A new selection system for Canadian immigration, the Express Entry is aimed at selecting skilled workers who can fulfill labour market needs (alternative: who can contribute to the economy).
The Express Entry system is the new electronic process that allows individuals to immigrate to Canada based on their skills and experiences. Based on the demand of their expertise, individuals can apply to within the federal government, provincial government, or private Canadian employer programs under the system.
In order to maintain the economic advantage and ensure that immigrants are granted immigration based on their talents and proficiency, the Canadian government has initiated the Express Entry program that manages applications for permanent residence under the following federal immigration programs:
- Federal Skilled Worker Program,
- Federal Skilled Trades Program, and
- Canadian Experience Class.
It’s important to note that Express Entry is not an immigration program but a system expended by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) to choose individuals to immigrate to Canada using an economic immigration program. Chosen by their professional experience and their ability to settle and take part of the economy, applicants from the Express Entry have the opportunity to benefit from the high quality of life Canada has to offer.
Fact: Provinces and territories can also pick applicants from the Express Entry system through PNP. To learn more about this, click here (LINK TO PnP PAGE).
There are two steps to apply with the Express Entry system:
- Completing an online Express Entry Profile
Eligible candidates can complete an online Express Entry Profile (link: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/skilled/profile.asp) to be considered for selection. Applicants must provide information about themselves in this from such as:
- Work Experience,
- Language Ability,
- Education, and
- Other details that will help assess them.
Those who meet the conditions of one of the immigration programs will be accepted into a pool of candidates, who will be encouraged to promote themselves to employers using mediums such as job boards, recruiters etc.
To learn more about this immigration program, click here (provide link) to fill out a quick form and get in touch with one of our immigration experts.
Fact: Did you know that an Express Entry profile is valid for up to one year?
- Receiving an invitation for permanent residency
Once included in the pool of candidates, applicants are ranked against each other based on a point system, called the Comprehensive Ranking System (link: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/express-entry/criteria-crs.asp). Candidates who have a higher ranking, based on the points awarded to them, are issued an invitation to apply.
Once invited to apply for permanent residency, applicants may need to show proof of information provided to the government in the Express Entry profile. When invited to apply, candidates have 60 days to submit an online application for permanent residency.
Higher-ranking results in greater visibility to potential employers, thus yielding more chances of receiving an invitation to apply for job interviews and permanent residency.
Applicants remain in the pool for up to a year. If they fail to receive an invitation to apply for permanent residency within that time frame, they can submit a new profile after their previous one has expired. Applicants that continue to meet the benchmarks can re-enter the pool. This is done systematically to prevent backlogs and ensure quicker processing times.
To learn more about how to get higher ranking in the pool of candidates or gain more information about this option, contact us today by filling out this form (provide link). One of our specialists will be happy to conduct a free assessment and offer you the best route of application.