Express entry is an online point-based assessment system developed by the Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) developed which uses a point based regulatory system to assess and execute applications around the globe for permanent residency in Canada. It is an electronic system build to steer Canada’s immigration process in conjunction with various federal and provincial programs.
The express entry system comprises of three immigration programs as stated below:
- Federal Skilled Workers Program (FSWP)
- Federal Skilled Traders Program (FSTP)
- Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
What is the Federal Skilled Workers Program?
The Federal Skilled Workers Program is aimed to select prospective international skilled workers for permanent residency in Canada. The person must have sufficient work experience relevant to the in-demand occupations in Canada, sufficient language proficiency skills and academic skills to be eligible for the program. Get complete details about FSWP
What is the Federal Skilled Traders Program?
The Federal Skilled Traders Program selects candidates whose work occupation includes a specific skilled trade as defined among the 43 target occupations. The person must have an employment offer or a certificate of qualification from a province or territory in Canada along with at least 2 years of experience in the trade. Get complete details about FSTP.
What is the Canadian Experience Class?
The Canadian Experience Class is designed for international candidates having at least one year of work experience for a company in Canada. Even though education is not a mandatory eligibility criterion, you can use it to increase your score. Get complete details about CEC.
What are the Eligibility Criteria for Express Entry?
Prospective candidates for each of the express entry programs are selected based on their skills and ability to contribute to Canada’s growing economy. Each of the programs require candidates to have sufficient skilled work experience and language proficiency skills while education would be an added advantage to increase rank.
Eligibility Criteria for Federal Skilled Worker:
Given below are the mandatory requirements for a person to qualify for the Federal Skilled Worker program:
- At least one year of work experience within the last 10 years in any one of the NOC jobs related to managerial positions, professional jobs, and/or technical jobs & skilled trades.
- The person must have either minimum one year of full-time continuous work experience or an equivalent amount of paid part-time work experience.
- Work experience gained during studies will be counted if it is a paid work and continuous without any gap.
- A minimum of CLB 7 in all four language abilities of the English or French language assessment tests. Also, the score validity must be at least 2 years old from the date of PR application.
- A completed foreign education duly assessed by a designated organization for educational credential assessment demonstrating the equivalence of the degree to that in Canada.
- Either point 5 or a certificate, diploma, or degree from a high school or post-secondary institution in Canada.
- Sufficient financial ability to sustain in settle in Canada along with family unless you have a job offer or can legally work in Canada.
- Person must not be barred from entering Canada on the grounds of security reasons, human rights violations, organized crime, medical reasons, or more.
- The application must be submitted for any province or territory in Canada except Quebec.
Eligibility Criteria for Federal Skilled Traders:
Below are the most important eligibility criteria for FST program as defined by IRCC Canada.
- A minimum of two years of paid full-time work experience or equivalent part-time experience in a skilled trade within last 5 years of experience. The skilled trades must be organized within the following groups of NOC:
a. Group 82 (Supervisors and technical jobs in production)
b. Group 92 (Processing, manufacturing, and utility supervisors and control operators)
c. Group 73 (Maintenance and equipment operation trades)
d. Group 632 (Cooks and chefs)
e. Group 633 (Bakers and butchers)
f. Group 72 (Industrial, construction, and electrical trades) - The person must have a job offer for at least one year of employment or a certificate of qualification in the skilled trade from a Canadian province, territorial, or federal authority.
- Minimum of CLB 4 for writing and reading abilities in English proficiency test and CLB 5 for speaking and listening abilities. Also, the language test should be 2 years valid from the date of application for permanent residency.
- Sufficient financial ability to sustain in settle in Canada along with family unless you have a job offer or can legally work in Canada.
- Person must not be barred from entering Canada on the grounds of security reasons, human rights violations, organized crime, medical reasons, or more.
- The application must be submitted for any province or territory in Canada except Quebec.
- An offer of employment from a designated employee in Canada or a certificate of qualification from any province or territory.
Eligibility for Canadian Experience Class:
- Minimum one year of experience working in Canada either as a full-time employee for 12 months or a part-time employee for 24 months.
- The work experience should have been obtained while having the temporary resident status with work authorization.
- The skilled work experience should be in one or more jobs related to NOC 0, A, or B categories.
- CLB7 for NOC 0 or A jobs or CLB5 for NOC B jobs in English proficiency test.
Apart from the specific eligibility criteria for each program of the express entry system, an applicant needs to score adequate points decided by the Comprehensive Ranking System.
What is the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS)?
Comprehensive ranking system (CRS) is point-based system assessing a candidate’s express entry application on the basis of various factors as given below:
- Human Capital/Core Factors: These include level of education, age, Canadian work experience, and official language proficiency.
- Spouse or Common Law Partner Factors: Education, age, work experience, official language proficiency, etc. of spouse or common law partner of an applicant are also accountable in CRS calculation.
- Transferability Factors: These include work experience gained in countries other than Canada, foreign academic degree, and certificate of qualification from a Canadian province.
- Additional Factors: Apart from the mandatory factors, there are some factors like having a sibling in Canada, getting a provincial nominee certificate, earning a job offer from a company in Canada, or many more which can earn extra CRS points.
Given below are the maximum points you can earn with the following combinations for above mentioned factors.
- Human Capital + Spouse Factors = Maximum 500 points
- Human Capital + Spouse Factors + Transferability Factors = Maximum 600 points
- Human Capital + Spouse Factors + Transferability Factors + Additional Factors = Maximum 1200 points
Documents Required for Canada Express Entry Visa:
The express entry works in two consecutive stages with each stage having its own requirement of documents.
Profile Submission: This involves submission of the candidate profile in the express entry system including personal, academic, and professional details. Therefore, documents required during this stage are:
- Educational Credential Assessment report from a globally recognized institution like WES.
- Official language proficiency test result (TRF sheet of the IELTS or any other test).
- Identity proof and travel documents such as passport.
- Employment offer letter from a recognized employer in Canada (if obtained).
- Provincial nomination certificate if nominated by a Canadian province or territory.
Permanent Residence Application: Once express entry profile is submitted, assessed, and picked up by IRCC to be sent invitation, the candidate is given a timeframe of about 2 months to submit the following documents and applying for permanent residency:
Proof of funds in the form of:
- Cash
- Bonds
- Treasury bills
- Shares and debentures.
- Banker’s drafts
- Money orders
- Money in joint account
- Traveler’s cheque
- Official letters from financial institution having candidate name, institution contact details, list of outstanding debts, candidate account details, and others.
Application for Canada PR Express Entry Visa:
As mentioned above, express entry visa application constitutes of two stages wherein the first stage involves submission of profile and other stage consists of applying for permanent residence. Given below are the steps for applying to Canada PR visa:
- Assess your eligibility for the express entry program.
- Gather all the required documents.
- Create express entry profile and submit all the details.
- IRCC selects and sends invitation to the candidate based on their CRS score.
- Candidate is given about 60 days to apply for permanent residence by preparing the proof of funds.
- Once verification is done, candidate can expect to get PR once he or she lands in Canada.
Expenses involved in Express Entry Visa:
Given below is the chronological order in which costs are involved in each stage of the PR application.
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