Your free Canada PR eligibility check
Answer a few quick questions and this free Canada PR eligibility check maps your profile across permanent residence, work, family, business and study programs, with an honest read on what looks strong. Add your details at the end to see your results.
What would you like to do in Canada?
Pick the closest fit. We'll ask a few questions, then show the routes you may qualify for.
Free and confidential. This is an AI-assisted guide using current IRCC criteria, not an official decision. We don't cover Quebec-selected programs.
A Canada PR eligibility checktests your profile against the published requirements of each permanent residence program: skilled work experience in NOC TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3, an approved language test at that program's Canadian Language Benchmark floor, a Canadian credential or an Educational Credential Assessment, and settlement funds where the program requires them. This free tool also flags the work, family, business and study routes you may qualify for, including which provinces' nominee programs to explore. It is an AI-assisted guide using current public IRCC criteria, not an official decision; only IRCC can decide your application.
Key takeaways
This free eligibility check matches your profile to the permanent residence, work, family, business and study programs you may qualify for, including which provinces' nominee programs to explore. It weighs your age, education, language, work experience and ties to Canada, then flags which pathways look strong. It is an AI-assisted guide using current IRCC criteria, not an official decision; you add your name and email at the end to see your results.
- A free Canada PR eligibility tool that also maps work, family, business and study routes.
- The immigration eligibility checker covers Express Entry, PNPs, sponsorship, business and study.
- It flags which provinces' nominee programs may fit, then points you to a consultation.
- It is an AI-assisted guide using current IRCC criteria; only IRCC can decide your application.
What is the eligibility to apply for PR in Canada?
To apply for permanent residence through Express Entry you must meet published minimums on skilled work experience, language, education and settlement funds, and, for the Federal Skilled Worker Program, score at least 67 of 100 on its selection grid. The thresholds are set out below.
These are the three federal Express Entry programs as IRCC publishes them. A Provincial Nominee Program stream layers its own criteria on top, and family, business and study routes are assessed against entirely different tests.
| Requirement | What IRCC asks for | Which programs |
|---|---|---|
| Skilled work experience | At least one year of continuous full-time work, or the part-time equivalent of 1,560 hours at 30 hours a week, in a single occupation classified NOC TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3. Within the last 10 years for the Federal Skilled Worker Program; within the last 3 years and performed in Canada for the Canadian Experience Class | FSW, CEC |
| Trade experience | Two years of full-time experience in a skilled trade within the last five years, plus either a valid job offer of at least one year or a Canadian certificate of qualification | Federal Skilled Trades |
| Language | An approved test result less than two years old: IELTS General Training, CELPIP-General or PTE Core for English, TEF Canada or TCF Canada for French. CLB 7 in all four abilities for FSW; CLB 7 for CEC at TEER 0 or 1 and CLB 5 at TEER 2 or 3; CLB 5 in speaking and listening with CLB 4 in reading and writing for FST | All three |
| Education | A Canadian secondary or post-secondary credential, or an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) for study completed outside Canada | Required for FSW; not an eligibility requirement for CEC or FST |
| Settlement funds | Proof of funds scaled to your family size, unless you are already legally able to work in Canada and hold a valid job offer from a Canadian employer | FSW and FST; CEC applicants are exempt |
| Selection grid | At least 67 points out of 100 across language, education, work experience, age, arranged employment and adaptability, scored before your CRS is calculated | FSW only |
Two points are routinely misreported. The one-year, TEER 0 to 3 rule is the Federal Skilled Worker and Canadian Experience Class rule, not a blanket permanent residence rule: Federal Skilled Trades asks for two years in a skilled trade instead. And the proof-of-funds exemption needs both authorisation to work in Canada and a valid job offer, not a work permit on its own. The full criteria are on IRCC on canada.ca.
How do I know if I am eligible for PR?
You can check your permanent residence eligibility three ways: IRCC's Come to Canada questionnaire on canada.ca, which takes about 10 to 15 minutes; a CRS calculator, which gives the score that decides an Express Entry invitation; and an eligibility checker like this one, which maps you across every route.
IRCC states that its questionnaire is for reference only and that no immigration decision is made on your answers. Our free CRS calculator scores you against the current Comprehensive Ranking System grid, and the checker at the top of this page maps your answers across permanent residence, work, family, business and study routes in about two minutes. None of the three is a decision; only IRCC can decide your application.
What does IRCC check in an eligibility check?
IRCC checks four things before your score matters: that your work experience sits in an eligible NOC TEER category for the program you apply under, that your language test is valid and meets that program's Canadian Language Benchmark floor, that your education is Canadian or covered by an ECA, and that you can show settlement funds where the program requires them.
