Achievers International

Canada has welcomed over 80,000 immigrants through the Canada Express Entry since its launch in January 2015. Canada Express Entry is a fast-track system for immigration for highly skilled workers and students. Express entry program is an application management system, used to organize and process applications of immigrants who want to apply for Canadian permanent residency. It is the most popular and the fastest immigration program for skilled immigrants to apply for a Canada PR Visa.

It manages the profiles of the immigrants who have applied for Canada PR Visa through the following Canadian economic immigration programs:

  • Federal Skilled Worker (FSW)
  • Federal Skilled Trades (FST)
  • Canadian Experience Class (CEC)

Immigrants who are able to meet the minimum requirements of any one of the above-mentioned programs, their profiles are then submitted into the express entry pool.

Your profile will be then ranked according to a point-based system known as the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). The highest-ranked profiles will be then given an ITA – Invitation to Apply for Canada permanent residence. You will have 60 days to submit your application for a Canada PR Visa to the IRCC.

An ideal application for Canada PR Visa will be processed in only 6 months.

 

What is the Step by Step Express entry process for Canada PR Visa?

Following are the simple steps that will allow you to apply for Canada PR Visa through Express Entry program:

Step 1: Check your Eligibility – Very first for you will be to calculate your Express entry points with the help of 67 points calculator. If you score the required 67 points, you are then eligible to create your express entry profile.

Step 2: Create an Express entry profile – Your express entry profile will be submitted into the express entry pool with the profiles of the applicants. In the express entry pool, profiles are ranked based on their CRS score.

Step 3: Create a Job Bank profile (Optional) – You can create a Job Match account with Job Bank, which acts as a database to help match an applicant with the employers looking for workers possessing the skills the applicants have.

Step 4: Receive your ITA – IRCC holds express entry draws to issue ITAs to higher-ranked profiles in the express entry pool. If you are able to clear the latest CRS score cut-off, you will be issued an ITA to submit your application for Canada PR visa to the IRCC within 60 days.

Step 5: Submit your Canada PR application – You have to submit your Canada PR visa application to the IRCC with the right set of documents. IRCC will then process your application, which can take around 4 to 5 months. On successful evaluation, you will your Confirmation of Permanent Residency (COPR)

What is Canada Express Entry processing time?

IRCC reports that 80% of applications for PR visas submitted by Express Entry are processed within 6 months of their receipt. This is the application submitted once the applicant receives an ITA and prepares their formal application for permanent residence.

This processing time does not take into account the time it takes to prepare an Express Entry profile, request, and receive a provincial appointment (if applicable), etc.

What is the fee for the Express Entry program?

Following is the overview of costs that are associated with Canada Immigration Express entry program for Canada PR visa:

Before entering the Pool
  • ECA fees – $227 CAD to $322 CAD (per person)
  • IELTS fees – INR 14,000 ($250 CAD) (per person)

 Government Fees

  • Application processing fees – $825 CAD (per person)
  • Right of Permanent Residence fees – $500 CAD (per person)
  • Include a dependent child(ren) – $225 (per child)

 Other Fees

  • Medical – $70 CAD approx. (per person)
  • PCC – INR 500 ($10 CAD) (per person)

Other than this, you must also be required to show some proof of funds. These funds are required if you are applying through FST and FSW. If you have a valid job-offer OR application through CEC, you are exempted from this requirement.

Following table shows the current settlement funds required for Canada PR Visa (Updated on January 1, 2020):

Number of Family Members

Required Funds (In-CAD)

1

$12,960

2

$16,135

3

$19,836

4

$24,083

5

$27,315

6

$30,806

7

$34,299

For each additional family member, add

$3,492

 

 

What if your CRS score isn’t high enough for receiving an ITA for Canada PR?

In such a case, you can try to increase your CRS score by trying one of the following things:

  • Secure a nomination for Canada PR visa under a provincial nominee program (PNP)
  • Secure a job offer from a Canadian employer
  • Retake your language test with better preparation
  • Complete a certificate, diploma or degree course
  • Add to your work experience

Notably, a PNP nomination will help you earn 600 CRS points which will effectively guarantee you an ITA for Canada PR visa.

You can try to increase your CRS score while you are still in the Express Entry pool and stand a chance of being invited to appluy for canada PR visa in a subsequent draw.

Your Express Entry profile is valid for a period of 12 months. If you do not receive an ITA for 12 months, your Express Entry profile will expire and you will need to create a new one.

What is the minimum required CRS score?

There isn’t a fixed minimum required CRS score. It keeps changing as per IRCC’s requirements. IRCC invites candidates as per the CRS cut-off score which is decided at the time of every Express Entry draw. On occasions, CRS cut-off score can go higher than the previous draw and sometimes lower. The trend is usually upward.