How to Immigrate to Canada From Pakistan

To move to Canada from Pakistan, you use the same routes as everyone else: Express Entry (Federal Skilled Worker or Canadian Experience Class), a Provincial Nominee Program, study then work, or family sponsorship. Most economic applicants need a language test and an ECA for a Pakistani degree, and Federal Skilled Worker applicants show proof of funds of CAD $15,263 for one person.

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Last verified: November 2026

600
CRS points a nomination through an Express Entry-aligned stream adds
697 to 805
Cut-offs of the 2026 rounds for nominated candidates, through October 26, 2026
CAD $15,263
Federal Skilled Worker proof of funds for one person

IRCC published the funds table on July 7, 2025, and updates it every year. Our proof of funds for Express Entry guide lists the amount for each family size.

Which programs can Pakistani applicants use to move to Canada?

In 2024 Pakistan was among the top five countries of citizenship for family reunification admissions to Canada (IRCC's 2025 Annual Report to Parliament). There is no special Canada visa for Pakistani citizens. The rules, points systems, and document requirements are the same regardless of where you live.

Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP): For people with at least one year of skilled work experience in the last 10 years, gained in Canada or abroad. Most FSWP applicants must show proof of settlement funds.
Canadian Experience Class (CEC): For people who have at least one year of skilled Canadian work experience in the 3 years before they apply. That experience is gained while authorized to work in Canada as a temporary resident, for example on a post-graduation work permit. CEC applicants are exempt from proof of funds, and so are certain candidates authorized to work in Canada with a valid job offer.

Express Entry is an online system that manages three federal economic programs. You first create a profile that confirms you meet a program's minimum requirements, then you wait in a pool where the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores your age, education, language ability, work experience, and other factors.

IRCC holds rounds throughout the year and invites the highest-scoring candidates eligible for each round, including category-based rounds that target specific occupations, French-language ability, or other priorities. There is no fixed pass mark, because the cut-off depends on each draw. The Express Entry guide explains how the system and draws work.

Where does a provincial nomination fit?

Every province and territory except Quebec and Nunavut runs its own Provincial Nominee Program to select people who want to settle there and who fit local labour needs. If you receive a nomination through an Express Entry-aligned (enhanced) stream, it adds 600 points to your CRS score. In 2026, rounds for nominated candidates cut off between 697 and 805, through the round of October 26, 2026.

Provinces also run base (non-Express Entry) streams with their own application process, and the provincial stage has its own timeline, set by each province. Each province sets its own occupation lists, eligibility criteria, and intake windows, and these change frequently throughout the year. Some streams require a job offer from a provincial employer, others target graduates of local institutions, in-demand occupations, or entrepreneurs.

The rule

A nomination through an Express Entry-aligned stream adds 600 CRS points.

IRCC, canada.caVerify on canada.ca

Which language tests and credential assessments do Pakistani applicants use?

For English, IRCC accepts IELTS General Training, CELPIP General, and PTE Core (Pearson Test of English Core). For French, IRCC accepts TEF Canada and TCF Canada. IRCC does not accept IELTS One Skill Retake for Express Entry.

Check that a centre near you offers the test you choose. For Express Entry, the results must be less than 2 years old both when you complete your profile and when you submit your permanent residence application. Your scores are converted to Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) levels for points and minimum requirements.

If you earned your degree outside Canada, including from a Pakistani university, you generally need an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) from an IRCC-designated organization to claim education points and to meet FSWP requirements. Designated organizations include:

World Education Services (WES)
International Credential Assessment Service of Canada (ICAS)
Comparative Education Service (University of Toronto)
International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS)
International Credential Evaluation Service (ICES, British Columbia Institute of Technology)

Doctors, and pharmacists and architects who need a licence, use designated professional bodies. Each organization sets its own document rules (some ask for records sent by the school), so read them before you order. Your ECA must be less than 5 years old when you complete your Express Entry profile and when you submit your application.

What other documents do Pakistani applicants need?

Police certificates: From each country where you spent 6 months in a row or longer in the last 10 years, since age 18: a Police Character Certificate or Police Clearance Certificate for Pakistan. Family members 18 or older need their own police certificates.
Medical exam: An immigration medical exam done by an IRCC-approved panel physician. Family members must have a medical exam even if they are not coming with you.
Passport and biometrics: A valid passport, and biometrics.

