make an uncertified person a certified translator. Assuming every foreign certified translator is affidavit exempt. Express Entry recognizes professional associations in Canada or abroad. Several other program guides only exempt Canadian certified translators. You must use the wording in the exact program guide. Uploading the translation separately from the source document. IRCC permits only one file in each upload field. The source document, translation and affidavit should normally be combined in the logical document slot. Cropping the document. A cropped scan can omit stamps, reverse side entries, certification wording or handwritten notes that must be translated. Translating only a summary. IRCC's current detailed instructions require all text in the same order as the original. A summary or partial translation does not meet that standard unless IRCC specifically requested an extract. Questions people actually ask Q: What is the normal procedure for translating documents? Does the original document also have to be notarized? The normal procedure depends on your specific application program. Generally, you provide the original document to a recognized translator. The original document does not always need to be notarized, but some programs require a certified photocopy of the original document. Q: Can certified translations be done in my country of origin, or do they have to be done by a translator in Canada? For Express Entry, a certified translator can belong to a professional association in Canada or abroad. For many other programs, such as spousal sponsorship or study permits, the guide specifies a Canadian certified translator. If you use a foreign translator for these programs, they must provide an affidavit. Q: My translator stamped every page, but the membership number was handwritten beside the stamp. Does the number have to be part of the stamp itself? IRCC requires the translator's seal or stamp to show the membership number. It is best if the number is part of the stamp, but the key requirement is that the membership number is clearly provided and verifiable. Q: Do I need to translate a document that is already in English if its logo, stamp or seal contains foreign language text? Yes. Current IRCC instructions require all text appearing on the document to be translated, including letterhead, fine print, stamps and seals. Q: If the translator is certified, do I still need an affidavit? If the translator is recognized as certified under your specific application program instructions, you do not need an affidavit. Q: Does a certified translator need to see the physical original, or can I email a scan? This depends on the translator's professional procedures and the application requirements. Many translators can work from a clear scan, but you must ensure you provide the complete document without cropping any parts. Q: Do I upload the original, the translation and a certified copy, or only the original and translation? You upload the original scan and the translation. You only need to include a certified copy if your specific program guide requires it or if the translator worked from a certified copy instead of the original. Details like these are where applications come apart. Our consultants have handled these documents for over a decade, and we can check yours before you file.Start Your Free Initial Eligibility Assessment Prepared by KGraph Immigration. Last updated July 2026. General information, not legal advice. Related Articles IRCC Photo Specifications Police Certificate Immigration Medical Exam Family Sponsorship Service IRCC Secure Account

Welcome to the complete guide to Canadian immigration, citizenship and passport photo requirements. At KGraph Immigration, we have helped more than 10,000 clients successfully navigate the Canadian system, maintaining a 98% success rate and a 4.9 Google rating. One of the most common reasons for processing delays is submitting the wrong type of photograph. In this guide Core Photo Requirements by Application Type Permanent Residence and PR Card Photos Express Entry Digital Photographs Canadian Citizenship Photographs Canadian Passport Photographs Visitor Visa, Study Permit and Work Permit Photos Biometrics Photograph versus Application Photograph Questions People Actually Ask Canada does not use a single universal photo specification for every application. The rules for permanent residence differ from the rules for citizenship, and both differ from passport and visitor visa requirements. This page breaks down the exact millimetre sizes, pixel dimensions, file sizes and rules you need to know for your specific application. Core Photo Requirements by Application Type The most important differences depend on what you are applying for. The dimensions below are width by height unless expressly stated otherwise. (Canada) Application or document Printed photo size Digital dimensions Photo age Background Permanent residence or PR card Exactly 50 mm wide by 70 mm high 715 by 1000 to 2000 by 2800 pixels Maximum 12 months old Plain, untextured white Citizenship grant Exactly 50 mm by 70 mm At least 420 by 540 pixels Maximum 6 months old Plain white or light coloured Canadian passport, paper route Exactly 50 mm by 70 mm Not applicable Maximum 6 months old Plain white or light coloured Canadian passport, online adult renewal Not expressed in millimetres 1200 by 1800 minimum to 3000 by 4500 maximum, portrait Maximum 6 months old Plain white or light coloured Visitor visa, paper study permit or paper work permit At least 35 mm by 45 mm No single universal online standard published Maximum 6 months old under the TRV specifications Plain white or light coloured IEC work permit digital photo At least 35 mm by 45 mm composition At least 420 by 540 pixels Not separately stated in the IEC digital section Follow the application instructions Permanent Residence and PR Card Photos Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) maintains consolidated rules for permanent resident photos. These apply to applications submitted through the Permanent Residence Portal, applications for a new, renewed or replacement PR card, and paper applications where the program still accepts printed photos. (Canada) 1Online PR or PR Card Application You must submit one digital photo in the Permanent Residence Portal. A commercial photographer or professional studio must take it. IRCC accepts either an original professional digital photograph or a scan of a professionally printed photograph. IRCC does not accept a phone or camera photograph taken of a paper print. You may use a scanner application on a phone, tablet or computer to scan the professional print. (Canada) The digital photo must meet these specifications: Minimum dimensions: 715 pixels wide by 1000 pixels high Maximum dimensions: 2000 pixels wide by 2800 pixels high Maximum file size: 4 MB Format: .jpeg or .jpg (We advise applicants to use JPG or JPEG unless the actual upload field expressly accepts PNG) Colour or black and white is acceptable The photograph must have been taken no more than 12 months before the application IRCC gives a pixel range for digital photos, not a required measurement in millimetres. The 50 mm by 70 mm measurement applies expressly to printed PR photos. Do not worry about millimetre sizes for the digital file itself; the portal validates pixels and file size. (Canada) 2Background and Image Quality Your digital photo must have a plain, untextured white background with a clear difference between you and the background. It needs clear, sharp focus, uniform lighting, natural skin tones, and no shadows, glare or flash reflections. Do not use digital alterations. IRCC treats changes to colour, brightness, contrast, sharpness, background, clothing or facial appearance as alterations. Cutting and pasting yourself against a new white background is also considered an alteration. (Canada) 3Expression, Glasses and Head Coverings You must have a neutral expression, keep your mouth closed, keep your eyes open, and look directly at the camera. Have your face and shoulders centred and squared to the camera. Avoid smiling, frowning or tilting your head. Glasses are allowed when your eyes are clearly visible, there is no glare on the lenses, and the glasses do not obstruct your eyes. Sunglasses and tinted prescription lenses should not be used. A head covering is allowed when it is worn daily for religious or medical reasons. Your full face, including the area around your ears, as well as your shoulders and background, must remain visible. The covering must not cast shadows or distort the image. Hair should be kept away from your face so the edges of your face are visible. (Canada) 4Photographer Information