Canadian Immigration: Express Entry January 2015

In January 2015, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) will launch a new electronic system called Express Entry to manage applications for permanent residence in certain economic programs. Canada needs high levels of immigration to meet current and future labour market needs, which will ensure our economic growth and long-term prosperity.

Express Entry will allow us to actively recruit, assess and select skilled immigrants under the following federal economic immigration programs:

• the Federal Skilled Worker Program,
• the Federal Skilled Trades Program, and
• the Canadian Experience Class.

Provinces and territories will also be able to recruit candidates from the Express Entry system for a portion of the Provincial Nominee Programs to meet local labour market needs. Under this new system, employers will also have a key role in selecting economic immigrants. Employers will access candidates through Canada's new and improved Job Bank and through provinces and territories where applicable.

The Express Entry system involves two steps:

Step 1) Potential candidates complete an online Express Entry profile

Potential candidates will complete an online Express Entry profile where they will provide information about their skills, work experience, language ability, education, and other details. Those who meet the criteria of one of the federal economic immigration programs subject to Express Entry will be placed in a pool of candidates.

Candidates will be ranked against others in the pool. Only the highest-ranked candidates (those deemed to have the best chances for economic success), and those with qualifying offers of arranged employment or provincial/territorial nominations, will be invited to apply for permanent residence.

If a candidate does not already have a valid job offer from a Canadian employer or a provincial/territorial nomination, he or she must register with the Government of Canada's Job Bank which will connect him or her with eligible Canadian employers.

Where applicable, employers will be required to obtain a Labour Market Impact Assessment from Employment and Social Development Canada. There will be no fee for Labour Market Impact Assessments for permanent residence applications under the Express Entry system. 

Completing an online Express Entry profile does not guarantee that a candidate will receive an Invitation to Apply for permanent residence.

Step 2) Citizenship and Immigration Canada will invite certain candidates to apply for permanent residence and process their electronic applications within six months.

Candidates will receive an Invitation to Apply for permanent residence if they rank among the top in the pool, based on their skills and experience. Candidates who have a valid job offer from a Canadian employer (subject to the Labour Market Impact Assessment process in place at that time) or have been nominated by a province or territory will be given high scores in the ranking system.

Candidates will have 60 days to submit an electronic application for permanent residence through one of the following programs:

• Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP);
• Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP);
• Canadian Experience Class (CEC); or,
• A portion of the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)

Citizenship and Immigration Canada will process the majority of complete applications (i.e. applications including all the necessary supporting documents) within six months or less.

Candidates in the Express Entry pool who do not receive an Invitation to Apply for permanent residence after 12 months may resubmit their profile and re-enter the pool if they still meet the criteria. This provision will prevent backlogs and ensure quick processing times.

Express Entry will result in faster and more efficient service to potential skilled immigrants. It will also allow the Government of Canada to be more flexible and responsive to Canada's changing economic conditions and priorities.

This webpage will be updated on an ongoing basis.

Gearing up for the launch of Express Entry

Minister Alexander meets with key employers on Canada’s economic immigration system

July 14, 2014 —Toronto — Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander met with stakeholders and business leaders today about the January 2015 launch of Express Entry: a faster and more effective way for Canada to welcome skilled economic immigrants.

The Government of Canada, in partnership with provincial and territorial governments, has hosted a number of information sessions on Express Entry with employers across the country in recent months.

The Express Entry electronic application management system will apply to four existing economic programs: the Federal Skilled Worker Program, Federal Skilled Trades Program, Canadian Experience Class, and a portion of the Provincial Nominee Program. Through Express Entry, foreign nationals who meet the criteria for one of the federal immigration programs will be placed into a pool, from which employers will be able to consider candidates who meet their needs when they cannot find a Canadian or permanent resident for the job. The Government of Canada’s new and improved Job Bank will help facilitate matches between Canadian employers and Express Entry candidates.

Express Entry candidates who receive a qualifying job offer from a Canadian employer or nomination under the Provincial Nominee Program will be invited to apply for permanent residence soon after – a key distinction between the Express Entry system and the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, which is only used to fill temporary labour and skill shortages. Job offers will be subject to Employment and Social Development Canada’s Labour Market Impact Assessment in place at that time.

For more information on Express Entry, please see www.canada.ca/ExpressEntry.

Quick facts

·         Canada’s Economic Action Plan 2014 will invest an initial $14 million over two years, followed by $4.7 million per year ongoing to ensure the successful implementation of Express Entry.

·         Express Entry will transform Canada’s immigration system into one that is faster and more responsive to economic and labour market needs.

·         Express Entry will allow Citizenship and Immigration Canada to select the candidates who are most likely to succeed economically in Canada, rather than passively process all applicants in a queue.

·         Express Entry candidates who are invited to apply for permanent residence can expect faster processing times of six months or less.

Quote

“Our government is reforming Canada’s economic immigration system to make it faster, fairer and more flexible to ensure that Canada's labour market needs are met. Express Entry will connect candidates for permanent residence with employers who have been unable to find skilled Canadians or permanent residents for the job, and bring them here quickly. Our government is working closely with provincial and territorial partners, as well as employers to ensure that January’s launch of Express Entry is a success.”

Chris Alexander, Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration Minister

Offering "Express Entry" to Qualified Economic Immigrants

Actively Recruiting Talented Newcomers For the Benefit of Canada’s Economy

April 8, 2014 — Ottawa — Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander today announced that Canada’s active recruitment model for economic immigration will officially be called “Express Entry.” Set to launch in January 2015, “Express Entry” is a major step forward in the transformation of Canada’s immigration system into one that is fast, flexible and focused on meeting Canada’s economic and labour needs.

“Express Entry” will allow for greater flexibility and better responsiveness to deal with regional labour shortages, and help fill open jobs for which there are no available Canadian workers. “Express Entry” candidates who receive a valid job offer or nomination under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) will be quickly invited to apply for permanent residency – a key distinction between “Express Entry” and the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, which is only used to fill temporary labour and skill shortages.

Formerly referred to as “Expression of Interest”, “Express Entry” will be open to skilled immigrants and allow the government to select the best candidates who are most likely to succeed in Canada, rather than those who happen to be first in line. It will also prevent backlogs and allow Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) to better coordinate application volume with the annual immigration levels plan.

Qualified applicants can expect faster processing times of six months or less when invited to come to Canada in four key economic streams: the Federal Skilled Worker Program, Federal Skilled Trades Program, Canadian Experience Class, and a portion of the PNP.

With “Express Entry,” employers will have a key role in selecting economic immigrants and providing advice to the Government of Canada. To this end, Alexander also announced that over the course of spring 2014, CIC will work with provincial and territorial governments to hold a series of cross-Canada information sessions to provide employers with more information about this exciting new system.

Quick facts

·         Canada’s Economic Action Plan 2014 will invest $14 million over two years and $4.7 million per year ongoing to ensuring the successful implementation of Express Entry.

·         With Express Entry, Canada will be able to select the best candidates who are most likely to achieve success in Canada, rather than the first person in line.

·         The Government of Canada’s new and improved Job Bank will help facilitate matches between Canadian employers and Express Entry candidates.

·         Having a valid job offer or provincial/territorial nomination will guarantee Express Entry candidates an invitation to apply for permanent residence.

Quote

“Express Entry promises to be a game-changer for Canadian immigration and Canada’s economy. It will revolutionize the way we attract skilled immigrants, and get them working here faster. Our government is actively engaged with our provincial and territorial partners, and with employers, to make January’s launch of Express Entry a success.”

Chris Alexander, Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration Minister

a