Canada’s Express Entry is an electronic system used to manage applications of skilled workers pursuing permanent residence (PR) in Canada.

Established in 2015, the Express Entry system (which spans the Canadian Experience Class program (CEC), the Federal Skilled Workers Program (FSWP), and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)) represents a path to immigration that has seen massive amounts of traffic. It has aided many skilled foreign workers in becoming Canadian permanent residents since its inception.

While Express Entry remains one of Canada’s most in-demand paths to immigration, there are also multiple costs that go along with the process.

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The Costs of Submitting a Profile

To assemble a profile for Express Entry candidacy, you will need to include the following:

*Note: all expenses are listed in Canadian dollars*

However, these required documents come with their own fees. For example:

• Language testing – based on whether one is pursuing accreditation in English or French, (and where the test is being taken) prices may vary:

IELTS testing costs between $302-$311 + tax, depending on what location one is testing in;

CELPIP testing costs $280 + tax;

TEF testing costs $440 (according to Alliance-Francaise) with an additional $75 non-refundable charge if the applicant needs to cancel or reschedule before the testing day; and

TCF testing costs $460 (according to Alliance-Francaise) and features the same $75 non-refundable charge.

If you have studied abroad, an ECA is required to determine how your education may compare to an equivalent Canadian education.

According to IRCC, the average cost of receiving an ECA is roughly $200, in addition to courier fees – though this varies depending on which Designated Organization (DO) does the credential assessment.

• ECA’s reveal another charge – the expense of having documents translated into English or French.

Costs here can vary from $0.06 to $0.20 per word of translation – however, before availing services, you should investigate whether the provider has a good track record of translating for immigration purposes and whether they are registered with the appropriate board authorities. Some examples of board authorities are: The Association of Translators and Interpreters of Ontario (ATIO); the Society of Translators and Interpreters of British Columbia (STIBC); and le Ordre des Traducteurs, Terminologues et Interprètes agréés du Québec (OTTIAQ). Each province has its own board authority for translators.

*Note: Candidates in the CEC program, and those authorized to work in Canada, with a valid job offer DO NOT need to show proof of settlement funds.*

While this is not a deduction in itself, you must make sure that the requisite amount of money is in your possession, should you be chosen to immigrate to Canada. These funds must be readily available at the time of immigration (i.e.: not in equity, property, or any form other than accessible funds). An official letter from the bank or financial institution in which you store your money is required as proof. Depending on the size of your family these costs will vary. On the IRCC website, the following guidelines are listed:

1 person = $13,310

2 people = $16,570

3 people = $20,371

While many of these costs may seem high, immigrants accepted into the Express Entry pool, and who receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) stand a strong chance of succeeding in the labour market – as their acceptance is based on human capital factors that Canadian employers value highly.

The Cost of Applications and Success

As cited by Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), there are costs associated with the application processing for Express Entry.

The application processing fee is $850, for any individual applying. With a spouse/partner that fee is doubled to $1,700 total. Additionally, any dependent child will incur a charge of $230.

This means that a family of three (for example) will have to pay $1,930 simply to get their applications processed.

However, should the family of three be successful in their bid for permanent residency, both adults will have to pay an additional Right of Permanent Residence Fee (RPRF) of $515 – raising the total cost to $2,960.

Further, there are associated fees to assembling an application (with a myriad number of required documents and official papers).

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