What is the Express Entry Program?

The Express Entry system allows foreign skilled workers to apply for permanent residence in Canada. The categories of applications that fall within the Express Entry include: Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Worker Category, Federal Skilled Trades Category, and Provincial Nominee Programs. In order to apply under these categories, qualified foreign applicants must first register an expression of interest with the Express Entry then wait to see if they are invited to apply for permanent residence.

How long does the Express Entry process take?

Once the Express Entry application has been submitted, processing times can take about one year, depending on the workload and priorities of the immigration authorities. Those who wish to remain working in Canada while the application is being processed may be able to apply for a Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP).

What is the minimum score required to qualify for the Express Entry program?

Previous rounds of invitations (express entry draws), and the score needed to get an ITA can be viewed here. The score required to receive an ITA depends on the number of people in the pool, the qualifications of those people, and the number of invitations being given out. For example, in the September 14, 2021 round of invitations, 2000 invitations were issued for the Canadian Experience Class. The lowest ranking candidate invited had a CRS score of 462. In the January 5, 2022 round of invitations, 392 invitations were issued for the Provincial Nominee Program. The lowest ranking candidate invited had a CRS score of 808. There may be several ways for you to improve your score. You can even improve your score while waiting in the pool and updating your profile with your new information.

What You Need to Know About Canada's Provincial Nomination Program (PNP)

The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) is an immigration program conducted by the Canadian federal government in partnership with a number of provinces and territories. Through these individual programs, participating provinces and territories may propose a foreign person who fits their specific economic requirements and wishes to relocate for permanent residency. While the requirements vary across Canada, they typically aim to alleviate the labour shortage and promote the economy by attracting foreign skilled workers, international students, and business owners or entrepreneurs. Every year, these programs assist thousands of foreign nationals, both within and outside of Canada, to become permanent residents.

Applying for a Provincial Nominee Program

To apply through the PNP, you must first be nominated by a Canadian province or territory. The initial step is to apply to the PNP in the province or territory in which you desire to settle. The following provinces and territories are participating:

Alberta
British Columbia
Manitoba
New Brunswick
Newfoundland and Labrador
Northwest Territories
Nova Scotia
Ontario
Prince Edward Island
Saskatchewan
Yukon

Every province and territory that participates has unique requirements and immigration streams available to skilled foreign nationals. A foreign national must, however, meet all the requirements in order to work and live in the province or area that they choose. Your application will be examined once you submit it through a specific provincial or territorial nomination program, and if it is decided that you meet all of the requirements and bridge an economic gap in that province or territory, it will be accepted.

Verify the Provincial Nominee Program stream for which you are applying, as there are other ways to apply for permanent status after being nominated. If your programme stream is incompatible with the Express Entry system, you must apply for permanent residence in person at Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). If your programming stream is compatible with the Express Entry system, you must complete your Express Entry profile and acquire an electronic nomination acknowledgement from your province or territory.

After your profile is validated, you will be added to the Express Entry pool and granted 600 additional points to boost your CRS score, which will highly increase your chances of being invited to apply for permanent residence. The Express Entry pool ranks candidates based on their Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores. The Canadian government invites the best applicants in the pool to apply for permanent residence. Express Entry draws occur approximately every two weeks.

What if I did not receive a Provincial Nomination Yet but am still Interested in Express Entry?

When creating an Express Entry profile, you can select which provinces and territories are of interest to you. This will enable the provinces and territories to get a notification inviting you to apply directly for their nomination program.

Ontario's Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP)

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) is an economic immigration initiative run by the province of Ontario in partnership with the Canadian government. The OINP nominates those with the necessary expertise and talents for permanent residence in their respective economies. The Government of Canada, like other provinces and territories, has the final word on whether to grant applications for permanent residency. Foreign nationals can apply through the OINP's nine streams:

Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker stream;
Employer Job Offer: International Student stream;
Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills stream;
Masters Graduate stream (Masters degree from an Ontario university);
PhD Graduate stream (PhD degree from an Ontario university);
Human Capital Priorities stream (Express Entry System);
Skilled Trades stream (Express Entry System);
French-Speaking Skilled Worker (Express Entry System);
Entrepreneur stream.

These streams suggest people with diverse experiences and backgrounds for permanent residency. In 2021, the Ontario government nominated 9,000 people from over 130 different countries.

How Can We Help

Use our free CRS Calculator to see if you have enough points to apply for Canada's Express Entry program. The Immigration Law Firm of Matthew Jeffery specializes in these type of applications and have helped clients become permanent residents of Canada.