Where to check your official status
IRCC’s status page sorts applications by what you applied for. Its Express Entry entry covers the Canadian Experience Class, the Provincial Nominee Program, Federal Skilled Workers and Federal Skilled Trades.
| What you want to know | Official place to check |
|---|---|
| The status of an online Express Entry application (FSW, FST, CEC or PNP) | Your IRCC secure account. IRCC also suggests its application status tracker, a separate account that can show a more detailed timeline; you need your unique client identifier (UCI) and application number. |
| The status of a paper application | Client application status tool |
| How long applications like yours are taking | IRCC processing times |
| Confirming permanent residence from inside Canada, once approved | The Permanent Residence Portal. Don’t create a new portal account: IRCC uses the one you applied with or creates one and emails you the details. |
The stages of an Express Entry application
Your profile is in the pool. You enter the Express Entry pool and get a CRS score. A profile that is not invited within 12 months expires automatically. Source
You are invited to apply. The invitation is valid for 60 days. If you don’t apply or decline in that time, it expires and your profile leaves the pool. Source
You submit your application. IRCC checks that it is complete. You get an acknowledgement of receipt (AOR) after it has your application and has checked that it is complete; status updates in the tracker only appear after the AOR. Source
You give your biometrics. If your application is complete, IRCC sends a letter confirming you need to give your fingerprints and photo. You have 30 days from the date on the letter. Source
IRCC reviews it. The application status tracker shows four sections: eligibility, medical exam, background verification and biometrics. IRCC contacts you through your account if it needs documents or an interview. Source
A decision is made. The decision depends on eligibility for the program and admissibility, based on your medical exam, police certificates and background checks. IRCC tells you through your secure account. Source
You confirm permanent residence. IRCC issues a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR). From inside Canada you confirm your status in the Permanent Residence Portal and get an electronic COPR there; from outside Canada IRCC mails the COPR, with a visa if you need one. Source
What the application status tracker’s statuses mean
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Received | IRCC got your application and is checking whether it is complete. |
| In progress | IRCC is still reviewing it. Each section also shows its own progress. |
| Closed | The application was approved, refused, withdrawn or abandoned. IRCC contacts you before closing it. |
| Section status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Not started | IRCC hasn’t started reviewing this section. |
| Waiting on you | IRCC needs more information or documents from you. |
| In progress | IRCC is still reviewing the section. |
| Completed | IRCC has finished reviewing that section. |
| Exempted | You don’t need to complete this section for your application. |
Check the “Your next steps” section regularly: it is where IRCC asks for documents, fees or biometrics. IRCC Help Centre
Provincial nominee applications
Provinces and territories nominate people under their own requirements, and the province or territory tells you whether to apply for permanent residence through Express Entry or through the non-Express Entry process. A nominee who goes through Express Entry creates a profile and gets 600 extra CRS points; from there, the application follows the IRCC stages above, and its status is in your IRCC account. IRCC: provincial nominees
What TrackMyPR keeps track of
TrackMyPR does not connect to IRCC and cannot show your official status. What it does is keep your own plan next to it, saved only on your device, with no account:
- A milestone checklist for your route. For Express Entry: confirm program eligibility; complete language testing; prepare education evidence; enter the Express Entry pool; prepare for an invitation. For a provincial nomination: choose a province or territory; confirm an open stream; prepare nomination evidence; complete the federal PR step.
- Reminders for the dates you save, before they lapse: your Express Entry profile, language test results, passport, immigration medical exam and work or study permit.
- Draw alerts comparing your saved CRS estimate with the latest Express Entry draw. An estimate is never a guarantee of an invitation.
Related: the latest Express Entry draw, how the CRS score is built and the November 3, 2026 points changes.
Sources
- IRCC: How to check your application status
- IRCC Help Centre: What does my status mean in the application status tracker?
- IRCC: Apply for permanent residence through Express Entry
- IRCC: Express Entry, after you apply
- IRCC: If your Express Entry application is approved
- IRCC: Confirm your permanent residence from within Canada
- IRCC: Check current processing times
- IRCC: Immigrate as a provincial nominee