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Introduction To Express Entry.

Express Entry is system used by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), which manages and processes applications received through Canada’s federal economic immigration programs. Applications are received from eligible candidates who have been invited to apply to immigrate to Canada based on their human capital factors, skills, experience, and other factors.

Under Express Entry, individuals and families wishing to settle in Canada can become new permanent residents within just a few months.

Express Entry is not an immigration program in itself, but rather a system used by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to select candidates for immigration to Canada using the following economic immigration programs:

  • Federal Skilled Worker Class 

  • Federal Skilled Trades Class 

  • Canadian Experience Class

  • Provincial Nominee Programs

A portion of the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) are streamlined through Express Entry, but candidates must be eligible under one of the three federal programs in order to enter the Express Entry pool.

 

Eligible individuals may submit an Expression of Interest (EOI). This EOI will be assessed and issued a ranking score.

The ranking score for Express Entry is based on the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). Under the CRS, candidates are assigned is a score out of 1,200 used to rank federal economic candidates for immigration to Canada. Candidates can improve their rank, and thereby increase their chances of receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA), by taking steps to improve their CRS score.

 

The CRS is not a selection criteria (like that of the one used for the Federal Skilled Worker Class). It is a ranking system for candidates who are eligible under the FSWC, CEC, or FSTC.

The CRS score is used as a cut-off point in Express Entry draws. It is designed to project a candidate’s likelihood of being economically successful in Canada. It ranks different candidates based on their career and educational history, language skills, and whether they have already received a qualifying job offer or provincial nomination in Canada, among other factors.

 

Those candidates with a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), or another qualifying job offer, are eligible for either 50 or 200 bonus points in the CRS. Provincial nominees can receive 6oo bonus points.

Qualifying job offers used to receive 600 points also, but this was amended in the Express Entry Canada changes of November 2016.

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Candidates without a job offer or a provincial nomination may then register in the Canada Job Bank, a free public resource used to help Canadian employers identify and select workers possessing the skills they require. This step used to be mandatory, but became voluntary as of June 2017.

 

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducts Express Entry draws at regular intervals (usually every two weeks). In these Express Entry draws, candidates above a certain rank are invited to apply for Canadian permanent residence. Invited candidates are given 60 days to submit an online application for permanent residence, including all supporting documentation. Visit this page for details of the latest Express Entry draw.

 

Candidates in the pool who have not yet been selected are able to improve their Express Entry profile and score. They can do this by submitting new and updated information. Examples include: increased language scores, educational credentials assessments, adding additional work experience, and/or obtaining a qualifying job offer or a provincial nomination.

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When Express Entry was introduced, all eyes were on how many CRS might be required in order for a candidate to be invite to apply. Over the months and years since, as IRCC has significantly increased the number of ITAs issued and made improvements to the system, the CRS cut-off threshold has decreased.

Whereas draws held in early 2015 invited only candidates with scores above 600, the threshold decreased to 450 within just a few months. By May, 2017, candidates with scores of 413 were being invited to apply. In addition, IRCC has also conducted program-specific draws in which certain candidates, notably candidates eligible under the FSTC, have been invited with scores as low as 199. Provincial nominees and CEC candidates have also benefited from program-specific draws. It may be noted, however, that most Express Entry draws are not program-specific

Check Your Eligibility

Candidates eligible to immigrate to Canada under a federal economic immigration program may enter the Express Entry pool. Consequently, the first step to be taken should be to determine your eligibility for one of these programs.
Our team will review your completed form and quickly let you know whether or not you may be eligible.
If you are eligible, you can move on to the next step in the process.
If you are not currently eligible, you may strive to become eligible by improving your core human capital factors in areas such as your skills, work experience, language ability, and education credentials. Becoming eligible for one of the federal economic immigration programs is the first step toward immigrating to Canada through Express Entry.

How To Prepare For EXPRESS ENTRY

  • Prepare for language exam IELTS​

  • Get your foreign credentials assessed according to Canadian standards.

The submission of an ECA is a requirement for those seeking entry into the Express Entry pool through the FSWC. Although it is not a formal requirement for CEC or FSTC applicants to submit an ECA, it will provide them with a higher ranking as, in addition to obtaining points for the level of education itself, the skills transferability factors section of the CRS takes into account a candidate’s language ability.

  • Learn more about the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS).

  • Deal with any medical inadmissibility or criminal inadmissibility issues you may have.

  • Check for available Provincial Nominee Programs that have an enhanced stream aligned with Express Entry.

Complete & Submit Express Entry Profile

Candidates for Canadian permanent residence who are eligible for one of the federal economic immigration programs make an expression of interest in immigrating to Canada by creating an online profile. They provide information about their skills, work experience, language ability, education, and other personal information.
Candidates who meet the criteria of one of the aforementioned federal economic immigration programs are placed in a pool of candidates who are ranked according to a Comprehensive Ranking System. If a candidate does not already have a valid job offer from a Canadian employer or a provincial nomination, he or she may register with Canada's Job Bank. As of June 6, 2017, registration in Canada’s Job Bank is no longer mandatory. However, registering in the Job Bank may improve a candidate’s visibility to Canadian employers.

Receive an ITA & Submit Application For PR

The government of Canada and provincial Governments, as well as Canadian employers, are able to select new immigrants from the Express Entry pool.
The highest-ranked candidates  and those with valid job offers or provincial nominations, are then invited to apply for Canadian permanent residence. From this point, candidates have 90 days to submit an electronic application for permanent residence. IRCC aims to process applications within six months of the date of submission.
Candidates must ensure that they complete all necessary forms and submit all supporting documents within this timeframe. On completion of the process, successful candidates and their dependents (spouse and children) will land in Canada as permanent residents.
Candidates in the Express Entry pool who do not receive an Invitation to Apply for permanent residence in Canada after 12 months may resubmit their profile and re-enter the pool if they still meet the criteria of at least one of the economic immigration programs.

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How much does it cost to immigrate to Canada through Express Entry

See the table below for an overview of the costs associated with Express Entry immigration to Canada.

 

Before entering the pool

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  • Edcuational Credential Assessment (ECA)$250+(Required for FSWC candidates, and recommended for FSTC & CEC candidates, who studied outside Canada)

  • Language test(s)$200+(Required)

 

After getting ITA​

  • Medical report$200+

  • Police clearance certificate(s)Depends on the country. May range from free service to up to $100 or more

  • Processing fee$825

  • Right of permanent residence fee$500

  • Addition of accompanying spouse/partner$825 for processing fee, $500 for right of permanent residence, if applicable

  • Addition of dependent child(ren)$225 per child, if applicable

The table above is illustrative only, and may not include all costs. Incremental costs for shipping, etc. are also not included.

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How long does it take for Express Entry immigration to Canada

Express Entry is a system designed to provide, well, express immigration to Canada. For eligible candidates who receive an invitation to apply (ITA) soon after entering the pool, and who then quickly submit a complete application, the entire process may take six months, or even less. However, the following variables may extend this timeline and should be taken into account:

  • While some candidates are invited soon after entering the Express Entry pool, other candidates, depending on their CRS score and CRS cut-off thresholds in Express Entry draws, may only receive an ITA weeks or months later.

  • Some invited candidates may be ready to apply for immigration to Canada soon after being invited, while others may need more of the 60 days allotted.

  • While IRCC aims to process applications within six months, some applications may take longer, and decisions on other applications may take less than six months.

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