Do you know that the “First Come, First Serve” system of immigration to Canada was replaced by the Canadian Express Entry in 2015 and it became very popular when introduced? It was Launched by the Federal Government, this program offers Canadian permanent residence (P.R). The express entry system is a system that helps the Government of Canada to fill up the labor gaps with various economic immigration programs and manage Permanent residence applications.
What is Express Entry?
Express Entry is an online system that manages the intake of applications. An Expression of Interest (EOI) or an online profile can then be created by the applicant who meets the eligibility criteria. The EOI can then be submitted in one of the three programs under the Federal Immigration Program or under the Participating Provinces also. This program is time effective and is one of the fastest routes to get a Permanent Residency. An Acceptance of the candidate through Express entry grants the applicant and their family a Permanent Residence status in Canada.
There are three broad federal immigration programs under Express Entry namely:
Federal Skilled worker Program.
Federal Trades Program.
Candian Experience Class (CEC)
There is also another substream that helps the qualified candidates under the Provincial program called the Provincial Nomination Program (PNP).
How does Express Entry work?
Once the profile of the candidates is created, these profiles are then ranked based on a point-based system known as the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). The candidate with the highest score is selected first to be given an Invitation to Apply (ITA). The selected candidates, however with limite/d time have to complete their application processes including the payment of the processing fees.
What is an Express Entry Immigration Draws?
An online application management system, Express Entry helps ensure faster processing along with better outcomes for permanent residence to Canada under the Federal and certain provincial programs.
After the applicants have met the eligibility criteria, they are required to submit a profile known as the Expression of Interest (EOI) in the Express Entry Pool.
Follow the four-step guide for Express Entry Immigration:
Create an Express Entry Profile
Submit the EOI
Receive an invitation to apply
Apply for permanent residence
The draws are held to select the highest-ranking candidates from the pool of applications and to invite them to apply for Permanent Residence. Each draw as instructions that are posted online which specify the time and date of the invitation round, the number of ITA’s issued, and which programs are included in the specific round ( eg. Some draws are specifically for the Canadian experience class, others are specifically for the candidates who can speak French)
Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS)
The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) is used to assess a candidate’s Express Entry profile. The CRS is a point-based system that is objective and it makes it easier to rank the candidates in the express entry pool.
The CRS automatically scores a candidate’s profile when they create their online account with all the necessary information. Only the top profiles get selected for ITA.
How does CRS allocate points?
Understanding how the CRS works is crucial for candidates applying for permanent residence. A maximum of 1200 points can be scored in the CRS. The following is considered by the CRS while ranking a profile:
Core: Scores up to 600 points and is comprised of
Skills and Experience
Spouse/Common-law/Partner factors such as their education, language, etc
Transferable Skills: like education, work experience, etc.
Additional: additional scores of 600 points can be obtained by:
Canadian Education: Degree, diploma, and/or certificates
A valid job offer
Provincial nomination
An immediate family member who is a Canadian citizen or a Permanent Resident
French language skills
A total of Core and additional scores is the total score that a candidate scores.
Why CRS?
CRS is an objective ranking system that
Is transparent
Can easily identify the deserving candidates
Is unbiased
Is a strong predictor of candidates who are more likely to succeed.
Can prioritize the candidates who are more likely to settle in Canada
Uses a point grid to find suitable profiles
Create an Express Entry Profile: This is the first step towards immigrating to Canada as a Skilled Immigrant. In order to create an Express Entry profile, you will need
A Passport
Your approved Language Test Results
Foreign Education assessment or proof of Canadian Education
Foreign work experience (NOC code 0,A,B)*
Provincial Nomination, if applicable
Job offer, if applicable
Proof of funds
Once you have created a profile, you will have 60 days to submit your profile. Successfully creating the profile does not guarantee an Invitation to Apply. If you are eligible, you will be placed in the pool of candidates who are also eligible and rank you based on your total score.
An Express Entry profile is valid for one year and if the candidate does not get an ITA, the profile will be deleted from the pool.
Invitation to Apply (ITA)
The ITA is an automated letter that goes automatically to the candidate’s mystic account. These are issued to the candidates who score the highest score in the pool of applicants. If the express entry candidates have a nomination from a province/territory they get additional 600 points. If the candidates have a job offer from an employer it adds 50 points to their score (200 points for NOC 00).
The order followed by the system is
PNP – Provincial Nomination Program
FSTP – Federal Skilled Trades Program
FSWP – Federal Skilled Worker Program
CEC- Canadian Experience Class
The candidate is unable to apply under a different program than the one which is specified in their ITA (Invitation to Apply) even though the candidate is eligible to apply under multiple programs.
