EXPRESS ENTRY
Express Entry (EE) is an online system used by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to competitively rank skilled workers who wish to apply for permanent residence. There are currently three programs under which you may be eligible for Express Entry:
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- Federal Skilled Worker (FSW)
- Federal Skilled Trades (FST)
- Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
Each program has its own specific eligibility criteria which must be met, but common to all three is the requirement to have at least 12 months of work experience in managerial, professional, or technical job, or skilled trade, and certain proficiency in English or French. If you meet the requirements for any of the three, you may proceed to submit an online profile, or “expression of interest”, which is commonly known as entering the pool. At this stage, your profile will be ranked using the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), determined by factors based on age, language ability, work, education, and family. Approximately every two weeks, IRCC issues invitations to apply (ITAs) to candidates who rank above a specified CRS score determined by IRCC. There is no minimum score required to enter the pool of candidates; however, a profile only remains valid for one year. If you are not issued an ITA in this timeframe, the profile must be resubmitted. EE also works in conjunction with several Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs), which have dedicated EE streams. A nomination from a province will increase your score and almost always result in an ITA. Once an ITA is received, you only have 60 days to submit a complete permanent residence application, so it is advisable to collect all required documents (for example, police clearances) promptly, or even before you enter the pool. At this stage, medical and criminal inadmissibility will also be assessed. The process is completed entirely online and most applications are finalized in approximately 6 months, making Express Entry a popular and convenient route to permanent residence. As the preparation and submission of your online profile will determine whether you get selected, this step must be completed properly. And as inconsistences or contradictions between your profile and subsequent application materials can lead to refusal, you must be very careful to submit complete and accurate information. With extensive experience in the Express Entry system, we can assist you to avoid mistakes, include critical information, create your profile, and apply for permanent residence.