Express Entry to Canada
The Canadian immigration minister, Scott Fraser, recently announced that the government will resume processing new applications for Express Entry immigration to Canada starting in July 2022.
Earlier this year, the Canadian government announced a temporary pause to the processing of new Express Entry applications so the large backlog of applications that had accumulated during the pandemic disruptions could be taken care of.
Canada’s government also stated earlier in 2022 that $85 million CAD would be invested to hire more workers and to improve the Canadian immigration agency’s technology in order to process applications more efficiently.
According to the Canadian government, most of the new applications for Express Entry immigration to Canada will be processed within about six months.
What Is Express Entry?
Express Entry is a management system for efficiently processing the applications of skilled foreign workers for immigration to Canada through specific Canadian immigration programs.
A skilled immigrant who satisfies the eligibility requirements for the Federal Skilled Worker Program, Federal Skilled Trades Program or Canadian Experience Class Program may file an online Express Entry profile.
Foreign workers who want to live and work in a particular province or territory in Canada have the option to apply for Canadian immigration through the relevant Provincial Nominee Program either using the Express Entry system or the traditional application procedure.
If a foreign worker wishes to live and work in the mostly French-speaking province of Quebec, he or she would not apply for Express Entry, but rather for the Quebec Regular Skilled Worker Program or another program designed to bring foreign workers to Quebec.
How to Apply
In general, a skilled foreign worker will need to figure out whether he or she meets the eligibility requirements for one of the Canadian immigration programs that qualifies for Express Entry.
The applicant will normally need to get a certain score on an approved language evaluation exam, such as the IELTS for English or the TEF for French, since the exam scores will be requested when filing the online Express Entry profile.
Skilled immigrants who will apply for Express Entry to Canada through the Federal Skilled Worker Program must also receive an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) from an authorized provider which evaluates how their education obtained outside of Canada compares to an education received inside Canada.
After the Express Entry profile is filed online, it will be reviewed by an official of the Canadian immigration agency.
If the official of the Canadian immigration agency determines that the skilled immigrant appears to be eligible for a program that qualifies for Express Entry, the applicant’s profile will be placed in the Express Entry pool of candidates for up to 12 months.
The skilled immigrants will also be given a score on the Express Entry Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS).
Canadian Permanent Residency
In order to receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for Canadian permanent residency, a candidate in the Express Entry pool must have one of the highest CRS scores or receive a qualifying offer of employment in Canada or be given a nomination for a Provincial Nominee Program.
Once the ITA is issued, the skilled immigrant will have up to 60 days to correctly file the Application for Canadian Permanent Residency and a decision will usually be received within six months.
An applicant who is approved for Express Entry to Canada will receive a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR), which is one of the documents that he or she will show to the Canadian immigration officials at the port of entry (usually a Canadian international airport).
The benefits of becoming a Canadian permanent resident include being able to legally live, study and work in Canada long-term; the opportunity to buy a home and start a business; receiving public healthcare; accessing education programs in Canada; sponsoring eligible family members for a Canadian visa; and applying to become a citizen of Canada once the criteria are satisfied.
The first step of the process is to learn if you are likely to meet the eligibility requirements to begin the Express Entry process.
Canadian Visa Expert collaborates with three authorized immigration consultants with over 10 years of experience who can provide you with an Eligibility Evaluation and guide you through the Express Entry process if you qualify.
Would you like to immigrate to Canada as soon as possible through Express Entry?
DISCLAIMER: This guide is not and shall not be considered as professional or expert advice.