Express Entry is the fastest and most popular pathway for newcomers seeking a new life in Canada. Express Entry organizes and processes applications for people who wish to immigrate to Canada and acquire Canadian permanent residence.
It is an application process for skilled immigrants who want to settle in Canada permanently and take part in Canadian economy.
Express Entry is an online system that is used to manage applications for permanent residence from skilled workers.
The Basics of the Express Entry system and process are outlined in the steps below.
In order to be eligible to submit an application through Express Entry you need to meet the criteria of one of the four immigration programs below and be able to show the minimum amount of required settlement funds for your family size. Check your eligibility below:
If you qualify under Step1, you will have to write an approved language test and obtain an educational credential assessment. Be sure to have your credentials assessed by one of the agencies recognized by Immigration, Citizenship and Refugees Canada. Read below for details
For Express Entry applications, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada will only accept the General Training IELTS and the CELPIP-General Test for an English test. For those who speak French, they will only accept the TEF Canada: Test d’évaluation de français or the TCF Canada: Test de connaissance du français.
You can now earn up to 50 additional points for strong French language skills (even if French is your second language).
If you completed your education with a non-Canadian educational institution, you will need to have your qualifications assessed by a recognized organization to show that they are equivalent to a Canadian qualification. There are seven different organizations that you can use as follows:
Once you have the documents required to enter the Express Entry system, create your Express Entry Profile online. If you qualify you will receive a message that you have met the criteria and will receive a Job Seeker code and Profile code number. If you did not meet the criteria you will receive a message stating that you are ineligible.
At this stage you will also be issued your Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score based on the information you have entered. This is the score that will be used when Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) selects people from the Express Entry Pool.
Check your CRS Score.After you have been entered into the Express Entry Pool you wait to be selected based on your Comprehensive Ranking System Score. While you are in the pool, you can improve your score and increase your chances of being invited to apply by:
Canadian Province or Territory CRS Scores
If you are selected by a Canadian Province or Territory 600 points will be added to your CRS score.
Just remember, you will be required to work and live in the province that has nominated you so ensure you are willing to comply with these requirements before applying to a province.
Keep your profile up-to-date
You must make sure that the information in your profile stays true and accurate at all times. You must update your profile if your situation changes, for example if you:
If you receive an invitation to apply you must submit your application for permanent residence within 60 days.If we invite you to apply, you’ll need to upload copies of the documents you used for your profile. Most applicants will also need to upload the following:
You only need to submit the following documents if these are included in your personalized checklist: proof of relationship to a relative in Canada
Once you have submitted your application, you will be sent a message later on to request that you complete biometrics at your closest visa application centre. Once you receive your biometrics letter you will have 30 days to complete the biometrics. The full processing time for applications submitted via the Express Entry system is 6 months from the day of submission. After six months you will be notified if your application was approved or rejected.
This table show the minimum amount you need to immigrate to Canada. If you have more money, you should list the full amount in your profile or application.
Number of family members | Funds required (in Canadian dollars) |
---|---|
1 | $13,213 |
2 | $16,449 |
3 | $20,222 |
4 | $24,553 |
5 | $27,847 |
6 | $31,407 |
7 | $34,967 |
For each additional family member | $3,560 |