Canada’s Express Entry is an online system that oversees immigration applications from skilled workers. This system offers several advantages for international applicants looking to immigrate as skilled workers. It facilitates a quick immigration process, with many applications processed in as little as six months. This enables permanent residency and allows immigrants to live, work, and study in Canada. Those who are successful in their applications may also apply for Canadian citizenship and include their family members in their requests.
Express Entry is widely recognized for its efficiency and effectiveness in selecting skilled immigrants who can contribute positively to Canada’s economy. Its transparency and reliability offer a streamlined pathway to an improved quality of life in Canada, providing access to economic opportunities, social benefits, and a high standard of living. Additionally, it oversees three distinct immigration programs designed to accommodate various skilled worker profiles; they include:
The Federal Skilled Worker Program is for skilled workers with foreign work experience who fulfill particular education, language ability, and other requirements and want to become permanent residents.
The Canadian Experience Class is for skilled workers who possess Canadian work experience and aim to obtain permanent residency.
The Federal Skilled Trades Program is designed for skilled workers who aspire to obtain permanent residency based on their qualifications in a skilled trade.
Now, before you compare these different programs, here are three key terms you should familiarize yourself with:
- Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB):
The CLB is the standard used in Canada to assess the English language proficiency of immigrants.
- National Occupation Classification (NOC):
The NOC comprises a comprehensive list of all the job roles available in the Canadian workforce.
- Training, education, experience, and responsibilities (TEER):
The NOC consists of 6 TEER categories. Each TEER category is determined by the education and training required for a specific occupation.
In this blog, we’ll break down the Express Entry application process, giving you a straightforward guide to relocating to Canada through this route. Interested in relocating to Canada through Express Entry? The first course of action is to:
#1. Gather your Documents:
Your documents are essential to your express entry application because the papers you present would go a long way in determining your eligibility. These documents strengthen your case for permanent residency in Canada by backing up all your claims during your registration. They also help assess your eligibility, determine the points you’ll get, and help confirm your admissibility to Canada through the police reports and medical reports you’ll submit. So, you must work on getting the proper documents to avoid any discrepancies. Some of these documents include:
- Your passport or travel document
- Language test results
- An Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report if you’re applying through
the Federal Skilled Workers Program, or if you wish to get points for the education you obtained outside of Canada
- A written job offer from an employer in Canada (if you have one)
- Proof of your work experience (such as a reference or experience letter from an employer)
- Certificate of qualification in a trade occupation issued by a Canadian province or territory (if you have one)
- Proof of funds
- Police certificates
#2. Check your Eligibility
Before you set up an Express Entry profile, you must confirm that you meet the minimum eligibility requirements for one of the Express Entry programs listed above. To do this, you can answer a questionnaire to check if you’re eligible for the minimum standards of Express Entry using two options, which include:
- The Come to Canada tool requires you to Complete a series of questions to evaluate your eligibility.
- The IRCC secure account, on the other hand, requires you to sign into your account before checking your eligibility.
Some important factors for qualification include:
- Your Nationality
- Age
- Language Proficiency in your CLB
- Educational qualifications
- Work experience
- Proof of funds
- Details on any job offer
- Admissibility to Canada
When checking your eligibility, you need to provide precise information, as your responses will determine which programs you might qualify for. If you are eligible for Express Entry, you will receive a comprehensive set of guidelines on the next steps, which involve completing an online profile. Once you submit your profile and meet all the criteria, you will be included in a pool of immigration applicants and may receive an invitation to apply.
#3. Create your Profile:
As earlier mentioned, if you’re eligible and you know the program you’re going for, you can proceed to create your Express Entry profile by:
- Signing in to your IRCC secure account
- Entering your reference code when it prompts you (if you used the Come to Canada tool).
- Enter details such as (Your Nationality, Age, Language Proficiency in your CLB, Educational Qualifications, Work experience, Proof of funds, Details on any job offer, and admission to Canada) to create and submit a profile to the Express Entry pool.
You need to submit your profile within 60 days to avoid starting over. Your information will be saved during this period even if you exit your profile. If you’re eligible after submission, you’ll be placed in a pool with others who are also eligible. You’ll get points and rank through an assessment done by the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) based on the information, skills, and experience provided in your profile. After this, if you emerge as one of the top candidates with the highest-ranking scores, you’ll be invited to apply for Canada’s permanent residency. This Invitation to apply (ITA) is the only guarantee for applying for a permanent residency and not just entering a pool.
#4. Fill Out the Application Form:
Once you have been invited to apply, you’ll receive a message with instructions and the program to apply for. This invitation is valid for only 60 days, so you need to sign into your account and start filling out your application form immediately.
#5. Upload Your Documents:
During your application, you need to upload scanned copies of the documents used for your profile, such as police certificates, proof of funds, birth certificates, marriage or divorce certificates, and adoption certificates, through a personalized document checklist that would be given to you.
#6. Get a Medical Exam (if required):
A panel physician must conduct your medical exam, which is mandatory for you and your family, even if they aren’t accompanying you.
#7. Payment of fees
To prevent delays in your application, you must pay specific fees, such as processing fees at submission, costs for your right of permanent residence, and biometrics fees, as soon as possible through your IRCC account using a debit or credit card.
#8. Submit Your Application:
Before submitting your application, you need to confirm if you have filled in all mandatory fields, check if you’ve uploaded all the required documents, and pay all the necessary fees to avoid any discrepancies during your application submission.
