Express Entry is a selection system the Canadian Government implemented to expedite the Permanent Resident visa process for various Economic Immigration Programs. It is an electronic process with online submissions which allows for quicker processing times, averaging around 6 months.
The following programs are processed by Express Entry
Federal Skilled Worker (FSW)
The Federal Skilled Worker program is part of the Economic Class and this is managed by the Express Entry program. Approximate processing times are currently 6 months once an Invitation to Apply (ITA) is received.
To be eligible to apply, you must meet the program requirements.
Federal Skilled Worker program requirements:
- Have professional work experience of at least one continuous year of full-time paid work experience or the equivalent in part-time continuous employment listed in the National Occupational Classification (O, A or B) in the last 10 years. OR Qualify for Arranged Employment In Canada with a full-time, permanent job offer from a Canadian employer along with a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) or without an LMIA if you are exempt.
- A Canadian diploma, certificate, or credential AND/OR a foreign educational credential, and an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) by an agency approved by IRCC to show it is equal to a completed Canadian secondary or post-secondary educational credential. Meet the minimum language score of CLB 7 on the Canadian Language Benchmark, or equivalent.
- Have settlement funds to support yourself and your family for six months after arrival in Canada.
Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
The Canadian Experience Class is part of the Economic Class and this is managed by the Express Entry program. Approximate processing times are currently 6 months once an Invitation to Apply (ITA) is received.
To be eligible to apply, you must meet the program requirements.
Canadian Experience Class requirements:
- Have obtained at least one year of full-time skilled, professional or technical work experience in Canada within 36 months of the application date. Self-Employment or work experience gained while being a full-time student does not count.
- The job experience is in a Managerial job (NOC skill level 0), Professional job (NOC skill type A), Technical jobs and skilled trades (NOC skill type B)
- Meet the minimum language score of CLB 5 or CLB 7 on the Canadian Language Benchmark, depending on the level of the job
- 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).
Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP)
The Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) allow Canadian provinces and territories to nominate individuals who wish to immigrate to Canada and who are interested in settling in a particular province.
Each Canadian province (except Quebec, which has a different selection system) and two territories have their own unique Provincial Nominee Programs. Participating provinces and territories sign agreements with IRCC that allow them to select immigrants who meet the requirements that they have set forth.
Provinces with PNP programs each have their own selection criteria to find immigrants with skills that the province needs which they cannot hire locally. The selection criteria and occupations vary across provinces from information technology, medical, agriculture, trades, business, investors, and people who have ties to Canada.
How does the program work?
Candidates must first be entered into the Express Entry System with their CRS score, then apply to a PNP program (which is a separate application). You will remain in the Express Entry pool for a year, or until you are selected to apply for Permanent Residence.
After the province processes your PNP application (typically 3-4 months), you will be granted 600 points to add to your Express Entry score. With these additional 600 points, you will be selected and invited to apply for PR at the very next draw, which occurs every 2 weeks.
Benefits of applying under PNP program
Once a Provincial Nominee Certificate is granted, you receive 600 point that goes towards your Express Entry score. On average, individuals without a PNP certificate will score between 300 and 500. The most recent cutoff scores to be selected for Express Entry have been in the 400 – 500 range. Individuals with a PNP Certificate automatically are granted 600 points to add to their Express Entry core of 300-500 points. The PNP certificate would give a final Express Entry score above 900 which is significantly higher than the current cutoff selection score of around 400-500 points.
Available PNP Programs:
Manitoba PNP
If you have a close relative living in the Manitoba province, you may be eligible to apply to this PNP program for having a “connection to Manitoba”. We will need to assess you to determine if you are a strong candidate, as this PNP has their own scoring and selection system similar to Express Entry. Currently, you would need a score above 530 to be a strong candidate.
New Brunswick PNP
If you have a close relative living in New Brunswick province, you may be eligible to apply for this PNP.
If you have a; brother or sister, aunt or uncle, nephew or niece, first cousin, mother or father, grandmother or grandfather living in one of these provinces, you may be eligible to apply for a PNP.
Occupation based PNP
Each province in Canada is looking for candidates with skilled job experience to fill labour shortages in their province. The list of occupations vary from province to province, depending on their needs. If you are granted a PNP nomination, you most likely will be able to find a job since you are granted a PNP for a job category where their is a shortage of your skill set.
If you have job experience in one of the categories below and you are interested in applying for Permanent Residence in Canada, please contact us for assistance. It is not a straightforward process and we can help you get PR under these PNP programs.
Federal Skilled Trades Class (FSTC)
The Federal Skilled Trade Class is part of the Economic Class and this is managed by the Express Entry program. Approximate processing times are currently 6 months once an Invitation to Apply (ITA) is received.
To be eligible to apply, you must meet the program requirements.
Federal Skilled Trades Class requirements:
- Have offers of employment from up to two employers in Canada of at least one year duration (accompanied by an LMIA) OR a Certificate of Qualification from a provincial or territorial body
- Meets the minimum language score of CLB 5 for speaking and listening, CLB 4 for reading and writing.
- Have obtained 24 months of qualified work experience in the skilled trade in the last five years
- Be qualified to meet the requirements of the job offer(s) or trade in Canada, as defined by the NOC.ent funds to support yourself and your family for six months after arrival in Canada.
These NOC B level occupations will be eligible for this program:
This amounts to a total of 90 eligible occupations. These eligible occupations fall into the following general categories:
- Industrial, electrical and construction trades
- Maintenance and equipment operation trades
- Supervisors and technical occupations in national resources, agriculture and related production
- Processing, manufacturing and utilities supervisors and central control operators
- Chefs and cooks
- Butchers and bakers