This year, the Maple Leaf Country (or at least it is expected) will break all its immigration records, thanks to the Express Entry Program that has already started accepting applications. The set target is to attract as many as 285,000 new permanent residents.
For the prospective immigrants, who wish to live their Canada Immigration dreams, Express Entry is one of the lifetime opportunities. The program is launched with the aim of meeting the country’s specific economic and labor market needs. Efforts will be made to attract skilled immigrants under various economic immigration programs providing rewarding and well-paying employment opportunities to the concerned parties.
About the Program
Introduced on the lines of the SkilleSelect of Australia and a similar visa and immigration program being run and managed in New Zealand, Express Entry is one of the fastest and the quickest electronic systems used by the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), to select eligible applicants using the following economic programs:
- Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
- Federal Skilled Trades Program(FSTP)
- Canadian Experience Class(CES)
- certain portion of the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs)
The key motive behind the launch of the program is to make Canada immigration more competitive on the world map and attract finest talents, from throughout the world, much more easily and swiftly.
As per the records, Chris Alexander, Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration Minister, has a quite positive outlook and is hopeful that as the Express Entry Program becomes effective, the Canadian Government will be able to build strong and proven record of helping immigrants succeed, simultaneously helping the national economy thrive.
How the Program Works
Potential applicants will create an online profile, and will be duly assessed on the basis of their experience, language proficiency, qualifications, and other factors that may help them in meeting the economic and labor market demands. Each eligible applicant–ranked as per the Comprehensive Ranking system–will enter the same Express Entry Pool and may score as many as 12, 00 points.
Candidates–without a job offer from a Canadian employer or a provincial nomination–may register themselves with the nation’s job bank which will help them to connect with the suitable employers. At later stage, Canadian employers, in coordination with the government and provinces, analyze the profiles of the applicants. Employers may directly connect with the applicants.
Selected aspirants will receive an invitation to apply, and will have maximum a of two months to claim the much sought after Permanent Residence (PR) status in the nation. The complete processing period will be no more than six months making the system one of the fastest systems in the history of Canada immigration.
No eligible occupation list
Unlike many of the economic programs, Express Entry is free of occupation list. As per some reports, the CIC has stated that the program will not include a list if occupation. Instead applicants will have to demonstrate they have an experience of one year in a skilled occupation in the last 10 years. Jobs in the Maple Leaf Country are classified under the National Occupational Classification (NOC) codes.
All those applicants, who dream of Canada Immigration under Express Entry, should take the following measures:
- Prepare for language proficiency, test such as International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or Test d’évaluation du français (TEF), Test de connaissance du français (TCF) and Diplôme d’Études en Langue Française (DELF) for French.
- Get their credentials duly assessed as per the Canadian standards.
- Know well what a Comprehensive Ranking System is and use the CRS calculator tool.
- Take medical precautionary measures and should not have any criminal records.
It is expected that the first draw will take place by the end of January, and it is advised to claim the PR as the earliest, as failing to do so the applicant will not be able to enter the Express Entry Pool for the next 12 months.
