Worked for 8s Based on the profile you provided, the Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) route through Express Entry is a plausible pathway, but there is an important 2026 issue: you should not assume that being a software engineer currently gives you access to Canada's STEM category draws. The current 2026 STEM occupation list published by IRCC does not include software engineers/designers or software developers/programmers. That makes your actual CRS score and general/program-specific draw strategy particularly important. Canada Express Entry Immigration Plan — Brazil → Toronto/Vancouver Executive assessment Factor Your situation Age 34 — strong Education Bachelor's in Computer Science Experience 9 years software development English CLB 9 equivalent Spouse Graphic designer, 6 years Children 2 dependants, ages 4 and 7 Criminal history None reported Previous immigration applications None Target Toronto/Vancouver Primary pathway Express Entry – Federal Skilled Worker Current STEM-category advantage Not established under the current 2026 occupation list Main variable CRS score Main preparation priority Language test + ECA + work-reference evidence + spouse's CRS factors Family timing constraint Need ≥4 months after ITA before departure The FSW program requires at least 67/100 selection-factor points before you can enter the Express Entry pool. Those 67 points are separate from your CRS ranking score. Your profile appears capable of exceeding the FSW threshold, assuming your work experience matches an eligible NOC and your language results are officially documented. --- 1. IMMIGRATION PATHWAY ASSESSMENT A. Primary route: Federal Skilled Worker through Express Entry This is the route I would investigate first. For FSW, your foreign skilled employment can qualify. You do not need Canadian work experience. Your 9 years of software development experience is potentially strong evidence, provided your actual duties correspond to the selected NOC rather than simply relying on your job title. For FSW, IRCC awards up to 15 points for skilled work experience, with 6+ years receiving the maximum 15 points. Your likely FSW selection-grid position Assuming: age 34 bachelor's degree CLB 9 in all four abilities 6+ years qualifying skilled experience spouse has at least a qualifying education credential no additional adaptability factors you would likely be comfortably above the 67-point minimum. A rough illustration: FSW factor Potential points Age 12 Bachelor's education 21 CLB 9 English 24 6+ years experience 15 Spouse/adaptability potentially additional points Subtotal before adaptability 72 So the FSW eligibility threshold itself is unlikely to be your biggest problem. The much more important question is your CRS ranking. --- 2. YOUR CRS POSITION At age 34, you are still in a relatively strong CRS age band, but the difference between entering the pool at 34 and later entering at 35+ matters. Current CRS rules give a married 34-year-old 75 age points, a bachelor's degree 112 points, and CLB 9 in each English ability 29 points per ability. With CLB 9 and 3+ years foreign skilled experience, the skill-transferability components can contribute substantially as well. Approximate CRS illustration Assuming: married accompanying spouse age 34 bachelor's CLB 9 in all four abilities 3+ years qualifying foreign experience no Canadian experience no French no Canadian education no sibling in Canada no provincial nomination no qualifying Canadian job offer points your principal-applicant portion is approximately: Age: 75 Education: 112 English: 116 Foreign experience/language transferability: potentially 50 Education/language transferability: potentially 25 Spouse factors: up to 40 That produces an illustrative CRS around 418, assuming only a single bachelor's-level education transferability configuration and maximum spouse factors would need to be checked against the exact profile. This is only an estimate, not your official CRS. The exact result can change materially depending on: your spouse's education your spouse's English results whether you have French exact education credentials exact NOC/work experience whether either spouse has Canadian experience Canadian education Canadian sibling other qualifying factors IRCC's official CRS calculator should be used once the actual language and ECA information is available. One very important opportunity: your spouse's language test Your spouse can contribute up to 20 CRS points from language and up to 10 from education. Therefore, if your spouse has not taken an English test, I would seriously consider doing it. For example, if your spouse obtains CLB 9+ in all four abilities, the spouse-language component can contribute the maximum 20 points. That