for Online Applications The portal has separate fields for the front and the back of the photo. For an original digital photograph, the supporting document uploaded as the back must include your name, your date of birth, the date the photo was taken, the photographer or studio name, the complete studio address, and confirmation from the studio, such as a receipt. For a scanned professional print, the scanned back must show your name, your date of birth, the date the photo was taken, the studio name, and the complete studio address. No applicant signature or guarantor signature is required. (Canada) 5Printed PR and PR Card Photographs If you are submitting a paper application, you must provide two identical photos. The exact photo size must be 50 mm wide by 70 mm high, with a head height of 31 mm to 36 mm measured from chin to crown. Photos must be no more than 12 months old. Colour or black and white is acceptable. They must be professionally printed on plain, high quality photographic paper. Home printed or heavyweight paper photos are not accepted. The background must be plain, untextured and white. (Canada) On the back of one photograph, include the name and date of birth of the person shown, the photographer or studio name, the complete studio address, and the date the photograph was taken. The photographer may stamp or handwrite the information. Stick on labels are not accepted. A guarantor signature is not required. (Canada) 6PR Card Fees There is no separate IRCC photo fee. The commercial photographer's charge is a private business charge and IRCC does not set an official amount. For the PR card itself, there is no separate fee for your first PR card when the address and photo are supplied within 180 days of becoming a permanent resident. A renewal or replacement PR card application costs CAN$50 per person. (Canada) Express Entry Digital Photographs At the Express Entry permanent residence application stage, IRCC states that a personalized document checklist is generated after you complete the online application. A digital identity photo is required only if the personalized checklist includes it. (Canada) The current public Express Entry application page does not publish one specific pixel dimension, head size or file format table. You should follow the requirements displayed in your personalized digital photo upload field. After approval, the photograph uploaded in the PR Confirmation Portal for the first PR card is a separate step and uses the current 715 by 1000 to 2000 by 2800 pixel, maximum 4 MB standard. (Canada) Canadian Citizenship Photographs IRCC expressly warns that citizenship photo specifications are different from Canadian passport specifications. Online Citizenship Grant Application Submit one colour digital photo (preferred) or one digital black and white photo. A commercial photographer or studio must take it. IRCC prefers the original digital file from the photographer. If the photographer cannot provide a digital file, you may scan or photograph the professional printed photo, although IRCC says the original professional digital file is safer. (Canada) The composition must correspond to 50 mm wide by 70 mm high, with a face height of 31 mm to 36 mm from chin to crown. The digital file must be JPG or JPEG with minimal compression, saved directly from the camera without alteration. It must be at least 420 pixels wide by 540 pixels high, approximately 240 kB, and a maximum of 4 MB. The photo must be no more than 6 months old, use a plain white or light coloured background, be clear and sharp, and show natural skin tones. You must show the face and shoulders straight on, with a neutral expression, eyes open and mouth closed. (Canada) Paper Citizenship Grant Application Submit two identical colour printed photos. They must be exactly 50 mm wide by 70 mm high with a face height of 31 mm to 36 mm. They must be taken within the previous 6 months, professionally printed on plain, high quality photographic paper against a plain white or light coloured background. (Canada) The printed photo must include the applicant's first and last name, the photographer or studio name, the complete studio address, and the date the photo was taken. Always check the current document checklist (CIT 0007) for exact instructions on whether this goes on one or both photos. Canadian Passport Photographs Paper or In Person Application For a new adult passport, child passport, and paper or in person renewal, submit two identical and unaltered printed photos. They must be exactly 50 mm wide by 70 mm high with a face height of 31 mm to 36 mm. They must be taken no more than 6 months before applying. They must be professionally printed on plain, high quality photographic paper against a plain white or light coloured background. (Canada) On the back of one printed photo, the photographer must write or stamp the date the photograph was taken, the photographer or studio name, and the complete studio address. For a new adult passport or child passport, the guarantor must write: "I certify this to be a true likeness of the applicant" and then sign the same photo. An adult using the simplified renewal process does not need a guarantor. (Canada) Online Adult Passport Renewal Only an eligible adult passport renewal submitted online uses the digital passport photo specifications. The digital photograph must be taken in person by a commercial photographer, be no more than 6 months old, and be the original camera file. It must be JPG or JPEG, have a 3:2 portrait aspect ratio, be at least 1200 pixels wide by 1800 pixels high, and be no larger than 3000 pixels wide by 4500 pixels high. The file must be between 200 KB and 5 MB. The chin to crown measurement must equal 45% to 50% of the total image height. (Canada) During upload, the applicant must provide the photographer or studio name, photographer or studio address, and the date taken. Visitor Visa, Study Permit and Work Permit Photos The generic temporary resident visa photo specification requires two photos with a frame measuring at least 35 mm wide by 45 mm high and a head height of 31 mm to 36 mm. They must have a plain white or light coloured background and a neutral expression. (Canada) For a paper study permit application outside Canada, write the applicant's name and date of birth on the back of both photos. If biometric fingerprints and a biometric photograph are required, paper photos do not need to be included. (Canada) The same applies to paper work permit applications outside Canada. (Canada) For online applications, IRCC generates a personalized document checklist. Upload a digital photograph only when the checklist requires it and follow the specifications displayed in that upload slot. There is no universal digital standard published for all online temporary resident applications. One confirmed exception is International Experience Canada (IEC) work permits. The IEC digital standard requires a final composition of at least 35 mm by 45 mm, a head height of 31 mm to 36 mm, and at least 420 by 540 pixels. The file should be JPEG or JPEG2000, ideally approximately 240 kB and not less than 60 kB. (Canada) Biometrics Photograph versus Application Photograph A biometric photograph is taken at the biometric collection appointment and is not the same as the professional photograph uploaded or mailed with an application. The biometrics fee (currently CAN$85 for an individual) covers the collection of fingerprints and the biometric photo. It does not pay for a commercial photographer to prepare an application or passport photograph. (Canada) Questions People Actually Ask Q: Can I use a phone selfie for my PR Portal photo, or must it be taken by a professional photographer? You cannot use a phone selfie. IRCC requires the photo to be taken by a commercial photographer or professional studio. You can use an original professional digital photograph or scan a professionally printed photograph. Q: For a digital PR application, do I need to upload the back of the photo or a stamped photographer receipt? Yes, the portal has separate fields for the front and the back of the photo. If you use an original digital photograph, you must upload a supporting document as the "back" that includes your name, date of birth, date the photo was taken, studio name and address, and a confirmation from the studio like a receipt. If you scan a printed photo, you scan the back of the photo showing the required information. Q: I scanned the front and back of my professional photo as separate JPEG files. Is that the correct way to upload it? Yes, the portal has separate upload fields for the front image and the supporting document for the back. Q: Why does the PR portal say my professionally taken photo is too bright or too dark? The portal has an automated preview that sometimes displays warnings for brightness, background or pixel range. It may also turn your colour photo black and white. This is not a technical problem. You can still submit the photo after acknowledging the warning, and an officer will make the final decision. Q: For an online citizenship application, should I upload the photographer's original digital file or a scan of the printed citizenship photo? IRCC prefers the original digital file directly from the photographer because it is safer and ensures minimal compression. You may scan a professional printed photo if the photographer cannot provide a digital file. Details like these are where applications come apart. Our consultants have handled these documents for over a decade, and we can check yours before you file.Start Your Free Initial Eligibility Assessment Prepared by KGraph Immigration. Last updated July 2026. General information, not legal advice. Related Articles IRCC Secure Account Immigration Medical Exam Certified Translations Police Certificate Visiting Visa Service

