Immigrate to Canada Through Express Entry – Yuno Learning

This blog talks about the Canada Permanent Residency, and answers some of the most asked questions regarding the Express Entry Program.
July 6, 2022 Study Abroad

Permanent Residency in Canada is a status granted to a person who isn’t originally a citizen of Canada. This status allows them the permanent right to live and/or work in Canada without any restrictions on their duration of stay. Permanent Residency is one kind of fast track to getting Canadian citizenship. 

In order, to apply for the Canada PR, there are more than 150 pathways, and in this article we will be discussing one of the most sought-after ways – the Express Entry Program. 

Let’s look at the most commonly asked questions about the Canada Express Entry Program. 

1. What is the Canada Express Entry? 

While most people believe that Express Entry is a program to help immigrants to Canada, in its true essence it is an online system at the IRCC used to manage immigration applications of skilled workers. 

2. What are the programs that fall under the Canada Express Entry Program? 

The Express Entry has three main sub-programs – 

  • Canadian Experience Class: People with at least 1 year of Canadian Experience can apply under this category.
  • Federal Skilled Worker Program: This sub-program is valid for people from all backgrounds, irrespective of their place of residence. Applicants have to meet the minimum criteria. Once an applicant meets any criteria, they are awarded a certain amount of points. The minimum criteria are:
  1. Language skills (maximum 28 points)
  2. Education (maximum 25 points)
  3. Work experience (maximum 15 points)
  4. Age (maximum 12 points)
  5. Arranged employment in Canada (maximum 10 points)
  6. Adaptability (maximum 10 points)

Note: In order to qualify under this program, one should achieve 67 points out of a total of 100 points. 

  • Federal Skilled Trades Program: This is a trade-specific program where applicants either have a valid job offer or a certified qualification.

3. How does Express Entry work in Canada? 

While most people believe that Express Entry is a program to help immigrate to Canada, in its true essence it is an online system at the IRCC used to manage immigration applications of skilled workers. People who wish to immigrate to Canada based on their jobs and skills can apply for this program, as the Canadian government welcomes people who want to contribute to the economy. 

Furthermore, once the applicant clears the process and gets into Canada through the Express Entry Program, they have an edge over other applicants for the Canada PR application. 

4. How to get Express Entry in Canada? How to apply for the program from India? 

The roadmap to being invited for Canada Permanent Residency is as follows: 

  1. Applicants need to meet the minimum criteria. Following this, they can submit their profile and wait for an invitation, or ITA.
  2. While waiting for the ITA, one can create their Job Seeker’s Profile.
  3. Once an applicant receives ITA, they need to submit their documents for verification and justify how one still meets the eligibility criteria.
  4. After verification, applicants receive a CoPR, or Confirmation of Permanent Residency.
  5. At this stage, applicants can travel to Canada and at the Point of Entry or PoE, applicants can apply for their PR Card. The card will take approximately 15-20 days to arrive.

5. What are the eligibility criteria for applying to the Express Entry Program? 

Applicants with a university or college degree, skilled work experience and moderate proficiency in English and/or French can apply for the Express Entry candidate. They must also fall into one of the categories listed in the above question regarding sub-programs. 

Applicants also need to have at least one year, in the last 10 years of continuous full-time (or equivalent part-time) work experience in a skilled occupation. They should be able to demonstrate on an approved language test a minimum of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) seven in either English or French. They should have also completed post-secondary education that is assessed against Canadian standards with an Education Credential Assessment

6. What is the cost of the Express Entry Program?

The cost of immigrating to Canada through Express Entry is approximately $2,300 CAD for a single applicant. While for a couple, the total cost comes up to approximately $4,500 CAD.

The breakdown of cost includes: 

  1. Language tests: Average cost – $300
  2. Educational Credential Assessment (ECA): Average cost – $200
  3. Biometrics: $85 per person
  4. Government fees: $1,325 per adult & $225 per adult
  5. Medical examination fees: Average cost – $450 per adult & $250 per child
  6. Police clearance certificates: Average cost – $100 per country

Note: The $ above stands for Canadian Dollars, and not USD. 

