Canada Immigration Data Portal

Canada accepted 431,645 permanent residents in 2023 and has an immigration target of approximately 500,000 new permanent residents for 2024 and beyond as part of its multi-year immigration plan. The Canadian government has set ambitious goals to welcome over 1.5 million new permanent residents by the end of 2025.

The minimum CRS (Comprehensive Ranking System) score for Express Entry varies with each draw. In recent draws, scores have ranged from 475 to 500 points for Federal Skilled Worker draws, while program-specific draws may have lower thresholds. Our Express Entry charts above show the historical CRS cutoff trends.

Ontario consistently receives the highest number of new immigrants to Canada, with approximately 184,455 permanent residents in 2023, followed by Quebec and British Columbia. The Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) allow provinces to nominate immigrants based on their specific economic needs.

The main pathways for Canada immigration include:

• Express Entry system - For skilled workers through Federal Skilled Worker Program, Federal Skilled Trades Program, and Canadian Experience Class
• Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) - Allow provinces to select immigrants based on local economic needs
• Family Sponsorship - For sponsoring eligible family members to become permanent residents
• Business Immigration - For entrepreneurs, investors, and self-employed individuals
• Refugee and Humanitarian programs - For those seeking protection or humanitarian considerations

Most Canada immigration programs require proof of language proficiency in either English or French. For Express Entry, applicants must take an approved language test (IELTS, CELPIP for English or TEF, TCF for French) and meet minimum scores, typically CLB 7 (Canadian Language Benchmark) or higher for principal applicants. As shown in our language proficiency chart above, most successful immigrants have CLB 7-9 or CLB 10+ levels.

The processing time for Canada PR applications varies by program. Based on current IRCC data:

• Express Entry: Approximately 6 months from submission of complete application
• Provincial Nominee Programs: 12-16 months (includes provincial processing plus federal PR processing)
• Family Sponsorship: 12 months for spouses, 20-24 months for parents and grandparents
• Refugee claims: 24 months on average

Processing times are updated regularly in our PR Application Statistics chart.