Navigating the immigration process to Canada begins with understanding how to interact with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) online. It is critical to know that IRCC does not currently have one universal account. Instead, the department operates several separate systems that are not interchangeable. This guide focuses specifically on the IRCC secure account, explaining what it is, how to create one, and how to troubleshoot common issues. In this guide Understanding IRCC Systems What is the IRCC Secure Account? What is GCKey? Preparation Before Registering Step by Step: Creating an Account with GCKey Step by Step: Registering with an Interac Sign-In Partner GCKey versus Sign-In Partner Managing Your Account Account Recovery and Troubleshooting Where to Get Help Frequently Asked Questions Understanding IRCC Systems IRCC operates multiple portals based on the type of application you are submitting. The IRCC secure account is the system that uses a GCKey or a Canadian Interac Sign-In Partner for access. This account is used for Express Entry, work permits and extensions, International Experience Canada (IEC), visitor records, study permit extensions, some study permits and visitor visas, citizenship certificates, the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP), and more. Other systems include the IRCC Portal, which uses email based credentials and is used for some visitor visa and study permit applications, as well as asylum claims. The Permanent Residence Portal is a separate system for most non Express Entry PR applications, family sponsorship, PR cards, and Permanent Resident Travel Documents (PRTDs). The PR Confirmation Portal is initiated by IRCC after PR approval to confirm presence, provide an address and photo, and get an electronic Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR). Finally, the IRCC Portal New version is being rolled out in stages, initially for certain visitor visa applicants and adult passport renewals, with the intention of eventually becoming a single window. Always start from the official instructions for your application type instead of creating an account based only on its name. What is the IRCC Secure Account? The IRCC secure account is an online portal where you can apply for, manage, or receive information about supported immigration, temporary residence, citizenship, and refugee health applications. You must register and sign in using either a GCKey username and password or a Canadian Interac Sign-In Partner. It is important to keep using the exact method the account was registered with because the credential becomes tied to your IRCC profile. If your application type is not listed above, check that program's specific instructions, as another portal may be required. What is GCKey? A GCKey is a Government of Canada sign-in credential consisting of a username and a password. It is not an IRCC account by itself. After creating a GCKey, you must still register the IRCC secure account so the GCKey is matched to your IRCC profile. Anyone in any country can create a GCKey. No Canadian bank account, address, or Social Insurance Number (SIN) is required. A GCKey can be used for more than one federal service that supports it, but you must register separately for each service. You can create more than one GCKey, but once a GCKey is linked to an account, you must use that same GCKey for it. Preparation Before Registering Before you begin, ensure you are using a current version of Safari, Chrome, Firefox, or Edge, with JavaScript and cookies enabled. You will need a stable email address for recovery and two-factor authentication, as well as a secure place to record recovery information. Always start from the official IRCC registration page rather than bookmarking signed in pages. For a GCKey, you need a unique username, a password meeting the on screen checklist, recovery questions and answers, a recovery email, a two-factor method, and a safe place to store the five recovery codes issued after two-factor setup. For an Interac Sign-In Partner, you need a Canadian bank account at a participating institution, online banking access, and the bank's normal online ID and password. You do not need a Unique Client Identifier (UCI), an application number, or a personal reference code just to create the account. A personal reference code is optional and expires 60 days after issue. Linking an existing application requires entering details exactly as they appeared on the original application or the latest updated information. Security reminder: Never share your GCKey username, password, recovery answers, two-factor codes, or recovery codes with anyone — including people claiming to represent IRCC or GCKey. Treat any unexpected request for these details as fraudulent. Step by Step: Creating an Account with GCKey Confirm the secure account is right for your application using the account finder or program instructions. Select "Register with a GCKey username and password" on the official IRCC registration page (canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/register.html). Sign in with an existing GCKey or select Sign Up on the Welcome to GCKey page. Accept the GCKey terms and create the credential. Select the GCKey option, Sign Up, read and accept terms, create a username, create a password, create recovery questions, enter a recovery email, and complete two-factor authentication when prompted. Avoid using personal information like your name, SIN, address, or email in the username. Create the IRCC secure account profile after creating the GCKey. This is required even if you already had a GCKey. Set up two-factor authentication, which is required for GCKey. Methods include an authenticator app on a phone or tablet, an authenticator app on a desktop or laptop, or a one time code by email. Both methods use six digit codes. Save the five recovery codes somewhere safe. Step by Step: Registering with an Interac Sign-In Partner On the IRCC registration page, select "Register with Interac Sign-In Partner". Choose your participating institution from the list. You will be redirected to the bank's sign in page. Sign in with your normal online banking ID and password. Accept Interac terms if prompted on first use, complete any bank authentication, and you will be redirected back to IRCC. Follow the prompts to create the secure account profile. Interac does not receive your banking login or financial information. IRCC does not share your IRCC information with the bank, and the bank does not share banking information with IRCC. For a current list of participating financial institutions, visit the Interac Sign-In Service page. If your institution is not listed, register using GCKey instead. GCKey versus Sign-In Partner Feature GCKey Interac Sign-In Partner Suitability Applicants outside Canada, those without a participating Canadian bank, or those who prefer not to tie access to a banking relationship. Users with a Canadian account at a participating bank and online banking access. Availability Can be created from any country. Requires an account with a participating Canadian institution. Continuity Must use the same method every time. Must use the same method every time. Managing Your Account Inside the account, you can start, complete, and submit supported applications. You can also pay fees. For Temporary Resident Visas (TRVs), study permits, work permits, Electronic Travel Authorizations (eTAs), Employer Portal, Express Entry, citizenship certificates, and record searches, payment is made directly in the online application before