Express entry for Canadian Permanent Residence
The current procedure for Canadian permanent residence is soon going to change. On January 1, 2015, all prospective applicants will first have to complete an Express Entry profile. This will be applicable to all candidates applying under the following categories:
Federal Skilled Worker Program;
Federal Skilled Trades Program and
Canadian Experience Class
Under the Express Entry system, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) will invite people to apply for permanent residence based on the information they enter in an online profile. You cannot apply directly to any of these programs unless CIC sends you an invitation to apply (ITA).
If you are planning to apply to one of these programs after December 31, 2014, please call us or send us your profile, along with that of your spouse and we will determine your eligibility!
How the Express Entry will work
Step 1) Potential candidates complete an online Express Entry profile
This will be the first step to the new Express Entry. Here applicants will provide information on their:
- skills,
- work experience,
- language ability,
- education, and
- other important information
Those who meet the criteria of one of the federal immigration programs listed above will be accepted into a pool of candidates.
Preference will always be given to applicants with a secure job offer supported by a Labour Market Impact Assessment or a nomination from a province or territory. Applicants without this, must register with Employment and Social Development Canada’s (ESDC) Job Bank. Job Bank will help connect Express Entry candidates with eligible employers in Canada.
Express Entry Pool
Eligible and qualifying candidates will be given a score to determine their place in the Express Entry pool using the Comprehensive Ranking System.
There will be regular draws of candidates from the Express Entry pool, inviting them to apply for permanent residence. Candidates with the highest scores, including those who have a valid job offer or a provincial/territorial nomination, will be invited to apply.
All Express Entry profiles will be valid for 12 months. Profiles can be updated should circumstances change.
Step 2) The highest-ranking candidates in the pool will be invited to apply for permanent residence
All candidates will be ranked against others in the pool using a point-based system.
Candidates with the highest scores in the pool will be issued an Invitation to Apply. Candidates will be awarded points for:
- a job offer, and/or
- a nomination from a province or territory, and/or
- skills and experience factors.
A candidate can get additional points for:
- a job offer supported by a Labour Market Impact Assessment or
- a nomination by a province or territory
These additional points will make a candidate rank high enough to be invited to apply at the next eligible draw of candidates.
On receiving an Invitation, candidates must submit an application for permanent residence within 60 days. Majority of applications submitted will be completed within six months.
Those who are not invited to apply can stay in the pool for up to 12 months.
If they do not get an Invitation to Apply for permanent residence within 12 months of submitting an Express Entry profile, they may submit a new profile. If they still meet the criteria, they can re-enter the pool. This will prevent backlogs and ensure quick processing times.