Permanent Residence via Express Entry and Economic Immigration
The professionals at Castlewell Canadian Immigration Services have over a decade of experience successfully obtaining Permanent Residence for our clients via Express Entry and Canada’s many economic immigration categories. If you are seeking solutions for how to immigrate to Canada and become a Permanent Resident, contact us today!
Express Entry is a program that the Canadian government uses to manage applications for permanent residency from skilled foreign workers. It is a fast and efficient way for qualified candidates to immigrate to Canada and is one of the most popular pathways for economic immigration to Canada.
The Express Entry system was launched in January 2015 and has become the primary way that the government manages applications for permanent residency from skilled workers who wish to live and work in Canada. The system is designed to identify and select skilled workers who are likely to succeed in the Canadian labour market and contribute to Canada’s economy.
The Express Entry system works on a points-based system, and applicants are assessed based on several factors, including age, education, language proficiency, work experience, and adaptability. Candidates who score high enough in the system are then invited to apply for permanent residency.
To qualify for Express Entry, candidates must meet the eligibility requirements for one of the following federal economic immigration programs:
The Canadian Experience Class (CEC): This program is for skilled workers who have Canadian work experience and want to become permanent residents. To qualify under this category, you must possess the equivalent of at least one year of full-time skilled work experience in Canada within the last three years and have English or French language test results corresponding to the skill level of your work experience.
The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP): This program is for skilled workers with foreign work experience who want to permanently immigrate to Canada. The Federal Skilled Worker Program allows candidates that have at least one year of skilled work experience to apply for permanent residence in Canada. Applicants under this program must possess minimum levels of education, skilled work experience, and language skills. Applicants are also assessed based on their age, adaptability, and whether they have a valid job offer.
The Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP): This program is for skilled tradespeople with work experience in a skilled trade who want to immigrate to Canada permanently. Skilled workers in industries such as construction, manufacturing, agriculture, cooking and baking can be invited to work in Canada and to become permanent residents.
There are also options for candidates to be selected by Canadian provinces through a variety of Provincial Nominee Programs.
To enter the Express Entry pool, candidates must first create an online profile that includes information about their education, work experience, language proficiency, and other details. The Canadian government then uses a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) to score each candidate based on their profile. The highest-scoring candidates are invited to apply for permanent residency through regular draws from the pool.
Once a candidate has been invited to apply for permanent residency, they will have 60 days to submit a complete application, including supporting documents. The Canadian government aims to process applications within six months.
It is important to note that being invited to apply for permanent residency does not guarantee approval. All applicants are subject to security, criminal, and medical checks, and must also demonstrate that they have sufficient funds to support themselves and any dependents.
The experienced Canadian immigration consultants at Castlewell Canadian Immigration Services can help you navigate the complex process of applying for permanent residency through Express Entry. We provide guidance and assistance with preparing and submitting an application, as well as advise on any issues that may arise throughout the process. CCIS also helps candidates understand the eligibility requirements, prepare their application, and ensure that all necessary documents are submitted correctly and on time.
Overall, the Express Entry system is a highly competitive program that offers a great opportunity for skilled foreign workers who want to live and work in Canada permanently. With the help of the knowledgeable immigration professionals at CCIS, you can greatly increase your chances of success and start a new chapter in Canada.
Why hire Castlewell Canadian Immigration Services?
Here is how CCIS can help you with your Express Entry Permanent Residence process:
- CCIS will review your circumstances and give you an honest assessment of your eligibility and likelihood of success;
- CCIS will plan with you to formulate a strategy for your application;
- CCIS will work with you to collect and review your documentation and make sure that all necessary documents are included in the application;
- CCIS will write expert legal submissions to the government arguing for your eligibility;
- CCIS will communicate with the government on your behalf and guide you through any necessary steps or requirements;
- CCIS will ensure that your application is properly and thoroughly prepared in accordance with all immigration laws and regulations
The Immigration Consultants and professionals at Castlewell Immigration Services possess years of experience assisting clients with Express Entry applications. Join our many happy and successful clients who have become Canadian Permanent Residents and Canadian Citizens with our expert help!
