Understanding Canada's Express Entry Immigration Program

A new way to get entry to Canada will be launched in January 2015. Dubbed “Express Entry,” this new immigration system targets open jobs to qualified immigrants on skills not readily available in the coming year.

In the system formerly referred to as Expression of Interest, government and employers get to choose immigrants based on skills and attributes needed in Canada. Prospective immigrants can apply by answering a series of questions about professional and language skills,  work experience, education background, and so on, in the Express Entry profile. The system would then match the responses with labor requirements as identified by employers and Canadian provinces.

Anyone accepted into the Entry Express pool could qualify for a permanent residence. Those invited will have 60 days to complete an online application for permanent residence.

• the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP),
• the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP), or
• the Canadian Experience Class (CEC).

A Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) is a points-based system that will be used to assess and score a candidate’s profile to rank them in the Express Entry pool. Citizenship and Immigration Canada will select the highest ranking candidates from the pool through “draws” performed regularly.

One goal of Express Entry is to ensure links between economic immigration and the status of Canadian labor market. For such reson, candidates with highest qualifications and have job offers will get enough points and ranked high enough to get an invitation to apply.

For employers to submit vacancies offer successfully, jobs must be supported by a Labour Market Impact Assessment which ensures Canadian citizens are sought first to fill these jobs.

A similar procedure exists for a province or territory which will give additional points for candidates to rank high enough to be eligible draw of candidates.

All Express Entry candidates will be given a score out of 1,200, based on the four parts of the Comprehensive Ranking System formula:

• Skills and experience factors (that we know are key to economic success for immigrants once in Canada)
• Spouse or common-law partner factors (such as their language skills and education – these are known to result in better economic success for both the spouse or common-law partner and the candidate)
• Skills transferability (including education and work experience – factors that when combined, result in better chances of being employed, and higher earnings)
• Additional points for those with a nomination from a province or territory or a valid job offer

How to apply

1. Get a language test. CIC will use results to check whether you are eligible to immigrate to Canada under any of the federal programs that are covered by the Express Entry program.
2. If you were educated outside Canada, you may need to prepare your educational credentials assessed to match with Canadian education standards.
3. Check if the skill type of your job experience is in or, if different, part of your planned job in Canada by referring to Canada job classification system.

You may not need assessment if you have at least one year of recent work experience in Canada or your work experience is part of a skilled trade.

Checking your skill
Refer to National Occupational Classification website.

1. Search your job title.
2. Find the closest match in the list.
3. Make sure the main duties listed match what you did at your job (if they don’t you will need to find a different job title with duties that match yours).
4. Write down the numeric code and job title (example: 7253 Gas fitters).
5. Write down the skill level or type according to the lists below.
   • If your four-digit code begins with “0” (example: 0211), your job is NOC Skill Type 0.
   • If your four-digit code begins with any of these: 11, 21, 30, 31, 40, 41, or 51, your job is NOC Skill Level A.
   • If your four-digit code begins with any of these: 12, 13, 22, 32, 42, 43, 52, 62, 63,72, 73, 82 or 92, your job is NOC Skill Level B.
     This job code is referred to as your “NOC code” in the Express Entry profile.