Canada has one of the most positive immigration policies in the world and welcomes more than 200,000 new immigrants each year. According to an international survey conducted recently, 53 per cent of adults in the world’s 24 leading countries said they would immigrate to Canada. While Canada offers a great choice of both Federal and Provincial immigration programs, immigration to Canada has become increasingly popular due to the main driver of the Canadian immigration system – Express Entry. Express Entry applicants receive priority processing and increased accessibility for candidates from a broader range of occupations. Without a cap on the number of applications being accepted for processing, applicants can apply to Express Entry at any time without being concerned that the program will close or fill up before their application is completed.
All immigration programs managed under the Express Entry system have different eligibility criteria. The programs are: Federal Skilled Worker, Federal Skilled Trades Program, and Canadian Experience Class. Thus ability to qualify under one of these categories is the first requirement under Express Entry.
The Express Entry involves two steps: 1. Complete an online Express Entry profile, be placed in a pool of candidates, and 2. Receive an invitation to apply for permanent residence from IRCC. Candidates in the pool are raked using a point-based system (CSR). Getting into Express Entry doesn’t guarantee an invitation to apply, since applicants have to meet all eligibility and admissibility requirements. Upon entering the pool, candidates are assigned a CRS score based on factors including education, work experience, language ability, and other criteria. The highest-ranking candidates are regularly selected from the draw and invited to apply for permanent residence. Results and previous rounds of invitations can be found here.