Free Assessment
Menu
Free self-check

Immigration Reality Checklist: Are You Ready to Apply for Canada PR?

Sixteen questions that test the parts of a permanent residence application people most often get wrong before they apply: expired test results, experience that does not count, funds that cannot be proven, and gaps in their history. Answer honestly and you will see what is ready, what is not, and what to fix first.

Takes about five minutes. Your answers stay in your browser; nothing is sent or saved.

Start the self-check
Illustration of a clipboard checklist with ticks, a question mark and a cross beside three result labels: ready, almost ready and not yet

How the self-check works

  1. Answer each question with Yes, Not yet or Not sure. Where a question does not apply to you, choose Not applicable.
  2. Questions marked Must-have are requirements: one "Not yet" there means you are not ready to apply.
  3. Your result lists every item to fix, the most serious first, with a link to the guide that explains how.

Part 1 of 5

Eligibility and score

Whether you actually qualify, and whether your score can compete.

1. Must-have I know which program I am applying under (for example the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Canadian Experience Class or a Provincial Nominee Program) and I have checked its minimum requirements myself.

Each program has its own minimums. Being in the Express Entry pool does not mean you meet them, and IRCC checks eligibility again when you apply.

How to fix: Express Entry eligibility explained

2. Must-have My work experience counts: it was paid, in a TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 occupation, and meets my program’s minimum (for the Federal Skilled Worker Program, 1 year of continuous work or 1,560 hours in the last 10 years; for the Canadian Experience Class, 1 year of Canadian experience in the last 3 years).

For the Canadian Experience Class, work done while you were a full-time student or self-employed does not count. Volunteer work and unpaid internships never count.

How to fix: Canadian Experience Class requirements

3. I have matched each job to its NOC code by comparing my actual duties with the NOC description, not by my job title.

A NOC code that does not fit your duties is one of the most common reasons work experience is not accepted.

How to fix: How to choose your NOC code

4. I know my CRS score and how it compares with recent draws in the categories I qualify for.

Eligibility gets you into the pool. Only a competitive score, or a category or provincial draw you fit, gets you an invitation.

How to fix: Express Entry draw history and cut-offs

Part 2 of 5

Test results and credentials

Documents with an expiry date that decide your points.

5. Must-have I have results from an approved language test (CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training, PTE Core, TEF Canada or TCF Canada) that will still be less than 2 years old on the day I submit my permanent residence application.

Results must be less than 2 years old both when you create your profile and when you submit your application. IELTS Academic is not accepted.

How to fix: Express Entry requirements

6. Must-have For education completed outside Canada, I have an Educational Credential Assessment from a designated organization that will still be less than 5 years old on the day I submit.

IRCC rejects applications submitted with an expired assessment. You need an ECA to be eligible for the Federal Skilled Worker Program and to claim points for foreign education.

How to fix: Express Entry documents checklist

Part 3 of 5

Money

Funds you can prove, and the true cost of getting here.

7. Must-have If my program requires proof of funds, I have at least the current minimum available to me, not borrowed from anyone and not tied up in property.

The Federal Skilled Worker and Federal Skilled Trades programs require settlement funds. You cannot count equity in real estate or money borrowed from another person.

How to fix: Proof of funds for Canada PR

8. My bank can issue official letters showing when each account was opened, the current balance and the average balance for the past 6 months, and I can explain any large recent deposits.

This is what IRCC asks the letters to show. Sudden deposits without an explanation are a common reason officers question the funds.

How to fix: Express Entry proof of funds documents

9. I have budgeted for the full cost: government fees, language tests, the ECA, medical exams, police certificates, translations and my first months in Canada.

Running out of money partway through is a common reason applications stall.

How to fix: Canada immigration cost

Part 4 of 5

Your history and your family

What IRCC compares across every form you have ever filed.

10. Must-have I can account for every month of the past 10 years, or since I turned 18 if that is more recent, with no gaps, including time spent unemployed, travelling or at home.

The personal history section must cover that whole period without gaps. IRCC says missing periods delay processing.

How to fix: Gaps and inconsistencies IRCC looks for

11. Must-have Everything I will declare (jobs, dates, addresses, marital status, past refusals) matches what I told IRCC in any earlier application, or I can explain every difference.

Officers compare your file with earlier applications. An unexplained difference can be treated as misrepresentation, which can lead to a 5-year ban.

How to fix: Employment history and career consistency

12. Must-have I will declare every family member, including a spouse or children who are not coming to Canada with me.

A family member who was not declared and examined when you immigrated generally cannot be sponsored by you later.

How to fix: Why undeclared family members matter

13. I can get reference letters for each job used for points, on company letterhead, showing my title, duties, hours per week, salary and dates.

Letters that list only a title and dates are the most common weak point in work experience evidence.

How to fix: Express Entry documents checklist

Part 5 of 5

Timing and plan B

What happens after an invitation, and what happens if it does not come.

14. I know which police certificates I will need (for every country where I, or a family member aged 18 or older, lived for 6 months in a row or longer in the last 10 years) and roughly how long each one takes.

Some countries take months to issue a certificate, and the one for your current country must be issued no more than 6 months before you apply.

How to fix: Express Entry application process

15. If I am invited, I can gather every document and submit a complete application within 60 days.

You have 60 days from the invitation to submit. People who start collecting documents only after the invitation often run out of time.

How to fix: Express Entry application process

16. I have a plan B if my score is not invited: a Provincial Nominee Program, a work permit route, or specific steps to raise my score.

Cut-off scores move. A backup plan keeps you moving instead of waiting in the pool.

How to fix: Work permit as a backup plan

16 questions

Questions About the Reality Checklist

Is this an eligibility test?

No. It checks readiness, not eligibility. It asks whether the things IRCC will look at are actually in place and provable. Your eligibility for a specific program depends on the program’s rules and your documents, which only a full review can confirm.

Are my answers saved or sent anywhere?

No. The checklist runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you select is sent to us or stored, and your answers are gone when you leave the page.

What should I choose if I am not sure?

Choose Not sure. It is treated as something to confirm, and your result will list it with a link to the guide that explains the rule. Guessing Yes is the most common way applicants miss a problem.

Does a Ready result mean my application will be approved?

No. It means the most common preparation problems are not present. The final decision rests with the IRCC officer, who assesses your documents and the consistency of your whole file.

Guides That Go Deeper

This self-check is general information, not legal advice, and it does not create a consultant-client relationship. Requirements change; confirm current rules with IRCC at canada.ca before you apply. Rules checked against canada.ca on September 24, 2026.

Written by Crystal Jing Chen, RCIC - Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant, licence R515424. Verify Status with the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants