What is Canada Express Entry Program?

Canadian Express Entry Program is an online immigration selection system used to manage applications for highly-qualified and skilled workers who want to become permanent residents of Canada. It is one of the most well-known immigration systems around the globe.

This program allows the entitled candidates to submit a profile to the Canadian government. Later, the highest-ranked immigration candidates are asked to submit a petition for permanent residence.

Why Express Entry is Important?

Through the Express Entry program, now individuals and families worldwide can immigrate to Canada just within a few months. This program, first introduced in 2015, became an essential factor of skilled worker immigration to Canada. Under the Canada Immigration Levels Plan 2020-2022, over 90,000 people will receive Canadian permanent residence through Express Entry yearly.

Express Entry Program is a petition management system handled by IRCC (Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada) to process and manage petitions received through three following economic immigration programs.

1. Federal Skilled Worker Program

2. Federal Skilled Trades Program

3. Canadian Experience Class

More about Canada Express Entry Program 

The Canada Express Entry system is a point-based immigration program that ranks all eligible candidates opposite one another and invites only the highest-ranked candidates to apply for Canadian permanent resident.

Candidates’ ranking against one another is based on their education, age, work experience, language proficiency, and some other factors. It gives points to workers based on their skills, knowledge, Canadian employment status, and provincial/territorial nomination. 

If you score more points, the greater your chances are for getting an ITA (Invitation to Apply) for permanent residency in Canada. Usually, permanent residency (PR) applications submitted through this way are processed within 6-12 months or less. Key elements of the program are as follow:

1. It is an online program and is open the whole year.

2. The program is only applicable to the Federal Skilled Worker Program, Federal Skilled Trades Program, and the Canadian Experience Class Immigration Program.

3. You need to submit a profile of interest and apply under any job stated in Skill Type, i.e., Skill Level A (professional occupations) or Skill Level B (technical and trade occupations) or Skill Level 0 (managerial occupations).

4. Your profile will be reviewed based on points and will be arranged in the applicant pool.

5. Canadian employers and provinces will get this pool and search talent to fulfil their requirements.

6. The maximum points holders are sent an ITA (Invitation to Apply) for permanent residency in Canada.

7. The number of ITAs released is based on the Annual Immigration Level.

Evaluation of the Express Entry Program

The main objective of Canada Express Entry Program is to find applicants who have the most excellent chance to become successful after migration to Canada. The points scale has the highest score of 1200, and it assesses you and your spouse (if any) on your:

1. Age

2. The highest level of education

3. Language skills

4. Canadian work experience

5. Other work experience

6. Skill communicability

Note that: The online registration fee is 300 CAD.

Advantages of the Express Entry Program

Transparency is one of the advantages of this immigration program. If you want to obtain ITA, then you need to be aware of the median score to qualify for the ITA; if you do not attain the mark, then you can always work to improve your CRS score or consider other CRS options, i.e., to improve your language test results, or to obtain additional work experience or look at opportunities to study in Canada.

Young candidates with language proficiency in English or French or both, a high level of education, or those with Canadian experience (employees or students) can attain a higher CRS score and get a chance to be selected through the Express Entry system.

Note that: Those candidates who get a provincial nomination are eligible to obtain 600 additional points, and those with a job opportunity in Canada or siblings resident in the country will get extra points.

What are the steps to apply for the Express Entry Program?

Step 1: Create your Express Entry profile

The first thing you need is to make your online Express Entry profile. The profile should contain details about your age, education, language skills, work experience, etc.  After evaluation of these details, you will be given a score. If you succeed in obtaining the required points, you can submit your profile. Then your profile will be added to the Express Entry pool.

Step 2: Complete your Educational Credentials Assessment

You need to obtain your Educational Credentials Assessment (ECA) if you have done your education outside Canada. The ECA is proof that shows your educational qualifications are equivalent to those accepted in the Canadian educational system.

Step 3: Complete your language ability tests

The next step is to require English language proficiency tests. The minimum score is six bands in IELTS, which is equal to CLB 7. 

Note that: If you know French, you will have a margin over other candidates. French language tests like TEF will prove your proficiency in the language. Hence it’s a plus point.

Step 4: Calculate your CRS score

Once your profile is added in the Express Entry pool, it is ranked based on the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score. Your age, work experience, adaptability, etc., will determine your CRS score. 

Step 5: Get your Invitation to Apply (ITA)

If your profile is chosen from the Express Entry pool, you will be able to obtain an ITA from the Canadian government. After this, you can begin the documentation for your PR visa.

Note that you will need to score a minimum of 67 points within different eligibility criteria to apply for your permanent residence visa.

What will be the cost of Express Entry?

1. Language tests: $300

2. Educational Credential Assessment (ECA): $200

3. Biometrics: $85 per person

4. Government fees: $1,325 for adult and $225 for child

5. Medical examination fees: $450 for adult & $250 for child

6. Police clearance certificates: $100

Read Our Previous Article About What is the Canada Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)?