More About The Express Entry Program
The Express Entry program was established in 2015 to address the issue Canada faces with regards to a shortage of skilled labor. Canada is the second-largest country in the world but simply does not have a population large enough to supply its labor force with enough skilled workers. To combat this issue, they have turned to immigration in the form of the Express Entry program, which fast-tracks the applications of viable candidates looking to make their way to Canada. This program has quickly become the most popular route of applying for permanent residence in Canada, attributed to the fact that Express Entry can get you to Canada in as little as 6 months.
Who is Eligible?
Despite the popularity of the Express Entry Program, not everyone is eligible to apply. The eligibility criteria are subject to change and dependent on the situation of the applicant, but there is a general list of criteria that all applicants will be subject to. This list includes but is not limited to: age, level of education, occupation, level of skill and experience in that occupation, language proficiency in both English and French as well as the ability to adapt to life in Canada following immigration. How well a candidate fares in these categories is tallied according to the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) which gives each candidate a CRS score. Express Entry Draws Express Entry draws take place twice a month. This draw is made within the pool of candidates who have applied through the Express Entry program. The candidates in the pool who have the highest CRS scores receive an invitation to apply for permanent residence. After receiving an ITA, candidates have a period of 60 days to apply for permanent residence.
When Things Don’t Go As Planned
When you are in the express entry pool but do not receive an invitation to apply for permanent residence because your CRS score is too low, it does not have to signal the end of the road for you. There are a number of things you can do to improve your score. This includes going back to school to increase your level of education, retaking your language tests, or simply gaining more experience. Due to the flexibility of the Express Entry profile, you can log back in at any time to update your details, and claim points to increase your CRS score.