The Complete Document Checklist for Express Entry (Canada)

Express Entry is Canada's points-based system for managing applications under three federal immigration programmes: the Federal Skilled Worker Programme (FSW), the Federal Skilled Trades Programme (FST), and the Canadian Experience Class (CEC). It is not a visa in itself — it is a ranked pool. Eligible candidates create an online profile, receive a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score, and wait to be invited to apply for permanent residence through regular draws conducted by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

The most common mistake applicants make is treating Express Entry as a two-step process. In reality, once you receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA), you have just 60 days to submit a complete application for permanent residence. That is not enough time to collect most documents from scratch. Having everything ready before you enter the pool saves weeks of scrambling and eliminates the risk of submitting an incomplete application — which IRCC can refuse without refund.

Personal identity documents

Your passport is the anchor document. Every applicant — principal and all dependants included in the application — needs a valid passport. If your passport will expire before your intended travel date or before the application could reasonably be processed, renew it before creating your Express Entry profile. IRCC will not issue a visa to a passport expiring within the validity window of the permanent residence process.

Additional identity documents to prepare:

• Marriage certificate if you are married and including a spouse (must be an official government-issued document, not a church or customary record; have it translated if not in English or French)
• Divorce decree or annulment certificate if applicable
• Birth certificates for all dependent children under 22 included in the application
• Legal name change documents if your name differs across any official records

Language test results

Language proficiency is one of the highest-weighted factors in your CRS score. IRCC measures ability using Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) levels and accepts results only from designated tests:

• English: IELTS General Training or CELPIP-General
• French: TEF Canada or TCF Canada

The Federal Skilled Worker Programme requires a minimum CLB 7 in all four skills (listening, reading, writing, speaking). For IELTS General Training, CLB 7 corresponds to a minimum of 6.0 in each band. IRCC publishes the full skill-by-skill equivalency table on its website — always verify there before booking your test, as the mapping differs between skills and between test providers.

Test results are valid for two years from the test date. If your results expire while your profile is still in the pool, you must retest and update your profile before you can receive an ITA. High-demand test centres in Nigeria and Ghana often have waiting lists of four to six weeks — book well in advance.

Educational Credential Assessment (ECA)

An ECA confirms that your foreign degree, diploma, or certificate is equivalent to a Canadian credential. Without one, your education cannot be counted in your CRS score. IRCC designates specific organisations to issue ECAs for Express Entry; only assessments from approved bodies are accepted:

• World Education Services (WES) — the most widely used by African applicants
• International Credential Assessment Service of Canada (ICAS)
• International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS) — covers Alberta residents
• Comparative Education Service (CES) — University of Toronto
• International Credential Evaluation Service (ICES) — based in British Columbia
• Medical Council of Canada (MCC) — for physicians only
• Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (PEBC) — for pharmacists only

WES standard review currently takes four to seven weeks from when they receive your documents; a premium service is available for faster turnaround. ECAs are valid for five years from the issue date. Apply early — the ECA is typically the single longest document to obtain in the entire Express Entry pipeline, and delays here delay everything else.

Work experience documentation

IRCC requires proof of paid, skilled work experience in an eligible National Occupational Classification (NOC) category. Reference letters are the most closely scrutinised document in an Express Entry application. Each letter must be on official company letterhead and must include:

• Your official job title
• A description of your specific duties (the more detailed, the better)
• Your employment dates — start date, end date, or a statement confirming current employment
• Weekly hours worked (see callout below)
• Your annual salary or hourly wage
• The name, title, and contact details of the issuing manager, plus a company stamp or authorised signature

Supporting documents to collect alongside reference letters: pay slips covering the claimed employment period, bank statements showing salary deposits, P60 or T4-equivalent tax documents (or their African equivalents), and employment contracts. The more corroborating evidence you provide, the less likely IRCC is to issue a Request for Further Evidence.

Proof of funds

Unless you have a valid job offer or are already a permanent resident or citizen of Canada, you must prove that you have enough money to support yourself and any dependants after you arrive. The minimum settlement funds required are set by IRCC and updated periodically. The figures below reflect the most recent published amounts — verify current figures at the IRCC proof of funds page before submitting your application.

Acceptable proof includes savings account statements (covering the most recent three months), term deposit or fixed deposit confirmations, and investment account statements. Funds must be unencumbered — they cannot be pledged as collateral for an existing loan. IRCC does not accept proof of funds in the form of property valuations or pension balances.

Police certificates

You need a police clearance certificate from every country where you have lived for six months or more since your eighteenth birthday. For Nigerian applicants this means the Nigeria Police Force National Central Bureau clearance — allow four to eight weeks, as processing times can be unpredictable. If you have also lived in the UK, the USA, or another country for six months or more at any point since age 18, you will need that country's equivalent clearance document.

Most police certificates are valid for 12 months from the date of issue. Do not obtain them too early — if they expire before IRCC completes the processing of your permanent residence application, you will need to obtain fresh ones.

Medical examination

All principal applicants and included dependants must complete a medical examination conducted by an IRCC-designated panel physician. You cannot choose your own doctor — only physicians on the official IRCC panel are authorised to perform immigration medicals. IRCC maintains a searchable list of panel physicians by country on its website.

Do not book your medical examination until after you have received an ITA. Medical exam results are valid for 12 months from the examination date; completing the exam too early risks the results expiring before your application is finalised.

Optional but high-value documents

These documents are not required to create an Express Entry profile, but they can significantly improve your CRS score or the strength of your application:

• Provincial nomination: a nomination from a Province Nominee Programme (PNP) Express Entry-linked stream adds 600 CRS points, effectively guaranteeing an invitation at the next draw. Research province-specific streams early and apply to those aligned with your occupation and work experience.
• Valid job offer (with LMIA or LMIA-exempt): adds 50 or 200 CRS points depending on NOC skill level.
• Canadian educational credentials: a degree or diploma completed at a Canadian institution earns additional CRS points and requires no ECA.
• Spouse's language test: if your partner takes an approved language test and scores at CLB 4 or above, their score adds CRS points to your combined profile.

Starting the document collection process before your CRS score is competitive is not wasted effort — it is the preparation that makes the 60-day ITA window manageable rather than frantic.