can be significant when CRS thresholds are competitive. --- 3. THE 2026 SOFTWARE-ENGINEERING ISSUE This deserves special attention. Canada currently has a STEM category, but the current 2026 list is narrower than the software-focused STEM lists people often find in older articles. The current IRCC category page lists occupations including: cybersecurity specialists — NOC 21220 civil engineers mechanical engineers electrical/electronics engineers industrial/manufacturing engineers geological engineers certain engineering technicians but the current published 2026 list does not list NOC 21231 software engineers/designers or NOC 21232 software developers/programmers. Older Canadian government material does show software engineers/designers and software developers/programmers among previous STEM-category occupations. So do not build your 2026 immigration strategy around an assumption that your software occupation will receive a STEM draw. IRCC is also consulting on the economic priorities/categories for 2027, but future categories cannot be treated as guaranteed. --- 4. PATHWAY COMPARISON Pathway A — Express Entry / FSW Your situation: Directly relevant. Advantages: Can apply from outside Canada No Canadian work experience required Your 9 years of experience fits the general profile Family can be included Leads directly toward PR Primary issue: CRS competitiveness Pathway B — Provincial Nominee Program This is your major backup strategy. A provincial nomination can add 600 CRS points, which dramatically changes an Express Entry profile. However, provincial streams change frequently and may require: provincial job offer occupation eligibility employer requirements ties to province expression of interest language/education requirements If Toronto/Ontario is your priority, monitor Ontario's relevant skilled-worker/Express Entry streams. If Vancouver/British Columbia is your priority, monitor BC's technology-oriented immigration options and employer requirements. Do not wait for PNP before creating your Express Entry profile. Create the federal profile first if eligible, then use provincial opportunities as a parallel strategy. Pathway C — Canadian work experience Another possible route would be obtaining a Canadian work permit and eventually qualifying through Canadian Experience Class. But this introduces: job search work permit eligibility employer issues relocation before PR temporary status management Given your objective of PR for the whole family, I would treat this as a backup strategy rather than assuming it is necessary. Pathway D — French-language strategy French can produce substantial CRS benefits. Current CRS rules provide up to 50 additional points for French-language proficiency when the required French and English thresholds are met. If you already speak French or could realistically reach the required level, this deserves serious examination. --- 5. DOCUMENT PREPARATION SYSTEM Start preparing before submitting the profile. Your target should be a digital immigration folder containing at least the following. Principal applicant Identity 1. Current passport 2. Previous passports 3. Passport history 4. Birth certificate 5. National identity document, if applicable 6. Legal name-change documents, if applicable Marriage/family 7. Marriage certificate 8. Spouse passport 9. Spouse birth certificate 10. Children's birth certificates 11. Children's passports 12. Custody documents, if applicable 13. Adoption documents, if applicable Education 14. Bachelor's diploma 15. Complete academic transcript 16. ECA report 17. University verification information 18. Degree supplements, if available Language 19. Official English test result 20. Spouse's English test result 21. French test results, if applicable Employment 22. Current employer reference letter 23. Previous employer reference letters 24. Employment contracts 25. Payslips 26. Tax records 27. Social-security/employment records 28. Promotion letters 29. Job descriptions 30. Evidence of dates of employment 31. Evidence of salary 32. Evidence of full-time status 33. Supporting evidence of actual software-development duties Financial 34. Bank reference letter 35. Bank statements 36. Investment statements 37. Fixed-deposit documentation, if applicable 38. Explanation of unusual deposits 39. Evidence establishing source of funds where useful Admissibility 40. Police certificate — principal applicant 41. Police certificates — spouse 42. Police certificates from other countries where required 43. Medical examination records 44. Immigration photographs 45. Travel history information Application 46. Express Entry profile information 47. PR application forms after ITA 48. Family information forms 49. Additional background information 50. Any