What is Express Entry System?
Express Entry is an online point system used by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada to select candidates from the pool and send them an invitation to apply for Permanent Residence.The Express Entry system groups individuals who want to immigrate to Canada under the economic class. These individuals are expected to economically establish themselves in Canada and help recover the local economy and labour force. To receive an invitation, candidates must create an Express Entry profile and receive a CRS score. However, it score depends on different factors, such their age, education, language skills, and work experience, among others.The Express Entry System and the CRS Score
The first step to qualifying for the Express Entry system is assessing their eligibility and creating a profile in the pool. Once the profile is complete, IRCC will give the candidate a score. After that, candidates with higher scores receive invitations to apply every two weeks.Once a candidate receives an ITA, they have 60 days to submit their complete application for permanent residence.So, how does the CRS score for Express Entry work?
Essentially, a candidate receives points based on their:- Age
- language proficiency
- level of education
- work experience
- Adaptability factors, such as having a sibling in Canada
Programs under the Express Entry System
There are three programs under the Express Entry system:- Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
- Federal Skilled Worker (FSW)
- Federal Skilled Trades (FST)
What Programs are Part of Express Entry?
Express Entry has three separate programs designed for skilled candidates with different work experience, language and education requirements and NOC skills codes.Federal Skilled Worker Program
The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) focuses on international skilled workers with experience in occupations under National Occupational Classification skill codes A, B or 0. To qualify, individuals must meet the following criteria:- Have at least one year of full-time work experience over the previous ten years.
- Have a Language score of at least CLB7 Canadian Language Benchmark in English or French.
- Hold a Canadian educational credential or an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report for their international education.
- Prove enough savings to support themselves and their families in Canada.
- After meeting the criteria, create their profile to receive their CRS score under the Express Entry system.
Federal Skilled Trades Program
The Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) is for international workers who have experience in skilled trades. The eligibility criteria for this program is:- Prospects must have two years of full-time trade work experience or prove they have equivalent part-time work in the past five years.
- Candidates must have a full-time job offer or a certificate of qualification from Canada.
- Meet a language score of 4 for reading and writing and 5 for speaking and listening.
- Create their Express Entry profile to receive their CRS score.
Canadian Experience Class
The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) targets candidates who already live and work in Canada. To qualify, individuals must:- Have at least one year of full skilled Canadian work experience in the past three years.
- Language skills vary based according to the NOC classification. Candidates with a profession under NOC 0 or A must obtain a CLB of 7. Those candidates under a NOC B, need a CLB 5.
- Prospects must plan to live outside of Quebec.
- Complete their profile to receive their CRS score for the Express entry system.