submission. For some other applications, you may need IRCC's separate online payment service and must attach the receipt. You can upload documents during an application. After submission, you can usually upload only when IRCC has requested it and provided an upload field. To upload requested documents, sign in, find the application under "View the applications you submitted", select "Check full application status", then "View submitted application or upload documents". Go to the requested document section, upload the file, confirm it shows "Uploaded, not submitted to IRCC", click Next, enter your name as a signature, answer the security question, click Sign then Transmit, and confirm the success message.jpg, .png, .doc, .tiff, or .pdf formats. You can check your application status and read IRCC messages. You can link an existing application by entering information exactly as on the original application or the latest updated information. You have five linking attempts before a 24 hour lock. An online application can take up to five days to appear. Once linked, IRCC sends messages to the account instead of paper. If an applicant using a representative links it to their own account, the representative loses access. Account Recovery and Troubleshooting 1Recovering a GCKey Lost username, recovery email works: Go to GCKey sign in, select "Forgot your username?", enter the recovery email, continue, check the Government of Canada email with the username, and sign in. Lost username, no recovery email access: Create a new GCKey, create a new IRCC secure account, then recover or link existing submitted applications. Unsubmitted drafts may not be recoverable. Lost password, recovery email available: Select "Forgot your password?", enter the username, choose email reset, enter the recovery email, get the code, enter the code, answer the recovery question, and create a new password. Lost password, no recovery email: Use the Recovery Q&A and create a new password. Lost both: Recover the username first, then reset the password. 2Lost Two-Factor Method Recovery codes available: Sign in with GCKey, select Recover account on the two-factor page, enter one saved recovery code, select Change your two-factor authentication, register the replacement method, and save the new recovery codes. No method and no recovery codes: Create a new GCKey, create a new IRCC secure account, set up two-factor again, save the new codes, and recover or link applications. 3Revoked or Expired GCKey A revoked GCKey cannot be recovered. It may be revoked if compromised or unused for two years. Create a new credential and re-register. 4Changing Banks or Losing a Sign-In Partner To switch partners, select Canadian Interac Sign-In Partner, then Switch My Sign-In Partner, and follow the Interac prompts. If the bank or partner is removed or inaccessible, create a new account, select "Add (link) your application to your account," enter the application details, and use the passport or travel document information that appeared on the application. Submitted applications, messages, and updates are not lost, but an unsubmitted application must be restarted. 5Common Problems Login loop or blank page: Use the latest browser, do not use a bookmark, delete saved account bookmarks, close the browser, reopen and clear cache, close again, reopen and sign in. If it continues, submit the IRCC web form under "Technical difficulties" with network or VPN details and screenshots... "Too many attempts": Close the window or tab and try again in a new session. Site unavailable or maintenance: Try later. Session expired: Sign in again. Application missing after account reset or changing credential: Sign in and use link application. Have a copy of the submitted application to enter information exactly. Cannot link: Use information exactly as submitted, use old passport details if those were used, use latest information if IRCC was formally told of a change, wait up to five days, and stop after five attempts to avoid a 24 hour lockout. No upload button after a request: Follow the request letter. If still unavailable, use the IRCC web form (canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/contact-ircc/web-form.html) with the correct application type and screenshots. "Uploaded, not submitted to IRCC": Finish with Next, signature, security question, Sign and Transmit, and confirm the success message. Personal reference code does not work: It expires 60 days after issue and is not required to start. Where to Get Help The GCKey Service Desk helps only with GCKey and two-factor issues and cannot access your IRCC application. They are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Canada and US: 1 855 438 1102 TTY/TDD: 1 855 438 1103 Outside Canada and the US: see the current number at canada.ca/gckey Use the IRCC web form for technical problems, directed document submission, updates, applications outside processing times, and program questions. Frequently Asked Questions Q: What happens if I forget my GCKey username while messages are in the old account and I cannot link an IEC application? You will need to create a new GCKey and a new IRCC secure account, then link your existing submitted applications. Ensure you enter the information exactly as it appeared on the original application. Q: I closed the Canadian bank used as my Sign-In Partner after leaving Canada and cannot access an ongoing Express Entry application. What should I do? You must create a new account using a GCKey, select "Add (link) your application to your account," and enter the application details. Use the passport or travel document information that appeared on the application. Q: The site keeps returning to the login page. How can I fix this? Use the latest version of your browser, do not use a bookmark, delete saved account bookmarks, close the browser, reopen and clear the cache, close again, reopen, and sign in. If the issue persists, submit the IRCC web form under "Technical difficulties". Q: My PR application is in the PR Portal and cannot be found or linked in the IRCC account. Why? The PR Portal is a completely separate system from the IRCC secure account. Applications submitted in the PR Portal cannot be linked to or managed within the IRCC secure account. Q: I closed the bank used as my Sign-In Partner and want to switch to GCKey or another bank without losing the application. Is this possible? Yes. Create a new account using your new preferred method (GCKey or a new Interac Sign-In Partner), then link your existing submitted applications to the new account. Submitted applications, messages, and updates are not lost. Q: The system cannot find my application when linking, and it is unclear whether to enter the sponsor's or the principal applicant's details. When linking an application, you must use the information exactly as it was submitted on the original application. You may need to try both the sponsor's and the principal applicant's details, but remember you only have five attempts before a 24 hour lockout. Details like these are where applications come apart. Our consultants have handled these documents for over a decade, and we can check yours before you file.Start Your Free Initial Eligibility Assessment Prepared by George Paul, KGraph Immigration Consultants. Last updated July 2026. This guide is for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal or immigration advice. Related Articles Check Your IRCC Application Status IRCC Photo Specifications Create Your Express Entry Profile Express Entry Service Immigration Medical Exam

