Express Entry is an online system created for handling the intake of immigration applications of Canada. Applicants who meet eligibility requirements apply an online profile known as Expression of Interest (EOI) to the Express Entry Pool under one of three federal immigration programs in Canada or a participating provincial immigration program.
The profiles of the candidates are rated against each other according to a point-based system called the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). For an invitation to apply (ITA) for permanent residency the top-ranked applicants will be selected. Those who request an ITA must submit a complete application and payment processing fees immediately, within a 60-day period.
Express Entry will help to recruit, assess, and select skilled immigrants under the following federal economic immigration programs:
Provinces and territories will also be able to recruit candidates from the Express Entry system through their Provincial Nominee Programs to meet local labour market needs. Under this new Express Entry system, employers will also have a key role in selecting economic immigrants. Employers will access candidates through Canada’s new and improved Job Bank and through provinces and territories where applicable.
Potential candidates will complete Express Entry profile. This is a secure form that they will use to provide information about their:
Those who meet the criteria of one of the federal immigration programs listed above will be accepted into a pool of candidates. In other words, candidate will be showing an expression of interest through Express Entry program through which candidate would be demonstrating their credentials (education, work experience, qualifications, skill transferable etc.) and provides an explanation of their interest in working and living in Canada. Those who would score higher among the others available in the pool will be selected for expedited processing. Those with approved job offer from Canadian employer would be allotted additional score and those who do not have job offers, would be asked to connect with job bank. The job bank is the platform used by Canadian government to connect candidate with the employer looking to hire foreign worker.
Candidates are also encouraged to promote themselves to employers in other ways, such as using job boards, recruiters etc. As a registered and approved recruiter, Career Abroad would assist our clients in reaching to potential employers and thereby increasing their scores in Comprehensive Ranking System.
In most cases when there is a job being offered to a candidate, employers will need an LMIA from ESDC. The LMIA process ensures employers have made an effort to hire Canadians for available jobs. There will be no LMIA fee for permanent resident applications.
Note: Entry into the Express Entry pool does not guarantee a candidate will be issued an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence. Invited candidates still have to meet eligibility and admissibility requirements under Canada’s immigration law (Immigration and Refugee Protection Act).
Candidates will be ranked against others in the pool using a point-based system called the Comprehensive Ranking System. Points are awarded using the information in their profile. Candidates with the highest scores in the pool will be issued an Invitation to Apply. Candidates will be awarded points for:
Provinces and territories will be able to nominate a certain number of foreign nationals through the Express Entry system to meet their local immigration and labour market needs. If an applicant gets a nomination from a province or territory, they will be given enough additional points to be invited to apply for permanent residence at the next eligible draw of candidates.
Just as they manage their own Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) now, provinces and territories will set the criteria they use to nominate Express Entry candidates.
These additional points will make a candidate rank high enough to be invited to apply at the next eligible draw of candidates.
If someone is invited to apply, they will have 60 days to submit an online application for permanent residence. Citizenship and Immigration Canada will process the majority of complete applications (meaning those with all the necessary supporting documents) in six months or less. Candidates can stay in the pool for up to 12 months. If they do not get an Invitation to Apply for permanent residence within 12 months of submitting an Express Entry profile, they may submit a new profile. If they still meet the criteria, they can re-enter the pool. This will prevent backlogs and ensure quick processing times.
Your Express Entry profile will get points based on:
Additional points are also awarded if you have completed a college or university program in Canada or if you have a provincial nomination.
So, those who have prepared in advance with acquiring required documents and appeared for language proficiency test would most likely have better chances of understanding their profile and scores they can achieve.
Citizenship and Immigration Canada has announced that candidates interested in processing their application under Express Entry may hire an immigration lawyer or consultant registered with the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC) to represent them throughout the Express Entry process. Click here to learn more on who can be your authorized representative. Before taking a big step on making your visa application and investing time, money and energy, the first step should be to get your profile assessed. We will assess and evaluate your qualifications and check if you could qualify for the category you are interested in. With this assessment you will be sure that your application could be processed with minimum risk of rejection.