The Canadian Express Entry, which was introduced on January 1st, 2015, is the quickest-running immigration program enabling qualified “skilled workers and traders” who are either residing inside or outside Canada. It is an appropriate application for those aspiring applicants who wish to live permanently in Canada and contribute to the GDP of the economy.
The Canadian government created the electronic immigration visa known as Canada Express Entry. It enables individuals from all around the world to submit an application to immigrate based on their skills that are highly demanded in Canada. Three major federal economic programs are managed under Canadian Express Entry:
- Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
- Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)
- Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
This program is for those aspiring candidates who are qualified workers with work experience and want to immigrate under Canadian Express Entry Program. In order to qualify for Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), applicants must have following eligibilities:
- Age at least 18 or above.
- Education credentials.
- Overseas work experience.
- CLB 7 or above in each module of language test.
Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)
Another option to immigrate under Canadian Express Entry Program is FSTP. This program belongs to those individuals who have a skilled trade and want to become permanent residents of Canada. Eligible candidates must have:
- Age at least 18 or above.
- Certificates of education.
- At least CLB (Canadian Language Benchmark) 5 in speaking and listening module, and CLB 4 in reading and writing.
- Minimum 2 years of work experience in the previous five years.
- For certified professionals who have a trade which is highly in demand in Canada.
Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
Apart from the above mentioned programs, another is Canadian Express Entry Program available for qualified workers with past work experience in Canada who want to settle permanently in Canada.
- For skilled professionals working in Canada.
- Individuals must meet the language proficiency requirements. Achieve a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 for NOC TEER 0, TEER 1 and (CLB 5) for NOC TEER 2, TEER 3.
- Must have work experience in Canada under temporary resident status.
- Must have earned work experience for minimum one year in the previous 3 years.
Therefore, these are the programs under which you can apply for Canadian Express Entry. If you qualify any of these programs, then you need to check other eligibilities.
Express Entry in Canada
Eligibility for Express Entry with CRS scores
Submission of an Express Entry profile
Why Career plus to submit an Express Entry application?
Express Entry in Canada
What are the steps to follow to apply for Express Entry in Canada?
If you wish to immigrate to Canada under Express Entry program, you need to do following:
- Check CRS score
Once you become eligible for any of these Canadian Express Entry programs, the next step is to submit your file. Your file will be ranked depending upon the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS).
What is Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS)?
CRS is a point based methodology. In this, evaluation and scoring of profile (based upon education, language proficiency) is done to rank profile for Express Entry pool.
- Gather your documents
Documents include results of language tests, documentation of education, a passport or other travel documents, and evidence of financial resources etc.
- Fill an application for Express Entry pool
At this stage, you need to provide information about yourself, including your age, education, work experiences etc.
Can I apply for Canadian Express Entry without a lawyer?
Although it is not mandatory to have a lawyer, it is always preferable to do so because it will be to your benefit. An experienced lawyer can increase your chances of becoming successful under Canadian Express Entry programs for a reasonable legal charge. A lawyer’s responsibility is to make sure you don’t miss anything on your application for Canadian immigration.
CareerPlus Immigration can help you in this. Every year, significant number of Express Entry applicants visit CareerPlus Immigration in the belief that it will help them submit the best Express Entry applications.
Do immigrants who are chosen through Canadian Express Entry get great employment in Canada?
Yes, a recent study conducted by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) revealed that immigrants who entered the country through Canadian Express Entry programs have a greater ratio of employment opportunities and pay. Additionally, Canada favors immigrants with higher skill levels because it boosts the country’s economy.
Is there requirement of any job offer under Canadian Express Entry?
For Canadian Experience Class (CEC), you do not require a job offer; you just need minimum one year of work experience in Canada, but if you have job offer approved by Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), it will increase your CRS score. However, for Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) and Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP), you need a job offer approved by Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). Moreover, irrespective of any of the three Canadian Express Entry programs that you are eligible for, if you have a job offer, it will help to increase your CRS score. In simple terms, high CRS score helps to increase chance of your invitation under Express Entry Program in Canada.
Can I bring my family through Canadian Express Entry with me?
Unquestionably yes. Your family members may travel with you if you are granted a visa under Express Entry Program in Canada. Your family will include your spouse, any dependent children, and even your common-law partner. The best part is that they get to stay with you permanently. In short, they will also become the Permanent Resident of Canada.
Eligibility for Express Entry with CRS scores
What are the requirements to qualify for Express Entry visa for Canada?
Candidates must meet the criteria of at least one of the three Express Entry Programs in Canada in order to be eligible for express entry.
Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)
This is one of the three Express Entry Programs to migrate Canada. You may qualify for the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) if you own a skilled trade or business. Moreover, candidates must be fluent in the language in order to be considered for this position. Additionally, they must have a certificate of qualification in a skilled trade or a full-time job offer in Canada for at least a year.
Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
Those candidates who had finished their studies outside of Canada; have English or French language proficiency of at least intermediate level; must have at least 67 CRS score in order to be eligible under this program. The basic requirements also include a minimum of one year of continuous full-time work, or equivalent paid experience, in a skilled occupation at level 0, A, or B of the National Occupational Classification (NOC).
Canadian Experience Class
This program is a great opportunity for those applicants who are either foreign nationals or foreign workers. If they fulfill the basic requirements of this program, they may become permanent residents of Canada. In order to qualify for this program, they must have worked in Canada for at least one year. Only then they will be able to apply.
How do I qualify for Express Entry visa for Canada?
You might become eligible to migrate to Canada under Express Entry Program in a number of ways. You must first understand the cause of your ineligibility for Canadian Express Entry program in order to overcome it. Another consideration: you must have a good CRS score. This will increase your chances of being accepted under Canadian Express Entry program.
For instance, in order to be eligible for the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) program, you must meet the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) and have worked in Canada for at least one year in the previous three years. You must have cleared a language test (English or French) approved by the Canadian government, like IELTS or CELPIP, and meet the minimum academic requirements for the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP).
You can determine your Express Entry Comprehensive Ranking System score using a free tool provided by Career Plus.
What can I do to raise my Express Entry CRS ranking?
Depending on the program type you are qualified for, there are many ways you can increase your CRS score.
You must make an effort to fulfill the basic requirements, such as you must meet the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB), have valid job offer, work experience(s), etc.
Boost your education:
If you studied only outside of Canada, your education can be worth up to 200 CRS points, and if you have a Canadian post-secondary certificate, it can be worth up to 250 points. By getting extra certifications, you might raise your initial education ranking.
A common-law partner or spouse may make a better primary applicant:
It might be helpful to compare your CRS ratings with those of principal applicants if you are married or have a common-law partner. In some cases, a main applicant’s CRS rating may be lower than their spouse’s CRS score. In certain situations, it might be best for a spouse or common-law partner to submit the application on their behalf.
Strengthen your language:
When paired with other criteria, getting a required Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) in one of the language tests approved by IRCC can help you increase your CRS score and can help you gain up to 310 CRS points. Moreover, if you are able to speak both English and French, it will help you get additional points.
Does my partner have to give the language test like IELTS?
If you are submitting your application under Express Entry, your spouse may give a language exam such as IELTS, CELPIP, and if your spouse scores at least 4 on the CLB (Canadian Language Benchmark), you will get extra points.
No specific CRS score will guarantee a request for an invitation to apply (ITA) for Canadian permanent residence. The Government of Canada withholds the CRS cut-off target before every Express Entry draw.
Trends in CRS Score
In 2021, Canadian drawings for the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) and the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) rotated. The CRS cut-off in CEC drawings fell to all-time lows in 2021.
For PNP draws, the CRS cut-off ranged from 600 to 800. The extra 600 points awarded to PNP applicants accounts for the high CRS cut-off in PNP draws. This indicates that the lowest-ranking PNP candidate had a CRS score of below 100 before being nominated.
The Canadian government invited almost 27,000 CEC applicants under Canadian Express Entry programs with CRS scores as low as 75 in February 2021.
What choices do I have for immigration to Canada?
People who want to apply for a permanent resident visa in Canada have options of several visas. Available programs to migrate Canada under Express Entry are:
Work Visa: A work visa is for those individuals who want to go Canada and have a valid job offer in Canada.
Study Visa: A Study visa is one of the types of visas for which most individuals apply in order to study in Canada.
Federal Programs: There are several federal programs available in which skilled workers get the chance to apply for permanent residency in Canada.
Express Entry: It is one of the significant pools under which three major federal programs are included, namely FSTP, FSWP, and CEC. Many individuals get their PR through the Express Entry pool. It is a great opportunity for skilled workers and traders.
Provincial Nominee Program (PNP): Under this program, the provinces of Canada nominate you and invite you to come to Canada. It is also one of the programs through which skilled and professional workers can obtain permanent residency in Canada.
Do people who are already working in Canada require a job offer?
Applicants who are working under a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) application approved by ESDC (Employment and Social Development Canada) do not require any job offer to apply for the Canadian Express Entry program.