Before anything else, read this, because it is the most expensive mistake you can make with TEF Canada. In this guide What TEF Canada is How many tests you sit depends on why you are applying What each test actually involves Converting your TEF score to NCLC What score you actually need How TEF Canada converts into points How to book Getting your results The two year rule If you tested between December 2023 and May 2024 If you have a disability Common mistakes Questions people actually ask Your TEF Canada certificate shows your results in more than one column. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada only accepts the scores in the column marked "Équivalence ancien score" (previous score equivalency). The certificate ALSO shows a column marked "Score / 699". Do not enter those numbers into your Express Entry profile. IRCC states plainly that they are not compatible with its system, and that if you do not enter the correct scores, it may refuse your application (canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/documents/language-test.html). People lose applications over this. It is a data entry error with permanent consequences. And one more rule that catches people out before they even sit down: all your tests must be taken on the same day, or your certificate will not be recognised by the Canadian authorities (lefrancaisdesaffaires.fr). You cannot retake one weak module and staple that score onto three results from an earlier sitting. If you want a better score in one skill, you sit the whole thing again. At KGraph Immigration we have guided more than 10,000 clients through the Canadian system, with a 98% success rate and a 4.9 Google rating. French is the single biggest lever most candidates have in Express Entry, and TEF Canada is the most common way to prove it. What TEF Canada is TEF Canada is the Test d'évaluation de français. It is administered by CCI Paris Île-de-France through Le français des affaires, and it has been recognised by IRCC since 2002. It is one of two French tests IRCC accepts for Express Entry, the other being TCF Canada. Your certificate reports a score for each part on a scale of 699, and it also reports the NCLC equivalence level for each part. NCLC is the French counterpart to the Canadian Language Benchmarks. IRCC works in NCLC levels, not raw scores. How many tests you sit depends on why you are applying This is the part most guides get wrong. Immigration and citizenship are not the same test. Applying for Tests you must take Immigration to Canada (Express Entry and other federal economic programs) All 4: reading, listening, writing, speaking Canadian citizenship Only 2: listening and speaking If you only need citizenship, do not pay for four modules. And in both cases, every test you sit must be on the same day. What each test actually involves Exact format and timings, from the test owner (lefrancaisdesaffaires.fr). Test Content Duration Format Reading comprehension (compréhension écrite) 40 questions 1 hour Multiple choice. Correct answer +1, wrong or blank 0 Listening comprehension (compréhension orale) 40 questions 40 minutes Multiple choice. Correct answer +1, wrong or blank 0 Written expression (expression écrite) 2 sections 1 hour Section A, 25 minutes: continue an article, minimum 80 words. Section B, 35 minutes: express and justify a point of view, minimum 200 words Oral expression (expression orale) 2 sections 15 minutes total Section A, 5 minutes: obtaining information. Section B, 10 minutes: presenting an argument to convince Note the marking on the multiple choice papers: a wrong answer scores the same as no answer, zero. There is no negative marking. So never leave a question blank. Guess. Converting your TEF score to NCLC This is IRCC's official conversion table. Use the "Équivalence ancien score" numbers from your certificate. NCLC level Speaking (expression orale) Listening (compréhension de l'oral) Reading (compréhension de l'écrit) Writing (expression écrite) 10 393 to 450 316 to 360 263 to 300 393 to 450 9 371 to 392 298 to 315 248 to 262 371 to 392 8 349 to 370 280 to 297 233 to 247 349 to 370 7 310 to 348 249 to 279 207 to 232 310 to 348 6 271 to 309 217 to 248 181 to 206 271 to 309 5 226 to 270 181 to 216 151 to 180 226 to 270 4 181 to 225 145 to 180 121 to 150 181 to 225 What score you actually need Program Minimum Federal Skilled Worker, first official language NCLC 7 in all four abilities Federal Skilled Worker, second official language NCLC 5 in all four abilities Federal Skilled Trades NCLC 5 in speaking and listening, NCLC 4 in reading and writing Canadian Experience Class, NOC TEER 0 or 1 NCLC 7 in all four abilities Canadian Experience Class, NOC TEER 2 or 3 NCLC 5 in all four abilities Canadian citizenship CLB 4 in speaking and listening Mobilité Francophone CLB 5 How TEF Canada converts into points For the Federal Skilled Worker Program, your first official language is worth a maximum of 24 points. NCLC level Points per ability 7 4 8 5 9 and above 6 Add your four abilities for your subtotal. If French is your second official language and you reach NCLC 5 or above in all four abilities, add 4 points. Fall below NCLC 5 in even one ability and you get zero for your second language. It is all four or nothing. This is why French is such a powerful lever. Strong French can also qualify you for French language category based draws, which have had significantly lower cutoffs than general draws. How to book Find your nearest approved centre using the official centre finder (lefrancaisdesaffaires.fr/en/trouver-un-centre-agree/). There are roughly 500 official centres across more than 110 countries. Register directly with that centre. You do not book through IRCC and you do not need a third party agent. Pay the centre. Fees are set by each individual centre rather than centrally, so the price varies by country and by centre. Confirm the exact fee with your centre before committing. Prepare, at home, online, or at a test centre. Sit all your tests on the same day. Registering means you accept the centre's registration and examination conditions, so read them before you pay. Getting your results Results arrive in approximately 2 weeks. The testing organisation issues an electronic copy showing your score and the NCLC equivalence level for each component. The two year rule Your certificate is valid for 2 years from the date of issue. For Express Entry, your results must be less than 2 years old at two separate moments: when you complete your Express Entry profile, and when you submit your application for permanent residence Both. Not one or the other. If you apply for permanent residence with expired language results, IRCC will refuse your application. If your results will expire while you are sitting in the pool, your options are to retake the test, to apply before they expire, or to decline an invitation and go back into the pool. If you tested between December 2023 and May 2024 If you took TEF Canada between 11 December 2023 and 6 May 2024, check your profile now. CCI temporarily modified the NCLC scoring to reflect raw scores during that window. That change has since been reverted to the scoring grid IRCC currently uses. If you were affected, CCI emailed you with your updated score. You must update your Express Entry profile with the corrected scoring. If you do not, and you are invited to apply, your application could be refused on the basis of incorrect language scores. If you have been invited but not yet submitted, update your scores now, and if you no longer meet the criteria, decline that invitation. If you have a disability If a disability prevents you from completing one or more sections, IRCC provides a language averaging tool to produce averaged scores for the abilities you could not complete. Use those averaged scores in your profile. IRCC will verify both the averaged scores and the test results you submit. Common mistakes Entering the Score / 699 numbers instead of the Équivalence ancien score column. IRCC may refuse your application for it. This is the big one. Splitting your tests across different days. All tests must be sat on the same day or the certificate will not be recognised by Canadian authorities. Trying to retake just one weak module. You cannot combine a new score for one skill with older scores for the others. It is the whole test again. Paying for four modules when applying for citizenship. Citizenship needs only listening and speaking. Leaving multiple choice questions blank. A wrong answer scores zero, exactly the same as no answer. There is no penalty for guessing, so never leave one empty. Assuming any TEF works. It must be TEF Canada specifically. Letting results expire mid process. Valid at profile creation AND at submission, or the application is refused. Ignoring the December 2023 to May 2024 rescoring. Some profiles are still carrying the wrong scores today. Falling below NCLC 5 in one ability as a second language. One weak skill wipes out the entire 4 point bonus. Questions people actually ask Q: Which column on my certificate do I enter into Express Entry? The "Équivalence ancien score" column, and only that column. Do not enter the "Score / 699" numbers. IRCC says they are not compatible with its system and that entering the wrong scores may lead to refusal. Q: Can I retake just the one module I did badly in? No. All tests must be taken on the same day for the certificate to be recognised by Canadian authorities. To improve one skill you must sit the whole test again. Q: I only want citizenship. Do I really need all four tests? No. Citizenship requires only two, listening and speaking, at CLB 4. Q: Should I guess on the multiple choice questions? Yes. A wrong answer and a blank answer both score zero. There is no negative marking, so there is no reason to leave anything blank. Q: How long until I get my results, and how long are they good for? Results arrive in approximately 2 weeks. Your certificate is valid for 2 years from the date of issue. Q: How much does TEF Canada cost? Fees are set by each individual test centre rather than centrally, so they vary by country. Confirm the exact fee directly with the centre you book with. Q: Is TEF Canada worth it if English is already my strong language? Often, yes. French as a second official language adds 4 points if you reach NCLC 5 across all four abilities, and stronger French can qualify you for French language category based draws, which have had notably lower cutoffs. Speak to a consultant about whether it changes your position. Details like these are where applications come apart. Our consultants have handled these documents for over a decade, and we can check yours before you file. Start Your Free Initial Eligibility Assessment Prepared by KGraph Immigration. Last updated July 2026. General information, not legal advice. Related Articles Book IELTS General Training Book CELPIP Language Tests Overview IELTS vs CELPIP Express Entry Service

