Express Entry is an online immigration system used by the Canadian government to manage applications and select skilled workers to apply for permanent residence in Canada. Express Entry is generally one of the fastest and most popular immigration pathway and can see candidates becoming permanent residents in as little as six months.
The Express Entry system is a streamlined system for immigration to Canada, where applicants create an online profile evaluated by the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). Eligibility for Express Entry requires qualification under one of Canada’s federal streams. Successful candidates with the highest CRS scores receive invitations to apply from the Canadian government to apply for permanent residency.
Express Entry offers a straightforward path to Canada for eligible candidates, though meeting the CRS threshold in federal draws can pose a challenge. Nonetheless, being part of the candidate pool opens the opportunity for provincial nomination by a Canadian province.
Express Entry manages applications for three federal immigration programs:
Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSW)
Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
Federal Skilled Trades (FST)
What is the Federal Skilled Worker Program?
The Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) Program is one of the Express Entry managed permanent residency program streams. The FSW program is for skilled workers who have foreign work experience and want to immigrate to Canada permanently. The FSW program established minimum eligibility requirements which candidates must meet in order to apply for the program.
How to Apply under the Federal Skilled Worker Program
Minimum Requirements
In order to apply under the FSW program, applicants must meet all the minimum requirements for skilled work experience, language ability and education.
Selection Factors
Applications for the Federal Skilled Worker Program are assessed based on:
- Age
- Education
- Work Experience
- Whether you have a valid job offer
- English or French language skills
- Adaptability
For the selection factors listed above, candidates are scored out of 100 points and must score a minimum of 67 points in order to qualify for the program.
What is the Federal Skilled Trades Program?
The Federal Skilled Trades (FST) Program is one of the Express Entry managed permanent residency program streams. The FST program is for skilled trades workers who want to become permanent residents in Canada on the basis of being qualified in a skilled trade.
How to Apply under the Federal Skilled Trades Program
Applicants for the FST program must have at least two years of work experience in a skilled trade. This work experience must have been obtained within the last 5 years and while the candidate was certified to work or practice in their specified trade in their country of residence.
Skilled trades experience must fall within the one of the following NOC groups:
- Major Group 72, technical trades and transportation officers and controllers
- excluding Sub-Major Group 726, transportation officers and controllers
- Major Group 73, general trades
- Major Group 82, supervisors in natural resources, agriculture and related production
- Major Group 83, occupations in natural resources and related production
- Major Group 92, processing, manufacturing and utilities supervisors, and utilities operators and controllers
- Major Group 93, central control and process operators and aircraft assembly assemblers and inspectors, excluding Sub-Major Group 932, aircraft assemblers and aircraft assembly inspectors
- Minor Group 6320, cooks, butchers and bakers
- Unit Group 62200, chefs
In addition to the work experience criterion. FST candidates must also meet other minimum requirements:
Job Offer or Certificate of Qualification
Applicants must have a valid offer of full time employment (or equivalent part-time employment) with a duration of at least one year or a certificate of qualification in their skilled trade issued by a Canadian provincial, territorial or federal authority
Language Ability
The minimum language requirement of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 4 must be attained on an approved English or French language test.
Once these requirements are met, applicants may submit an Express Entry profile under the Federal Skilled Trades program and must have an intention to live outside Quebec.
What is the Canadian Experience Class Program?
The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) program is one of the three programs managed in Canada’s Express Entry system. The CEC targets skilled temporary foreign workers and former international students with skilled work experience in Canada and provides a pathway for them to become permanent residents in Canada.
Applicants in the CEC are ranked by the Express Entry Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), which sees the highest-ranking candidates being invited to apply for permanent residence.
How to Apply under the Canadian Experience Class Program
Minimum Requirements
In order to apply under the CEC program, applicants must meet all the minimum requirements for Canadian skilled work experience and language ability.
Work Experience
Candidates for CEC must have at least 12 months of full-time (or equivalent part-time) skilled work experience in Canada within the last three years from the date of application. This work experience must have been acquired with legal authorization to work in Canada in a NOC TEER 0 to 3 occupation
Language
The minimum language requirement of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 must be attained on an approved English or French language test for TEER 0 and 1 jobs and CLB 5 for TEER 2 or 3 jobs.
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