Express Entry Process in Canada - How It Works

To be admitted as a candidate in the FSW program, you must satisfy the following requirements:

• Work experience: You have one year or more of full-time, continuous work experience (or part-time equivalent) within the last decade.
• Education level: You have a high school diploma from Canada or an equal level of education from a foreign country.
• Language ability: You score at least a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level seven on an approved language assessment for English or French.
• Financial ability: You have the funds to settle and support yourself, your spouse, and any children in Canada.
• Intended Residence: You intend to live in any province except Quebec.

Meeting the minimum requirements listed here may not allow you to score very high. The most competitive candidates boast longer work histories and higher education levels.

Skilled trade workers gain permanent residence in Canada through FST, another program available under the Express Entry process. This program functions much like the FSW procedure but with differing eligibility requirements. To qualify for FST, you must meet the following qualifications:

• Work experience: You have at least two years of full-time (or equivalent part-time) experience working in a skilled trade. Years of work as an apprentice without official certifications do not count toward this total.
• Employment in Canada: You have a full-time employment offer that is at least 12-months long, OR you have an official Canadian certificate of qualification in your trade.
• Language Ability: You score at least CLB level four on an approved language assessment for English or French.
• Intended Residence: You intend to live in any province except Quebec.

As with the other programs available under Express Entry, just meeting these minimum requirements will often not provide the highest CRS score.

Canada accepts tradespeople of all types, including:

• Industrial, construction, and electrical workers
• Equipment operators and maintenance workers
• Natural resources and agriculture supervisors and technical workers
• Central control operators and supervisors in manufacturing and utilities
• Bakers, butchers, chefs, and cooks

If you work in one of the trades listed above, consider seeking permanent residence in Canada via the FST program.

The CEC program provides a great way for foreign nationals who have worked in Canada before to become permanent residents. To be eligible for this program, you must meet these requirements:

• Work experience length: You have at least one year of professional, full-time work experience (or equivalent part-time) in Canada.
• Work experience timing: This experience occurred within 36 months of the application submission.
• Work experience duties: You have worked in Canada under 0, A, or B NOC Code skill level. In general, these jobs include working in management or within a role requiring college, university, or apprenticeship education.
• Work experience legality: Your work experience in Canada was legal.
• Language Ability: You score at least CLB level seven on an approved language assessment for English or French.
• Intended Residence: You intend to live in any province except Quebec.

If you’re considering submitting a profile for the CEC program, note that some work experience doesn’t count towards eligibility. For example, any work you did in Canada while a full-time student does not apply.

Express Entry candidates must prove their education and language skills meet the requirements above by taking assessments. The scores you earn on these examinations help determine your eligibility for the available programs.

Language Assessment

The first assessment tests your language abilities in English or French. Canada accepts scores from four assessment organizations:

• International English Language Testing System (IELTS): The IELTS test scores your proficiency with the English language. It tests your skills in reading, writing, speaking, and listening to English.
• Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP): The CELPIP offers another authorized English language skills assessment.
• Test d'Évaluation du Français (TEF Canada): The TEF exam assesses your reading, writing, speaking, and listening abilities in French.
• Test de connaissance du français (TCF): French speakers can also receive scores from the TCF.

Conduct research to determine which assessment works best for you. Candidates take these exams at designated testing centers at predetermined dates and times.

Education Credential Assessment

In addition to proving your language ability, you must also verify that your education meets Canadian standards if you did not attend schools in Canada. To do this, you need an educational credential assessment (ECA) for immigration. You must provide an ECA for your highest level of education and each credential you hold.

Several organizations provide ECAs, but World Education Services (WES) is the most popular. If you use WES to get your ECA, you will create an online account with their Canada platform.

Many candidates create the profile at this point, but you can ensure a smooth Express Entry process by first gathering the documentation you will need. Certain information is required to create your Express Entry profile, and you will provide further documentation if invited to apply for permanent residence.

Your profile requires your:

• Language assessment scores
• ECA report
• Passport or other travel documentation
• Proof of financial ability (if applicable)
• Provincial nomination (if applicable)
• Canada job offer (if applicable)
• Evidence of Canadian relative (if applicable)
• Other documents that verify application information

If you receive an Invitation To Apply (ITA) for permanent residence based on a competitive profile, you will have only two months to provide the following documents:

• Proof of settlement funds if your Express Entry program requires you to prove you can support yourself and your family in Canada.
• Police certificates for you and anyone more than 18 years old joining you in Canada to prove you have no criminal record.
• Immigration medical exams for you and your family members to protect Canadian public health and safety.
• Certificates proving relationship status. For example, married candidates provide marriage certificates, and widowed candidates provide death certificates.
• Birth or adoption certificates if you are bringing along dependent children.

Once your documentation is in order, fill out your online Express Entry profile.

You will create an account with Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and fill out a profile when you're ready. You’ll start by answering questions to determine your eligibility. If you do not qualify for any of the Express Entry programs, you will not be able to create a profile.

Once you complete your profile, IRCC provides you with a CRS score, which determines where you rank in the candidate pool. To present a competitive profile, consider how to gain higher CRS scores for each factor. For example, the minimum work experience requirements earn you fewer points than having many years of experience.

Other factors may also affect your CRS score, including your age and your connections to Canada. For example, a candidate who is 40 years old with no family in Canada will score lower than a 29-year-old whose parents are permanent Canadian residents.

If you want an estimate of your CRS score, try this CRS tool provided by the Canadian government.

About every two weeks, Canada conducts Express Entry draws, where the top-scoring candidates are invited to apply for permanent residence. If you receive an ITA, you have 60 days to submit an application containing all required information and documents.  The Express Entry Draw is conducted by the Canadian Government and invites candidates to apply for entry based on their Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS).

If you miss your deadline, you may not receive another ITA, so be sure to keep track of your documents and deadline dates. You will receive an acknowledgment of receipt (AOR) after submitting your application. If further documentation becomes needed, you will receive notifications.

Once IRCC accepts your application, complete the final step in the Express Entry process by submitting your passport for the necessary stamps.

What Impact Covid 19 has on the Express Entry Draw Process?

The short answer is none.  The Federal Government and PNP Governments are holding draws on a regular basis to invite people to apply for Permanent Residency.  In fact, they broke records with how many ITA’s were issued.