Permanent Residence in Canada Through Express Entry
The skilled worker route to a Canadian PR card: who qualifies, what it costs, how long it takes, and what Bangladeshi applicants need to prepare.
Canada changes Express Entry rules, draw scores, immigration levels, and fees often. The numbers on this page are general guides for planning, not official figures. Confirm every requirement and amount on canada.ca/immigration before you spend money.
Program overview
Express Entry is Canada’s online system for skilled workers who want permanent residence.
What you get
- Permanent residence, a PR card with no expiry on your status
- Live, work, and study anywhere in Canada
- Public healthcare in most provinces
- Free public school for children
- Pathway to Canadian citizenship
- Family can be included
- Who it is for
- Skilled workers with good English or French, education, and work experience.
- Main streams
- Federal Skilled Worker, Federal Skilled Trades, and Canadian Experience Class.
- How you are ranked
- A Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score. Canada invites the highest scorers in regular draws.
- Provincial nominees
- A provincial nomination adds 600 CRS points and almost guarantees an invitation.
Eligibility requirements
Typical minimums for the Federal Skilled Worker stream.
- Language
- CLB 7 or higher in English or French, proven by IELTS General Training, CELPIP, or TEF/TCF. Higher scores raise your CRS points a lot.
- Work experience
- At least 1 year of continuous skilled work (TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3) in the last 10 years.
- Education
- Your degree needs an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA), for example from WES, to show it matches a Canadian credential.
- Selection points
- You need at least 67 out of 100 on the Federal Skilled Worker grid to enter the pool.
- Proof of funds
- Settlement money for your family size, unless you already work legally in Canada or have a valid job offer.
- Admissibility
- You must pass medical and police checks.
Quick eligibility check
A rough guide only. It checks the basic minimums, not your full CRS score.
Your journey step by step
Open each stage. Timelines vary by person and by draw.
1. Take a language test2 to 4 weeks
Book IELTS General Training, CELPIP, or TEF/TCF. Language score is the biggest CRS factor, so prepare well. Results are valid for 2 years.
2. Get your ECA1 to 3 months
Send your degree documents to a designated organization such as WES. Bangladeshi transcripts usually must be sent directly by the university.
3. Calculate your CRS scoreDays
Use the official CRS tool on canada.ca. Check whether a provincial nomination, Canadian study, or a spouse’s language score could raise it.
4. Create your Express Entry profile1 to 2 weeks
Submit your profile with accurate details. Mistakes or missing facts can lead to a refusal and a ban for misrepresentation.
5. Receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA)Varies
Canada holds regular draws, and each has a minimum score. If your score is at or above it, you get an ITA. You then have 60 days to submit a full application.
6. Submit documents and pay feesWithin 60 days
Upload passports, police certificates, medical exam results, proof of funds, work letters, and pay the government fees online.
7. Biometrics, medical, and decisionAbout 6 months
Give fingerprints and a photo at a visa application centre in Dhaka. IRCC then decides. If approved, you get a Confirmation of Permanent Residence.
8. Land in CanadaBefore the COPR expires
Travel to Canada, complete landing, and receive your PR card by mail. After enough days of residence you can apply for citizenship.
What you need to prepare
Exact requirements depend on your stream and family.
Identity
- Valid passport
- Birth certificate
- Marriage certificate
- National ID
- Digital photos
Education and language
- Degree and transcripts
- ECA report
- IELTS or CELPIP result
- Translations
Work
- Reference letters on letterhead
- Job duties and hours
- Pay slips or tax records
- Employment history
Funds and background
- Bank statements, 6 months
- Police clearance certificates
- Medical exam by a panel doctor
- Biometrics receipt
Common questions
Short answers.
Is this a visa or permanent residence?
Permanent residence. You live in Canada as a PR, then can apply for citizenship later.
Do I need a job offer?
No. A valid job offer can add CRS points in some cases, but it is not required for Express Entry.
Can I just get a low score and still be invited?
Only if the minimum score of a draw is at or below yours. Draw cut-offs change, so check recent draws on canada.ca.
Can the rules change?
Yes. Canada adjusts immigration levels, categories, and fees regularly. Confirm everything with IRCC or a licensed consultant (RCIC) or lawyer.
Cost estimate
Approximate amounts in Canadian dollars (CAD). Government fees below are planning figures that may have changed.
Proof of funds is money you must hold, not a fee. Medical exams, police certificates, translations, flights, and first months of living costs are extra. Amounts for tests and consultants are estimates, not government fees. Confirm every figure on canada.ca.
Ready to start your Canada PR journey?
Talk to our team about your CRS score, documents, and timeline before you pay any fees.