What is Express Entry?
Express Entry is an electronic system to manage skilled worker applications for three programs including the Canadian Experience Class (CEC). If you have lived in Canada before and gained eligible work experience here, you may be a strong candidate for the CEC. In addition, you may also be eligible for the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) and if you have a trades background, the Federal Skilled Trades Program.
If you are eligible for the CEC program or one of the other Express Entry programs, you will get a score based on the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). The CRS awards point based on skilled work experience, education, age, official language skills, and other factors.
IRCC holds regular rounds of invitation, issuing Invitations to Apply for permanent residence to the highest-scoring candidates.
After you submit, an IRCC immigration officer will make a decision on your application. If you are approved, the last step is to complete the landing process and officially immigrate to Canada.
What are the benefits of the CEC Program?
The CEC program is encouraging more temporary foreign workers and international students to build their life in Canada. Skilled workers and international students can:
- Stay, work, and live anywhere in Canada.
- Sponsor their family in Canada, their spouse can legally work anywhere in Canada.
- Apply for Canadian Citizenship after spending three years in Canada and get a Canadian Passport
- Have the same benefits as other Canadian Permanent Residents or citizens, including medical benefits
- Study in Canadian universities if they or their children choose to.
What are the requirements of CEC?
To be eligible for the CEC, applicants must:
- Have obtained at least one year of skilled, professional, or technical work experience in Canada within 36 months of the application date; and
- Meet or surpass a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) of 5 (“initial intermediate”) for NOC B jobs or CLB 7 (“adequate intermediate proficiency”), for NOC skill level 0 or A jobs.
- Plan to live and work outside of the province of Quebec (individuals with work experience in Quebec and who plan to reside in Quebec may apply to the Quebec Experience Class).
One year (or 12 months) of work experience is defined as at least 1,560 hours of skilled work in Canada. The 1,560 hours can be obtained through full-time and/or part-time work.
Applicants can remain in Canada throughout the application process. However, the Canadian Experience Class is also open to individuals who are no longer in Canada, provided that they submit their application within three years of leaving their job in Canada.
The Canadian Experience Class requirements are based on a pass or fail model. If the minimum requirements are met, the applicant is eligible to enter the Express Entry pool.
Note: Self-employment and work experience gained while you were a full-time student (for example, on a co-op work term) does not count under the CEC.
How to become a permanent residence through CEC as an International Student?
International students who go on to graduate from an eligible educational program in Canada are the main group of individuals who gain permanent residence through the CEC. Here is the most common way:
Step 1: Complete your educational program at a Canadian designated learning institution.
Step 2: Go to IRCC and apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP).
Step 3: With your PGWP, obtain at least 1,560 hours of Canadian work experience in a NOC 0, A, or B job.
Step 4: Take an English or French language test designated by IRCC and obtain the minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) requirement (a CLB 7 for NOC 0 and A work experience and CLB 5 for NOC B work experience).
Step 5: Enter the Express Entry pool. If you secure an invitation to apply, IRCC will aim to process your permanent residence application within six months.
How to become a permanent residence through CEC as a temporary foreign worker?
Temporary foreign workers can become eligible for the Canadian Experience Class program after obtaining one year of professional work experience in Canada. Here is step-by-step how to become a permanent residence as a temporary foreign worker:
Step 1: Get a Canadian work permit.
Step 2: Obtain at least 1,560 hours of Canadian work experience in a NOC 0, A, or B job.
Step 3: Take an English or French language test designated by IRCC and obtain the minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) requirement (a CLB 7 for NOC 0 and A work experience and CLB 5 for NOC B work experience).
Step 4: Enter the Express Entry pool. If you secure an invitation to apply, IRCC will aim to process your permanent residence application within six months.
Get help with your CEC application
About Canada Admission Hub
Admission Hub is one of the largest International Student Immigration Firm based in Toronto & Vancouver. Currently, it operates in the following markets: Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Philippines, China, Brazil, Mexico, Turkey, Europe, Vietnam, and India.
Our parent company CVH Immigration Ltd. Admission Hub is helping and supporting International Students around the world to Study, Work, and Immigrate to Canada. If you want to immigrate to Canada through Express Entry or another skilled worker pathway, the first step is to complete a FREE CONSULTATION with Admission Hub’s Consultant. If you are eligible for Canadian immigration, our consultant will reach out to provide you with as much assistance as possible.
Who should read this?