Once a candidate receives the ITA, the candidate has 90 calendar days for one of the following:
Accepting the ITA & Submitting the application: Provide all the supporting documents to support their application
Declining the ITA: The candidates should decline the ITA if their circumstances have changed and they are ineligible to accept the invite OR the candidate is unable to apply within the specified period
In this case, the candidate’s profile will still be active in the pool of candidates for the remaining amount of time of validity. The candidate will continue to remain active for future rounds of invitations as long as they meet the minimum eligibility criteria.
No Response: The ITA will expire if the candidate does not complete the Application for Permanent Residence (APR) within a specified period of time.
The candidate will no longer remain in the Express Entry Pool and they will need to submit a new profile and meet the minimum eligibility criteria in order to enter the pool.
Language Test
It is important to make sure that the language test is valid for the duration the candidate is in the express entry pool. Language tests are valid for 2 years. If for some reason the Test results expire before the submission of the application, the applicant should:
Be tested again
Apply before the test results expire
If received an ITA, decline the ITA and go back into the pool to be considered in future
If you apply with the expired results for your PR status, the application will be refused.
Language Test Results
Checking the language test result before submitting the permanent residence application is of paramount importance since the test results are only valid for a two-year period.
If the test results expire before the submission of the application, the applicants should either,
Be tested again, or
Decline ITA
Police Certificate
Obtaining a police certificate for applicants of permanent residence is extremely important. All family members who are 18 and older must obtain the police certificate. If a member of the family has lived in another country for over six months, he/she has to obtain the police certificate of that country. Obtaining a police certificate is a time-consuming affair so it is advised to begin as soon as possible.
Check program requirements
After applicants have identified which skill immigration program they wish to apply for, they must confirm that they meet the requirement for that program.
Updating Personal Information
It advised that an applicant whose personal situation has changed after receiving the ITA, recalculate their CRS using an online tool. If the CRS score is significantly lower, it is recommended that the applicant deny the ITA.
In case it is discovered that an application has been made for permanent residence despite low scores, the application will be refused and the application fee will be forfeited.
Changes that can lower the applicant’s score include:
The loss of a job offer
The loss of provincial nomination for permanent residence
Expired language test scores
New language test results that are lower than prior results
Language skills
Education
Chances of becoming successfully established in Canada
Adding a spouse could decrease or increase the applicant’s score
Express Entry for Skilled Immigration
Under the Canada Express Entry System, the highest-scoring candidates are issued with invitations to apply to one of the following programs:
Federal Skilled Worker
Canada Experience Class
Provincial Express Entry Categories
A candidate must complete a full application once the ITA has been issued.
The Federal Skilled Worker program uses an exclusive points system keeping various factors in mind. The points system helps understand the applicants and the dependents will be successful in Canada. An ideal candidate will have skills that are in demand in Canada. Like this, your immigration to Canada will be easy.
Who qualifies for Canadian Permanent Residence/Skilled worker Immigration?
All the applications under Express Entry have to go through the following checks and balances (based on IRPA – Immigration and Refugee Protection Act)
Complete: The applications are checked for being complete. The processing department ensures that all the required documents are included in the application.
Eligibility Review: At this stage, the officer reviews all the documents which were submitted with the application the officer determines if this documentation supports the claims made by the applicant.
Medical: Under section 29 of IRPA regulation the medical officer makes a decision on the medical admissibility of the applicant.
Additional information: if there is any additional information that is required by the officer to make a decision, the applicant is then contacted.
Interview: If the officer determines that an interview is needed then the applicant is advised of the same.
Biometrics: this is a step that is used to establish the identity of the applicant
Background check: This step is completed to verify the security /criminal backgrounds of the applicant and ensure that they are not inadmissible under the Criminality.
Final Decision: A final decision is then made on the application.
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Express Entry
Do you know that the “First Come, First Serve” system of immigration to Canada was replaced by the Canadian Express Entry in 2015 and it became very popular when introduced? It was Launched by the Federal Government, this program offers Canadian permanent residence (P.R). The express entry system is a system that helps the Government of Canada to fill up the labor gaps with various economic immigration programs and manage Permanent residence applications.
What is Express Entry?
Express Entry is an online system that manages the intake of applications. An Expression of Interest (EOI) or an online profile can then be created by the applicant who meets the eligibility criteria. The EOI can then be submitted in one of the three programs under the Federal Immigration Program or under the Participating Provinces also. This program is time effective and is one of the fastest routes to get a Permanent Residency. An Acceptance of the candidate through Express entry grants the applicant and their family a Permanent Residence status in Canada.
There are three broad federal immigration programs under Express Entry namely:
There is also another substream that helps the qualified candidates under the Provincial program called the Provincial Nomination Program (PNP).
How does Express Entry work?
Once the profile of the candidates is created, these profiles are then ranked based on a point-based system known as the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). The candidate with the highest score is selected first to be given an Invitation to Apply (ITA). The selected candidates, however with limite/d time have to complete their application processes including the payment of the processing fees.
