Canadian Immigration Glossary

Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS)

The CRS is the points-based system, scored out of 1,200, that IRCC uses to rank candidates in the Express Entry pool and decide who receives an Invitation to Apply (ITA).

Express Entry

Express Entry is the online system IRCC uses to manage permanent residence applications for three federal economic programs: the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Federal Skilled Trades Program, and the Canadian Experience Class.

Invitation to Apply (ITA)

An ITA is the formal notice IRCC sends to an Express Entry candidate inviting them to submit a complete permanent residence application.

Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSW)

FSW is an Express Entry program for candidates with 1+ year of continuous foreign (or Canadian) skilled work experience, needing no Canadian experience — so it also suits applicants outside Canada.

Canadian Experience Class (CEC)

CEC is an Express Entry program for candidates with 1+ year (1,560 hours) of skilled Canadian work experience in a TEER 0-3 job within the last 3 years.

Federal Skilled Trades Program (FST)

FST is an Express Entry program for qualified tradespeople with 2+ years of full-time skilled trade experience in the last 5 years and either a Canadian job offer or a provincial qualification certificate.

Tie-Break Rule

The tie-break rule decides which candidates get an ITA when more candidates sit exactly at a draw's minimum CRS cut-off than the round has room to invite.

Category-Based Draw

A category-based draw invites only candidates matching a specific occupation, language, or demographic category, instead of everyone above one CRS line.

French-Language Bonus Points

A candidate scoring NCLC 7+ in all 4 French abilities unlocks a CRS bonus of 25 points, or 50 if English is also CLB 5+ in all 4 abilities.

Sibling in Canada Points

A candidate (or accompanying spouse) with a sibling who is a Canadian citizen or PR living in Canada gets 15 additional CRS points.

Canadian Education Bonus Points

Completing a Canadian credential adds 15 CRS points for a 1-2 year program, or 30 for a program 3+ years long (like most bachelor's degrees).

Arranged Employment (Job Offer) Points

A valid job offer no longer adds any CRS points as of March 25, 2025, when IRCC removed this factor entirely (previously 200 for TEER 0/00, 50 for TEER 1-3).

Skill Transferability Factors

Skill transferability is the CRS section (capped at 100 points) rewarding combinations of education, language, and work experience, rather than any single factor alone.

Express Entry Pool

The Express Entry pool is the ranked set of all active candidate profiles IRCC draws from when issuing ITAs.

Rounds of Invitations (Draw)

A round of invitations (a 'draw') is a scheduled event where IRCC invites every candidate at or above a chosen minimum CRS score to apply for PR.

Second Official Language Points

CRS points are available for a candidate's weaker official language, separately from the first, up to 24 points single or 22 with spouse.

Express Entry Profile

An Express Entry profile is the online application a candidate submits to enter the pool, listing personal, education, language, and work details used to calculate their CRS score.

Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)

A PNP is an immigration stream run by a Canadian province or territory (except Quebec) that nominates candidates for PR based on local labour-market and settlement needs.

Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP)

AIP is a permanent federal-provincial program (since 2022) for Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, and PEI, requiring a job offer from a designated Atlantic employer.

Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP)

RCIP is an active federal pilot (launched January 30, 2025) replacing RNIP (closed August 2024), covering 14 designated rural communities in 6 provinces.

Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ)

A CSQ is Quebec's certificate confirming it has selected a candidate; required before applying to IRCC for federal PR through any Quebec economic program.

Programme de sélection des travailleurs qualifiés (PSTQ)

The PSTQ is Quebec's main points-based skilled-worker pathway, replacing the former QSWP/PRTQ in November 2024.

Arrima Portal

Arrima is the online expression-of-interest portal Quebec uses to receive and invite candidates under the PSTQ.

Expression of Interest (EOI)

An EOI is a system some PNPs and Quebec's PSTQ use where a candidate submits a short profile, is scored, and only top-ranked candidates are invited to apply in full.

Certificat d'acceptation du Québec (CAQ)

A CAQ is a Quebec-issued certificate that temporary workers and students generally need before (or alongside) a federal work or study permit to come to Quebec specifically.

Provincial Nomination (PNP Nomination)

A provincial nomination linked to Express Entry adds exactly 600 CRS points, high enough to make an ITA all but guaranteed in the next round.

Programme de l'expérience québécoise (PEQ)

The PEQ is Quebec's pass/fail (no points grid) streamlined PR pathway for workers and graduates already established in Quebec.

Francophone Community Immigration Pilot (FCIP)

FCIP is an active federal pilot (launched January 30, 2025 with RCIP) offering PR to French-speaking skilled workers with a job at a designated employer in one of 6 Francophone-minority communities outside Quebec.

