Express Entry System - Technical Briefing

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Background

• As of January 2015, skilled foreign workers have access to Express Entry – a new electronic application management system – which applies to Canada’s key economic immigration programs:
  • Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP);
  • Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP);
  • Canadian Experience Class (CEC); and,
  • A portion of the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP).

Express Entry does not change or replace the requirements of these immigration programs.

Express Entry: Changes how Canada selects skilled immigrants

Moving from the old system…

• First applicant in, first to be processed
• Difficult to navigate the immigration system due to multiple players
• Recruitment of global talent at employer time and expense
• Average of 12-14 months to process an application

…to Express Entry

• CIC selects candidates that are most likely to succeed in Canada, rather than the first in line
• Express Entry candidates with a valid job offer or P/T nomination will quickly be invited to apply (ITA) for permanent residence
• Later in 2015 (exact date TBC), the new Job Bank will connect Canadian employers with a pool of skilled foreign national candidates if they can’t find Canadians or permanent residents to do the job
• Express Entry candidates will benefit from processing times of six months or less^{Footnote 1}.

The New Two-Step Application Process: Candidate

Step 1: Express Entry Profile

• Candidates can promote themselves:
  • They are encouraged to signal their presence in the Express Entry pool to recruiters, on private sector job boards, participate in job fairs, contact Canadian employers directly, etc.
  • Registration with Job Bank is required unless a candidate has a valid job offer or PT nomination

Express Entry Pool

• All candidates in the Express Entry pool are assigned a score according to their skills, education and experience
• Candidates profiles may remain in the pool for up to one year
  • At the one year mark, candidates who still want to come to Canada as skilled immigrant s will need to complete and submit a new profile. If they still meet minimum entry criteria, they will receive a new Express Entry Profile Number.
  • Candidates must update their profiles any time their circumstances change.

• Candidates in the pool are ranked against others in the pool according to their score
• CIC will regularly issue Invitations to Apply to those candidates ranked highest from the pool

What is the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) and why is it necessary?

• The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) is a scoring mechanism tied to best predictors of economic success
• The CRS allows CIC to rank and sort submissions within in the Express Entry pool to identify the candidates mostly likely to achieve high employment earnings based on their profile (age, education, language skills, Canadian work experience) and/or a job offer or provincial/territorial nomination
• CRS ranking allows the highest scoring Express Entry candidates to be invited to apply regardless of when they entered the Express Entry pool, instead of processing on a first-come, first-served basis.

CRS Structure

The CRS is divided into four components:

1. A core set of human capital factors that drive economic outcomes:
   • Age
   • Level of Education
   • Official Language Proficiency
   • Canadian Work Experience
2. Spouse or Common-Law Partner factors
3. A set of skills transferability or interaction factors that amplify the core set
4. Additional points awarded for those with a PT nomination and/or arranged employment

• Each factor is assigned a points scale weighted to best reflect evidence on outcomes
• While the CRS is envisioned as a relatively stable component of the Express Entry system, and will be enabled through Ministerial Instructions, it may be changed over time as outcome data becomes available
• No one can exceed a maximum of 1,200 points
• By setting a high total the number of potential ties is reduced

Step 2: Invitation to Apply (ITA)

Job Offers^{Footnote 2} in Express Entry:

• Candidates with a job offer or a provincial/territorial nomination are given additional points to ensure they are issued an Invitation to Apply (ITA)
• They will quickly be offered an ITA for permanent residence (PR);
• Candidates will have 60 days to submit their complete electronic application for permanent residence
• At application, CIC will verify candidate eligibility and admissibility criteria
• Express Entry candidates will benefit from processing times of six months or less.^{Footnote 1}

Invitation to Apply Mechanics

• Whether an Express Entry candidate is issued an Invitation to Apply (ITA) is determined using a transparent, public and objective methodology: The Comprehensive Ranking System.
• Ministerial Instructions will be posted online and will contain the date and time of each round of invitations, the number of candidates that receive an ITA, and if it applies, which specific immigration program(s) were included in the round.
• All rounds of invitations will be based on candidates’ rank in the pool whether the round is for a specific immigration program or simply the top ranked candidates in the pool overall.
• After each round of invitations, CIC will communicate the lowest points score included in the round.
• If a candidate does not receive an ITA, they will be able to visit the CIC website and see how they fared against the cut off score.

Invitation to Apply Timing

• Rounds of invitations will be held as needed to meet annual levels targets.
• Initial expectations are that rounds of invitations will occur regularly throughout the year with approximately 15 to 25 taking place overall.
• It should be noted that the timing and the number of candidates invited in each round of invitations may vary, allowing CIC to take into account fluctuations in the labour market or the number of candidates in the pool etc.

Provinces and Territories = Key Partners

• Provincial and territorial (P/T) nominations continue under the new system.
• P/Ts are able to nominate candidates who meet their unique regional labour market needs.
• When an Express Entry candidate is identified through a PNP, they receive additional points in the ranking system and will be quickly invited to apply for permanent residence.
• CIC will process most applications in six months or less.^{Footnote 1}