Comprehensive Ranking System Selection Factors
Education: Applicants are awarded points based on their highest level of education, which ranges from 5 points for a secondary school credential to 25 points for a Ph.D. If you received your formal education outside of Canada, you will also need to submit a Canadian equivalency assessment report from an IRCC-approved education credential assessment provider.
Language skills: To earn these points, skilled worker applicants must demonstrate their proficiency in English and/or French. As part of your application, you are required to provide the results of an IRCC-approved language test. Your capacity for speaking, writing, reading, and listening will all be evaluated separately. You must have taken your language test within the last two years of applying for it to be considered valid. Applicants must possess moderate or highly proficient in English or French. All applicants must complete a language test regardless of whether they come from an English or French speaking country.
Work Experience: Skilled worker applicants who have worked for at least six years earn an additional point for each year they have worked. The work experience must be equivalent to full-time experience in a job that is considered skilled. Providing sufficient evidence of your qualifying work experience is extremely important.
Arranged Employment: Skilled Worker applicants will receive points for having arranged employment in Canada if the applicant’s employer is willing to hire them on a permanent basis and they have a work permit that was obtained on the basis of a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). Points will also be awarded if the applicant is not currently employed in Canada but has an offer of employment based on an LMIA.
Age: Applicants who fall within the age range of 18 and 35 are eligible to receive the maximum number of points for this category. When an applicant is over the age of 35, they lose one point per year. For instance, if you are 45 years old, your age score will be reduced by 10 points.
Adaptability: The applicants’ ability to adapt can also earn them more points. These points are given out for things like the applicant or their spouse having arranged employment, work, or study experience in Canada, or having a close relative who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident living in Canada.
After the Permanent Residence application is filed, the processing time can vary depending on the complexity of the application and IRCC’s workload and processing priorities. IRCC has committed to processing most applications within 6 months, but in reality we have seen applications take anywhere from 3 months to 12 months. To continue working in Canada during the application process, applicants may be eligible to obtain a Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP).
Unfortunately not. All applicants are required to provide sufficient evidence of their work experience, including the fact that they were in a genuine employer-employee relationship during their period of qualifying work experience. Sadly, work experience that has been earned through self-employment, does not count, no matter how skilled or well-documented the work experience is.
Express Entry draws are typically held every two weeks, but the frequency can vary depending on priorities set by the Canadian government. Sometimes they will select only form particular immigration streams or from particular job categories.
The minimum CRS score required to receive an ITA for permanent residency varies depending on the minimum threshold set by the Canadian government. It can range from approximately 450 to 550 points. The score required to receive an ITA also depends on the number of people in the pool, the scores those people have, and the number of invitations being given out.
There is no cap on the number of applicants accepted through the Express Entry System, but IRCC regulates the intake by only inviting the highest-ranking candidates in each round of invitations.
Yes, you can still apply for permanent residency through the Express Entry System even if you don't have a job offer in Canada. However, having a job offer can increase your CRS score and improve your chances of being invited to apply for permanent residency.
Yes, you can include your spouse or common-law partner and dependent children in your Express Entry application.
The full-time work experience requirement for applicants in the CEC may be met by the equivalent in part-time, paid work experience (e.g., more than one part-time job held simultaneously or one or more part-time jobs held over the equivalent of at least one year of full-time work).
Work experience can be calculated by adding up the number of weeks of full-time (or equivalent) paid work, for example:
30 hours per week in one job, or a total of at least 30 hours per week in more than one job) in one or more skilled occupations at:
Skill Type 0 (under NOC 2016) or TEER 0 (under NOC 2021) (Managerial occupations);
Skill Level A (under NOC 2016) or TEER 1 (under NOC 2021) (Professional occupations); or
Skill Level B (under NOC 2016), or TEER 2 or 3 (under NOC 2021) (Technical occupations and skilled trades) of the NOC.
Work experience must be acquired over a period of at least one year; work in excess of 30 hours per week over a shorter period cannot compensate for any shorter overall period of experience.