Booking the right English test is a critical step in your Canadian immigration journey. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) accepts the Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program, known as CELPIP, for Express Entry and for citizenship. This guide covers which version you need, what it costs, how to book it correctly, the rules that get people turned away at the door, and how your score maps to the Canadian Language Benchmarks. In this guide Test format and timing How to book your CELPIP test Accepted identification Cancellations and transfers Test day rules Results and validity Re evaluation Questions people actually ask Which CELPIP test do you need? Choosing the correct version matters. IRCC will not accept the wrong one, and there is no way to convert a result after the fact. Purpose Correct test Skills tested Canadian fee Length Express Entry and economic permanent residence programs CELPIP General Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking CAD $295 plus applicable taxes Under 2 hours and 50 minutes Canadian citizenship CELPIP General LS, or the full CELPIP General Listening and Speaking CAD $199 plus applicable taxes About 70 minutes For Express Entry and other permanent residence programs, IRCC states plainly that you must take the CELPIP General test. CELPIP General LS is not accepted for Express Entry, because it measures only two of the four abilities IRCC scores. For citizenship, IRCC accepts either version. Applicants aged 18 to 54 who must prove language ability need a result of 4 or higher in Listening and Speaking, which is CLB 4. The fees above are the Canadian prices. International pricing varies by country, so confirm the amount at checkout in your own currency. Test format and timing CELPIP General is taken in one sitting. There is no separate face to face speaking appointment on another day, which is one of the main practical differences from IELTS. Component Time allotted Listening 46 to 55 minutes Reading 43 to 56 minutes Writing 53 minutes Speaking 15 minutes The test is fully computer delivered, but it must be completed in person at an authorised CELPIP test centre. You cannot take it from home. CELPIP is developed and delivered by Paragon Testing Enterprises, which was acquired by Prometric Canada in 2021, and the brand now appears as Prometric on the official site. Understanding your CELPIP score CELPIP levels map one to one to the Canadian Language Benchmarks. This is the simplest score conversion of any test IRCC accepts. CELPIP level CLB level 4 CLB 4 5 CLB 5 6 CLB 6 7 CLB 7 8 CLB 8 9 CLB 9 10 CLB 10 11 CLB 11 12 CLB 12 There is no universal pass mark. The score you need depends on the program you are applying to. Express Entry program Minimum requirement Canadian Experience Class, work experience in TEER 0 or 1 CLB 7 in all four abilities Canadian Experience Class, work experience in TEER 2 or 3 CLB 5 in all four abilities Federal Skilled Worker Program, first official language CLB 7 in all four abilities Federal Skilled Worker Program, second official language CLB 5 in all four abilities Federal Skilled Trades Program CLB 5 in Speaking and Listening, CLB 4 in Reading and Writing These are minimum thresholds to be eligible, not a score that wins you an invitation. Reaching CLB 9 in all four abilities is where Express Entry starts paying you properly, because it unlocks the higher skill transferability points. One trap worth naming. Your CELPIP score report shows an Average Score. IRCC does not use it, and it does not correspond to a CLB level. IRCC reads your four individual ability scores. Never enter the average anywhere in your profile. How to book your CELPIP test Step 1. Decide which version you need. CELPIP General for permanent residence. CELPIP General LS only if your sole purpose is citizenship. Step 2. Sort out your identification before you pay. You must register using the exact same identification document you will physically carry into the test centre, and the name and document number must match exactly. Step 3. Open the official test date finder at celpip.ca to see available centres and sittings. Step 4. Create or sign in to your CELPIP account. Everything happens there: booking, transfers, results and re evaluation requests. Step 5. Choose your country, city, test centre, date and time. Step 6. Select the correct test purpose. If you are testing for Canadian immigration, select the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) purpose. Choosing a non immigration purpose can produce a score report that is not valid for IRCC. Step 7. Enter your personal details exactly as they appear on your identification. Do not abbreviate, do not reorder your names, and do not invent a surname if your passport has only one name. Contact CELPIP for instructions before you pay. Step 8. Pay. Your booking is not confirmed until payment clears and the confirmation email arrives. Step 9. Read the confirmation email the same day. Check your name, the centre address and the start time while there is still time to fix an error. Two booking rules people discover too late. There is no walk in registration, and registration for a sitting closes either one business day before the test or as soon as the sitting is full. You also may not register for more than one test session within any five calendar day period, so you cannot book a backup sitting three days after your first one. If you need special accommodations, CELPIP asks for a minimum of two months of advance notice together with supporting medical documentation. Plan for that well before you choose a date. Accepted identification You must present the original document you registered with. Photocopies and scans are not accepted, and the document must be valid and unexpired. For CELPIP purposes, immigration includes permanent residence, citizenship and the Post Graduation Work Permit. The identification list for immigration purposes is stricter than the general one. Country Accepted identification for immigration purposes Canada Passport booklet, Refugee Travel Document, Canadian Permanent Resident Card, Refugee Protection Identity Document, Canadian Refugee Protection Claimant Document, United States Passport Card United States Passport booklet, Refugee Travel Document, United States Passport Card United Arab Emirates Passport booklet, Refugee Travel Document, Emirates ID Pakistan Passport booklet, Refugee Travel Document, valid physical CNIC, subject to scanning requirements In Canada, a provincial driver's licence is accepted only for non immigration purposes. So are provincial identity cards and health cards. If you are testing for IRCC, bring your passport. This single mistake is the most common reason a Canadian test taker ends up with a score report they cannot use. If you need to change the name, date of birth or document number on your registration, you must request it at least seven days before the sitting. Turn up with details that do not match and you can be refused entry with no refund and no transfer. Cancellations and transfers Timing Result Cancel at least 7 calendar days before the test 50 percent of the registration fee is refunded Cancel fewer than 7 calendar days before the test No refund Transfer to another date Must be requested at least 7 calendar days before the original test date Your first transfer is free. Each subsequent transfer costs CAD $50 plus applicable taxes, or the local equivalent. Test day rules Arrive 45 minutes before your scheduled test time. Check in closes 15 minutes before the start. Latecomers are denied entrance and are not eligible for a refund or