Express Entry is the fastest and most popular pathway to permanent residence for immigrants seeking a new life in Canada.
Canada welcomes around 110,000 skilled workers through the Express Entry system each year.
What is Express Entry?
Express Entry is an online system used by the Canadian government to organize and process applications for skilled workers who want to immigrate to Canada and acquire Canadian permanent residence status. The system manages three main federal economic programs:
- Federal Skilled Worker (FSW)
- Federal Skilled Trades (FST)
- Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
How can I apply for Express Entry?
Applying to Express Entry is a two-step process. The first task is to submit your profile which requires the following documents:
- Language test results
- Educational credential assessment report
- A passport or travel document
After you submit your profile and you receive an invitation to apply for Canadian permanent residence, you will have to provide a more substantial application that includes reference letters, additional identity documents, police clearance certificates, and results of a medical examination.
Who is eligible for Express Entry?
Individuals with college degrees, skilled work experience, and moderate proficiency in English and/or French are ideal Express Entry candidates.
To be able to submit a profile through the Express Entry system, candidates must also meet the eligibility requirements for the three federal programs:
- Federal Skilled Worker (FSW)
- Federal Skilled Trades (FST)
- Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
An effective way to determine if you are eligible is to apply our free online assessment tool.
What are the requirements for Express Entry?
In general, to be eligible to apply to Express Entry as a skilled worker, you must:
- Have more than one year, over the last 10 years of continuous full-time (or equivalent part-time) work experience in a skilled occupation
- Be capable to demonstrate on an approved language test at the very least Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) seven in either English or French
- Completed post-secondary education that is assessed against Canadian standards with an Education Credential Assessment
They are the minimum requirements to apply to Canada’s Express Entry system as a skilled worker. Meeting these requirements doesn’t mean you will receive an invitation to apply for Canadian permanent residence. Candidates with stronger profiles will be selected over candidates that simply meet the minimum requirement.
What is an Express Entry profile?
An Express Entry profile is an electronic form submitted by eligible candidates that includes personal details such as age, work experience, education, ability in French and English, family details, and ties to Canada.
Using these details, Canada ranks profiles in the Express Entry pool against one another and determines who receives an invitation.
How to create an Express Entry profile
To create an Express Entry profile, you must first create an IRCC secure account. If a representative is submitting a profile on your part, they will submit the profile through their Authorized Paid Representatives Portal.
After creating an account, you and your representative will likely need to fill out an eligibility questionnaire to determine if you qualify for an Express Entry program. For anyone who is eligible, the next thing is to fill out an online form with your information, including details on your age, work experience, education, and language test results. Once the form is submitted, the Express Entry system will automatically determine your Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score and which program you are entitled under.
What language results are required for Express Entry?
Most Express Entry programs require at the very least Canadian Language Benchmark 7 in each perhaps the French or English language exam (band 6 in each perhaps the IELTS exam).
Usually, there are some exceptions to this minimum requirement for candidates applying under the Federal Skilled Trades (FST) program or CEC applicants with a primary occupation in NOC skill type B.
How to Apply for Canada Permanent Residence
Note that you can only apply for permanent residence through Express Entry if you’ve received an invitation to apply. Click here to apply for Express Entry first.
Once you have your invitation to apply
It is important to note that your Express Entry invitation to apply is valid for 60 days only. You should start filling out the online form immediately so that you can get all the information and documents you need before your invitation expires.
Follow these steps to fill out the online form:
- Sign in to your account.
- Click the link to apply for permanent residence under Express Entry.
When filling out the form:
- Make sure you submit all of the required documents.
- All of your answers must be complete and true.
- Make sure all the mandatory fields are completed, or you won’t be able to submit your application.
- You can save your information on the form and go back as often as you need to.
