The Express Entry program is a Canadian government initiative aimed at efficiently managing permanent residence applications from skilled workers. Established in 2015 by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the program fast-tracks the processing of applications from qualified professionals seeking to immigrate to Canada.
What is FSW & the Eligibility Criteria
The Federal Skilled Worker Program is designed for skilled foreign workers who wish to permanently immigrate to Canada. To qualify for the program, applicants must meet the following minimum requirements:
- Have at least one year of continuous full-time work experience or equivalent in part-time work in a skilled occupation within the past 10 years
- Meet the required language proficiency levels in English or French
- Hold an educational credential assessment (ECA) to prove that their foreign education is equivalent to Canadian education
- Score a minimum of 67 points based on the six selection factors: age, education, work experience, job offer, language skills, and adaptability
- Have a valid job offer from a Canadian employer (or be eligible for the Federal Skilled Trades Program or the Canadian Experience Class)
Please note that the Federal Skilled Worker Program applies to all Canadian provinces and territories except for Quebec, which has its own skilled worker program.
What is Federal Skilled Worker Program
The Federal Skilled Trades Program is designed for skilled workers who want to obtain permanent residency by being qualified in a skilled trade. To be eligible, applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Meet the required language levels
- Have at least 2 years of work experience in a skilled trade
- Meet the job requirements as set out in the National Occupational Classification
- Have a valid job offer
What is Canada Experience Class & Eligibility Criteria
The Canada Experience Class immigration program is designed for skilled workers who have Canadian work experience and want to obtain permanent residency. To be eligible, you must meet the following requirements:
- Meet the language proficiency requirements
- Have at least 1 year of skilled work experience in Canada
- Gained work experience by working in Canada while under temporary resident status with authorization to work
Additionally, applicants must also pass a medical exam and security/background checks.
How to Select
Express Entry is an online system that manages applications for permanent residence for three different immigration programs designed for skilled workers. To determine which program is the right fit for you, you should identify your National Occupation Classification (NOC) code. The NOC code represents the occupation that best matches your work experience under Canada’s official job classification system. You can find your NOC code by visiting the official government website and following the steps outlined there.
Benefits of Canada Express Entry Program
Express Entry offers expedited processing times for skilled workers looking to immigrate to Canada, with most applications being processed within six months or less.
The program offers a broad range of eligible occupations, making it more accessible to a wider range of skilled workers.
Express Entry uses a comprehensive ranking system to evaluate candidates based on a variety of factors such as age, education, language proficiency, and work experience, allowing for a fair and objective selection process.
Successful candidates through the Express Entry program receive permanent residency status, which includes access to social services, health care, and other benefits.
Canada Experience Class
This is for skilled workers who have Canadian work experience and want to get PR.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Must meet the language requirements
- Have at least 1 year of skilled work experience in Canada
- Must have gained work experience by working in Canada while under temporary resident status with authorization to work.
Federal Skilled Trades Program
This is for skilled workers who want to get PR, by being qualified in a skilled trade.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Meet the required language levels
- 2 years of work experience in a skilled trade
- Meet the job requirements as set out in the National Occupational Classification
- A valid job offer
Eligibility Criteria
The eligibility criteria section outlines the requirements that applicants must meet.
Maximum points if you are between 18-35 years.
A higher level of educational qualification means more points.
More years of work experience means more points.
Adds 10 points to the score.
You must have at least 6 bands in your IELTS equivalent to CLB 7 to be eligible to apply and score the minimum points. Higher scores mean more points.
Having close family in Canada or a spouse who is migrating with you makes for additional points.
FAQs
Canadian Government has been inviting applications for Skilled working professionals for many years now to fill in their vacancies. It officially rolled out The Express Entry System on the 31st of January, 2015. This program was developed with an intention to ease the immigration policies.
- The Federal Skilled Worker Program
- The Canadian Experience Class
- The Federal Skilled Trades Program
Potential candidates make an Expression of Interest (EOI) in coming to Canada by creating an Express Entry profile and providing information about their skills, work experience, language ability, education, and other personal information. This profile is self-declared; that is to say that the material provided by the potential candidate is based on his or her own assessment of his or her personal information.
Potential candidates who create an Express Entry profile and are eligible for one of Canada’s economic immigration programs enter the Express Entry pool. These programs are the Federal Skilled Worker Class, the Federal Skilled Trades Class, the Canadian Experience Class, and a portion of the Provincial Nominee Programs. The federal government and provincial governments, as well as Canadian employers, are able to select candidates from this pool. Candidates who are selected then receive an ‘Invitation to Apply’ (ITA) for immigration to Canada under one of the programs.
- Keep a broad perspective
- Get a provincial nomination
- Get a job offer
- Hire an employment professional
- Boost your education
- Increase your work experience
- Improve your language skills