However, candidates who have an open work permit and are working in Canada but, due to their low CRS score, are not getting an ITA (invitation to apply) for permanent residency, may need a job offer to increase their CRS score. This may help them to get approximately 50–200 points.
What is a valid job offer for Canadian Express Entry visa?
A valid job offer is
- Full-time employment, cannot be seasonal.
- It must be for minimum of one year.
- A written job offer must include your duties or responsibilities, remuneration, and other details.
- The job must come under the NOC (National Occupational Classification) skill types 0, A, or B.
What is the major distinction between Express Entry and PNP?
PNP immigrants must reside in the province or territory that nominated them for a specific period of time. During this time, the new immigrants are not permitted to relocate to other provinces or territories, unlike Express Entry program. This is the key distinction between PNP and Express Entry.
Does my CLB score meet the requirements to get Express Entry visa for Canada?
If you want to have a good CLB (Canadian Language Benchmark), you need to work on one of the official languages required to immigrate to Canada through Express Entry program. For that, you must have a good score in your language test, such as IELTS. Your CLB requirement depends upon the type of program you are applying for:
- Federal Skilled Trades program: To immigrate under this program, you need CLB 4 in the reading and writing modules. For the listening and speaking modules, you require CLB 5.
- Canadian Experience Class program: If your NOC skill type is 0 or A, your minimum requirement for CLB is 7 in all the four modules. However, if your NOC skill type is b, you need at least CLB 5.
- Federal Skilled Worker Program: Your minimum requirement is CLB 7 in all four modules in one of the official languages that come under this program.
Thus, you need to fulfill these requirements if you want to immigrate to Canada under Express Entry programs.
Submission of an Express Entry profile
For the submission of my Express Entry profile, what do I need?
If a person wishes to immigrate to Canada under Express Entry programs needs to submit an application for Canada, the IRCC will inquire about a few personal documents. The following documents must be submitted to IRCC in order to migrate to Canada under Express Entry programs:
- Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) of your academic certificates
- Passport or travel documents
- Language test results
- Work experience(s)
- Spouse or family details (if applicable)
After submitting your profile for Canada Express Entry, if you receive invitation to apply (ITA) from Canadian government, then you need to provide more details to get permanent residency of Canada.
- Police Clearance Certificates
- Medical test report
- Proof of sufficient funds (if you are applying for FSTP or FSWP program)
Documents requirement to show marital status:
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Marital Status
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Required Documents
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Married
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Marriage Certificate |
| Common-law partner |
Common-law union form
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Divorced
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Divorce certificate and legal separation certificate |
| Widowed |
Death certificate of your partner
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Description of Express Entry profile
Candidates who are interested in migrating Canada under Express Entry program and meet the requirements of Canadian Express Entry program must fill out an online application stating their age, academic level, language skills (such as English or French), facts about their family, etc. Canada chooses candidates based on the CRS scores and sends them invitations to apply (ITA) on behalf of these details.
What are the steps to make an Express Entry profile?
You must complete a number of steps in order to create an Express Entry profile for the purpose of migration to Canada under Express Entry program.
- Make your own IRCC account.
- Fill out the questionnaire to see if you meet the immigration requirements for Canadian Express Entry program.
- Then, move on to the next step by completing an online form with your name, age, education, and other details.
As soon as you complete these steps, the Express Entry system will evaluate your CRS depending on your profile. If your CRS score is above the cut-off requirement for this Express Entry pool, you will receive an invitation to apply. After that, you can finally submit your Express Entry profile.
How do I modify my Express Entry application once I’ve already submitted it?
You can only update your profile if it is found eligible on the Express Entry profile page.
- Go to the Express Entry page.
- Select the Update form.
- Make the changes that you want to make.
- Click on Save and then Exit.
However, if it does not qualify for any of the three programs, then you cannot make changes and have negligible chances to immigrate under Canadian Express Entry program. In that case, you need to submit a new file.
I’ve submitted my Express Entry profile; now how can I get a job in Canada?
After submitting your Express Entry profile for immigration purpose under Canadian Express Entry, you have a variety of ways to locate employment in Canada:
- One option is to use the Job bank maintained by the Canadian government. There are several open positions for which you can apply for a job.
- Another method is to use social media to directly apply for jobs with Canadian firms.
Why to choose CareerPlus Immigration to submit an Express Entry application?
Immigration under Canadian Express Entry program can be a difficult process, but luckily, CareerPlus Immigration Consultants can help you with this. With our legal, certified, and award-winning immigration firm, we will be with you every step of the way so that you can focus on your new life in Canada!
