Express Entry

1-About Express Entry:
Express Entry was first launched on January 1st, 2015. This is an online system used to manage applications for skilled workers who want to become permanent residents of Canada. Generally, this program allows eligible applicants to get their permanent resident status within an average timeline of 6 months. However, the processing time may vary on a case by case basis.

II. How Express Entry work:
There are frequent rounds of invitations (draws) monthly with a cut-off point assigned. Express Entry draws will either be general, in which case candidates eligible for any federal economic immigration program may be selected based solely on their CRS score; or program-specific, in which case candidates will be selected for just one of the federal economic immigration programs. Those who are ranked above the cut-off point will then be invited to apply for permanent residence.

III. About the process:
• Step 1: Find out if you are eligible for a program that is part of Express Entry.
– You can read the detailed requirements for each program or answer a questionnaire on the Immigration Canada website to find out if you are eligible for Express Entry.
• Step 2: Get your documents ready.
– You will need some documents to be able to create a profile, and some documents will be submitted after you receive an invitation to apply (ITA). Some documents take a long time to get, so you should consider getting them early.
• Step 3: Submit your profile.
o After giving information about yourself, if you are eligible, you will be accepted into a pool of candidates and will be assigned a score based on the information in your profile using the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS).
• Step 4: Receive an invitation and apply for permanent residence.
– After a draw, if you receive an invitation to apply, you will have 60 days to submit your application for permanent residence.
IV. Programs under Express Entry:
Skilled workers are chosen based on their skills and ability to contribute to Canada’s economy. Express Entry manages applications for three economic immigration programs:
I. Federal Skilled Worker Program
II. Federal Skilled Trades Program
III. Canadian Experience Class

A. Federal Skilled Worker Program:
Eligibility requirements:
For this program, there are minimum requirements and selection factors that candidates need to meet before they can be entered into the Express Entry pool.
a. Minimum requirements:
• Skilled work experience: Within the last 10 years, candidate must have at least 1 year of continuous paid work or 1,560 hours total (30 hours per week), and that experience must be in the same type of job as the job the candidate wants to use for their immigration application. This job must be in one of these National Occupational Classification (NOC) job groups: skill type 0, skill level A or B.
• Language ability: Candidates must provide a valid language test result (within 2 years from the date of the test result) in English or French with a minimum score equivalent to Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 in all 4 abilities: writing, reading, listening, speaking.
• Education: Candidates must finish at least high school to be eligible to apply under this program. If they have foreign education, they must have their credential assessed and provide that Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report when applying.

b. Additional requirements:
• Proof of funds: Candidates must show that they have enough money for them and their family to settle in Canada, unless they:
– Are currently able to legally work in Canada
– Have a valid job offer from an employer in Canada
• Admissibility: Candidates must be admissible to Canada. This means that there must be no reasons for Immigration Canada to prohibit them from entering the country, such as security, criminal or medical reasons.
• Where to live in Canada: Candidates must plan to live outside the province of Quebec. When filling out the profile, candidates will be asked where they plan to live in Canada. They don’t have to settle in that province or territory. However, if they are the Provincial Nominees, they must settle in the province or territory that nominated them.

c. Selection factors:
Immigration Canada accesses applications based on:
1. age
2. education
3. work experience
4. whether the candidate has a valid job offer
5. English and/or French language skills
6. adaptability (how well the candidate is likely to settle here)
These factors are part of a 100-point grid used to assess eligibility for the Federal Skilled Worker Program. Candidates earn points for how well they do in each of the 6 factors. Candidates have to pass the current pass mark of the selection factors points, which is 67 points. Once candidates are in the Express Entry pool, Immigration Canada uses a different system to rank their profiles. After each round of invitations, highest-ranking candidates from the pool will be selected and invited to apply for permanent residence.