explanatory letters required 51. Previous visa/refusal documents, if applicable 52. Biometrics documentation Not every one of these is necessarily requested in every application; the personalized IRCC document checklist generated after ITA controls what must actually be submitted. --- 6. EDUCATIONAL CREDENTIAL ASSESSMENT Because your computer-science degree is Brazilian, you generally need an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) for immigration purposes. Do this before creating the profile if you do not already have one. The ECA needs to establish how your foreign credential compares with Canadian education standards. IRCC requires an ECA for foreign education when it is being used for FSW/Express Entry purposes. Don't assume that having a bachelor's diploma automatically means IRCC will award the CRS bachelor's-equivalent points. The ECA result controls how the credential is entered. --- 7. LANGUAGE TEST This is one of your most important documents. Your stated CLB 9 equivalent is not sufficient by itself. You need an accepted language test and valid official results. For English, accepted tests include IRCC-designated options such as IELTS General Training and CELPIP-General, among others specified by IRCC. Your target should be: > CLB 9 or higher in all four abilities. Why? Because CRS awards substantially more points once all four abilities reach CLB 9. And remember: Overall test score ≠ CLB 9. You need to examine: Listening Reading Writing Speaking individually. --- 8. WORK EXPERIENCE — YOUR MOST IMPORTANT EVIDENCE Do not select the NOC based only on your title "Software Engineer." IRCC assesses the actual duties performed. Your employer letters should ideally establish: exact employment dates job title employment status hours per week salary major responsibilities technical duties employer contact details supervisor/HR signature location company information Your duties should correspond closely with the NOC you claim. With 9 years of experience, you have a strong quantity of experience, but quality and documentary consistency matter more than simply saying "9 years." --- 9. BRAZILIAN DOCUMENT AUTHENTICATION Do not automatically apostille every document. For each document, determine: 1. Does IRCC actually require it? 2. Does the document need certification? 3. Does the issuing authority provide an original? 4. Does it need translation? 5. Does the particular IRCC checklist require an apostille/legalization? Canada's document rules are document-specific rather than a blanket requirement to apostille everything. For Brazilian documents that are not in English or French, prepare compliant translations. IRCC requires documents not in English or French to be accompanied by the required translation and supporting original/certified documentation; a certified translator is preferred where available. --- 10. TRANSLATION SYSTEM For Brazilian Portuguese documents: Original Portuguese document ↓ Professional/certified English translation ↓ Translator certification/affidavit as applicable ↓ Upload original + translation IRCC specifically states that applicants and family members cannot translate their own documents. Do not use your spouse to translate your documents. --- 11. PROOF OF FUNDS For a family of four, the current Express Entry settlement-funds requirement is: CAD $28,362 The current figure was updated July 7, 2025. This is a minimum, not a recommended relocation budget. For Toronto or Vancouver, I would plan considerably more than the minimum because your family will have: housing rental deposit furniture transportation food school-related expenses childcare health/insurance transition costs employment-search risk for one or both adults Your settlement fund must be legally accessible and cannot simply be borrowed. IRCC also requires evidence from financial institutions showing relevant account information and balances. Important Do not move money into your account shortly before applying without documentation. Large unexplained deposits can create questions about the source of funds. Build a clean paper trail. --- 12. APPLICATION STRATEGY Stage 1 — Before Express Entry profile Complete: language test ECA NOC analysis employment-reference strategy passport review family civil documents settlement-fund preparation spouse language test if possible CRS calculation Stage 2 — Create profile Enter: education exactly according to ECA language results exactly employment dates exactly NOC accurately marital status accurately family members accurately travel history accurately Do not inflate employment duration. Do not select a more advantageous NOC unless your actual duties support it. --- 13. YOUR 60-DAY ITA PROBLEM Once invited, you have 60 days to submit the