Educational Credential Assessment (ECA)

An ECA is a report from an IRCC-approved organization confirming what a foreign education credential equals in the Canadian education system.

Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)

An LMIA is a document a Canadian employer must usually get from ESDC before hiring a foreign worker, confirming no Canadian worker is available for the role.

Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)

A PGWP is an open work permit letting international students work for most employers after completing an eligible program at a Designated Learning Institution.

Designated Learning Institution (DLI)

A DLI is a school approved by a provincial or territorial government to host international students on a study permit.

Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR)

The COPR is the official document confirming a person became a Canadian permanent resident, presented at entry or a landing appointment to activate PR status.

PR Card

The PR card is the wallet-sized photo ID proving Canadian permanent resident status, required to re-enter Canada by commercial flight.

Social Insurance Number (SIN)

A SIN is a 9-digit number required to work in Canada, file taxes, and access most government benefits.

Proof of Funds

Proof of funds is evidence (typically 6 months of bank statements) showing an applicant has enough unencumbered money to support themselves and family after arriving in Canada.

Open Work Permit (OWP)

An open work permit lets the holder work for almost any employer without needing a specific job offer or LMIA, unlike a closed (employer-specific) permit.

Spousal Open Work Permit (SOWP)

A SOWP lets the spouse or common-law partner of certain principal applicants work for any employer while the principal's status is active.

Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC)

A GIC is a common way international students prove required living-cost funds for a study permit, by depositing money with a participating bank that releases it in instalments after arrival.

Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP)

A BOWP lets certain in-Canada Express Entry or PNP candidates who already hold a valid work permit keep working while their PR application is finalized.

Work Permit

A work permit authorizes a foreign national to work in Canada, issued as either employer-specific (closed) or open, depending on the category.

Study Permit

A study permit authorizes a foreign national to study at a Designated Learning Institution in Canada for programs longer than 6 months.

Red Seal Certification

Red Seal is an interprovincial standard letting certified tradespeople have their qualification recognized across Canada without extra provincial exams.

National Occupational Classification (NOC)

The NOC is Canada's standard system for classifying every occupation with a code, used by IRCC to determine eligibility for federal and provincial immigration programs.

TEER Category

TEER (Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities) is the 0-5 category IRCC assigns to every occupation under NOC 2021 to indicate its skill level.

Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB)

CLB is a 1-12 scale converting English test results (IELTS, CELPIP) into the standard IRCC uses across all immigration programs.

Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC)

NCLC is the French-language equivalent of the CLB, converting TEF or TCF results into a standard 1-12 scale used across immigration programs.

Biometrics

Biometrics (fingerprints and a photo) are mandatory for most immigration and temporary-residence applications, collected at a Visa Application Centre and paid separately from the application fee.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)

IRCC is the federal department responsible for Canada's immigration, refugee, and citizenship programs, including Express Entry, study/work permits, and PR processing.

College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC)

The CICC is the regulatory body that licenses and oversees RCICs, the only non-lawyer professionals legally allowed to charge a fee for immigration advice.

Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC)

An RCIC is a professional licensed by the CICC who may legally charge a fee to represent clients on Canadian immigration applications.

International Experience Canada (IEC)

IEC is a youth-mobility program giving citizens of reciprocal-agreement countries an open work permit (Working Holiday) or employer-specific permits (Young Professionals, Co-op) for a limited time.

Humanitarian and Compassionate (H&C) Grounds

H&C is a discretionary pathway under IRPA s.25(1) for people already in Canada who would face unusual, undeserved, or disproportionate hardship if required to apply for PR from abroad.

Start-Up Visa Program

The Start-Up Visa Program is closed to new applications: IRCC stopped accepting new commitment certificates January 1, 2026, with June 30, 2026 as the last day to apply for 2025-certificate holders.

Self-Employed Persons Program

The federal Self-Employed Persons Program has been paused since April 30, 2024, with IRCC extending the pause indefinitely as of December 2025.

Super Visa

The Super Visa is a temporary resident visa letting parents and grandparents of Canadians visit for stays up to 5 years per entry, with a 2-year in-Canada extension available.

Maintained Status (Implied Status)

Maintained status (formerly implied status) lets a temporary resident keep working/studying under their expiring permit's conditions while IRCC processes an extension filed before expiry.

Restoration of Status

Restoration lets a temporary resident whose permit already expired apply, within 90 days, to restore status and get a new permit — but they can't legally work or study during restoration itself.

Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET)

CUAET was a temporary-residence measure launched March 17, 2022 for Ukrainians and immediate family, no longer accepting new applications but still governing those with CUAET-linked permits.

Settlement Funds

Settlement funds are the minimum unencumbered money IRCC requires an economic-class applicant to show before landing, scaled to family size.