Express Entry 2018: What to expect

Canada is known to be one of the most diverse cities in the world. While many may perceive this as a coincidence, it’s not. The Canadian government firmly believes in the power of diversity. The country’s policymakers take important measures to promote inclusivity. In 2018, the IRCC announced that its target for new immigrants will rise to approximately 1 million. The government mainly accepts these new immigrants via the Express Entry system.

What is Express Entry?

Express Entry is a system used in Canada to accept and process applications for permanent residence. The system was established in January 2015 with a goal to help streamline applications of economic immigrants and make sure they’re done faster than before. The system encompasses 3 main programs.

• Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) Program: This program targets foreign nationals with language proficiency and education credentials that would be beneficial to the Canadian workforce. It usually targets the younger immigrants who meet certain language proficiency and education criteria. Most notably, FSW program doesn’t require applicants to have any Canadian experience. That means applicants who have not worked or studied in Canada before can still qualify to be invited to apply for permanent residence through this program.
• Federal Skilled Trades (FST) program: Foreign nationals who have experience in specific skilled trade occupations can be invited to apply for permanent residence through this program. In this program, candidates can have much lower language proficiency and education. You can qualify for this program if you have received a job offer from a Canadian employer of full-time employment for at least one year. Applicants who have a certificate of qualification in that skilled trade that they have received from a Canadian authority can also qualify to apply under this program.
• Canadian Experience Class (CEC): This program targets those foreign nationals who have some experience working in Canada. For you to qualify for the CEC program, you must have been a skilled worker in Canada for at least 12 months. The applicants with better language proficiency and education credentials have a higher chance of being accepted through this program.

To be considered for any of these programs, the first process is submitting an Express Entry profile. Once submitted, the candidate is said to have made an Expression of Interest. This is not considered a formal application for permanent residence. It is just an indication that the candidate wants to be considered for application for permanent residence through Express Entry Canada.

Every two weeks, the Canadian government will issue Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to a pool of candidates who have surpassed the minimum points and have very competitive profiles. Once you receive an ITA, it gives you a better chance to get permanent residence in Canada. Partnering with a qualified Express Entry lawyer Canada can help you to ensure your profile is as competitive as possible. When you get professional advice, you’re able to use the best approach to make your Express Entry profile stand out and receive an ITA which opens the door to a life in a new country.