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Express Entry is a method of applying for immigration to Canada and not an application category in itself. For Express Entry in Canada, instead of filing and sending across an immigration application to the pertinent immigration office, prospective applicants are first required to enter into a pool of probable aspirants and then wait for an “Invitation to Apply”. An ITA from the Canadian government is required, prior to submitting their main application. This Express Entry system in Canada allows the immigration authorities to streamline and handle the course of new applications without leading to a backlog, and to facilitate the smooth processing of the selected cases in a timely fashion. Some applicants may have questions about the Express Entry application process and therefore, it is best to hire an immigration lawyer in Toronto. Our lawyer can answer all your questions as well as guide you during the process of immigration.
Express Entry is a class of Canadian immigration programs and is comprised of the following streams:
- Federal Skilled Worker Class
- Federal Skilled Trades Class
- Canadian Experience Class
- Provincial Nominee Programs
People that meet the criteria for one of the above-mentioned programs are free to apply to be pitched into a pool of candidates through Express Entry. In this system, the Canadian Government, the provincial and regional governments, and the employers in Canada generally choose people from the pool who satisfactorily meet the requirements of the local Canadian labour market. Your Express Entry lawyer can help you create your profile in a way that helps you quickly qualify through all of the rounds of evaluation.
The authorities have not set a restriction on the number of applicants who would want to enter the Express Entry visa pool. The selection pool has a variety of applicants with a diverse range of skill sets and work experience, and the employers, provinces, and territories can then choose the ones that fit the bill. But the total number of applicants that receive an ‘Invitation to Apply’ (ITA) for permanent residence will depend on the Annual Immigration Levels Plan. Applicants can discuss with their Express Entry lawyer, the details of Express Entry in Canada.
Express Entry is intended to build an inventory of high-calibre applicants that Canadian employers will want to consider when they won’t be able to find Canadians or permanent residents to fill those particular job openings.
Under Express Entry, candidates are provided with ample extra points to be graded sufficiently high so that they are invited to apply in qualified draws of candidates. Authorities conduct draws from the Express Entry pool from time-to-time and the guidelines for each draw are posted on the Canadian Immigration website.
As per the immigration regulations, employers in Canada need to first try their best to find a local Canadian candidate or someone who is at least a permanent resident to fill the vacant job opportunities. Worthy companies that can’t find either of the above for a permanent job role will then choose from contenders in the pool who fit their requirements. An immigration lawyer in Toronto is well-versed with the entire Express Entry system, step-by-step, and can help his or her clients in their immigration process.
In order to qualify for the pool, Express Entry entrants must have skilled work experience under the National Occupational Code (NOC). Jobs offered to candidates in the pool must be in one of these categories. Applicants will have to meet the basic language requirements. After prospective immigrants enter the pool, the immigration authorities will use a Comprehensive Ranking System to evaluate and mark Express Entry candidates.
The application factors that are evaluated by the immigration authorities are skills, work experience, language ability, and educational background. All of this information is provided in a candidate’s profile with legitimate proof. Then the authorities will score the applicant’s profile and rank them amongst the candidates in the Express Entry pool, at any point in time. The rank of an applicant is subject to change, on a regular basis, whereas their score will vary only if the profile information is updated.
Applicants with the maximum scores in the pool will receive an “Invitation to Apply (ITA)” for permanent residence. It is important to note that admission into the Express Entry pool does not promise an ITA for permanent residence. Even when an applicant has an ITA, the candidate would still be required to fulfill the eligibility criteria under Canada’s immigration law.
Once a candidate has an ITA, the candidate will have 60 days to submit an application for permanent residence, online, under one of the four immigration programs listed under Express Entry. The ITA will direct the applicant to the program under which they have to apply.
Commonly Asked Questions on Express Entry
- Can I apply via the Express Entry program if I want a PR for Quebec?
A: No, you can’t apply via the Express Entry program because Quebec as a province has its own program for PR, which is based on a different selection parameter altogether.
- Is it possible for someone to have more than one Express Entry profile?
A: No, an applicant must have only one Express Entry profile, which is used to evaluate their admissibility for all three segments. You are not allowed to create multiple profiles and, even if you do, it won’t increase the odds of getting an Invitation to Apply.
- Do residents of English or French-speaking countries still need to fulfill the language ability parameters?
A: Yes, no one from outside of Canada is treated as an exception. Every aspirant has to take a standard third-party language test and submit the test results. The immigration authorities acknowledge English tests such as CELPIP-General and IELTS. For the French language, the recognized test is the TEF.
- Can an Express Entry profile be updated after it’s submitted?
A: It depends. If the immigration authorities find you unqualified, you will be required to resubmit your profile, and if you qualify straightaway, you will be allowed to simply update your profile digitally.
- Do Express Entry profiles expire?
A: Yes, Express Entry profiles expire if the applicant does not receive an Invitation to Apply within a year.
- Why should I hire an immigration lawyer in Toronto to represent me?
A: Ronen Kurzfeld and his legal team are well-experienced with the Express Entry program and are always updated on the recent legislative and policy developments. It is good to have professional legal assistance with this process, which can be overwhelming sometimes.
For further information regarding the procedures please contact us.