- You meet the criteria for the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) or Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
- You are working towards meeting the criteria for one of the aforementioned federal programs
- You want the quickest solution to making Canada your permanent home
Express Entry is a new selection process implemented in 2015 to tackle the problem of dealing with such a large amount of applicants and the amount of time it takes to filter eligible candidates. The new process allows the system to quickly select an applicant from a pool of candidates based on whichever candidates have the most points. Within 6 months or less an applicant can get a PR approval decision.
To be eligible to apply for Express Entry, you will need to meet the eligibility for the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) or Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).
Canadian Experience Class (CEC) is the most popular pathways for international students to apply for PR.
After meeting the CEC requirements, you will need to find out your EE Comprehensive Ranking System score.
Some areas of eligibility that most applicants get confused about using the CRS calculator from the CIC website:
*Level of education. (Post secondary education in Canada or Overseas count, however you may need an Education Credential Assessment to find the Canadian equivalent if you acquired your education overseas
*Overseas Work experience has to be 0, A or B and has to be consecutive term and the same position.
*Valid job offer meaning you have went through the LMIA assessment and obtained a positive result from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). This is not a preferable route as the government is trying to prevent businesses from abusing the program, the assessment is very strict and lengthy, the employers have to provide
1. The proof that the business could not find Canadian workers to fulfil the job &
2. The employer also has to create a plan to hire more Canada workers and to address the current issue.
3. Most of the cases, ESDC officers will also assess the unemployment rate in the area your business is located.
Express Entry
Step 1: Registering Come to Canada Tool and Express Entry Profile
Use the Come to Canada Tool and input some brief information about yourself to check your eligibility. At the end of the form, if you are eligible for Express Entry you will be provided a reference code.
Using the reference code you got from the Come to Canada Tool, register for an Express Entry profile. It’s free, secure and online.
You have 60 days to complete your profile upon starting. If you meet the CEC, FSW or PNP criteria you will be placed in a pool of candidates.
Express Entry points will be based on certain factors:
- age
- level of education
- official language proficiency
- Canadian work experience
- spouse or common-law partner factors
- a set of skills transferability or interaction factors that amplify the core set e.g. Canadian and foreign work experience
- additional points for those who has a provincial/territorial nomination
- valid job offer
- Canadian study experience
- Strong French language skills
- a sibling in CanadaCore Human Capital Factors (maximum 500 points) +Skill Transferability Factors (maximum 100 points) +Qualifying Job Offer or Qualifying PNP (maximum 600 points)Maximum 1200 points
Here’s a breakdown detail of all the factors:
Core Human Capital Factors
- Age (Maximum points needed)
- Level of education
- Official language proficiency
- Canadian work experience
- Spouse or common-law partner factors
Skill Transferability Factors
A set of skills transferability or interaction factors that amplify the core set e.g. Canadian and foreign work experience.
Qualifying PNP or Job Offer
Additional points for those with a provincial/territorial nomination, valid job offer, Canadian study experience, strong French language skills and/or a sibling in Canada.
CRS – Additional points (600)
Step 2: Apply for PR
At this stage you should have met the all the requirements for EE and have successfully received the invitation to apply for PR.
Upon receiving the invitation of the application for PR, you will have 90 days to apply.
You will need the following documentation to apply:
- Travel history since 18 years of age
- Criminal check from your home country
- RCMP fingerprint check
- Application form
- Job experience proof
- Education Proof
- Proof of income
- Passport copy
- Current visa copy
- Medical Examination
Note: The purpose of the application with all its accompanying documentation is to convince the officer that you meet the eligibility criteria. In order to show this, your information must be accurate and consistent. When the officer looks into your job experience, you want to be sure that your job duties correspond to the correct NOC code. The officer must be certain that you are indeed high skilled and the job description was not just copied and pasted from the ESDC website. The case officer will also most likely do an internet search to find out more about your company or school, so you want to double check everything and make sure names, phone numbers, emails and addresses are correct. (proof such as employment letter and tax filing history, these documents should also be notarized if possible.)
In Summary:
- Express Entry is the quickest way to acquire PR status if you are a skilled worker or studying to become one
- You must qualify for CEC, FSW or PNP before applying for EE
- Once you have been invited to apply for through EE, you have 90 days to apply for Permanent Residence
- Most applications will be processed in 6 months or less
- You can remain in the pool for 12 months so long as you meet the criteria for one of the federal programs
- If you are not selected within 12 months of creating your EE profile, you may submit a new profile and re-enter the pool if you are still qualified
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