27. How will I use the Express Entry system?
Category: Potential Immigrants
First, you will express your interest in immigrating to Canada by creating an online Express Entry profile. You will give us information about your skills, work experience, language ability, education, and other details that contribute to success in Canada.
If you meet the criteria, you will be put into the Express Entry pool of candidates, which is a group of people that we can draw from to fill immigration spaces.
At the launch of Express Entry, you will need to create a Job Seeker Account with Job Bank if you do not already have a Canadian job offer or a provincial/territorial nomination. This will give you the opportunity to view jobs available with Canadian employers. It is important for Express Entry candidates to promote themselves to potential employers/recruiters and use private sector job boards and other resources to learn about jobs available in Canada.
Note: Candidates who create a Job Seeker Account with Job Bank between January 1 and January 25 will need to return to their Job Seeker Account after January 26 to create their profile. After January 26, candidates will be able to create their Job Seeker Account and profile without delay.
To qualify for the Express Entry pool, you must meet the criteria of at least ONE of three federal economic immigration programs:
Provinces and territories will also be able to recruit candidates from the Express Entry pool through their Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) to meet local labour market needs.
You will be given a score by the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). Your score will be based on the information you gave in your Express Entry profile and will be used to determine your rank within the pool. Note that your score will change only when you update your profile information. How your score ranks will depend on the scores of other candidates in the pool and will change regularly as people are added and removed from the pool.
Candidates with the highest scores in the pool will be issued an Invitation to Apply (ITA). Candidates will be awarded points for:
- a job offer;
- a provincial/territorial nomination; and
- skills and experience factors that contribute to success in Canada.
Note: Entry into the Express Entry pool does not guarantee you will get an ITA for permanent residence. Even if you receive an ITA, you still have to meet eligibility and admissibility requirements under Canada’s immigration law (Immigration and Refugee Protection Act).
If you get an ITA, you will have 60 days to submit an online application for permanent residence in one of the immigration programs listed above. Your ITA will tell you which program you are eligible to apply for.
Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) will process most applications (completed applications that include all the supporting documents needed) in six months or less.
Note: The Province of Quebec does not use Express Entry. They select their own skilled workers. See Quebec-selected skilled workers to find out more.
Apply for your assessment under the Canadian Express entry program.
CanadianExpressEntry.com