Only once all four are met does your Comprehensive Ranking System score matter, because the CRS ranks candidates who are already eligible. That is why an honest eligibility read comes before any effort spent raising a score: a profile with 500 CRS points and an expired language test is not in the pool at all.
Who is the Canada PR eligibility check for?
This Canada PR eligibility check is for anyone exploring Canadian immigration who wants a fast, honest read on which programs fit, before spending money on tests or fees. Most people start with the same question: am I even eligible? There are dozens of programs, and the right one depends on your age, education, language, work experience and your ties to Canada. This checker cuts through that by mapping your answers to the routes we actually handle, so you can see your realistic options in a couple of minutes instead of reading a dozen guides.
In plain terms, your Canada immigration eligibility is your match to the federal and provincial programs you can apply to. It is decided by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) against published criteria, and for the points-based routes it hinges on your Comprehensive Ranking System score under Express Entry. The checker estimates that match so you start in the right place.
It looks at both sides of the journey: the permanent residence programs that lead to staying for good, and the work permits that often get you to Canada first. It also flags family routes such as family sponsorship, business options like the Start-up Visa, and study permits for those planning a study-to-PR path. For many people the smart path is a work permit now and permanent residence later, and the checker is built to surface both. If you are simply asking am I eligible to immigrate to Canada, this free immigration assessment is the quickest honest answer.
Check your Canada PR eligibility and work permit eligibility
Whether you are testing your Canada PR eligibility through Express Entry or a PNP, or your Canada work permit eligibility for an LMIA-based or open work permit, the checker maps your answers to both. For the points-based Express Entry routes it reflects the same factors that drive your CRS score, so you get a realistic sense of where you stand before you commit to language tests or fees. Think of it as a fast Canada immigration assessment that points you to the routes worth pursuing.
Which pathways the Canada immigration eligibility checker covers
The Canada immigration eligibility checker spans five paths and flags Provincial Nominee Programs at the province level, including the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program. The table below summarises the main routes it assesses and where each can lead. It does not cover Quebec-selected programs or refugee, appeal and inadmissibility matters.
| Path | Main programs assessed | Core requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Permanent residence | Express Entry (Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Worker, Federal Skilled Trades), Provincial Nominee Programs, Atlantic and rural pilots | One year of skilled work experience in NOC TEER 0 to 3, an approved language test at the program's CLB floor, and settlement funds unless you are exempt |
| Work | LMIA-based permits, LMIA-exempt transfers, treaty permits (CUSMA, CETA), Francophone Mobility, the PGWP, International Experience Canada, open work permits | A job offer backed by a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment, or an LMIA-exempt code under the International Mobility Program |
| Family | Spousal, partner, child and parent or grandparent sponsorship | A sponsor aged 18 or over who is a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident or registered under the Canadian Indian Act, able to sign the undertaking and not barred from sponsoring |
| Business | Start-up Visa and provincial entrepreneur streams | For the Start-up Visa, a letter of support from a designated organisation plus CLB 5 in all four abilities, though it is closed to new applications from January 1, 2026; provincial entrepreneur streams set their own net worth and investment minimums |
| Study | Study permits | A letter of acceptance from a designated learning institution, a provincial attestation letter where your program needs one, and proof of funds for tuition and living costs |
For points-based routes, the same factors that decide your Canada PR eligibility under Express Entry, age, education, language and work experience, also drive your Comprehensive Ranking System score. Run the CRS calculator alongside this checker, and if Alberta is on your list, the AAIP points calculator and our Alberta immigration guide go deeper on the provincial route.
A guide, not a guarantee
Confirm your Canada immigration eligibility with a licensed RCIC
Wild Mountain Immigration is a CICC-regulated practice led by a licensed Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC, CICC #R706497), so the routes this checker flags reflect the programs we handle every day. The official program criteria come from IRCC on canada.ca, and only IRCC can decide your application. Once you have your shortlist, tell us your details and a licensed RCIC will confirm what your Canada PR eligibility check found, name your strongest route and map the steps, costs and timeline before you commit to anything.
Frequently asked questions
What is the eligibility to apply for PR in Canada?
Through Express Entry you need at least one year of continuous full-time skilled work experience (or 1,560 hours part-time) in NOC TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3, an approved language test less than two years old at your program's Canadian Language Benchmark floor, a Canadian credential or an Educational Credential Assessment, and settlement funds unless you are exempt. The Federal Skilled Worker Program also requires at least 67 of 100 on its selection grid, while Federal Skilled Trades asks for two years in a skilled trade instead. A Provincial Nominee Program stream adds its own criteria on top.
