Canada Permanent Residence Requirements and Costs [2026]: Express Entry Points, Draws and Provincial Nomination Explained

Canadian permanent residence (Permanent Resident status) is centred on a system that scores your English (or French), education and work experience and invites the highest-scoring candidates. There is no upper age limit, but draws in 2026 have clearly prioritized people with work experience in Canada and people nominated by a province, so the path to an invitation directly from outside Canada (for example, from Japan) has narrowed. The Start-up Visa for entrepreneurs stopped accepting new applications on December 31, 2025, and the self-employed persons program is paused, so there is no route to federal permanent residence based on an investment amount. Based on information published by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), this article covers the following:

• A comparison of the main routes to permanent residence (requirements and costs)
• Express Entry (FSW, CEC and FST) requirements and proof of funds
• How the points system (CRS) works and the minimum scores in the August–September 2026 draws
• Provincial nomination (PNP), spousal sponsorship, paused programs and application fees
• Aiming for PR from a working holiday
• Keeping permanent residence, citizenship and Japanese nationality

*Amounts and rules are as of October 1, 2026. This article is an English version of our Japanese guide, adapted for foreign residents of Japan and international investors. It is a general explanation based on published information (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, Japan's Ministry of Justice, etc.). Visa requirements and costs change. Costs shown are government application fees; language tests, educational credential assessments, medical exams, translations and other costs are extra. For your individual eligibility, consult a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) or a lawyer.

Conclusion: Express Entry invitations by points and provincial nomination are the core routes

Canada has no upper age limit, but because it scores age, English, education and work experience and invites the top candidates, it becomes harder to raise your score from your 40s onwards. To compare the costs of permanent residence across countries, see our overview of permanent residence and long-stay visa costs worldwide (in Japanese); for other countries focused on skilled migration, see also moving to Australia and permanent residence requirements and New Zealand permanent residence requirements and costs.

The three Express Entry programs and their requirements

Most of Canada's economic immigrants go through an online candidate pool called Express Entry. The process is: (1) take an English (or French) test and, for education obtained outside Canada, get an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA); (2) create a profile; (3) be invited in one of the draws held regularly by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC); and (4) apply for permanent residence within 60 days of the invitation. You can enter the pool if you meet the requirements of one of the following three programs.

Accepted English tests are IELTS General Training, CELPIP-General and PTE Core. Note that IELTS Academic cannot be used. Results are valid for less than 2 years from the test date. The proof of funds required for FSW and FST depends on family size. It is not required if you are both authorized to work in Canada and have a valid job offer.

Points (CRS) and recent draw trends

Express Entry candidates are given a score of up to 1,200 points under the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), and those at or above the minimum score set for each draw are invited. The score consists of human capital factors such as age, education, language and work experience (up to 500 points without a spouse), combinations of these (up to 100 points), and additional points. The largest additional item is provincial nomination (600 points); others include French (up to 50 points), Canadian education (up to 30 points) and a sibling living in Canada (15 points). Since March 25, 2025, points for a job offer (arranged employment) have been removed.

Draws follow a pattern in which Canadian Experience Class (CEC) and Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draws alternate roughly every two weeks, supplemented by occupation- and category-based draws for healthcare and social services, French, STEM, trades, education and so on. In August and September 2026, there were no general draws covering all programs and no FSW-only draws. In other words, being invited under FSW directly from outside Canada (for example, from Japan) is difficult, and the realistic paths are: working in Canada for at least 1 year to qualify for CEC, receiving a provincial nomination, working in a targeted occupation such as healthcare, or speaking French.

The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) lets each province and territory nominate the people it needs. There are streams aligned with Express Entry (a nomination adds 600 points) and streams where you apply directly to the province. Target occupations, requirements and intake periods differ by province, and streams stop when allocations are filled (for example, British Columbia's nomination allocation for 2026 is 6,254). Quebec runs its own selection (PSTQ and the Quebec Experience Program, PEQ); you apply for federal permanent residence after being selected by the province.

Spousal sponsorship, paused programs and application fees

Spouses and common-law partners can apply for permanent residence with sponsorship from a Canadian citizen or permanent resident aged 18 or over. In principle there is no income requirement. On the other hand, the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) is not accepting new applications as of 2026, and the Super Visa, which allows stays of up to 5 years, is commonly used to bring parents. The Start-up Visa stopped accepting new applications on December 31, 2025 (the transitional measure for those holding a 2025 letter of support also runs only until June 30, 2026), and the self-employed persons program is also paused. As of October 2026, Canada has no route to federal permanent residence based on an investment amount (Quebec has its own provincial investor program, but its intake status changes frequently, so check the latest information from the Quebec government).

For a couple with one child using Express Entry, government fees are 1,590 + 1,590 + 270 = CAD 3,450, plus CAD 170 for biometrics. On top of this come the costs of English tests, the Educational Credential Assessment (ECA), medical exams, a Japanese police criminal record certificate, English translations of documents such as Japanese family register (koseki) certificates, and so on.