IRCC lists an incomplete application among the reasons a file can take longer. Document lists differ by program, so follow the checklist for your specific application on canada.ca.

Can you study in Canada first?

You first obtain a study permit to attend a Designated Learning Institution (DLI), which requires an acceptance letter, proof that you can pay tuition and living costs, and other documents. Graduation from an eligible program opens the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), an open work permit that allows work for almost any employer and builds the Canadian experience that the CEC rewards.

If you applied for your study permit on or after November 1, 2024, every program other than a bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree must be in an eligible field of study for a PGWP. The program's code must be on the list when you submit either the study permit application or the PGWP application. PGWP applications made on or after November 1, 2024 also have minimum language levels.

This pathway is longer and not guaranteed. A study permit does not promise a work permit, and a work permit does not promise permanent residence.

Can a relative in Canada sponsor you?

If you have a close relative who is a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident, or a registered Indian under the Indian Act, they may be able to sponsor you. Sponsorship covers spouses, common-law or conjugal partners, and dependent children, and there is also a Parents and Grandparents Program, though IRCC has paused new parent and grandparent sponsorships.

The sponsor usually signs an undertaking to support the sponsored person financially for a set period, and both the sponsor and the applicant must meet eligibility rules. Family sponsorship is a relationship-based route rather than a points-based one, so it does not use the CRS. It has its own forms, fees, and processing times that vary by category and by where the applicant lives.

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What do people ask?

How do I immigrate to Canada from Pakistan?

You apply through the same programs as applicants from any other country, because no program is just for Pakistan. The main routes are Express Entry (the Federal Skilled Worker Program or the Canadian Experience Class), a Provincial Nominee Program, study followed by a Post-Graduation Work Permit, and family sponsorship. The rules, points and documents do not change with your country. Our Immigration Pathways page compares every route side by side.

Which language tests does IRCC accept, and are they available in Pakistan?

For English, IRCC accepts IELTS General Training, CELPIP General and PTE Core. For French, it accepts TEF Canada and TCF Canada. Each provider sets its own test centres and dates, so check that a centre near you offers the test you choose. For Express Entry, results must be less than 2 years old when you complete your profile and when you submit your permanent residence application, and IRCC does not accept IELTS One Skill Retake. Your scores convert to Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) levels. Our language tests guide compares the tests and shows how each score converts.

Do I need to get my Pakistani degree assessed?

Yes, for the Federal Skilled Worker Program you generally need an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) to meet the program rules and claim education points. It must come from an IRCC-designated organization such as WES, ICAS, CES, IQAS or ICES. Each organization sets its own document rules, so read them before you order, and your ECA must be less than 5 years old when you complete your Express Entry profile and when you apply. Our foreign credential recognition guide covers licensing for regulated jobs.

How much money do I need to show as proof of funds?

A single Express Entry applicant generally needs CAD $15,263, as published by IRCC on July 7, 2025, and the amount rises with family size. Canadian Experience Class applicants are exempt, and so are some candidates authorized to work in Canada with a valid job offer. IRCC updates the table every year. Our proof of funds for Express Entry guide lists the amount for each family size.

What is the difference between Express Entry and a PNP?

Express Entry is a federal system that ranks candidates by CRS score and invites the highest scorers, while a Provincial Nominee Program lets a province nominate you for its own labour needs. A nomination through an Express Entry-aligned stream adds 600 CRS points. In 2026, rounds for nominated candidates cut off between 697 and 805, through the round of October 26, 2026. Our Express Entry vs PNP guide compares the two, and the CRS calculator estimates your score.

Can I study in Canada and then become a permanent resident?

Yes, it is a recognized route in three steps: a study permit, then a Post-Graduation Work Permit, then an economic program such as the Canadian Experience Class. Each step is a separate decision by an officer. PGWP rules now set field-of-study and language requirements for many programs, so check them before you enrol. Our study permit to PR guide walks through each step and the rules that apply.

What other documents will I need?

Most applicants need a valid passport, an approved language test, an ECA for foreign degrees, a Police Character Certificate from Pakistan and a police certificate from any other country where you spent 6 months in a row or longer in the last 10 years, since age 18, biometrics, and an immigration medical exam by an IRCC-approved panel physician. Family members must have a medical exam even if they stay behind, and family members 18 or older need their own police certificates. Our police certificate guide explains when IRCC asks for one and from which countries.

Part of:Immigrating permanently

Official sources

This page is based on law and policy published by the Government of Canada.