Skilled Immigration Canada – Express Entry Explained

Express Entry is a fundamental change to the way Canada selects people for skilled immigration. Citizenship and Immigration Canada plans to process all applications within six months.

It will be the mandatory first step in determining your eligibility under the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) and Canadian Experience Class (CEC).

Gone are the days of quotas and in-demand occupations. There will be no limit to the number of people who can enter via Express Entry as Canada moves away from a first-in-line immigration model.

Express Entry is an active recruitment model that invites people to apply for permanent residency based on numerous factors that determine their likelihood to benefit the Canadian labour market and successfully integrate into Canadian society.

The ranking algorithm will weigh numerous factors and will not be made public. It is thought the criteria will change over time to reflect Canada’s shifting labour market needs. This leaves us with a system of selection that is not transparent nor will it allow appeals.

Candidates will be ranked against other applicants in the pool and you will be competing against all the other applicants. You will have to be eligible under one of the existing programs:

• Federal Skilled Worker
• Federal Skilled Trades
• Canadian Experience Class
• Provincial Nominee Programs

Your chances of success will greatly increase if you can collect points for either a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) or Provincial Nomination through one for the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP).