How To Apply for Express Entry to Canada
How To Apply for Express Entry to Canada
Express Entry is the most popular immigration pathway for obtaining Canadian Permanent Residence. To qualify for Express Entry you will need to know your CRS score. Here you will find the minimum CRS score for Canada PR 2023. Understand the requirements for Express Entry by reading more about the program below.
The Express Entry program will also allow individual provinces and territories to use the system in order to recruit suitable candidates as part of the Provincial Nominee Programs so that labour market demands are met.
Employers will play a key part in selecting economic immigrants, and will be able to access suitable candidates via Canada’s recently improved Job Bank, as well as the relevant provinces and territories where applicable.
How Express Entry Works:
Step 1
Potential candidates fill out an online Express Entry form.
Candidates who qualify for Express Entry Canada can fill out an online profile that will include various details about themselves, such as their skills, language ability, education and previous work experience, among others. Candidates who meet the criteria for one or more of the federal economic immigration programs under Express Entry will be sorted into a pool of eligible individuals. These individuals will be ranked according to their likelihood of economic success, and the top-ranked candidates, along with those with qualified job offers or provincial/territorial nominations (who will automatically receive a high ranking), will receive a formal invitation to apply for permanent residence.
This way of doing things will allow Canada to pick the best possible candidates who are likely to go on to achieve success, rather than simply picking whoever is next in line. Candidates who do not have a valid job offer or provincial/territorial nomination must sign up to the Government’s of Canada’s Job Bank, so that he or she can be connected to relevant Canadian employers. Eligible employers will need to obtain a Labour Market Impact Assessment via Employment and Social Development Canada for permanent residence applications. There is no guarantee that candidates who fill out an Express Entry profile will be invited to apply for permanent residence, as this will mainly be determined by their ranking and the other factors mentioned above (offer of employment, provincial/territorial nomination).
Step 2
The Government will invite successful candidates and permanent residency will be processed within 6 months.
Those ranking highly in the pool (based on skills, experience, eligible job offers and relevant nominations where applicable) will then be invited to apply for permanent residency through an ITA (Invitation to Apply), and will have a total of 60 days to submit their electronic application. Electronic applications will be required to be submitted through one of the below programs: Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) Canadian Experience Class (CEC) Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) Most applications will be pushed through swiftly by CIC, with many expected to be completed within six months.
Candidates who have applied for the Express Entry Canada program but who are not invited to apply for permanent residency after a year may then resubmit their profile and re-enter the pool, provided they are still eligible for the program. This is to prevent backlogs and allow for quicker processing and turnaround times. According to CIC, the Express Entry program will allow faster and more efficient immigration services to skilled immigrants. The program will also enable the Canadian Government to respond faster to Canada’s evolving economic conditions and changing priorities, and will increase flexibility.
Express Entry Processing Times
After you have successfully filling out an Express Entry Form to be eligible in a Express Entry pool, foreigners will wait to receive an ITA. Each draw whether it is through a PNP or Express Entry will have a minimum CRS score and those with a ranking CRS score higher than the published one, will receive an invitation. Once one has received an ITA, there is a 60 day period where you must apply and submit all the required supporting documents to become a permanent resident. There are documents and following steps after receiving an invitation to apply including a chance to deny the ITA. Visit our page on Canada Visa Processing Times for 2023 to learn more.
Receiving an ITA (Invitation to Apply)
After you have successfully filling out an Express Entry Form to be eligible in a Express Entry pool, foreigners will wait to receive an ITA. Each draw whether it is through a PNP or Express Entry will have a minimum CRS score and those with a ranking CRS score higher than the published one, will receive an invitation. Once one has received an ITA, there is a 60 day period where you must apply and submit all the required supporting documents to become a permanent resident. There are documents and following steps after recieving an invitation to apply including a chance to deny the ITA.
Receiving an AOR (Acknowledgement of Receipt)
Once the IRCC has received your PR application, you will receive an Acknowledgment of Receipt also known as an AOR. This AOR is a confirmation that your application file has been created. You may also be referred to an “AOR date” which is the date from when your 6 months intended processing time begins.
Am I Eligible for Express Entry?
Determining whether you can apply under the Express Entry System can be confusing, but here are some of the basics.
According to Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), Express Entry is a system put in place to “manage applications for permanent residence under these federal economic immigration programs.” These economic immigration programs include the Federal Skilled Workers Program, the Federal Skilled Trades Program, and the Canada Experience Class.
Requirements for eligibility vary depending on the class you wish to apply under, though for all programs you must be legally admissible to Canada and be intending to live in a province or territory other than Quebec. Candidates also have to achieve a minimum score on the Comprehensive Ranking System. Points can be scored based on age, education, language ability, certifications, and Canadian and non-Canadian work experience.
Here are some of the major requirements for each of the three economic programs:
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Who Can Apply for Express Entry
Now, there are some criteria that they use but generally speaking anybody can submit their profile and potentially be selected. So this is really good news. Now of course if you have a job offer lined up, you are likely in a better position to qualify but it doesn’t mean that you won’t be selected if you don’t have a job offer. So this is really encouraging and as an immigration lawyer, our job now becomes to highlight and emphasize the best qualities of our applicants to try to convince the government that they would make good candidates for immigration and to be selected. So this is to me really good news.
A lot of people can contribute to the Canadian economy, can make an impact, who would otherwise not necessarily be considered under the old system. So this is something that, as I said, I consider good news and I am looking forward to helping people process applications through the new Express Entry System. So, hopefully this has given you hope as well and don’t be discouraged.
How Much Money Do I Need for Express Entry?
If you are invited to apply for Express Entry then you must have written proof that you have the money required for you and any family members you intend on bringing to Canada.