Aiming for permanent residence from a working holiday

For Japanese nationals: Japanese citizens can take part in Canada's working holiday program (International Experience Canada, IEC) once, between the ages of 18 and 30, for up to 12 months (the conditions differ by country of citizenship). If you work in a TEER 0–3 job in Canada for at least 1 year during or after a working holiday, you may meet the work experience requirement of the Canadian Experience Class (CEC). However, to accumulate 1 year of experience within 12 months you would need to work in a skilled job almost without a break, so it is common to continue on an employer-specific work permit after the working holiday. Because the working holiday is available only up to age 30, if permanent residence is your goal, it is important to plan while you are still in your 20s.

After obtaining permanent residence: keeping it, citizenship and Japanese nationality

For Japanese nationals, obtaining permanent residence does not affect Japanese nationality. Japanese nationality is lost when you voluntarily acquire Canadian citizenship. How Japanese nationality is treated is explained in our list of countries that allow dual nationality (in Japanese), and resident registration and tax procedures before and after leaving Japan are covered in taxes and resident registration when moving abroad (in Japanese). Applications require documents such as a Japanese police criminal record certificate (for those who have lived in Japan) and, for Japanese nationals, family register (koseki) certificates showing birth and marriage, with English translations (see how to obtain a birth certificate (in Japanese) and how to obtain a criminal record certificate (in Japanese)).

FAQ

Is there an age limit for Canadian permanent residence?

There is no upper age limit. However, Express Entry points (CRS) are highest from the late 20s to around age 30 and decrease with age. From your 40s onwards, the realistic approach is to make up points through provincial nomination (600 additional points), Canadian work experience, French and so on.

Can I apply for Canadian permanent residence while living in Japan?

Under the rules, you can enter the Express Entry pool from Japan as a Federal Skilled Worker (FSW). However, the August–September 2026 draws focused on the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), provincial nominations and occupation-based categories, and there were no FSW-only draws. Unless you are in a targeted occupation such as healthcare or have a provincial nomination, the common path is to first work in Canada and build up work experience.

Can I obtain Canadian permanent residence by paying money?

Because the federal Start-up Visa stopped accepting new applications on December 31, 2025 and the self-employed persons program is paused, there is no federal route to permanent residence based on an investment amount as of October 2026 (for Quebec's own provincial investor program, check its intake status with the Quebec government).

Should I take IELTS General or Academic?

Express Entry accepts only IELTS General Training; Academic cannot be used. CELPIP-General and PTE Core are also accepted. Results are valid for less than 2 years from the test date.

How much does Canadian permanent residence cost?

For economic immigration (Express Entry, PNP), the principal applicant pays CAD 1,590, an accompanying spouse the same, and each child CAD 270. Biometrics (CAD 85 per person), English tests, the educational credential assessment, medical exams, translations and other costs are added to this.

For Japanese nationals: what happens to my Japanese nationality if I obtain permanent residence?

You do not lose Japanese nationality by obtaining permanent residence. Japanese nationality is lost when you voluntarily acquire Canadian citizenship (Nationality Act, Article 11, Paragraph 1).

Summary: Canadian work experience and provincial nomination are key

For Canadian permanent residence, the deciding factor is whether you can achieve a high Express Entry score, receive a provincial nomination, or work in Canada for at least 1 year to qualify for the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), and in 2026 people with Canadian work experience are clearly being prioritized. There is currently no federal route to permanent residence through investment. Japanese nationals do not lose Japanese nationality through permanent residence, but note that they will lose it if they acquire citizenship. For how easy permanent residence is compared with other countries, see countries where Japanese nationals can obtain permanent residence more easily (in Japanese).

References (primary sources)

• IRCC: Express Entry, Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) eligibility
• IRCC: Express Entry, Canadian Experience Class (CEC) eligibility
• IRCC: Express Entry language tests
• IRCC: Express Entry proof of funds
• IRCC: Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) criteria
• IRCC: Express Entry rounds of invitations
• IRCC: How the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) works
• IRCC: Fee list (updated September 21, 2026)
• IRCC: Permanent residence fees increasing (April 30, 2026)
• IRCC: Immigration measures for entrepreneurs (closure of the Start-up Visa)
• IRCC: Sponsor your parents and grandparents
• IRCC: Understand permanent resident status (730 days)
• IRCC: Citizenship eligibility
• IRCC: International Experience Canada (working holiday) eligibility by country
• IRCC: Dual citizenship
• WelcomeBC: BC PNP news
• Ministry of Justice of Japan: Choice and loss of nationality
• Japan Pension Service: Totalization of coverage periods by agreement country
• Ministry of Finance of Japan: List of tax treaties

The requirements and costs in this article are based on information published as of October 1, 2026.