Understanding Express Entry: Immigration Canada 2024 step by step

L'Express entrance is the phrase that often comes to mind when researching the procedure for immigrating to Canada and obtaining permanent residency. This system, although it has become a familiar term to those exploring all facets of Canadian immigration, requires a thorough understanding to be used appropriately. Express Entry is a fully electronic selection system for Canadian immigration, designed to select skilled workers who will contribute to the country's economy. Top-ranked candidates are invited to apply for permanent residency.

What is Express Entry? The system in brief

Express Entry is a system for managing immigration applications to Canada for federal skilled worker programs. It is designed to facilitate the arrival of immigrants who can contribute to the Canadian economy. Here's a brief explanation of how it works, to help you understand the system and organize your thoughts.

1. Basic principles

• Target audience: International skilled workers.
• Objective: Select the most suitable candidates to settle in Canada.

2. Programs concerned

Input Express manages applications for three main immigration programs economic :

• Federal Skilled Worker Program,
• Federal Skilled Trades Program,
• The Canadian experience category.

3. Application process

1. Evaluation of eligibility : First, check whether you meet the criteria for one of the programs.
2. Profile Express Entry : If eligible, create an online profile, including your skills, your profile professional experienceyour language level, education and other details.
3. CRS score : You will receive a score according to the Global grading system (CRS) based on your profile information.
4. Invitations to apply : Candidates with the highest scores are invited to apply for permanent residency.

4. Global Classification System (CRS)

The CRS evaluates candidates according to :

• Language skills,
• Education,
• Professional experience,
• Possibility of employment in Canada,
• Other factors in skills transferability.

5. Post-invitation process

Once invited, you have 60 days to submit a complete application for permanent residence. The government aims to process the majority of these applications in six months or less.

6. Express entry benefits

• Speed : The process is designed to be fast, with decisions taken within a few months.
• Flexibility : Profiles can be continuously updated to improve CRS scores.
• Accessibility : Fully online process.

Is Express Entry an immigration program?

As you may have gathered by now, Express Entry is not an immigration program in itself. Rather, it is an application management system for Canada's three main economic immigration programs. This online system is an indispensable tool for selecting and processing applications from skilled workers wishing to immigrate to Canada. Canada and establish their permanent residence there. By optimizing the selection process, Entrée express aims to respond effectively to the needs of the Canadian job market, by inviting the most suitable candidates to integrate quickly and successfully into the Canadian economy.

Acting as a bridge between immigrants' expectations and Canada's economic requirements, Express Entry evaluates applicants on the basis of several criteria, including work experience, language skills, education and other factors that are critical to their success in Canada. Applicants with the highest scores in the Global Ranking System (GRS) receive an invitation to apply for permanent residency. This system covers the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Federal Skilled Trades Program and the Canadian Experience Class, offering a variety of options to potential immigrants.

Express Entry is therefore not an isolated program, but an effective mechanism for orchestrating immigration processes, facilitating access to Canada for international talent ready to contribute to its prosperity and cultural diversity.

What are these immigration programs?

So what are these programs that form the basis of the Express Entry system, which brings workers to Canada from all over the world? Each program targets a specific type of applicant, based on their skills, experience and ability to contribute to the Canadian economy. Here's a detailed explanation of each:

Federal Skilled Worker Program

This program is designed for people with solid professional experience, training and skills in English and/or French. It uses a point system to evaluate candidates based on age, education, work experience, language skills and other factors. Candidates must demonstrate that they possess the skills necessary for economic success in Canada. For professionals and managers around the world, this is one of the most important factors in immigration.

Federal Skilled Trades Program

This program is designed for workers with experience in a specialized trade, and responds to the needs of the Canadian labor market in specific sectors, such as construction, industrial production or mechanical engineering. To be eligible, candidates must have job offer or a certificate of qualification in their skilled trade issued by a Canadian province or territory. The program emphasizes practical experience and technical skills.

Canadian Experience Category

This program is designed for people with work experience in Canada and offers a pathway to permanent residency for international students and temporary workers. Applicants must have at least one year of Canadian work experience within the last three years before submitting their application. This program recognizes the importance of Canadian experience and facilitates the transition from a job for those who have already entered the Canadian job market.

The Express Entry system depends on each of these programs, as it enables Canada to select the most qualified immigrants to integrate quickly and effectively into its society and economy. These cover the diversity of skills and experience sought by Canada, from highly skilled professionals to skilled craftspeople and workers, to those who have already proven their ability to adapt to Canadian life.

What is the Entrée Express online profile?

Visit Profile Express Entry is a central component of Canada's immigration system, acting as the first point of contact between prospective immigrants and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). This online profile is intended for individuals wishing to immigrate to Canada under one of the federal economic programs managed by the Express Entry system.

