In order to be able to register with the Express Entry system, the applicant must first qualify under one of the three programs. If the applicant is not qualified under the relevant programs, then the profile will be rejected and they will not be registered with the Express Entry.

Express Entry Profile

Those who qualify under one of the three categories and wish to apply for immigration to Canada must first complete an online Express Entry Profile. This is an online form that will ask the user to provide details of their skills, work experience, language ability, education, and related information. Those who appear to meet the criteria of one of the three federal immigration categories will then be placed into a pool of candidates.

To demonstrate language skills a language test result must be provided, and foreign educational credentials must be supported by an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) to determine their Canadian equivalency.

Invitation to Apply

Candidates within the Express Entry system will be ranked against each other based on a point system called the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). The CRS will measure factors such as age, work experience, language skills, education, and whether or not the candidate has a job offer, among other factors. Points will be awarded based on the information provided in the Profile, and for having a provincial nomination. A total of 1200 points are available, depending on the candidate’s qualifications.

Those with the highest CRS scores will be invited to apply for permanent residence when the immigration authorities hold their regular draws from the pool. Once the invitation to apply is provided, the candidate will have 90 days to submit an online application for permanent residence. Once received, the immigration authorities plan to process these applications within six months.