7. What is the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS)?

When it comes to the Express Entry program while meeting the criteria is important, it all comes down to one’s Comprehensive Ranking Score, which is calculated using the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). This system gives each applicant scores depending on several factors such as –

  1. Core/Human Capital: Factors that each individual poses, such as age, education qualifications, etc.
  2. Spouse or Common-Law Partner Factors: This factor contributes to one’s score on the basis of their partners. There are two categories- Spouse; or your legally married partner. Second is referred to as Common-Law Partner, which stands for one’s partner on whom they have been emotionally, or financially dependent for a year or more.
  3. Transferability Factors: This factor takes into factor what an applicant can bring to the country, such as the language, work experience, etc.
  4. Additional Points: These include job offers, ties, relationships in Canada, etc.

All of the factors combined equal a grand total of a maximum of 1200 points. In the Express Entry Program, each individual is ranked as per their CRS.  

8. What is a tiebreaker rule? 

The tiebreaker decides the eligibility of an application depending on the time of application. Similarly, the NOC code is also very important. The National Occupational Classification (NOC) is Canada’s national system for describing occupations. In simpler words, an applicant’s score differs according to the job description they possess during their time of application. You can calculate your NOC score on the official website of the Canadian Government. 

9. How does the IRCC select Permanent Residency applicants?

IRCC ranks candidates in the pool using a points-based system called the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). They select the highest-ranking candidates from the pool and invite them to apply for permanent residence. It is important to note here that this process is automated, hence, each applicant is automatically selected based on their score, and an invite is sent via email if they qualify. 

10. How many points are required for the Canada Express Entry? Is it mandatory to have a score of 8777 to have a Canada PR? 

The answer to this question has two sides to it. While one cannot ignore the importance of having a high score while applying, there is no mandatory score. The 8777 scores will give you an edge over the other applicants in the Express Entry Program, when it comes to the Provincial Nominee Program, an applicant needs to score a minimum of 6 each to qualify.

11. How many points are required for Canada Express Entry? 

An applicant needs to have a minimum of 67 points out of 100 to be eligible to apply under the Express Entry program. One can say that 67 out of 100 is the cut-off to be applicable to even apply for the Express Entry. The Express Entry system ranks each applicant based on their score, and the highest score holders are sent invitations to apply for the same. 

12. How to calculate an applicant’s score for the Canada Express Entry Program? 

Applicants who are applying through the Express Entry Program can easily calculate their scores using the CRS Tool available on the internet. In this tool, one needs to select the most appropriate option under each category, and after calculating the score the system will provide the total score. 

13. How to improve CRS score for Canada Express Entry? 

While there is no direct way to increase an applicant’s CRA score, there are multiple ways to do so by making a few tweets. Some suggestions to improve the CRS score are: 

  1. Get a Provincial Nomination
  2. Try to get a job offer from a Canadian company
  3. Upgrade your highest level of education
  4. When applying as a couple, do multiple checks to see which one you are a better fit to be the principal applicant.
  5. Enrich your job experience. Always remember to keep proof of employment.
  6. Try to improve your language. Picking up languages such as French also adds some brownie points.

14. Does one need a Police Clearance Certificate?

Yes. It is mandatory for candidates to get a PCC, or Police Clearance Certificate from the Police Station of their current place of residence. Additionally, if any applicant has stayed in any country other than India above 6 months, they also need to get a PCC from the Police Department of that country. 

15. What are the documents required for applying to the Express Entry Program? 

The document required for each individual application is different from each other, depending on the type eligibility criteria they check. However, the basic documents required are:

  1. Identity Proof
  2. Proof of Current Residency
  3. Police Clearance Certificate
  4. Proof of Income in Bank
  5. Work Experience Certificate, if applicable.

16. When is the next draw for Canada Express Entry?

While it is important to make an exact prediction regarding the next draw for Canada Express Entry, one can visit the Government of Canada’s official website for Express Entry to find out about every single detail (provided in approximates) regarding the pool from which the draw will be made. 

17. How long does it take to get Express Entry in Canada?

The official website of the Canadian Government confirms that it takes no longer than 6 months to process an Express Entry application once the application is complete. 

18. Which IELTS is required for Canada  Express Entry? 

For the Express Entry Program, applicants must give the IELTS General examination, and not the Academic version. In this test, one must score a minimum of 6 points to qualify.

If you require IELTS training and coaching by top tier instructors with decades of experience, you can visit our website to enroll top-tier into our courses. 

19. How does one provide proof of funds for Canada Express Entry? 

The funds must be available both when the applicant applies and when the IRCC issues the applicant with a permanent resident visa. For proof, the applicant must get official letters from any banks or financial institutions where they are keeping the money.