Federal Skilled Worker
Express Entry manages applications for permanent residence under these federal economic immigration programs:
Immigration Services
- Federal Skilled Worker Program,
- Federal Skilled Trades Program
- Canadian Experience Class.
Provinces and territories are also able to recruit candidates from the Express Entry Entry system through their Provincial Nominee Programs to meet local labour market needs.
The Express Entry System Has Two Steps:
STEP 1:
Potential candidates complete an online EXPRESS ENTRY PROFILE
Potential candidates complete a secure online Express Entry profile. This form is used to provide information about their:
Skills,
Work Experience,
Language Ability (English or French),
Education,
and other details that help Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) assess eligibility.
Those who meet the criteria of one of the federal immigration programs listed above will be accepted into a pool of candidates
STEP 2:
High-ranking candidates in the pool will be invited to apply for permanent residence
Candidates are ranked against others in the pool using a point-based system called the:
Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS)
Points are awarded using the information in their profile.
Candidates with the highest scores in the pool may be issued an Invitation to Apply (ITA) through regular or category-based draws.
Candidates may be awarded points for:
A job offer (where applicable), and/or
A nomination from a province or territory, and/or
Skills and experience factors.
A candidate can get additional points for:
A valid job offer supported by a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), where applicable
A nomination by a province or territory
These additional points can increase a candidate’s CRS score and improve their chances of being invited to apply in the next eligible draw of candidates.
If someone is invited to apply, they will have 60 days to submit an online application for permanent residence.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) aims to process the majority of complete applications (meaning those with all the necessary supporting documents) in approximately six months, although processing times may vary.
Candidates can stay in the pool for up to 12 months. If they do not get an Invitation to Apply for permanent residence within 12 months of submitting an Express Entry profile, they may submit a new profile. If they still meet the criteria, they can re-enter the pool. This helps maintain efficient processing and reduces backlogs.
