Is the thought of a long and tedious visa application process hindering you from pursuing immigration? What if you could apply for permanent residency in Canada and if you get accepted, move there in as little as 12-months? The good news is that it’s completely possible! The Express Entry system is one of the fastest ways to get permanent residency in Canada and will welcome 108,500 new residents through this immigration pathway in 2021.
Canada is one of the most popular immigration destinations in the world. The country’s multicultural policy, lenient immigration requirements, and high admission targets make it easy for families across the world to start afresh in the Great White North. Find out how you can take the Express Entry route to Canada for a quick and no-fuss immigration journey.
What is Express Entry Canada?
The Express Entry (EE) is an online-based portal that uses a scoring system known as the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) to process candidate profiles in as little as 6-months or less. The system has bi-weekly draws in which the highest-scoring candidates are sent Invitations to Apply (ITA) for permanent residency in Canada.
As soon as you receive an ITA, you can submit the necessary documents to the immigration department. After this, it’s a matter of weeks for your formal application to be processed, accepted, and a confirmation of permanent residents letter mailed to you. Sound good? Learn more about it below!
Who Can Apply for Express Entry?
The Express Entry system is designed to accelerate immigration to Canada for skilled workers from overseas and their immediate families (spouses/common-law partners and dependent children). This year, Canada will welcome 108,500 new skilled workers through Express Entry as part of an ambitious 3-year economic recovery plan due to COVID-19. In general, Canada aims to welcome over 1.2 million newcomers by 2023.
So, what is a skilled worker? Canada groups skilled workers in different categories based on the type of duties and responsibilities. The main groups are:
Professionals: professional jobs that usually call for a degree from a university, such as doctors, dentists, architects.
Managers: management jobs, such as restaurant managers, mine managers, and IT managers.
Tradespeople: technical jobs and skilled trades that usually call for a college diploma or training as an apprentice, such as bakers, plumbers, and electricians.
Express Entry Requirements
Express Entry is also one of the easiest ways to get permanent residency in Canada because you don’t need a valid job offer to qualify! The ideal Express Entry candidate would meet the following requirements:
- Be under 30 years old
- Hold at least a Bachelor’s degree or a Master’s degree, or a Trade Certificate
- Be able to demonstrate moderate to high English and/or French language proficiency
- Have at least three years of skilled work experience
Other factors that can boost your chances of receiving an ITA include:
- Higher language proficiency in English and/or French
- Bilingualism in French and English
- A Master’s degree or Ph.D. education
- Canadian work or educational experience
- A Canadian brother or sister currently residing in Canada
- An arranged employment offer from a Canadian company
- A nomination from a provincial nominee program (PNP)
For more information about Canada’s Express Entry immigration program, Click Here.
Alternative Canadian Immigration Program Options
There are over 100 immigration and visa programs that lead directly and indirectly to permanent residency in Canada. They may not all be the fastest ways to get permanent residency in Canada, but there are a few great alternative routes for those who don’t qualify for Express Entry immigration.
For example, many people choose to study in Canada for 8-months to qualify for a Post-Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) and gain work experience in the country, which doubles their eligibility for permanent residency. This way, you get acquainted with the country and the Canadian lifestyle, which makes settling in a breeze.
Are you interested in exploring your Canadian immigration options? For more information about the Canadian visa application process, visit CanadianVisa.org.