01. Canada’s Express Entry immigration program resumed invitations on Wednesday
At 12 noon, Canadian Immigration Minister Sean Fraser tweeted that all Express Entry (EE) immigration programs would resume after being suspended for nearly 18 months. The draw will resume this Wednesday (July 6).
Starting from July 6, 2022, eligible applicants can apply for permanent residence under the following programs:
1. Federal Skilled Worker Program
2. Federal Skilled Trade Program
3. Canadian Experience Class
It is reported that the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) and Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) draws are suspended as of December 2020. The lottery for Canadian Experience Class (CEC) immigration is suspended in September 2021.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) implemented these temporary measures due to border closures and backlogs in permanent residence status applications due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Express Entry (ExPRess Entry) is an application management system used by Immigration and Refugees Canada (IRCC) to select the most suitable candidates to live and work in Canada.
They are considered economic immigrants, meaning they are of core working age and able to establish themselves economically in Canada while contributing to Canada's workforce and economy.
These applicants will typically have faster processing times than applying through other programs such as family sponsorship, refugee or humanitarian immigration.
The Express Entry (EE) system sets a baseline eligibility for each program and applicants must meet specific criteria to apply.
The first step is for candidates to assess whether they are eligible for Express Entry. If candidates meet the eligibility criteria, they must upload their profile on IRCC’s website.
Once the profile is completed, IRCC will use the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) to assign a score to the candidate. CRS takes into account factors such as occupation, work experience, education and language and awards points accordingly.
Candidates with high scores are most likely to receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA).
Once candidates receive their ITA (Invitation to Apply), they have 60 days to submit their application for permanent residence (PR).
Express Entry has three separate programs designed for candidates with different work experience, language and education requirements and NOC skills.
The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) is for skilled workers with experience in occupations with National Occupational Classification (NOC) skill codes 0, A, or B.
The Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) is specifically targeted at workers with skilled trade experience.
The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) is specially prepared for candidates who already have experience living and working in Canada.
Immigration Minister Sean Fraser recently confirmed that all new Express Entry applicants will be processed within 6 months. This means that after applicants receive their ITA and submit their application, they do not need to wait more than 6 months to know whether they have been granted permanent residence.