a transfer. Bring the original identification you registered with, plus your confirmation email. Expect to hear other test takers typing and speaking during the Speaking component. CELPIP treats this as a normal test room condition, so practise with background noise rather than in silence. The clock does not stop for washroom breaks. If you are away from your workstation for longer than 20 minutes, your test is terminated. If anything goes wrong, a technical fault, a disruption, a noisy neighbour, report it to centre staff immediately and then file a formal report through your CELPIP account within 24 hours of the test or before scores are released, whichever comes first. Complaints raised after your scores appear are far harder to act on. Results and validity Scores appear in your CELPIP account within a few business days. CELPIP publishes both 2 to 4 business days and 3 to 4 business days on different pages, so plan around four business days and treat anything faster as a bonus. You will get an email when they are ready, and you download the official score report as a PDF. Hard copy score reports have been discontinued. Your results remain viewable in your account for two years. CELPIP results are valid for two years. For Express Entry that validity is measured twice: your results must be less than two years old when you create your profile and still less than two years old when you submit the permanent residence application itself. IRCC will refuse an application submitted with expired results. If your test is approaching its second birthday and you are holding an invitation, that is the moment to act. For citizenship the rule is more forgiving. IRCC accepts expired test results for citizenship, provided the scores meet the requirement. Re evaluation If you believe a component was misjudged, you can request a re evaluation through your CELPIP account within six months of the test date. There is a limit of one re evaluation per component, results usually arrive in one to two weeks, and the request cannot be cancelled once submitted. CELPIP itself says a re evaluation of Listening or Reading is unlikely to change anything, because those components are computer rated. Writing is now scored by a hybrid system combining automated and human rating. Speaking and Writing are where a re evaluation has any realistic chance of moving your level. Questions people actually ask Q: Why does my score report say it is not valid for IRCC? Almost always because the wrong test purpose was selected at registration, or because the identification used was a document that CELPIP only accepts for non immigration purposes, such as a Canadian driver's licence. Q: For citizenship, is CELPIP General LS enough? Yes. IRCC accepts CELPIP General LS or the full CELPIP General for citizenship, and applicants aged 18 to 54 need 4 or higher in Listening and Speaking. Q: Can I arrive 30 minutes early instead of 45? No. Arrival is 45 minutes before the scheduled time and check in closes 15 minutes before the start. Late arrivals are refused entry with no refund. Q: My passport shows only one name. What do I enter as the family name? Do not invent one and do not repeat your given name. Contact CELPIP before you pay and follow their written instruction, because the registration has to match the document exactly. Q: Can I combine my best scores from two different CELPIP sittings? No. Use one complete result. You cannot take Listening from one sitting and Speaking from another. Q: Can I book two sittings a few days apart as a backup? No. You may not register for more than one test session within five calendar days. Q: I am fluent in English. Do I still need to prepare? Yes, and this is where strong speakers lose points. CELPIP is a timed computer interface with specific task types. Fluency does not teach you the format. Work through the free practice material so that test day is not the first time you meet the timer. Q: Is CELPIP accepted in Quebec? Not for Quebec's own immigration programs. Quebec does not designate CELPIP General for those. If Quebec is your destination, confirm which test the relevant program requires before you book anything. Q: Why trust KGraph? With a 98% success rate, over 10,000 clients served, and a 4.9 Google rating, KGraph Immigration provides expert guidance you can rely on. Details like these are where applications come apart. Our consultants have handled these documents for over a decade, and we can check yours before you file. Start Your Free Initial Eligibility Assessment Prepared by KGraph Immigration. Last updated July 2026. General information, not legal advice. 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If you are applying to immigrate to Canada through Express Entry or a Provincial Nominee Program, you need proof of your English ability from a test that IRCC approves. If you choose IELTS, there is only one version that counts: IELTS General Training. Booking the wrong version is one of the most expensive mistakes a candidate can make, because you pay again and you wait again. In this guide Which IELTS test does IRCC accept Two things to be very clear about, because they come straight from IRCC: What score do you actually need What IELTS General Training costs in Canada Cancelling or rescheduling (IDP Canada rules): How to book, step by step Paper or computer: which to book What the test looks like Test day: what to bring and what to leave at home Getting your results and using them Common mistakes Questions people actually ask How KGraph helps This page walks you through exactly which test to book, what score you need, what it costs, how to book it, and what happens on test day. Which IELTS test does IRCC accept IRCC accepts these language tests for Express Entry. For English: CELPIP General, IELTS General Training, and PTE Core. For French: TEF Canada and TCF Canada (source). Two things to be very clear about, because they come straight from IRCC: You must take the IELTS General Training option. IELTS Academic is not accepted for Express Entry. IRCC does not accept IELTS One Skill Retake for Express Entry. If you sit a One Skill Retake to fix a weak band, that result cannot be used in your Express Entry profile. Your test results must be less than 2 years old both when you complete your Express Entry profile and when you submit your application for permanent residence (source). What score do you actually need IRCC does not read your IELTS bands directly. It converts them into Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB). This is the official IELTS General Training to CLB conversion table published by IRCC (source): CLB level Reading Writing Listening Speaking 10 8.0 7.5 8.5 7.5 9 7.0 7.0 8.0 7.0 8 6.5 6.5 7.5 6.5 7 6.0 6.0 6.0 6.0 6 5.0 5.5 5.5 5.5 5 4.0 5.0 5.0 5.0 4 3.5 4.0 4.5 4.0 The minimum for Express Entry (Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Worker Program and Federal Skilled Trades Program) is CLB 7 in all four abilities for your first official language. In IELTS General Training terms that is 6.0 in Listening, 6.0 in Reading, 6.0 in Writing and 6.0 in Speaking (source). That is the floor, not the target. CLB 9 (Listening 8.0, Reading 7.0, Writing 7.0, Speaking 7.0) is where your Comprehensive Ranking System score jumps meaningfully, because it unlocks the higher language points and the skill transferability points. Most of our clients who land an invitation are sitting at CLB 9 or above, and that is the number we coach toward. If you claim a second official language, the minimum is CLB or NCLC 5 in speaking and listening and CLB or NCLC 4 in reading and writing. What IELTS General Training costs in Canada Fees published by IDP IELTS Canada (source): Item Fee (CAD, before tax) IELTS General Training about $361 IELTS Academic about $361 IELTS One Skill Retake about $253 Enquiry on Results (remark) $165 IDP states the cost of an IELTS test in Canada ranges between CAD $335 and $361 before tax, and is the same whether you take General Training or Academic. Tax is added on top. There is no separate registration fee and no payment processing fee. Fees vary a little by test centre, city and province, and they do change, so confirm the exact amount on the booking page before you pay. What the fee covers: assessment of all four skills, test administration, the venue, examiner marking, one copy of your Test Report Form, and access to preparation material. At registration you can also ask for copies of your Test Report Form to be sent to up to 5 institutions or organisations. Cancelling or rescheduling (IDP Canada rules): More than 5 weeks before your test date: refund minus an administration charge. Within 5 weeks of your test date: you are charged the