Express Entry is a system to organize and process applications for people who wish to immigrate to Canada and acquire Canadian permanent residence. Express Entry is used to process the majority of Canadian immigration applications for skilled and qualified workers who want to come to Canada.

Express Entry is an application management system for three major Canadian economic immigration programs:

1. Federal Skilled Worker (FSW)
2. Federal Skilled Trades (FST)
3. Canadian Experience Class (CEC)

If you are eligible to apply to any of these programs, you can submit an Expression of Interest (EOI), often referred to as a profile, to the Express Entry system. Once your profile is submitted, you are automatically assigned a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score.

For economic class immigration “Express Entry” is Canada’s immigration application management system. Candidates for Express Entry have to score points out of total available 1200 points under comprehensive ranking system (CRS) which is meant to approve those candidates who meet the minimum threshold set for each draw. You might also get invitation from a province and be covered under Provincial Nominee Program and get 600 points. The highest ranked candidates in the Express Entry pool will receive an “Invitation to Apply” (ITA) and he will have 60 days to complete his PR application. There is no fee to create a Express Entry Profile, but the candidate if given ITA must pay the fee when applying.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) states that 80% of applications for permanent residency submitted through Express Entry are processed within 6 months of receipt. This refers to the application submitted once an applicant receives an ITA and prepares their official application for permanent residence.

This processing time does not account for the time it takes to prepare an Express Entry profile, apply for and receive a provincial nomination (if applicable), or receive an Invitation to Apply for Permanent Residence through an Express Entry draw.

The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS 1200 Points)

• Human Capital Factors which include age, education, language and Canadian work experience has 500 points.
• Skill Transferability which is based on mix of foreign qualifications, work experience, education and language ability has 100 points.
• Provincial Nomination gives you 600 points.
• Arranged Employment depending upon the OO or O, A, B NOC gives you 200 or 50 points.
• Language Test Equivalency

How To Proceed

You need to create a candidate profile online. Profiles will remain in the candidate pool for up to one year and will exit if no selection is made. You can update your profile any time during the year, for example, if you got a new diploma or degree or you have improved your EILTS scores, the same can be updated any time during the year. Your points will be decreased automatically on your birth date as per the age point chart.

If you do not have secured job offer you must register yourself with the Canada Job Bank. It is always better to promote yourself to prospective employers so as to increase your chances of being invited for a job.

Draws normally takes every few weeks. Once selected, you will receive an “Invitation to Apply” for Permanent Residence. You will have 60 days in order to provide all the necessary information and documentation so that you’re your application is finally processed for PR.

Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), approximately takes six month to complete the process. This time varies as it depends upon the pending cases and the normal work load.