Express Entry is the most popular immigration system offering Canadian permanent residence, introduced by the federal government in January 2015 to replace the old “first come, first served” process.Basically, Express Entry is an online system used to manage applications for skilled workers who want to become permanent residents of Canada. It allows eligible candidates to submit a profile to the government of Canada. Top-ranked immigration candidates are then invited to submit an application for permanent residence.

What is express Entry and how does it work?
Express Entry is not an immigration program in itself, it is actually an online system created to manage Canada’s immigration applications intake.
Applicants who meet eligibility criteria submit an online profile under one of 3 federal Canada immigration programs or a participating provincial immigration program, to the Express Entry Pool.
Candidates’ profiles are ranked against each other according to a points-based system called the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). The highest ranked candidates will be considered for an invitation to apply (ITA) for permanent residence. Those receiving an ITA must quickly submit a full application and pay processing fees, within a delay of 60- days. The federal government aims to process complete PR applications in only 6 months. Express Entry is a management system to manage economic immigration intake. It is not an immigration program in itself, but a method for selecting the best candidates for Canada’s existing skilled worker immigration programs.

Which Program are covered by Express Entry?

- Federal Skilled Worker Program
- Federal Skilled Trades Program
- Canadian Experience Class

Candidates submit a self –assessed profile online to the Express Entry Pool which is scored using a Comprehensive Ranking System.Points are scored based on core factors such as age, education, work experience and language ability.
Significant points are also available for a secured qualified job offer and a provincial nomination.The top scoring candidates are issued Invitations to apply for permanent residence via periodic immigration draws, usually every two weeks. Once issued a coveted ITA, the candidate has 60 days to perfect their application for permanent residence to one of the programs above.If they fail to make the 60-day deadline, the ITA becomes invalid.The target processing time for applications received via Express Entry is six months, which is achieved 85 per cent of the time.

Why did Canada launch Express Entry?
Canada launched Express Entry in 2015 in order to move from a first-come, first-served immigration system to one that selected candidates with the best chance of economic success.
Express Entry is considered as an example to the world of how to run a fluid and flexible economic immigration system.With simple changes to the Comprehensive Ranking System, the Canadian government can use immigration to respond to economic and labour market changes.Since 2015, two major tweaks to the CRS have taken place.
In November 2016, the system was tweaked to reduce points for a job offer and introduce points for a Canadian education.In June 2016, a further change saw extra points for advanced French language ability and for having a sibling in Canada.Previously, such changes would have meant getting acts through parliament and navigating significant red tape.Now, the government has the ability to easily tweak the system in response to demand.

What are some advantages of Express Entry?
1- Ability to alter the program quickly and efficiently based on Canada’s economy.
2- Better aligns Canada’s immigration intake with labour market requirements.
3- Candidates can improve their scores whilst in the pool, meaning they can work towards achieving an Invitation to Apply.
4- Offers a clear and realistic picture of a candidate’s Canada immigration prospects.
5- Dramatically reduced processing times by prioritizing those more likely to be successful.
6- Gives government flexibility on immigration through CRS changes and program-specific draws.

Does Express Entry apply to Quebec?
Express Entry does not apply to Quebec, but the French-speaking province is about to launch its own version of the system.Quebec Expression of interest ARRIMA started from August 2018 and is operate similarly to Express Entry.The highest-scoring candidates from an Expression of Interest Bank will be invited to apply for a Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ).

In order to qualify as a federal Skilled Worker, you need to meet all of the following criteria:
- One year of full time work experience in a qualifying occupation
- Are able to achieve 67 points or higher based on the assessing criteria (age, education, language skills, work experience, adaptability)
- Have written and passed an approved English Language test and have achieved a CLB 7 or higher in all sections
- Have a valid educational credential assessment
- Have the required amount of settlement funds based on your family size

Interested candidates: Find out whether you qualify to Canada by completing our free online evaluation. We will provide you with our evaluation within 1-2 business days.

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