permanent-residence application. This matters enormously for your family. You said: > Both spouses need to negotiate departure from their employers and the children need school arrangements requiring at least 4 months after ITA. That means you should not wait until ITA to start preparing documents. Your strategy should be: Before ITA Have approximately 80–90% of your application evidence ready. Then ITA becomes a verification/finalization phase rather than a document-gathering project. --- 14. INTERVIEW PREPARATION Express Entry applications do not automatically involve a traditional interview. However, IRCC can request additional information, interviews, medical examinations, biometrics or other evidence. Prepare to explain consistently: Employment What exactly did you do? What technologies did you use? Who employed you? Where did you work? How many hours? What was your salary? When did each job begin/end? Immigration purpose Why Canada? Why Toronto/Vancouver? What work do you intend to pursue? How will your family support itself? What are your settlement plans? Family Marriage history Children's identities Previous residences Travel history The key principle is: > Your application, employment letters, forms, interview answers and documentary evidence should all tell the same factual story. --- 15. BIOMETRICS After submitting the PR application, IRCC will tell applicants who need biometrics to provide fingerprints and a photograph. Follow the biometric instruction letter rather than arranging it prematurely. IRCC states that biometrics generally must be provided in person and the biometric fee is normally paid with the application. --- 16. MEDICAL EXAMINATION Permanent-residence applicants generally require an immigration medical examination through an approved panel physician. For a family of four, plan medical appointments together where possible. Keep: appointment confirmation medical information sheet receipts identification vaccination/medical history information The panel physician submits the medical results through the required process. --- 17. REALISTIC TIMELINE This is where I would adjust your expectations. IRCC's February 2026 data showed an approximately 7-month processing time for Federal Skilled Workers, with a 6-month service standard. But that is after the PR application, not the period waiting for an ITA. Your overall timeline therefore consists of: Profile creation → ITA waiting period → 60-day application window → PR processing → landing The uncertain component is the ITA. --- 18. ITA TIMELINE — THE KEY UNCERTAINTY IRCC conducts Express Entry rounds regularly, with the type and size of each round determined by the department. However, there is no official guaranteed waiting time for an individual candidate. More importantly, IRCC stated in its 2026 planning material that this year's Express Entry focus includes candidates with Canadian work experience and specific economic priorities through category-based selection. Therefore, I would not plan your resignation dates around an assumption that an ITA will arrive within a particular number of weeks. Better planning assumption Build three scenarios: Scenario ITA planning Family action Fast ITA relatively soon Maintain employment flexibility Middle Several months Continue document preparation Slow Extended pool stay Explore CRS improvement/PNP No ITA at current CRS Recalculate strategy PNP/French/Canadian-work strategy This is much safer than saying "you will probably get an ITA in X months." --- 19. YOUR FOUR-MONTH FAMILY CONSTRAINT Your stated requirement is: > At least 4 months after ITA before departure. This is actually manageable because the ITA does not mean you must immediately move to Canada. I would create this sequence: ITA Day 0 Do not resign immediately. Days 1–30 finalize PR documents obtain remaining certificates medicals police certificates employment evidence financial evidence Days 30–60 final application review submit PR application complete biometrics as instructed Following months While IRCC processes the application: negotiate employment departure secure Canadian employment if desired research housing research schools plan shipment arrange banking build Canadian credit strategy arrange temporary accommodation sell/dispose of possessions prepare children's transition This gives you much more control. --- 20. DO NOT RESIGN AT ITA This is one of the strongest practical recommendations for your circumstances. An ITA is an opportunity to submit a PR application. It is not the same thing as PR approval. Your family has two incomes and two careers. Therefore: ITA → application → maintain employment → await decision → finalize relocation is substantially less financially risky than: ITA → both resign → relocate