Express Entry Immigration to Canada
Every year, Canada welcomes hundreds of thousands of skilled workers to immigrate and start a new life through the federal Express Entry program. It is one of the most efficient and effective pathways for those seeking permanent residence in Canada.
Express Entry is an online immigration system to process applications for skilled workers looking to permanently settle in Canada. There are three programs the system manages: Federal Skilled Worker Program, Federal Skilled Trades Program and the Canadian Experience Class. Applicants must meet eligibility requirements for one of the three programs.
Express Entry is based on the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), which allots points to the applicant based on age, education, work experience, language skills and other factors. Eligible candidates are entered in to a pool and ranked. The highest scoring candidates are selected in a draw and are invited to apply for permanent residence.
Majority of permanent residence applications are process within six months, making it one of the fastest ways of settling in Canada. If you are eligible for one of the three Express Entry programs, you can also apply for through the Provincial Nominee Program to gain extra points and be invited to apply even quicker.
You must first determine if you are eligible for one of the three Express Entry programs. This can be done by reviewing in detail, the requirements for each program. If you are eligible, you must create an Express Entry profile through the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) website to check your score and be ranked in the pool.
You will need to prepare several documents to prove your eligibility through Express Entry such as language test results, passport, Education Credential Assessment (ECA), proof of work experience and more.
Every couple of weeks, candidates with the highest scores are drawn and are sent an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence. Once you complete the Application for Permanent Residence (APR) through IRCC, pay the according fees, and provide medical and police clearance reports, you must wait for approval. Approval times are approximately six months, after which you will receive a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) and your visa.
Express Entry is geared to foreign skilled workers who possess the knowledge and skills for jobs that would be beneficial to Canada’s economic growth.
Skilled work experience is identified as managerial jobs (skill level 0), professional jobs (skill type A) or technical and skilled trades jobs (skill type B), according to the Canadian National Occupational Classification (NOC).
Canadian Experience Class
This program is for skilled workers who have valid Canadian work experience. They will be accepted in to this program if they meet the following requirements:
- 1 year of full-time paid work experience in occupation of NOC skill level 0, A or B in Canada within 36 months of application
- Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 5 or 7 depending on job
- Don’t intend to live in Quebec
There are no specific education requirements to apply to this program, however applicants who can prove higher education will score more points overall.
Federal Skilled Worker
Skilled workers with foreign work experience may be eligible to apply through this program. There are minimum requirements the applicant must meet in addition to being assessed further.
The minimum requirements are:
- 1 year of full-time (or an equal amount of part-time) paid work experience in occupation of NOC skill level 0, A or B within last 10 years
- Minimum CLB 7
- Canadian or foreign education credential with ECA
If the applicant meets the minimum requirements, they will be assessed on the following and must have at least 67 points:
- Age
- Education
- Work experience
- Valid job offer
- Language skills
- Adaptability
The applicant must also show proof of sufficient funds for themselves and their family to settle in Canada.
Federal Skilled Trades Program
This program is for skilled workers who are qualified in a trade. In order to be eligible, you must meet the following minimum requirements:
- At least 2 years of full-time (or equal amount of part-time) paid work experience in a qualifying skilled trade within last 5 years
- Minimum CLB 5 for speaking and listening and 4 for reading and writing
Have a valid job offer of 1 year full time employment OR a certificate of qualification in that trade issued by a Canadian provincial, territorial or federal authority
Similar to the Canadian Experience Class program, there are no education requirements, however applicants who can prove higher education will score more points. Applicants must also provide proof of settlement funds for themselves and their family.
Titan Law offers an immigration assessment, which is a personalised, comprehensive document comparing your credentials and qualifications with those required for various pathways to immigrate to Canada. The lawyers at Titan Law have put together this comprehensive guide based on your assessment to illuminate which jobs guarantee immigration, what occupations each province is looking for, the level of education you may need in order to obtain more points, what scores you will require on the language tests and what your financial backing should look like.
Our Immigration Assessment is an extremely helpful tool to provide you with more clarity on where you stand and if you qualify for the Express Entry programs to immigrate to Canada.
Click here to find out more about our Immigration Assessment.
If you have questions about Express Entry and other pathways to immigrate to Canada, contact Titan Law today for a free consultation. We are here to help you!
How Titan Law Can Help
Titan Law’s immigration lawyers are highly knowledgeable on the process of immigration to Canada. We are a law firm in Vancouver, BC, and have many years of experience finding the most effective and efficient way for you to permanently settle in to Canadian life.
Our immigration lawyers understand the government systems in place and can help you score the highest points possible. We can also connect you to professionals to assist with things such as language, to ensure you achieve great results.