full fee, unless you have a serious medical reason. Medical certificate provided within 5 days of the test date: refund minus the local administrative cost. How to book, step by step Confirm you need General Training. If your goal is Express Entry, a PNP, or Canadian citizenship, it is General Training. Academic is for university admission and it will not be accepted. Choose your test provider. In Canada, IELTS is delivered by IDP IELTS Canada (source) and by British Council partner centres (source). Outside Canada, book through the IDP or British Council site for your country. The test, the marking and the recognition are identical. Only the centres and the local price differ. Pick paper or computer. See the comparison below. Most immigration candidates should book computer. Register with the exact ID you will bring on test day. You register with your passport (or, in Canada, your Permanent Resident Card if that is what you use). Your name on the booking must match your ID character for character, because that name goes on your Test Report Form and IRCC will compare it to your passport. Check your passport expiry. IDP requires your passport to have an expiry date at least 7 days after the test date to be valid (source). Pay. In Canada you can pay by debit or credit card (Visa, Mastercard or American Express) or by Interac online. Book early. Popular centres in Toronto, Brampton, Surrey, Calgary and across Punjab and Kerala fill weeks ahead. Give yourself room to retake if the first result is short. Paper or computer: which to book Feature IELTS on paper IELTS on computer Results Available 13 days after the test Typically available in about 2 days (IDP Canada) Writing Handwritten. From 1 May 2025 you must use a black ballpoint pen only Typed Test dates Fewer Many more, often several a week Speaking test Face to face with an examiner, and it can be up to one week before or after your other sections Face to face with an examiner Best for People who genuinely think better on paper Almost everyone with an immigration deadline Sources: IDP IELTS Canada test day and results pages (https://ielts.idp.com/canada/about/test-day/what-to-bring and https://ielts.idp.com/canada/about/what-is-ielts/ielts-faq/when-can-i-get-my-test-results). For an Express Entry candidate, the faster result is usually worth more than the comfort of paper. Draws happen on a schedule you do not control. What the test looks like Section Time What you do Listening About 30 minutes, 4 parts, 40 questions. On paper you get 10 extra minutes to transfer answers Recordings played once only Reading 60 minutes, 3 sections, 40 questions Everyday and workplace texts, not academic papers Writing 60 minutes, 2 tasks Task 1: a letter of at least 150 words. Task 2: an essay of at least 250 words Speaking 11 to 14 minutes, 3 parts Face to face interview with an examiner Total test time is about 2 hours 45 minutes. Listening, Reading and Writing are done on the same day with no breaks in between. The Speaking test may be scheduled up to a week before or after the other sections (source). Test day: what to bring and what to leave at home Bring the same identification you used to register: your original, current passport, or your Permanent Resident Card if you registered with that. Photocopies and certified copies are not accepted. Your passport must be valid for at least 7 days after the test date. Arrive at least an hour early to get through registration. Bring a clear bottle of water with the label removed. The centre takes your photo and a finger scan. You do not need to bring passport photos. The centre provides stationery. Leave behind or lock away: mobile phone, all electronic devices, smartwatch or fitness band, keys, wallet, bags, food. Family members and children are not allowed inside the test venue. Anyone collecting you must wait outside. If you got a new passport after booking, bring both the old and the new one to registration and tell the centre in advance. Getting your results and using them You get one Test Report Form (TRF). Keep the original safe. Do not mail your only copy anywhere. Computer results are typically available in about 2 days. Paper results are available 13 days after the test. For Express Entry, you enter your band scores into your profile yourself, along with your TRF number and the test date. IRCC does not need a sealed envelope from the test centre for the Express Entry profile stage. Your TRF number tells IRCC which test you sat. A General Training TRF number ends in G. If it ends in A, you sat Academic and it will not be accepted. If your score is short Enquiry on Results (a remark): $165, requested within 6 weeks of your test date, and the review can take from 2 hours to 21 days. If your score improves you get a full refund of the fee and a new TRF. If it does not improve, no refund (source). A full retake: allowed as often as you like, with no waiting period. You pay the full fee again. One Skill Retake: it exists, it is cheaper, and IRCC will not accept it for Express Entry. Do not use it to fix an Express Entry score. Common mistakes Booking IELTS Academic. It is the single most common and most expensive error. Academic is not accepted for Express Entry, and no appeal will change that. Check the test name on your booking confirmation before you pay. Using One Skill Retake for Express Entry. IRCC states plainly that it does not accept it for Express Entry. People still book it and lose both the fee and the weeks. Letting the 2 year clock run out. Your results must be under 2 years old when you create your profile and again when you submit your PR application. A profile sitting in the pool for 11 months on a test that was already 14 months old at entry is a problem waiting to happen. Name mismatches. If your booking says Kumar S and your passport says Suresh Kumar, expect trouble. The name on your TRF must match your passport. An expired or nearly expired passport. Fewer than 7 days of validity after the test date and you can be turned away at the door. Aiming at the CLB 7 floor. CLB 7 makes you eligible. It rarely makes you competitive. Aim at CLB 9. Assuming your result posts to IRCC automatically. It does not. You enter the scores and the TRF number in your own profile. Questions people actually ask Q: Is IELTS General or Academic needed for Express Entry? General Training. IRCC says you must take the IELTS General Training option. Academic results are not accepted, even if you took the Academic test for a university application. (Discussed constantly on CanadaVisa: https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/threads/ielts-general-or-academic-for-express-entry.500235/) Q: Where do I find my TRF number? It is printed on your Test Report Form. Candidates on CanadaVisa point out that the last character tells you the module: G for General Training, A for Academic (source). Q: Can I enter my scores in my Express Entry profile before the paper TRF arrives in the mail? This is one of the most asked questions on the CanadaVisa board (source). Your online result gives you your bands and your TRF number, which is what the profile asks for. Keep the original TRF safe once it arrives, because you may need it later in the process. Q: Does IRCC accept the IELTS One Skill Retake? No. IRCC states it does not accept IELTS One Skill Retake for Express Entry. It is a live thread on CanadaVisa for a reason (source). Q: I took Academic by mistake. Can I still use it? No. You will need to sit IELTS General Training and pay again. Q: How many times can I retake IELTS? As many times as you want. There is no mandatory waiting period between full tests. The limit is your budget and your test date availability. Q: How long is my IELTS result good for? Two years, and it must be under two years old at two separate moments: when you complete your Express Entry profile, and when you submit your PR application. How KGraph helps We have guided more than 10,000 clients through Canadian immigration, we hold a 98% success rate, and we are rated 4.9 on Google. Language score is the lever with the biggest effect on your CRS, and it is the one thing entirely within your control. Before you book, we will tell you which score band actually gets you invited in your category, so you sit the test once and sit it at the right level. Details like these are where applications come apart. Our consultants have handled these documents for over a decade, and we can check yours before you file. Start Your Free Initial Eligibility Assessment Prepared by KGraph Immigration. Last updated July 2026. General information, not legal advice. Related Articles Book CELPIP Book TEF Canada Language Tests Overview ECA for Express Entry IELTS vs CELPIP