immediately. --- 21. APPLICATION QUALITY-CONTROL SYSTEM Before submitting, conduct five separate audits. Audit 1 — Identity Check: names dates of birth passport numbers marital status addresses Audit 2 — Timeline Create one master timeline covering: education employment unemployment residence travel marriage children There should be no unexplained gaps. Audit 3 — Employment Compare: Express Entry profile ↔ reference letters ↔ CV ↔ tax/employment records Everything should be consistent. Audit 4 — Financial Check: account ownership balances six-month history debts unusual deposits source of funds Audit 5 — Family Check: marriage certificate children's birth certificates passports spelling of names dates dependency information --- 22. PROFESSIONAL IMMIGRATION LAWYER/RCIC You may not need professional representation simply because the case is complicated. Your profile is relatively conventional if: no criminal history no previous refusals straightforward employment genuine marriage clear education clear financial history Professional review becomes more valuable if you encounter: NOC uncertainty employment gaps self-employment inconsistent job titles previous visa refusals complex travel/residence history unusual financial transfers divorce/custody/adoption medical/admissibility concerns If hiring someone, verify that they are properly authorized to provide Canadian immigration representation. Do not choose a consultant solely because they promise: > "Guaranteed ITA." No legitimate professional can guarantee an ITA based solely on a profile. --- 23. SETTLEMENT PLAN — TORONTO VS VANCOUVER You can list both Toronto and Vancouver as destinations/preferences where the application permits, but remember that FSW is a federal program and the key requirement is your intention to settle outside Quebec. Your actual choice should ultimately be based on: software-engineering job market salary housing costs commute children's schools childcare taxes spouse employment opportunities transportation community climate long-term housing affordability Your spouse's graphic-design career should be included in the settlement strategy rather than treating the immigration application as solely a software-engineering relocation. --- 24. FIRST 90 DAYS IN CANADA Days 1–7 Priorities: temporary accommodation SIN provincial health registration bank account mobile phone transportation school registration essential household purchases Days 8–30 Principal applicant: job applications/interviews networking LinkedIn optimization Canadian résumé adaptation technical interviews Spouse: portfolio adaptation Canadian-market networking freelance/agency exploration job applications Children: school routine extracurricular activities community activities language/social adjustment Days 31–90 establish Canadian credit history permanent housing provincial driver's licence where appropriate tax planning employment stabilization community integration longer-term financial planning --- 25. SCHOOL PLANNING FOR YOUR CHILDREN Because your children are 4 and 7, begin researching schools before ITA, not afterward. Create a shortlist for both Toronto and Vancouver: public school catchments French immersion private schools if relevant kindergarten/elementary availability before/after-school care commute from likely employment areas rental prices within desired catchments The important point is that school availability and catchment boundaries can influence where you rent, so don't choose a home first and investigate schools afterward. --- 26. BANKING AND FINANCIAL SETUP Before leaving Brazil: retain copies of financial statements document source of settlement funds obtain bank reference letters when appropriate organize investment records document property ownership document loans retain tax records After arrival: Canadian chequing account savings account credit card emergency fund Canadian credit history CRA account/tax planning employer pension/benefit enrollment Do not transfer your entire financial life at once simply because you have received PR approval. Use a staged transition. --- 27. HEALTHCARE After arrival, register with the relevant provincial health system. The exact waiting/eligibility rules depend on the province and can change, so verify the current rules for Ontario or British Columbia shortly before moving. Until provincial coverage is active, consider appropriate private coverage for the family. --- 28. PATH TO CANADIAN CITIZENSHIP Your long-term objective is realistic in the sense that Canadian PR can lead to citizenship if you subsequently meet the citizenship requirements. Currently, adults generally need at least 1,095 days of physical presence in Canada during the five-year eligibility period, including at least 730 