Express Entry: The fast track to Permanent Residency
Express Entry is a popular pathway to permanent immigration in Canada. Foreign nationals especially appreciate it because it offers a faster route to obtaining permanent resident status, quicker than many other immigration options!
Here are four reasons to consider this option as you plan your move to the land of the maple leaf.
Express Entry: A direct path to Permanent Residency
HOW IT WORKS
Express Entry is a system designed to process applications from skilled workers seeking to immigrate permanently to Canada. The program applies to all provinces and territories except Quebec.
Express Entry includes three main categories:
– The Federal Skilled Trades Program,
– The Federal Skill Worker Program,
– The Canadian Experience Class.
The Canadian Experience Class is intended for candidates already living in Canada. Foreign nationals outside the country can apply under the two other categories.
Express Entry operates on a points-based system, using various objective criteria. These include age, proficiency in French and English, educational qualifications, and work experience.
To demonstrate your proficiency in French and/or English, you are required to take official language tests.
Once your profile is submitted, you will be placed in the Express Entry pool through the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). You will then receive a CRS score, which is used to assess and rank your profile.
During invitation rounds, candidates with the highest CRS scores are invited to apply for permanent residence.
These draws can be program-specific or general.
THE BENEFITS
The main advantage of Express Entry is that it leads to permanent resident status, which is very similar to Canadian citizenship, except for the right to vote.
As a permanent resident, after three years of physical presence in Canada, of which one year may be as a temporary resident, you may be eligible to apply for citizenship.
Becoming a Canadian citizen allows you to obtain nationality and vote in Canadian elections.
Thanks to Express Entry, it’s possible to obtain Canadian citizenship in just under five years, faster than through many other immigration pathways.
THE FRANCOPHONIE
In the context of Express Entry, being a French speaker can be a major asset.
Indeed, being fluent in French can earn you additional points and improve your ranking in the CRS (Comprehensive Ranking System).
Moreover, in an effort to increase the number of French-speaking individuals in provinces and territories outside Quebec, the Canadian government has introduced draws specifically for francophone candidates. This initiative increases your chances of receiving an invitation to apply more quickly, even if your score isn’t among the highest compared to non-francophone applicants!
YOUR PROFESSION CAN BE A MAJOR ASSET
To address labour shortages in certain sectors, the Canadian government has implemented a program specifically for workers in selected skilled trades.
Some examples of relevant NOC (National Occupation Classification) groups include Sub-group 6320: cooks, butchers, and bakers; and Major Group 82: supervisors in natural resources, agriculture, and related production.
By meeting the requirements of this program, you may be eligible for targeted draws that could lead to an invitation to apply, even if your CRS score is lower than that of candidates in other programs.
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