Moving to Canada for work through Express Entry: requirements, costs, language and PR
Open Express Entry (permanent residence for skilled workers)
Open. Candidates create a profile, get a CRS score, and only those invited in a round of invitations apply for permanent residence.
Status as of 7 October 2026 Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
Summary
- Express Entry manages three programs: Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Worker and Federal Skilled Trades.
- The steps: create a profile, check your Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score, wait for a round of invitations, then apply for permanent residence.
- Federal Skilled Worker requires at least one year of continuous skilled work in the last 10 years and language at CLB 7 or above.
- Education from outside Canada needs an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) for immigration.
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On this page
| Route | Run by | Official link | Who pays placement costs | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Express Entry (permanent residence for skilled workers) Express Entry | Independent PMI (no agency), legal-entity employer | Official source | There is no placement agency; the applicant pays the visa fee and other requirements unless the employer covers them. Do not pay a placement fee to any middleman. See the cost rules | Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id) Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id) |
See this route in the comparison table
What do you need to work in Canada through Express Entry (permanent residence for skilled workers)?
Placement channels from Indonesia for working in Canada through Express Entry (permanent residence for skilled workers): Independent PMI (no agency), legal-entity employer. Language tests asked for: IRCC-approved English or French test: CLB 7 for Federal Skilled Worker and Canadian Experience Class; Language test for Federal Skilled Trades: CLB 5 speaking and listening, CLB 4 reading and writing.
- Placement channels from Indonesia
- Independent PMI (no agency), legal-entity employer An independent migrant worker goes without an agency, only to a legal-entity employer, and must report to the labour office and the Indonesian mission. This is not the same as an individual employer (a household), or an individual who places migrant workers, which is banned.
- Job types
- Federal Skilled Worker: skilled work experience at TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3, Canadian Experience Class: skilled work experience in Canada, Federal Skilled Trades: workers qualified in a skilled trade
| Test | Level |
|---|---|
| IRCC-approved English or French test | CLB 7 for Federal Skilled Worker and Canadian Experience Class |
| Language test for Federal Skilled Trades | CLB 5 speaking and listening, CLB 4 reading and writing |
What does working in Canada through Express Entry (permanent residence for skilled workers) cost, and who pays?
The Express Entry (permanent residence for skilled workers) route to Canada uses no placement agency: you pay the visa fee and other requirements unless the employer covers them, and no middleman is owed a placement fee.
- Law 18/2017 Article 30(1): Indonesian migrant workers may not be charged placement costs. Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id)
- Ministerial Regulation P2MI 17/2025: the employer bears placement costs. A worker may be charged only costs that are written and itemised in the Placement Agreement. Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id)
- Any request for money outside that document, in cash or to a personal account, is a red flag.
Cost rules for this route
- Proof of settlement funds: Federal Skilled Worker applicants must show settlement funds, unless they can already work legally in Canada and have a valid job offer. The amounts are on the IRCC page. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
- Credential assessment: Education from outside Canada needs an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) for immigration. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
What is the minimum pay for working in Canada through Express Entry (permanent residence for skilled workers)?
Not enough data: we have not found an official pay floor for this route that we could verify.
Which visa do you need to work in Canada through Express Entry (permanent residence for skilled workers)?
Permanent residence through Express Entry: Canadian permanent residence for skilled workers, managed through the online Express Entry system. Official source
What are the steps to work in Canada through Express Entry (permanent residence for skilled workers)?
- Check whether you qualify for one of the programs, for example Federal Skilled Worker: at least one year of continuous paid skilled work in the last 10 years.
- Take an approved language test; Federal Skilled Worker needs at least CLB 7 in all four abilities.
- For education from outside Canada, get an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA).
- Create an Express Entry profile online and check your Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score; Federal Skilled Worker also uses a selection grid with a 67-point pass mark.
- Wait for a round of invitations; if invited, apply for permanent residence.
The order and timings are editor estimates, not promises.
Which schools or training lead to Canada?
The education and training routes linked to working in Canada through Express Entry (permanent residence for skilled workers): Bachelor's degree (S1) in Indonesia, D3 vocational diploma in Indonesia, Language tests for working abroad.
How does Express Entry choose candidates?
Express Entry is IRCC's online system for skilled workers. You create a profile, get a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score, then wait for rounds of invitations. Only invited candidates can apply for permanent residence. So nobody can guarantee an invitation, and paid 'guaranteed success' offers should be treated as suspicious.
What are the warning signs of offers to Canada through this route?
- Someone sells you a job offer or an 'LMIA'. The Canadian government says employers cannot make you pay to get or keep a job.Employment and Social Development Canada
- Someone promises a 'guaranteed' Express Entry invitation for a fee. Invitations are issued in rounds based on CRS ranking.Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
- An individual recruiter claims they can send or place you. Law 18/2017 Article 69 bars individuals from placing Indonesian migrant workers.Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id)
- You are asked for cash or a transfer to a personal account that is not written and itemised in the Placement Agreement.Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id)
How to check a P3MI agency in 5 steps Learn the signs of trafficking through job offers
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Ministry for the Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers (KP2MI)
Overseas recruitment, illegal agents and migrant-worker protection
-
Peduli WNI (Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
Help for Indonesian citizens in trouble or danger abroad
+62-812-9007-0027WhatsApp +62-812-9007-0027 peduliwni.kemlu.go.id
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Not legal advice. Always check SISKOP2MI before you sign up.
Frequently asked questions
What language score do I need for Express Entry?
According to IRCC, Federal Skilled Worker and Canadian Experience Class generally need at least CLB 7. Federal Skilled Trades needs CLB 5 for speaking and listening and CLB 4 for reading and writing.
Do I need a job offer for Express Entry?
Not always. For Federal Skilled Worker, a valid job offer is a selection factor and removes the proof-of-funds requirement if you can already work in Canada. Without one, you can still create a profile if you meet the minimum requirements.
Who wrote and reviewed this page?
Sources
The facts on this page come from these sources. Dates show when we opened them.
- Express Entry (IRCC) Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada · accessed
- Express Entry: who can apply (IRCC) Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada · accessed
- Federal Skilled Worker Program: minimum requirements (IRCC) Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada · accessed
- Temporary foreign workers: your rights are protected (ESDC) Employment and Social Development Canada · accessed
- Undang-Undang Nomor 18 Tahun 2017 tentang Pelindungan Pekerja Migran Indonesia Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id) · UU 18/2017 · accessed
- Peraturan Menteri P2MI/Kepala BP2MI Nomor 17 Tahun 2025 tentang Biaya Penempatan Pekerja Migran Indonesia Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id) · Permen P2MI 17/2025 · accessed
How to cite
KarirAman (2026). Moving to Canada for work through Express Entry: requirements, costs, language and PR. Updated 7 October 2026. https://kariraman.com/en/work-abroad/canada/express-entry/
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