Everything You Need to Know About Canada Express Entry

How Canada Express Entry works

Canada Express Entry is not an immigration program by itself but rather a system that selects candidates for three federal immigration programs:

Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)
Canadian Experience Class (CEC)

Each of these programs has its eligibility requirements, such as work experience, education, language skills, and occupation.

To apply through Canada Express Entry, you need to:

Check your eligibility for one or more of the above programs
Gather the required documents, such as language test results, education credential assessment, job offer (if applicable), police certificates, and medical exams
Create an online Canada Express Entry profile and enter your personal information, such as age, education, work experience, language skills, and adaptability factors
Submit your profile and enter the pool of candidates

Once you are in the pool, you will be given a score based on the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), which ranks candidates based on various factors, such as

Core human capital factors (age, education, work experience, and language skills)
Spouse or common-law partner factors (if applicable)
Skill transferability factors (combination of education, work experience, and language skills)

Additional points (for having a provincial nomination, a valid job offer, Canadian education, French language skills, or a sibling in Canada)

The CRS score determines your rank in the pool and chances of getting an invitation to apply (ITA) for permanent residence. The higher your score, the better your chances.

Every two weeks or so, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducts rounds of invitations and invites the highest-ranking candidates from the pool to apply for permanent residence. The minimum CRS score required to receive an ITA varies from round to round, depending on the number of candidates in the pool and invitations issued.

If you receive an ITA, you will have 60 days to submit a complete online application for permanent residence with all the supporting documents and fees. IRCC aims to process most applications within six months or less.

What are the eligibility criteria for Canada Express Entry programs?

As mentioned, Canada Express Entry manages applications for three federal immigration programs: FSWP, FSTP, and CEC. Each program has its eligibility criteria that you need to meet in order to qualify.

Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)

The FSWP is designed for foreign workers who have at least one year of skilled work experience in occupations that are in demand in Canada. To be eligible for this program, you need to:

Have at least one year of continuous full-time or equivalent part-time work experience in a skilled occupation (NOC 0, A or B) in the last 10 years
Meet the minimum language proficiency level of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 in English or French
Have a post-secondary credential (such as a diploma, degree, or certificate) that is equivalent to a Canadian one or higher
Score at least 67 points out of 100 on the Federal Skilled Worker selection grid based on factors such as age, education, work experience, language skills, adaptability and arranged employment

Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)

The FSTP is designed for foreign workers who have at least two years of skilled trade experience in occupations that are in demand in Canada. To be eligible for this program, you need to:

Have at least two years of full-time or equivalent part-time work experience in a skilled trade occupation (NOC B) in the last five years
Meet the minimum language proficiency level of CLB 5 for speaking and listening and CLB 4 for reading and writing in English or French
Have a valid job offer from a Canadian employer for at least one year or a certificate of qualification from a Canadian provincial or territorial authority

Canadian Experience Class (CEC)

The CEC is designed for foreign workers with at least one year of skilled work experience in Canada. To be eligible for this program, you need to:

Have at least one year of full-time or equivalent part-time work experience in a skilled occupation (NOC 0, A, or B) in Canada in the last three years
Meet the minimum language proficiency level of CLB 7 for NOC 0 or A occupations or CLB 5 for NOC B occupations in English or French
Plan to live and work outside of Quebec

How to create and submit your Canada Express Entry profile

To create and submit your Canada Express Entry profile, you need to follow these steps:

Check your eligibility for one or more of the Canada Express Entry programs using the online tool
Gather the required documents, such as language test results, education credential assessment, job offer (if applicable), police certificates, and medical exams
Create an online account on the IRCC website and fill out the online form with your personal information, such as age, education, work experience, language skills, and adaptability factors
Submit your profile and enter the pool of candidates

You will receive a confirmation number and a personal reference code that you can use to check your status and update your information.

You will also receive a CRS score based on the information you provided. You can use the CRS tool to estimate your score and see how you rank in the pool.

You can also check the latest rounds of invitations and see the minimum CRS score required to receive an ITA.

How to improve your chances of getting an invitation to apply

If you are not satisfied with your CRS score or rank in the pool, you can try to improve it by:

Improving your language skills and taking another test
Gaining more work experience in Canada or abroad
Completing a higher level of education or getting another credential assessment
Applying for a provincial nomination through one of the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) that are aligned with Canada Express Entry
Securing a valid job offer from a Canadian employer that meets the criteria
Learning French or improving your French skills if you already speak it
Adding a spouse or common-law partner to your profile if they have skills that can boost your score

You can also keep an eye on the latest news and updates from IRCC and see if there are any changes or special measures that affect Canada Express Entry.

What to do after you receive an invitation to apply

If you receive an ITA, you will have 60 days to submit a complete online application for permanent residence with all the supporting documents and fees. To do this, you need to:

Accept the invitation online and start filling out the application form
Gather all the required documents, such as passport, birth certificate, marriage certificate (if applicable), police certificates, medical exams, proof of funds, proof of work experience, proof of education, job offer letter (if applicable), provincial nomination certificate (if applicable), and digital photos
Scan and upload all the documents in PDF format and make sure they meet the size and quality requirements
Pay the application fees online using a credit or prepaid card. The fees include a processing fee ($825 per person), right of permanent residence fee ($500 per person), biometrics fee ($85 per person), and third-party fees (such as language tests, education assessments, medical exams, etc.)
Submit your application and wait for confirmation

You can check the status of your application online using your account. You can also receive messages from IRCC through your account.

You may be asked to provide additional information or documents while processing your application. You may also be asked to attend an interview or provide biometrics (fingerprints and photos).

If your application is approved, you will receive a confirmation of permanent residence (COPR) and a permanent resident visa (if applicable). You will have to present these documents when you arrive in Canada.

What are the benefits of Canada Express Entry?

Canada Express Entry has many benefits for skilled workers who want to immigrate to Canada. Some of these benefits are:

– Faster processing times: Most applications are processed within six months or less, much faster than other immigration programs.

– More flexibility: You can update your profile anytime and increase your chances of getting an ITA by improving your CRS score.

– More opportunities: You can access more immigration programs through Canada Express Entry, such as the PNPs and the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program (AIPP).

– More transparency: You can see how you rank in the pool and how likely you are to receive an ITA based on your CRS score and the latest rounds of invitations.

– More support: You can get help from various sources, such as IRCC’s website, call center, social media channels, webinars, newsletters, etc.