Express Entry is the most popular immigration system offering Canadian permanent residence, introduced by the federal government in January 2015 to replace the old “first come, first served” process.
WHAT IS EXPRESS ENTRY AND HOW DOES IT WORK?
Applicants who meet eligibility criteria submit an online profile known as an Expression of interest (EOI), under one of 3 federal Canada immigration programs or a participating provincial immigration program, to the Express Entry Pool.
Express Entry manages applications for three economic immigration programs:
- Canadian Experience Class
- Federal Skilled Worker Program
- Federal Skilled Trades Program
Eligibility requirements include:
- nationality
- age
- language ability
- family members
- education
- work experience
- details on any job offer
Candidates’ profiles are ranked against each other according to a points-based system called the
Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). The highest ranked candidates will be considered for an
invitation to apply (ITA) for permanent residence. Those receiving an ITA must quickly submit a full application
and pay processing fees, within a delay of 60-days.
LMIA assistance and representation
If your business is facing a labour shortage, and you are unable to find Canadian citizens and/or permanent residents to fulfill the shortage, your business may be eligible to hire a temporary foreign worker based on a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) application.
The Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) is intended to help Canadian employers recruit foreign workers in response to labour market shortages. The program is governed by Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). A positive LMIA determines that you can hire a foreign worker to fill labour or skills shortages on a temporary basis because the specified work is likely to have a positive or neutral impact on the Canadian labour market.