Draws for all Express Entry programs are scheduled to resume on July 6, 2022. Immigration Minister Sean Fraser announced this in an interview on 22 June 2022. He also further confirmed that Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) applicants will be eligible for an open work permit renewal of up to 18 months from Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Most of the candidates applying from outside of Canada fall under the Federal Skilled Worker Program. So it simply means many have not been able to apply for long. This news will indeed help such candidates to apply for permanent residency through FSWP.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, IRCC suspended the Federal Skilled worker program (FSWP) and Federal Skilled Trade Program (FSTP) immigration draws in December 2020. IRCC kept on issuing invitations to apply for draws for Canada Experience Program (CEC) and ProvincialNominee Program (PNP) even after that. Again in September, IRCC also stopped issuing draws for CEC and only continued for PNP draws.
The immigration minister had already confirmed that IRCC is on track to normalize Express Entry draws in early July. IRCC made the commitment in April and also pledged to get the Express Entry service standard back to six months when the all-program draws resume.
Express Entry admissions are expected to grow over the next two years, according to the Immigration Levels Program 2022-2024, with IRCC hoping to accommodate more than 110,000 immigrants through Express Entry by 2024.
Canadian immigration department IRCC has updated the proof of funds requirements. These new requirements will be implemented from June 9, 2022. The changes have been made to the “Federal Skilled Worker Program” and “Federal Skilled Trades Program”. The candidates who have already applied should update these changes by 8 June 2022.
How the candidates are selected for the Express Entry stream?
IRCC ranks candidates in the Express Entry pool using a points-based system called the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). The candidates are selected on the highest ranking from the pool and are invited to apply for permanent residence.
How Express Entry System Works?
Express Entry is an online application management system that aims to ensure faster processing and better economic outcomes for permanent residency in Canada under federal and some provincial programs. The process of the Express Entry System works generally as under:
- Create an Express Entry profile
- Get the Registration done
- Obtain an ITA (invitation to apply for PR)
- Apply for permanent residence
- Get the PR or additionally work permit during your application is being processed
- Move to Canada
The program in total deals with the following three programs:
- The Canadian Experience Class CEC ((IRCC has not invited CEC candidates to apply for permanent residence since September 2021)
- The Federal Skilled Trade Program (FSTP)
- Federal Skilled Worker Program FWSP (IRCC has not invited FSWP candidates to apply for permanent residence since December 2020)
- Federal Skilled Trade Program
Canadian “Express Entry Program” is the biggest pathway for permanent residency in the country. It is the official authority’s online system that handles potential immigrant applications for Canada’s permanent residence. To apply for permanent resident status, potential immigrants should calculate their scores and check their eligibility. The express entry system is an online system that is used to manage applications for permanent residence for professionals (skilled workers).
As soon as the applicant creates a profile in the Express Entry System, it will be checked during the same calendar year to receive an invitation to apply. When an individual is invited by the authorities to get permanent residence, he is required to submit all the documents within ninety days.
It is highly recommended that the government prepare documents during the scrutiny so that there is enough time to receive an invitation to apply. In case of non-receipt of invitation to apply within one year, the candidate’s profile will be closed and a new account will be created in express, express entry for re-examination. Interestingly, immigrants can create a profile for free, however, there is a government fee to apply for PR.
The Government of Canada introduced the Express Entry System, a new electronic immigration program offering skilled and eligible immigrants on January 1, 2015. Express Entry is the most famous route to immigrate to Canada, especially for skilled workers. Express Entry Program handles applications for permanent residency for immigrants who are able to fill jobs where Canadians are not skilled. It allows Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) to review, recruit, and select immigrants with relevant qualifications for the “Federal Economic Immigration” programs. The applicant will need to check academic documents for any degree, diploma, or certificate obtained outside of Canada. Knowledge of English or French language is also required in many cases. Canada consistently provides Express Entry draws (usually twice a month) inviting the top candidates to apply for permanent residence.