How do I know if I am eligible for PR?
Check three things in order: whether your occupation falls in NOC TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 and you have enough qualifying experience, whether your language result meets the Canadian Language Benchmark floor for that program, and whether you hold a Canadian credential or an ECA. IRCC's Come to Canada questionnaire on canada.ca gives an unofficial read in about 10 to 15 minutes, and the free checker on this page maps you across permanent residence, work, family, business and study routes in about two minutes. Only IRCC can decide your application.
How do I calculate eligibility for Canada PR?
Eligibility and score are two separate calculations. Eligibility is pass or fail against the published minimums: the experience, language, education and funds requirements for the program you apply under, plus at least 67 of 100 on the Federal Skilled Worker selection grid if that is your route. Only after you pass does the Comprehensive Ranking System score you out of 1,200 and rank you against everyone else in the Express Entry pool. Our free CRS calculator handles the second calculation; this page sets out the first.
What does IRCC check in an eligibility check?
IRCC checks that your work experience sits in an eligible NOC TEER category for the program you apply under, that your language test is valid and meets that program's Canadian Language Benchmark floor, that your education is Canadian or covered by an Educational Credential Assessment, and that you can show settlement funds where the program requires them. It also checks admissibility, which covers criminal, security and medical grounds and is assessed separately from the economic criteria.
How does the eligibility checker work?
You pick what you'd like to do, immigrate, work, sponsor family, business or study, then answer questions about your age, education, language, work experience and ties to Canada. At the end you add your name and email to see your results: the permanent residence, work, family, business or study programs you may qualify for, including which provinces' nominee programs to explore. It is an AI-assisted guide using current public IRCC criteria, not an official decision.
Is this an official Canadian government tool?
No. This is a free guidance tool from Wild Mountain Immigration, a CICC-regulated practice. It is not affiliated with IRCC or the Government of Canada, and it does not submit anything or make a decision. Only IRCC can decide your application. A licensed RCIC can confirm your real eligibility before you spend money on tests or fees.
Which pathways does it check?
All the routes we handle, across five paths. Permanent residence: Express Entry (Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Worker and Federal Skilled Trades), Provincial Nominee Programs including the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program, and the Atlantic and rural pilots. Work: LMIA-based permits, LMIA-exempt transfers and treaty permits (CUSMA, CETA), Francophone Mobility, the PGWP, International Experience Canada and open work permits. Family sponsorship, business immigration (Start-up Visa and provincial entrepreneur streams) and study permits are covered too. It flags PNPs at the province level. It does not cover Quebec-selected programs or refugee, appeal and inadmissibility matters.
Do I need to enter my email or pay anything?
It is completely free, there is nothing to pay. You do add your name and email at the final step to see your results, so we can send them to you and follow up if you'd like help. We keep your details private and only use them to assist with your enquiry.
What should I do with my results?
Use them as a starting map of your realistic options. The strongest next step is an expert review: tell us your details and a licensed RCIC will confirm which route is genuinely your best move and outline the steps, costs and timeline before you commit to anything.
Am I eligible to immigrate to Canada?
It depends on your age, education, language, work experience and ties to Canada, and there are dozens of programs to weigh. The fastest honest answer is to run this free Canada immigration eligibility checker: it maps your profile against permanent residence, work, family, business and study routes in a couple of minutes. A licensed RCIC can then confirm your real eligibility.
How accurate is the Canada immigration eligibility checker?
It is an AI-assisted guide that applies current public IRCC criteria to flag which pathways look strong for your profile, not an official decision. No online tool can confirm your eligibility or approve you; only IRCC can. Treat your results as a shortlist to discuss, then let a licensed RCIC confirm the details before you invest in language tests, credential assessments or fees.
Does the checker assess Express Entry and Provincial Nominee Programs?
Yes. For permanent residence it covers Express Entry, including the Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Worker and Federal Skilled Trades, plus Provincial Nominee Programs such as the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program and the Atlantic and rural pilots. For the points-based Express Entry routes it reflects the same factors that drive your CRS score, so you see where you stand before committing to tests or fees.
Can the eligibility checker tell me which work permit I qualify for?
Yes. It maps your answers to the work routes we handle: LMIA-based permits, LMIA-exempt transfers and treaty permits under CUSMA and CETA, Francophone Mobility, the PGWP, International Experience Canada and open work permits. For many people the smart path is a work permit now and permanent residence later, and the checker is built to surface both sides of that journey.
Found a route that fits?
Get started and a licensed RCIC will confirm your best pathway and map the steps, honestly.