What is Express Entry?
The Government of Canada launched Canadian Express Entry in 2015 as an alternative for granting skilled foreign immigrants ‘express entry’ into the country. Express Entry provides speedily permanent residency applications to qualified and skilled foreign nationals interested in working in Canada. The goal of the government is to create an immigration stream to help fill up the immediate needs for opened positions in the job market.
Canadian Express Entry can be considered as economic aid to help territories and provinces in Canada thrive to meet global standards. There’s a continuous demand for recruiting highly skilled and trained professionals into the labor market. Express Entry contributes to making the recruitment process go swiftly by nominating skilled applicants based on the current labor demand of specific provinces and territories in Canada.
How does Express Entry work?
Qualifying for the Express Entry stream isn’t as far-fetched as many may assume. Applicants only need to ensure they qualify for the program by providing the necessary information online. The required fields when checking for eligibility would include work experience, language abilities, and acceptable skills. When an applicant is certain that they meet the necessary criteria for Express Entry, they can contact an SRD representative to submit the applications.
Applying adds each candidate into the pool of potential Express Entry applicants. The Government of Canada conducts the draws for choosing the most qualified applicants and sending them confirmation invites to proceed with the permanent residency applications. After the evaluation of the scores, the set of applicants with the top scores get nominated by a territory or province in Canada to become permanent residents.
People that are already employed with proof of employment have higher chances of a faster Express Entry processing for permanent residency. A formal invite for permanent residency validates a candidate’s Express Entry approval. Express Entry enables the Canadian government to handpick the best from the best for specific skills and labor market positions to boost the Canadian economy.
How many Express Entry streams are there?
Express Entry streams are the topmost applied Canada immigration options to get a secured job in Canada as a foreign immigrant. For this major reason, Express Entry has three streams specifically designed to fit a wide range of foreign nationals annually. The eligibility criteria for every stream differs with minimum score requirements on the Standard Ranking Systems.
Federal Skilled Worker
The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) requires that all permanent residency applicants meet the basic work experience, education, and language ability requirements to get approval. Candidates are expected to have worked or currently work full-time for a minimum of one year or the calculated part-time equivalent In the last ten years. All applicants under this program must have diplomas or degrees with proof of CLB 7 score in the last two years.
Federal Skilled Trader
Intending candidates must have a minimum of CLB 5 across all writing, reading, and speaking tests to qualify for the Federal Skilled Trader Program. Alongside the language tests for effective communication, all work experience requirements must be met as well. Applicants should also have at least a two-year full-time work experience across selected fields or its calculated equivalent within the last two years.
Canadian Experience Class
The Canadian Experience Class is another Express Entry stream with specified requirements from interested applicants. Candidates applying for NOC O or A jobs must plan to score at least CLB 7. While NOC B job applicants should strive to maintain a CLB 5 score in the language tests. All Canadian Experience Class applicants are required to have a minimum of 12 months of full-time work experience. The acclaimed work experience must meet the National Occupation Classification requirements for jobs across all employment levels.
Frequently asked questions
It takes about six months for a candidate’s Express Entry profile to be up and running. The processing time varies generally for applicants applying under various streams. However, applicants can expect to have a fully functional Express Entry profile in 12 months.
Before application, it is advised that Express Entry applicants provide acceptable proof of being financially capable of catering for themselves and family relatives when in Canada. Below is the listed proof of funds for the number of family members expected on each Express Entry stream;
1 Family Member – 12,960 CAD
2 Family Members – 16,135 CAD
3 Family Members – 19,836 CAD
4 Family Members – 24,083 CAD
5 Family Members – 27,315 CAD
6 Family Members – 30,806 CAD
7 Family Members – 34,299 CAD
Express Entry applicants are allowed to come along with their spouses, common-law partners, and dependent children when migrating to Canada.
Applicants that have spouses that are already permanent residents in Canada can make them their dependent sponsor while applying for Express Entry.
