What is the Express Entry System?

Express Entry

Starting January 2015, skilled foreign workers will have access to Express Entry – a new electronic application management system – which will apply to Canada’s key economic immigration programs:

• Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP);
• Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP);
• Canadian Experience Class (CEC; and,
• A portion of the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP).

For prospective skilled foreign workers, Express Entry will result in faster processing times.

Express Entry will also make it easier for candidates to secure a job before they arrive, by facilitating matches with Canadian employers. Candidates who have a Job Bank profile will be matched with employers that, in most cases, have made significant and unsuccessful efforts to find Canadian citizens or permanent residents to fill their vacancies.

Moving away from the old system

• First applicant in, first to be processed
• Average of 12-14 months or longer to process a permanent residence application

Moving forward

• Candidates who are most likely to succeed in Canada, rather than the first in line, will receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence.
• Express Entry candidates will benefit from processing times of six months or less .

With Express Entry …

• Province/Territories will be able to use the Express Entry pool to find candidates for their Provincial Nominee Programs.
• Canadian employers will have a greater and more direct role in economic immigration. Candidates in the Express Entry pool will have the opportunity to increase their chances of being invited to apply by promoting themselves directly to employers.
• The Government of Canada’s new and improved Job Bank will help connect Express Entry candidates with Canadian employers (if there are no Canadians or permanent residents available to do the job), making economic integration faster once immigrants arrive in Canada

THE NEW TWO-STEP APPLICATION PROCESS

Step 1: Online Express Entry Profile

Potential candidates express their interest in coming to Canada by creating an Express Entry profile and providing information about their skills, work experience, language ability, education and other details.

To qualify for the Express Entry pool, potential candidates must meet the criteria of at least ONE of three federal economic immigration programs:
1. Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
2. Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)
3. Canadian Experience Class (CEC)

Candidates will need to register with Job Bank if they do not already have a Canadian job offer or a Provincial/Territorial nomination.
Job Bank will help match candidates with Canadian employers and jobs based on their skills, knowledge and experience.
Candidates will be given a score to determine their place in the pool using a Comprehensive Ranking System, which will consider skills, work experience, language ability, education and other factors that we know contribute to economic success for immigrants once in Canada.
Candidates can also promote themselves and signal their presence in the Express Entry pool to employers, recruiters, private sector job boards, etc.
While in the pool, candidates will be required to update their profile to reflect changes in status, e.g. language, education, family composition, etc.

Step 2: Invitation to Apply (ITA)

An Express Entry candidate can receive an Invitation to Apply if they:
• Have a valid job offer from a Canadian employer (subject to the Labour Market Impact Assessment in place at that time);
• Are nominated by a province or territory; or,
• Are among the top ranked in the Express Entry pool based on their skills, education and experience.
Candidates who receive an Invitation to Apply will have 60 days to submit an online application for permanent residence in one of the following programs:
• Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP);
• Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP);
• Canadian Experience Class (CEC; or,
• A portion of the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).
CIC will process the majority of complete applications received within six months or less.

Additional points

• As part of their Express Entry profile, candidates must submit valid language test results and Educational Credential Assessments (if their education was completed outside of Canada and they wish to receive points towards their Express Entry score).
• Express Entry profiles will be valid for one year. Candidates who do not receive an Invitation to Apply for permanent residence after 12 months can resubmit their profile and re-enter the pool if they still meet the criteria.
• Express Entry will be launched in January 2015.

o At that time, the modernized Job Bank will be accessible to Express Entry candidates.