Points Grid for Express Entry (Federal Skilled Worker Program)
Above mentioned selection, factor comprises 100 total points. If a candidate scores 67 points or more, they may apply online for the selection process. The points grid can be divided for different requirements:
| Skill / Selection factors | Points (maximum) |
| Language (English and/or French | 28 |
| Education | 25 |
| Work experience | 15 |
| Age | 12 |
| Arranged employment in Canada | 10 |
| Adaptability | 10 |
Basic Conditions for Express Entry profile
If you want to live permanently in Canada and work in a skilled job, you need to read the information below carefully. The basic factors can be:
- Education
- Work experience Details about any job offer nationality
- Age
- Language
- Skills
- Family members
Skilled workers are selected based on their skills and ability to contribute to the Canadian economy. Express Entry handles applications for three immigration programs which are:
- Federal Skilled Workers Program
- Federal Skilled Trade Program
- Canadian Experience Class
Provinces and regions also recruit candidates from the Express Entry Pool through the “Provincial Nominee Program” (PNP) to meet the local needs of the labor market. If you are eligible for express entry, you will be given a detailed list of instructions for further guidance (after filling in a form for eligibility checking). This will include filling out an online profile. Based on this profile, if you meet the requirements, you will be included in the candidates for immigration, and possibly also invited to apply for immigration.
Required Documents
The major required documents are as follows:
- a valid passport or Travel document
- your language test with English or French language tests such as French Niveaux de competence linguistique Canadiens (NCLC) (with scores of NCLC 7) and/or English Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) (with scores of CLB 7)
- provincial nomination (if required)
- your sufficient funds for all expenses
- job invitation or offer from a Canadian employer in written form
- medical test
- police certificate
- clean record history
- birth certificate (in case of your declaration dependent children)
- adoption certificate(if you have adopted a child)
- death certificate (if you are a widow)
- a legal separation agreement or divorce (if declared divorce)
- marriage certificate (if married)
- common law union form (if declared your marital status as “common law”)
- representative form (in case of hiring a representative)
- your identification through your photo
- your relationship with the person in Canada
- other names to verify aliases
- authority to issue personal data to an authorized individual form
- any other information related to your case
How to submit express entry profile online
The online profile submission is possible for express entry. This profile is the place where you provide information about yourself. If you qualify, you will be placed in a pool of candidates – using a points-based system, you will be ranked in the Express Entry Pool. Your score is based on the data in your profile. The online system assists you to calculate your Comprehensive Rating System (CRS) rating. CRS is a point-based system used to consider and score your profile and rank in Express Entry Pool. It is used to consider your:
- Expertise
- Education
- Language skills
- Work experience
- Other elements (settlement in Canada)
The online express entry profile can be submitted here.
How the candidates are chosen through “Invitation to Apply” (ITA)?
The standard procedure used to issue ITA is the Comprehensive Ranking System Score. Express entry is a competitive immigration selection system and the CRS score is a points system used to rank candidates against each other. Only the most competitive candidates get ITA. The best scoring candidates in the pool are invited to apply. When you are invited to apply, you are given ninety days to post an application for permanent residence. Most completed applications are processed with all supporting files in 6 months or less.
Points Grid for Express Entry (Federal Skilled Worker Program)
Above mentioned selection, factor comprises 100 total points. If a candidate scores 67 points or more, they may apply online for the selection process. The points grid can be divided for different requirements as under:
| Skill / Selection factors | Points (maximum) |
| Language (English and/or French | 28 |
| Education | 25 |
| Work experience | 15 |
| Age | 12 |
| Arranged employment in Canada | 10 |
| Adaptability | 10 |
Complete details can be seen here.
How the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) works?
There are 10 Canadian provinces, with three territories to the north. The provinces are Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, and Saskatchewan. The three territories are Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and Yukon. PNP currently has about 80 unique streams in the participating provinces and territories.
Each province and territory has its own “streams” (immigration programs that target certain groups) and requirements. For example, in a program stream, provinces and territories may target:
- students
- business people
- skilled workers
- semi-skilled workers
The PNP works for those who:
- want to live in that province
- want to become permanent residents of Canada
- have the skills, education, and work experience to contribute to the economy of a specific province or territory
A better PNP stream related to the provincial nomination, namely Canada’s Express Entry System, will give the system a Comprehensive Rating System (CRS) score of 600 extra points. If you earn these extra points, it is practically guaranteed that you will receive an invitation from the Government of Canada to apply for permanent residency.