EXPRESS ENTRY & PNP IN CANADA IMMIGRATION

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Express Entry in Canada Immigration is one of the most sought-after programs under the Economic Classes category of Canadian Immigration. The thought process behind this program is to bring in Immigrants who can readily contribute to the Canadian economy from the day they enter the country

As the name suggests, this program is an online express route for pre-qualified and pre-screened candidates to Canada Immigration. Thus, Individuals and families can now achieve Canadian Permanent Resident (PR) status within a few months. The average processing time for applications under express entry is 6 months.

What is Express Entry in Canada Immigration?

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The Express Entry program started in 2015, with the idea of making the journey of Immigration more digitally streamlined and effective, along with shorter turnaround times. The entire application process is done using an online application management system designed by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Applications start flowing in an organized queue of entering the pool, followed by an Invitation to apply for successful eligible candidates. Once invited, the professionally prepared Immigration file’s contents are transmitted to the Canadian Immigration authorities through the agile and effective online portal of the Express Entry program. All successful candidates are presented with the Confirmation of Permanent Residence i.e. COPR, along with a single-entry PR Visa for travelling to Canada.

Apart from the regular Immigration programs managed by the federal government, the provinces and territories also get the right to bring in some candidates depending upon their needs and requirements. This is known as the Provincial Nominee Program - PNP where a candidate submits an intent of settling down in a particular province and gets a nomination letter. This PNP letter carries a weight of 600 additional points in the express entry profile of the candidate.

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Applicants who belong to at least one of the three federal program categories listed below, can apply under the Express Entry stream for Canada Immigration

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1. Federal Skilled Worker Class (FSW Program)
2. Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
3. Federal Skilled Trades Class (FST Program)

Some candidates applying under the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) are processed through the Express Entry, but these candidates must still be eligible under at least one of the three federal programs so that they can enter the pool of candidates.

• Federal Skilled Worker Class (FSW Program): FSWP is the primary program under the Express Entry stream to Canada Immigration. It is designed to bring in more skilled workers from around the globe and enter Canada’s booming economy. The Eligibility criteria under this program includes a minimum of one (1) year of continuous full-time or equivalent work experience in the last ten (10) years. Also, the experience must be paid and in a skilled occupation under the National Occupational Classification (NOC) skill levels 0, A, or B. Other basic eligibility requirements include the proficiency in English or French language, educational qualifications (Secondary school or higher) and an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report.

• Federal Skilled Trades Class (FST Program): FSTP is the pathway for applicants who want to become a permanent resident based on their qualification under a skilled trade. The Eligibility criteria under this program includes a minimum of two (2) years of paid and full-time or equivalent work experience in skill type ‘B’ of the NOC. The experience must be accumulated within the last 5 years before the application is submitted. Other additional requirements include valid job offer of full-time employment for at least 1 year or a certificate of qualification in the claimed skilled trade issued by Canada

• Canadian Experience Class (CEC): The CEC or Canadian Experience Class is a program designed for International students and Foreign Workers in Canada. Candidates within these two categories may be eligible to apply for Permanent Residence provided they have acquired at least one year of skilled, professional, or technical work experience in Canada within last 3 years of the application date. Other requirements of language proficiency and educational qualification still apply.

The eligibility under the Express Entry program is dependent primarily on five (5) factors

1. Language Skills
2. Type and Level of Work Experience
3. Amount of Work Experience
4. Valid Job Offer from a Canadian Company
5. Educational Qualifications

Other Selection factors include

1. Age of the applicant
2. (how well the applicant is likely to settle in Canada)

Once a profile is created in the pool of candidates, the system evaluates candidate’s profile and allocates points against several eligibility factors. These points account towards the Comprehensive Ranking System Score i.e. CRS score. All candidate profiles in the express entry pool are ranked according to the CRS Score achieved by each profile. It is possible to increase the score by improving the eligibility factors, for e.g. improving the language proficiency score.

Every now and then, the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada i.e. the IRCC releases a cut-off score in the Express Entry draw. This based on a set quota of intake and number of candidates above the cut-off score in the pool of candidates. All candidates above the drawn score are invited to apply for Permanent Resident status in Canada. This stage is also popularly known as receiving an ITA.

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Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) measures processing times based on the current number of applications waiting to be processed and how quickly they are able to process 80% of them. At present, the average processing time for an application under Express Entry is 6 months.

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Costs incurred before submitting the Express Entry profile i.e. in the file preparation stage:

• Canadian government approved English or French language exam like IELTS, CELPIP, TEF and others, at an approved language-testing organization
• Cost of getting an ECA - Educational Credential Assessment report
• Document translation into English or French language (if required)
• Fee charged by Immigration Consultant

Government fees and other charges after receiving the Invitation to Apply - ITA

• Medical exam
• Police background check
• Bio-metrics fee
• Fee collected by IRCC for the application

Main application Processing fee of $825 + Right of permanent residence fee of $500 = Total Fee of $1,325

Include spouse or partner Processing fee of $825 + Right of permanent residence fee of $500 = Total Fee of $1,325

Include a dependent child fee of $225 (per child)

The Provincial Nomination Program (PNP) can be understood as an additional pathway to the Express Entry Stream under Canada Immigration. Overall, the Federal Government in Canada manages three (3) pathways of EE as described earlier. Additionally, the Provinces and territories also get the rights to bring in a certain number of applicants depending upon their economic needs and preferences.

To get a PNP, a candidate can either show an intent of settling in the express entry profile for a particular province apply to the selected province separately. Applying separately helps in targeting the nomination more precisely and increases the chances. A successful PNP nomination gives 600 points in addition to the CRS score of a candidate. This score is usually sufficient to get an ITA – Invitation to Apply. The candidate must have an intent of settling in the province upon getting the PNP and subsequently the Canada PR status. Apart from the application procedure and settling part, there is no other difference post receiving the Canadian PR status. Candidates enjoy the same perks and benefits of being a Canadian Permanent Resident.

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The team at Euphoria Immigration Consultancy Inc. has Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCIC) to help you in your Canada immigration journey. We are thoroughly trained and registered with the authorities to offer immigration related services. We are proud to offer gold standard services in the industry by experienced professionals. Give us a call today for a detailed assessment of your profile for Canada Express Entry for Permanent Residence.

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Read our Step-By-Step guide on How the Express Entry in Canada Immigration works​