Express Entry-FSW, CEC & FST
If your plan is to migrate to Canada as a skilled worker under the permanent residency program, one of your options on this journey is via the express entry. Clients with permanent resident status must maintain this status by residing in Canada for 730 days out of every five years.
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The term express entry under the Canadian Immigration system means immigration processing time with a reasonable timeline. This is a point-based comprehensive ranking system in which selectees are usually selected periodically among the pool of thousands of applicants. Our government goal is to work within six months processing timeline upon completing and submitting error-free electronics applications after receiving an invitation to apply from Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada.
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All potential applicants must meet certain criteria under the various skilled worker programs in order to be considered under the express entry. These skilled worker programs under the express entry in which applicants must meet the minimum general requirements are Federal Skilled Worker, Federal Skilled Trade, and Canadian Experience Class. An applicant that doesn’t meet the minimum requirements of any of these three programs, cannot create an express entry profile.
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In a new development, some provinces and territories under the Province Nominee Program (PNP) are also seeking candidates via the Express Entry pool in order to meet the local labour demands.
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To qualify under the express entry, you must meet the following criteria which are education which could be foreign that must be assessed by a Canadian authorized body or Canadian education, work experience, and knowledge of a language which could be English or French, both. Once the applicant meets these general requirements in addition to some other criteria, interested candidates can create their express entry profile to be among the pool of candidates.
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Candidates are awarded points based on comprehensive ranking system under four broad categories of express entry. These are Core Human Capital, Spouse or Common-Law Partner factors, Skill Transferability Factors, and Additional Points. These four factors have a maximum point of 1,200. Apart from the scores of Candidates, the tie-breaking rules are also, applicable to determine the selectees.
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This is a ranking system as such candidates with high points which are within the announced government biweekly cut-offs are issued Invitation to Apply (ITA) for further processing which begins a new milestone towards achieving your goal.
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Once you receive the Invitation to apply, candidates do have the decision to either accept or decline it. If a candidate accepts the invitation to apply via their express entry profile, he or she must submit an error-free online application to IRCC for further processing to determine if such candidate meets the requirements of the skilled program.
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If an application decides to decline the invitation to apply, he or she will be back automatically into the express entry pool awaiting another draw by the Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada and if his or her score is within the cut-off again, another invitation to apply will be issued.
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Federal Skilled Workers (FSW)This is one of the popular immigration programs to Canada admitted through the express entry system. Every year this category has the highest allotted numbers among eighty plus immigration programs administered in Canada. Candidates are assessed on six major factors.These factors are age, education, work experience, language, arranged employment and adaptability. In order to qualify under this program, candidate must score 67 points out of 100. For the language, you need minimum of CLB 7 in all modules.The acceptable language is IELTS General Training or CELPIP for English Language and TEF or TCF for French. For work experience, the applications being considered are NOC 0-Managerial Occupations, NOC A-Professional Occupations and NOC B-Skilled Technical Occupations which must be 1-year continuous Full-time position or Part time (15hrs/Week) of 2 continuous years in the last 10 years. Score is awarded under the age factor with 18-35 years earning 12 points, 36 years earn 11 points with decreasing order in points as the applicant gets older. Proof of funds for the principle applicant and accompanying or non accompanying family member is required. Additional points can be earned for spouse or partner’s language level or study or work in Canada. Point is earned if the applicant or spouse has relatives (parents, grandparents, aunt, uncle, niece and nephew) in Canada. Arranged employment gives additional point if applicant works in Canada under temporary work permit or currently work in Canada under LMIA exempt or have a job offer from Canadian employer. Candidates are advised to act quickly as number of intakes under this program is controlled by instructions of our immigration minister and changes frequently occur without notice.
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Canadian Experience Class (CEC)This is managed under the express entry. These are for candidates that have worked in Canada with a minimum of 1-year work experience in 3 years before applying. This work experience must have been authorized and doesn’t need to be continuous. Work experience must be NOC 0/A/B. Language test is mandatory which could be at CLB 7 for NOC 0/A and CLB 5 for NOC B. Work Experience:Quebec work experience counts.Work experience gained during full time student (such as co-op work term) doesn’t count.Self-Employed doesn’t count.Work undertaken while awaiting refugee decision doesn’t count. Proof of funds is not required. No educational requirement for CEC. Candidates are advised to act quickly as number of intakes under this program is controlled by instructions of our immigration minister and changes frequently occur without notice.
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Federal Skill Trades Class (FSTC)This is another program managed via the express entry for those that qualified in the skill trade after January 1, 2015. To qualify for this class, you must have a full-time job offer which is LMIA based from a Canadian employer or have certificate of qualification issued by a Canadian provincial or territorial body. Work experience doesn’t need to be continuous but must be minimum of 2 years full time in the last 5 years acquired after qualifying to practice such trade skills. The language requirement is CLB 5 in Speaking and listening, CLB 4 in writing and reading either in English or French. The qualifying trade groups: Major Group 72: industrial, electrical and construction trades. Major Group 73: maintenance and equipment operation trades. Major Group 82: supervisors and technical jobs in natural resources, agriculture and related production. Major Group 92: processing, manufacturing and utilities supervisors and central control operators. Minor Group 632: chefs and cooks. Minor Group 633: butchers and bakers. Note: Intent is critical here as you cannot reside in Quebec. Candidates are advised to act quickly as number of intakes under this program is controlled by instructions of our immigration minister and changes frequently occur without notice.