Express Entry is an immigration program that the government of Canada uses to manage applications for permanent residence of skilled workers. It is a points based immigration program for professionals looking to settle in Canada. It awards points based on skills, experience, Canadian employment status and provincial/ territorial nomination.
The higher your points, the greater your chances of receiving an invitation to Apply (ITA) for Permanent Residency in Canada. Typically PR applications submitted through this route are processed in 6-12 months or fewer.
How Express Entry Works?
Potential candidates must first meet the requirements for one of the following programs in order to apply for Express Entry:
- Federal Skilled Worker Program: Applicants from one of 50 National Occupational Classification (NOC) categories with secondary education and at least 1 year of continuous work experience are eligible. A job offer is not required.
- Federal Skilled Trades Program: Applicants must have at least 2 years of work experience in the past 5 years in a skilled trade. They must have a valid job offer from a Canadian employer, or a certification of qualification in their trade issued by a Canadian authority.
- Canadian Experience Class: Applicants must be skilled workers with at least 1 year of Canadian work experience and a valid job offer from a Canadian employer.
- Provincial Nominee Programs: An Express Entry option is available for provincial immigration programs. Each province or territory has its own criteria – inquire on their website.
Eligibility For Express Entry Program
If a candidate is eligible for one of these programs, they may complete an online Express Entry profile identifying their skills and qualifications. The system ranks all profiles against other applicants in the pool on a points-based system considering a variety of factors, including:
- Age
- Education
- Language proficiency in English and French
- Canadian work experience
Candidates with the highest rankings are invited to apply for permanent residence through one of the economic immigration programs. If applicants are tied in rank, those who submitted applications first will win. Therefore it is best to apply as early as possible.
Plummer Immigration provides professional guidance on Express Entry program for Canadian immigration and can help you at every step of your immigration process.