Express Entry is the most popular pathway to permanent residence for immigrants seeking a new life in Canada. It is a two-step process: the first step is submitting your profile, and the second is submitting the application for permanent residence.
It is important to note that you can only move to step two, submitting your permanent residence application, after you have received an Invitation to Apply (ITA). If you do not receive an ITA, your profile will remain in the pool of other Express Entry Candidates for a maximum of 1-year. After this one-year period has elapsed, you will need to resubmit your profile.
This means that Express Entry is a highly competitive immigration pathway. Each candidate is ranked against the other, and only the best ranking candidates will receive an ITA for permanent residence. Because of this, it is important to understand whether you are eligible for this program
Who is eligible for Canadian Express Entry?
The profile of an ideal candidate for express entry would look like this:
A young professional: 20 to 29 years old, with a minimum of a Bachelor's Degree
Skilled work experience: 2-3 years of experience in their field
Moderate proficiency in English and/or French
Financially Stable: must have access to a minimum of CA$13 310 if single, CA$16 570 if with a spouse/partner.
If you meet the criteria listed above, you have a good chance of receiving an Invitation to Apply and creating a strong application for permanent residence.
Though the above paints a picture of the ideal candidate, that does not mean that someone who does not meet the above criteria will not also have a good chance of being selected. Some factors, such as age, are uncontrollable, however, if you have an excellent score on your English and/or French language test, or add more years to your work experience, you can improve your chances of success.
If you are eligible, you will be placed in one of three programs:
Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSW)
Federal Skilled Trades (FST)
Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
If you do not qualify for any of the above programs, you can submit an expression of interest to a province to see if they are willing to accept you under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).
In PNP, the provincial/territorial government will select applications that they believe are suitable to fulfill a particular demand in their province. Some will require a full-time job offer from an employer, others will not. Should you be selected by a province you will receive a 600-point boost to your express entry profile.
What does the government look at when examining Express Entry profiles?
When reviewing your profile, the government looks at the following criteria :
Age
Education
Language Ability
Work Experience
Adaptability (Relatives in Canada, Past studies in Canada, work experience in Canada, job offer in Canada)
Your profile is then assigned a CRS (Comprehensive Ranking System) score, which will determine whether you meet the cut-off for the Invitation to Apply. In the event of a tie in CRS score, the program will select candidates on a first-come-first-serve basis. This means that if you submit a completed profile in August 2022 and receive 587 points, you will be selected to apply for permanent residence before someone who submits a profile in October 2022 with an identical score of 587.
What is the maximum age to apply for Express Entry to Canada?
There is technically no maximum age to apply to immigrate to Canada through the Express Entry program. However, if you are 45 years of age or older, you will not be able to score any CRS points in the age category. The Express Entry program grants a maximum of 100 points (110 points without a spouse or partner) in the age category. To achieve the maximum points, you must be between 20 and 29 years old.
Should I enter the Express Entry pool now?
If your CRS score is below 500 points, you may be wondering if it is a good idea to apply for Express Entry and enter your profile into the pool. It is still highly recommended to apply for Express Entry even if you have a low score. Not only will this secure your place "in line" in the event of a tie, but there are always opportunities to improve your score and the possibility that you may still be issued an invite despite your score.
More importantly, entry into the express entry pool will allow your profile to be visible to participating PNP provinces. Even if you choose not to apply directly to a provincial nomination program, many of the provinces habitually scan the profiles submitted through the federal express entry program for candidates. This means that even if your score is below 500, you can still have a chance to be accepted through Express Entry.
I'm interested in applying for Express Entry. What should I do?
When applying for express entry it is very important that you complete your application correctly. Though the profile may seem easy, any mistakes that are not corrected before you receive an invitation to apply can have long-term implications on your permanent residence application.
To schedule a consultation to see if express entry is right for you and to receive assistance with your application, click here. During your consultation, if you have completed the free assessment, then we'll review your results together and suggest ways of improving your score. If you have difficulty completing the assessment on your own, you'll be walked through it and provided with all of the information you need about the express entry process.
Commentaires