For create an Express Entry profile (but don't rush into it), applicants must provide detailed information about their identity, educational background, work experience, language skills and other relevant elements that will influence their eligibility and ranking in the system. This information includes:

• Personal information : Age, marital status and nationality.
• Language skills : Proficiency levels in English and/or French, validated by recognized tests such as IELTS (International English Language Testing System) for English or TEF Canada (Test d'évaluation de français) for French.
• Education : Details of the level of education attained and, if applicable, evaluation of diplomas obtained abroad through an Evaluation of Educational Credentials (EED) to demonstrate their Canadian equivalence.
• Professional experience : Information on Canadian and/or international work experience in occupations classified according to the Canadian Occupational Classification System (COCS).
• Other details : Like the validated job offers in CanadaCanadian experience, family ties in Canada, and other factors that can influence the Global Ranking System (GRS) score.

Once submitted, the profile is evaluated according to the Global Grading System (GRS), which assigns a grade to the candidate based on the information provided. This score determines the candidate's ranking in the Express Entry pool.

Creating your profile: Prerequisites

Although you're enthusiastic about the idea of bringing yourimmigrate to CanadaIf you're a newcomer, it's essential that you create your Express Entry profile at the right time, and make sure you meet certain prerequisites. The speed of the invitation process may surprise you: if your score is high enough, you may be invited to apply for permanent residence shortly after submitting your profile. At that point, you'll have 60 days to provide all the necessary documents in support of your application. This may seem like a comfortable deadline, but it goes by surprisingly quickly in the context of official document collection.

Before you take the plunge and create your profile, make sure you've already prepared the following documents:

Evaluating your diploma provided by a recognized organization (such as WES), and your spouse's if his or her studies contribute to your score.
The results of your official language test (TEF for French and/or IELTS for English), including those of your spouse, if applicable.
A scan of your passport (and your spouse's), including pages containing visas or stamps. It is not necessary to have these copies certified, but they must be perfectly legible.
Proof of professional experience. These documents must detail your career path, and will be the subject of a separate article.
Proof of income. For Express Entry applicants in 2024, the proof of funds required depends on the size of your family. These funds must demonstrate that you have enough money to support yourself and your family once in Canada. Here are the amounts required according to the number of members in your family, valid as of April 25, 2023:

• For 1 person: CAD 13.757
• For 2 people: CAD 17.127
• For 3 people: CAD 21.055
• For 4 people: CAD 25,564
• For 5 people: CAD 28.994
• For 6 people: CAD 32.700
• For 7 people: 36,407 CAD
• For each additional person: CAD 3.706

Provincial designationif you have received one.
A job offer from a Canadian employerif applicable. This offer must include specific details such as the start date, the employer's name and address, and the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) number if you have one, NOC code and details of the job on offer (salary, duties, working conditions).

Le petit dico de l'Entrée Express: Words and expressions you need to know

Understanding the specific terms and expressions used in the Canadian immigration system is the key to navigating the Express Entry process. To help applicants understand the various elements of Express Entry, here is a dictionary of the most common terms:

• Express Entry A system for managing immigration applications for Canada's major economic programs, designed to facilitate the arrival of skilled workers.
• Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) A points system used to evaluate and rank the profile of candidates in the Entrée Express pool, based on factors such as age, education, work experience and language skills.
• Invitation to Apply (ITA) An invitation sent to the highest-scoring candidates in the Express Entry pool, enabling them to submit a formal application for permanent residency.
• Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) One of the three main programs under Express Entry, targeting skilled workers with foreign work experience.
• Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) A program targeting skilled workers in certain specialized trades.
• Canadian Experience Class (CEC) A program for people with professional experience in Canada who wish to become permanent residents.
• Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) An evaluation of diplomas obtained outside Canada, required for certain Express Entry programs, to demonstrate their equivalence with Canadian standards.
• French Evaluation Test (TEF) and International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Language proficiency tests in French and English respectively, required for Express Entry applicants.
• Proof of Funds Proof that the applicant has the necessary funds to support himself and his family after immigration to Canada.
• Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) A document that a Canadian employer may need to obtain before hiring a foreign worker, proving that there is no Canadian or permanent resident available for the position.
• Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) A program enabling Canadian provinces and territories to nominate candidates for immigration, based on local labor market needs.
• Express Entry Pool All applicants who have submitted an Express Entry profile and are awaiting an invitation to apply for permanent residence.
• Settlement Plan A plan required for certain applicants, especially those applying through PNPs, detailing how they intend to establish themselves in Canada.
• Letter of Explanation (LOE) A letter that applicants can enclose with their application to explain any missing documents or special circumstances.
• National Occupational Classification (NOC) code An occupational classification system used in Canada to classify positions according to skills, tasks and types of work.

The Entrée express adventure is just beginning

We've only scratched the surface of Express Entry, the immigration system that opens Canada's doors to skilled workers from around the world. In this article, we've introduced you to the essential elements that will help you understand and grasp this system. However, each element hides details, procedures and tricks that only a thorough examination can reveal.

In future articles, we'll take a closer look at each of the elements mentioned here, unpacking the intricacies and providing practical tips for success in the Express Entry process. Whether it's detailing the programs covered by Express Entry, preparing the required documents or developing strategies to optimize your score/...