Overview of Canada Express Entry

Are you planning to live and work in Canada? Then, Express Entry is the key to unlock your Canadian opportunities. TO make the immigration process easier for the skilled professionals, the immigration department of Canada has introduced Express Entry. It is an electronic platform introduced by the Immigration Refugees Citizenship Canada in January 2015. It is an online system for managing PR applications. Candidates who wish to lead a successful life in Canada has to choose any of the economic programs and lodge their application through Express Entry. 

Since its launch, Express Entry is proving as a faster and easier pathway for obtaining the Canadian Permanent Residency Status.

What are the economic programs under Express Entry?

The economic programs under Express Entry are:

Federal Skilled Worker Class: The program is referred to the candidates having skilled professional work experience and have an occupation listed nominated under the country’s in-demand occupation list.

Federal Skilled Trades Class: The program is for candidates having work experience in the trade sector. To apply for the program, it is essential to have skilled work opportunities in Canada.

Canadian Experience Class: The program is referred to candidate having Canadian work experience and has good knowledge of the Canadian economy.

Provincial Nominee Program: The program allows the candidates to settle in any of the Canadian provinces. However, to succeed it is essential to meet the required eligibility. 

The PNP’s are: 

• Alberta Provincial Nominee Program
• British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program
• Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program
• New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program
• Newfoundland And Labrador Provincial Nominee Program
• Nova Scotia Provincial Nominee Program
• Northwest Territories Provincial Nominee Program
• Nunavut Provincial Nominee Program
• Ontario Provincial Nominee Program
• Prince Edward Island (PEI) Provincial Nominee Program
• Saskatchewan Provincial Nominee Program
• Yukon Provincial Nominee Program

What are the steps to apply for Canada PR?

The steps to apply for Canada PR through the Express Entry are:

Step 1: Obtain your language proficiency test results

Language skills are an important requirement for Canada. Hence, get your language ability results by taking up the IELTS test. You can also prove French proficiency with Test de evaluation de Francians (TEF).

Step 2: Create an Express Entry Profile

It is important to create an express entry profile on the IRCC to process your application through Express Entry.

Step 3: Educational Credential Assessment

It is mandatory for every interested skilled candidate to complete the Educational Credential Assessment. This helps to prove that the education standards are matching to the Canadian standards.

Step 4: Applying for PNP to increase CRS score

Though this is an optional step, applying to any of the Provincial Nominee Program will help to score additional 600 points if your profile obtains a nomination from any of the PNP.

Step 5: Obtain an Invitation to Apply

Once you have your application placed in the Express Entry Pool, your next step should be to increase your overall Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score, so that you can achieve an invitation from the Express Entry draws.

Step 6: Get your medical and character certificates

After obtaining an ITA, you need to submit your PR application within 60 days with the required documents that support your application process. Medical and character are important documents that should be fulfilled while processing the Canada PR application.

Step 7: Receive Confirmation for your PR visa

The submitted information will be verified by the immigration officer and then, it will be declared about your PR status. If you have submitted valid document proofs with a good profile score, then you will find the easier pathways to settle in the country as a PR holder.

What are the eligibility requirements for Express Entry?

Express Entry is a point-based system. In order to be eligible to apply for the system, it is mandatory for the candidates to get their profile assessed on Canada PR points calculator. It is essential to score at least 67 points on the grid to qualify for Canada Express Entry. The points are assessed based on age, education, work experience, language proficiency, and adaptability.

Then, your profile will be further assessed for the CRS score.

Within the CRS points, you can achieve a score of up to 600 on core important factors and another set of up to 600 points is obtained on additional factors, i.e. you will have your application assessed for 1200 points.

Core Factors: Up to 600 Points

• Skills and Work Experience
• Spouse/Common-in-law factors (education, language skills)
• Skills Transferability

Additional Points of up to 1200

• If having Canadian work experience, education or certification
• Having a valid Canadian job
• Obtained a nomination from a PNP program
• Having a blood-relation in Canada to support
• Strong French Language Skills

Core Factors + Additional Factors = 1200 Points 

Can my profile get selected in the next Express Entry draw?

The Canadian government of Canada is exclusively conducting Express Entry draws to fulfil their skilled labour requirement. Profiles having a score in between of 410-450 have good opportunities to get selected in the Express Entry draws.