What is an Express Entry Immigration Draws?
An online application management system, Express Entry helps ensure faster processing along with better outcomes for permanent residence to Canada under the Federal and certain provincial programs.
After the applicants have met the eligibility criteria, they are required to submit a profile known as the Expression of Interest (EOI) in the Express Entry Pool.
Follow the four-step guide for Express Entry Immigration:
Create an Express Entry Profile
Submit the EOI
Receive an invitation to apply
Apply for permanent residence
The draws are held to select the highest-ranking candidates from the pool of applications and to invite them to apply for Permanent Residence. Each draw as instructions that are posted online which specify the time and date of the invitation round, the number of ITA’s issued, and which programs are included in the specific round ( eg. Some draws are specifically for the Canadian experience class, others are specifically for the candidates who can speak French)
Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS)
The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) is used to assess a candidate’s Express Entry profile. The CRS is a point-based system that is objective and it makes it easier to rank the candidates in the express entry pool.
The CRS automatically scores a candidate’s profile when they create their online account with all the necessary information. Only the top profiles get selected for ITA.
How does CRS allocate points?
Understanding how the CRS works is crucial for candidates applying for permanent residence. A maximum of 1200 points can be scored in the CRS. The following is considered by the CRS while ranking a profile:
Core: Scores up to 600 points and is comprised of
Additional: additional scores of 600 points can be obtained by:
A total of Core and additional scores is the total score that a candidate scores.
Why CRS?
CRS is an objective ranking system that
Create an Express Entry Profile: This is the first step towards immigrating to Canada as a Skilled Immigrant. In order to create an Express Entry profile, you will need
Once you have created a profile, you will have 60 days to submit your profile. Successfully creating the profile does not guarantee an Invitation to Apply. If you are eligible, you will be placed in the pool of candidates who are also eligible and rank you based on your total score.
An Express Entry profile is valid for one year and if the candidate does not get an ITA, the profile will be deleted from the pool.
Invitation to Apply (ITA)
The ITA is an automated letter that goes automatically to the candidate’s mystic account. These are issued to the candidates who score the highest score in the pool of applicants. If the express entry candidates have a nomination from a province/territory they get additional 600 points. If the candidates have a job offer from an employer it adds 50 points to their score (200 points for NOC 00).
The order followed by the system is
The candidate is unable to apply under a different program than the one which is specified in their ITA (Invitation to Apply) even though the candidate is eligible to apply under multiple programs.
Once a candidate receives the ITA, the candidate has 90 calendar days for one of the following:
In this case, the candidate’s profile will still be active in the pool of candidates for the remaining amount of time of validity. The candidate will continue to remain active for future rounds of invitations as long as they meet the minimum eligibility criteria.
The candidate will no longer remain in the Express Entry Pool and they will need to submit a new profile and meet the minimum eligibility criteria in order to enter the pool.
Language Test
It is important to make sure that the language test is valid for the duration the candidate is in the express entry pool. Language tests are valid for 2 years. If for some reason the Test results expire before the submission of the application, the applicant should:
If you apply with the expired results for your PR status, the application will be refused.
Language Test Results
Checking the language test result before submitting the permanent residence application is of paramount importance since the test results are only valid for a two-year period.
If the test results expire before the submission of the application, the applicants should either,
Police Certificate
Obtaining a police certificate for applicants of permanent residence is extremely important. All family members who are 18 and older must obtain the police certificate. If a member of the family has lived in another country for over six months, he/she has to obtain the police certificate of that country. Obtaining a police certificate is a time-consuming affair so it is advised to begin as soon as possible.
Check program requirements
After applicants have identified which skill immigration program they wish to apply for, they must confirm that they meet the requirement for that program.
Updating Personal Information
It advised that an applicant whose personal situation has changed after receiving the ITA, recalculate their CRS using an online tool. If the CRS score is significantly lower, it is recommended that the applicant deny the ITA.
In case it is discovered that an application has been made for permanent residence despite low scores, the application will be refused and the application fee will be forfeited.
Changes that can lower the applicant’s score include:
Express Entry for Skilled Immigration
Under the Canada Express Entry System, the highest-scoring candidates are issued with invitations to apply to one of the following programs:
A candidate must complete a full application once the ITA has been issued.
The Federal Skilled Worker program uses an exclusive points system keeping various factors in mind. The points system helps understand the applicants and the dependents will be successful in Canada. An ideal candidate will have skills that are in demand in Canada. Like this, your immigration to Canada will be easy.
Who qualifies for Canadian Permanent Residence/Skilled worker Immigration?
All the applications under Express Entry have to go through the following checks and balances (based on IRPA – Immigration and Refugee Protection Act)
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