B. Federal Skilled Trades Program:
Eligibility requirements:
a. Minimum requirements:
• Skilled work experience: Candidates must have at least 2 years of full-time work experience) or an equal amount of part-time work experience) in a skilled trade within the 5 years before they apply. The experience must meet the job requirements for that skilled trade as set out in the descriptions under these groups of the National Occupational Classification (NOC), except for needing a certificate of qualification:
– Major Group 72, industrial, electrical and construction trades
– Major Group 73, maintenance and equipment operation trades
– Major Group 82, supervisors and technical jobs in natural resources, agriculture and related production
– Major Group 92, processing, manufacturing and utilities supervisors and central control operators
– Minor Group 632, chefs and cooks
– Minor Group 633, butchers and bakers
The major NOC groups are subdivided into different occupations, and they are all skill type B.
• Job offer:
– The candidate must have a valid job offer of full-time employment for a total period of at least 1 year or
• Certificate of qualification in that skilled trade issued by a Canadian provincial, territorial or federal authority.
• Language ability:                                                        Candidates must provide a valid language test result (within 2 years from the date of the test result) in English or French with a minimum score equivalent to Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 5 for speaking and listening, and CLB 4 for reading and writing.
• Education:                                                                             There is no education requirement for this program. However, if candidates want to improve their rank in the Express Entry pool, they can get points by providing their high school or post-secondary institution certificate, diploma, or degree from Canada. If they have foreign education, they must have their credential assessed and provide that Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report when applying to get points.

b. Additional requirements:
• Proof of funds: Candidates must show that they have enough money for them and their family to settle in Canada, unless they:
– Are currently able to legally work in Canada
– Have a valid job offer from an employer in Canada
• Admissibility: Candidates must be admissible to Canada. This means that there must be no reasons for Immigration Canada to prohibit them from entering the country, such as security, criminal or medical reasons.
• Where to live in Canada: Candidates must plan to live outside the province of Quebec. When filling out the profile, candidates will be asked where they plan to live in Canada. They don’t have to settle in that province or territory. However, if they are the Provincial Nominees, they must settle in the province or territory that nominated them.
• Get assessed by the province or territory: Candidates will likely have to go to the province or territory to be assessed for their trade. They may also need an employer in Canada to give them experience and training. Different provinces or territories will have different details about certificates of qualification to work in a specific skilled trade, and the process to get one.

C. Canadian Experience Class:
Eligibility requirements:
a. Minimum requirements:
• Skilled work experience: Candidates must have at least 1 year of skilled work experience in Canada, within the last 3 years before they apply, and the work must be either full time or an equal amount in part-time. In addition, this work experience must have been gained in Canada while the candidate is under temporary resident status with authorization to work. This experience can be in one or more of these National Occupational Classification
(NOC) job groups: skill type 0, skill level A or B. Self-employment and work experience gained with the candidate were a full-time student (even a co-op work term) does not count towards the minimum requirements for this program.
• Language ability: Candidates must provide a valid language test result (within 2 years from the date of the test result) in English or French with a minimum score equivalent to:
– Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 in all 4 abilities: writing, reading, listening, speaking for NOC 0 or A jobs or
– Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 5 in all 4 abilities: writing, reading, listening, speaking for NOC B jobs.
• Education: There is no education requirement for this program. However, if candidates want to improve their rank in the Express Entry pool, they can get points by providing their high school or post-secondary institution certificate, diploma, or degree from Canada. If they have foreign education, they must have their credential assessed and provide that Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report when applying to get points.

b. Additional requirements:
• Admissibility: Candidates must be admissible to Canada. This means that there must be no reasons for Immigration Canada to prohibit them from entering the country, such as security, criminal or medical reasons.
• Where to live in Canada: Candidates must plan to live outside the province of Quebec. When filling out the profile, candidates will be asked where they plan to live in Canada. They don’t have to settle in that province or territory. However, if they are the Provincial Nominees, they must settle in the province or territory that nominated them.
V. Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) criteria:
Candidates in the pool are ranked using a points-based system called the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS).
Summary of maximum points per factors for Express Entry candidates: Total maximum 1200 points for all factors.
A. Core/human capital: maximum 460 points with a spouse or common-law partner; 500 points without a spouse or common-law partner.
• Age
• Level of education
• Official languages proficiency
• Canadian work experience
B. Spouse or common-law partner factors (if applicable): maximum 40 points
• Level of education
• Official languages proficiency
• Canadian work experience
C. Skill transferability factors: maximum 100 points
• Education
• Foreign work experience
D. Additional points: maximum 600 points
• Brother or sister living in Canada (citizen or permanent resident)
• French language skills
• Post-secondary education in Canada
• Arranged employment
• Provincial nomination
VI. Processing time:
For Express Entry program, Immigration Canada (IRCC) is committed to processing most complete applications within the average timeline of 6 months.
Processing times will vary based on:
• if the application is complete
• how quickly IRCC expect to process applications they have already received
• how easily IRCC can verify your information
• how long you take to respond to any requests or concerns
• other factors

Need help finding out if you are eligible for Express Entry? Contact us today.