The Express Entry Program is a selection system used by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) to facilitate the immigration process for potential candidates. This system is not an immigration program itself but functions to choose candidates for immigration to Canada via two economic immigration programs: the Federal Skilled Worker and the Provincial Nominee Programs.
Individuals interested in Canadian permanent residence can create an online profile to express their interest in immigrating to Canada. The profile requires information about their personal details, work experience, language proficiency, education, and skills. Those who meet the criteria of one of the federal economic immigration programs are placed in a pool and ranked using the Comprehensive Ranking System. Individuals without a valid job offer or provincial nomination must register with Canada’s Job Bank. Providing accurate information is crucial as false information can lead to disqualification from re-entering the pool for several years.
The Canadian government, provincial governments, and employers can select new immigrants from the Express Entry pool. Candidates with valid job offers or provincial nominations and the highest Comprehensive Ranking System scores are invited to apply for Canadian permanent residence. Candidates who receive an invitation must submit their electronic application within 60 days, and the processing time is typically six months. Candidates must ensure that they complete all required forms and submit supporting documents within this timeframe. Successful candidates and their dependents can land in Canada as permanent residents. Individuals in the Express Entry pool who do not receive an invitation to apply for permanent residence after 12 months can resubmit their profile and re-enter the pool if they still meet the criteria of at least one economic immigration program.
The Provincial Nominee Programs enable Canadian provinces and territories to nominate individuals interested in immigrating to Canada and settling in a particular province. The federal government has authorized provinces to select and recruit candidates as per their requirements and the labor market opinion. Each province and territory, except Nunavut and Quebec, has its own unique PNP with at least one immigration stream aligned with the federal Express Entry immigration selection system. Provincial nominations granted under these streams are known as “enhanced nominations” and provide an additional 600 Comprehensive Ranking System points to Express Entry candidates.