Express Entry is an online application system for skilled workers wishing to immigrate to Canada and get Canadian permanent residence status. There are 3 programs managed through Express Entry, these are:
Canadian Experience Class:
For skilled workers with Canadian work experience. They must have gained the work experience in the 3 years before applying and the total number of hours worked must be at least 1,560 hours. They also must be able to meet the required language levels needed for the job.
Federal Skilled Worker Program:
For skilled workers with foreign work experience. They must have worked in either Managerial, Professional or Technical jobs under the National Occupational Classification job groups. They must also take approved language tests for writing, reading, listening & speaking and get a minimum score of Canadian Language Benchmark 7 in all 4 abilities.
Federal Skilled Trades Program:
For skilled workers who are qualified in a skilled trade. They must have at least 2 years of full-time work experience in a skilled trade within the 5 years before you apply. They must have a valid job offer or certificate of qualification and meet the required language levels.
Steps to Apply
To apply for Express Entry you must first find out if you’re eligible for one of the programs above. If so, you can submit your profile and you will get ranked in the Express Entry pool using the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS).
The CRS system assesses your skills, education, language ability, work experience and other factors and gives you a score. To get an invite you need to have a score above the minimum points score for your round of invitations. As of March 30, 2022 the CRS score of the lowest-ranked candidate invited was 785 but this is always changing. Check the most recent score here.
Next, you’ll want to get your documents ready. Some of the documents you will need include a passport, language test results, proof of Canadian education or an educational credential assessment, provincial nomination (if applicable), written job offer (if applicable) and proof of funds.
Then you will submit your profile and if you receive one of the highest scores you will receive an invitation to apply and will have 60 days to submit your application. All completed applications with all supporting documents are processed in 6 months or less.
Find out more about Express Entry through the Government of Canada website. Need help getting started on your application? Call one of our experienced Immigration Consultants today!