days as a permanent resident. Certain pre-PR temporary-resident days can count at half-day value, subject to the applicable maximum. Adults aged 18–54 also have language requirements, and applicants generally must meet the citizenship test requirement where applicable. So your long-term roadmap becomes: Express Entry → PR → maintain PR residency obligation → 1,095+ qualifying days → citizenship application → citizenship ceremony → Canadian citizenship/passport For your children, citizenship rules differ in some respects based on age and circumstances, so their individual eligibility should be checked when the time comes. --- 29. YOUR MASTER ACTION PLAN Phase 1 — NOW Do immediately: 1. Take an official English test if you don't already have a valid result. 2. Target CLB 9+ in every ability. 3. Begin ECA for your Brazilian computer-science degree. 4. Determine the correct NOC from your actual duties. 5. Collect employment-reference evidence. 6. Have your spouse investigate an English test. 7. Calculate your official CRS. 8. Verify settlement funds. 9. Start obtaining civil documents. 10. Build your immigration document repository. Phase 2 — BEFORE ENTERING THE POOL 11. Complete ECA. 12. Receive language results. 13. Obtain spouse's language results if possible. 14. Finalize NOC. 15. Calculate CRS. 16. Check PNP possibilities. 17. Prepare proof-of-funds documentation. 18. Create the Express Entry profile. Phase 3 — WHILE WAITING 19. Monitor IRCC invitation rounds. 20. Keep profile information current. 21. Improve CRS where realistically possible. 22. Monitor PNP opportunities. 23. Consider French if strategically realistic. 24. Continue Canadian employer networking. 25. Keep both spouses employed. 26. Continue accumulating settlement savings. Phase 4 — ITA 27. Do not resign immediately. 28. Start the 60-day application clock. 29. Obtain required police certificates. 30. Complete medical examinations. 31. Collect final employment letters. 32. Obtain bank letters. 33. Finalize translations. 34. Complete forms. 35. Perform five-stage quality review. 36. Submit before the 60-day deadline. Phase 5 — POST-APPLICATION 37. Biometrics. 38. Respond rapidly to IRCC requests. 39. Continue employment. 40. Begin school planning. 41. Begin housing research. 42. Begin Canadian employment search. 43. Plan shipment/move. 44. Arrange temporary accommodation. Phase 6 — APPROVAL 45. Verify COPR/visa information. 46. Confirm document expiry dates. 47. Give employers appropriate notice. 48. Confirm children's school arrangements. 49. Arrange flights. 50. Arrange Canadian accommodation. 51. Prepare proof of funds for arrival. Phase 7 — CANADA 52. Complete landing. 53. Obtain SIN. 54. Set up banking. 55. Register healthcare. 56. Register children for school. 57. Secure employment/housing. 58. Begin Canadian credit history. 59. Maintain PR residency compliance. 60. Track citizenship physical presence from Day 1. --- 30. MOST IMPORTANT STRATEGIC ISSUE FOR THIS FAMILY Your situation comes down to CRS optimization rather than FSW eligibility. Your age, degree, English and nine years of experience make the FSW eligibility side relatively straightforward, assuming your NOC and documentation are correct. But the 2026 Express Entry environment means software engineering should not automatically be treated as a STEM-category shortcut. Therefore, I would run your immigration plan on three parallel tracks: Track 1 — Express Entry FSW → enter the pool as soon as your profile is genuinely ready. Track 2 — CRS improvement → maximize language, spouse language, French if realistic, education and other legitimate factors. Track 3 — Provincial nomination → simultaneously monitor Ontario, British Columbia and other appropriate PNP opportunities. And because your family needs four months of preparation after ITA, prepare the evidence now rather than waiting for the invitation. One final financial point: IRCC's current FSW proof-of-funds minimum for your family of four is CAD $28,362, but I would treat that as an immigration eligibility floor rather than your actual Toronto/Vancouver relocation budget. The current federal skilled-worker processing data gives an indicative ~7 months after application, but the ITA waiting period remains the major variable and should not be represented as a guaranteed number of months. The next step that would make this plan much more precise is an exact CRS calculation. For that, the missing high-impact information is your actual four IELTS/CELPIP scores, your spouse's highest education, your spouse's English level, whether either of you speaks French, and whether you have any Canadian sibling/education/work experience. With those numbers, the Express Entry strategy can be modeled much more accurately.