Express Entry, Canada’s main program for attracting highly qualified foreign workers, has resumed distributing invitations to apply for permanent residency. The backlog of applications brought on by border restrictions during the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) epidemic delayed the invitation rounds for all programs.
According to the CanadaVisa website, 1,500 invitations were distributed on July 6 as part of the country’s first all-program Express Entry draw since December 2020 for applications for permanent residence and 226th overall since Express Entry’s start in 2015. In previous all-programs invitation rounds, the average number of invitations to apply (ITAs) for permanent residence was between 3,000 and 5,000.
Sean Fraser, the immigration minister, told CIC News last week: “I am pleased to report that Express Entry draws have officially commenced and applications will be processed at our six-month processing standard.”
In September 2021, draws for the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), a popular way for international graduates and temporary foreign workers to obtain permanent residency, were postponed. Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) and Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP), the other two skilled worker programs run by Canada’s Express Entry system, were suspended in December 2020.
A job offer is not necessary to qualify for permanent residency under the Express Entry system, but it does increase a candidate’s ranking on the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), which is used to assess applicants based on their human capital. Age, education, linguistic proficiency, and work experience are among the factors that determine the CRS score.
Select the immigration route that is best for you. Check your CRS score and gather the necessary documentation, including results of language tests, educational evaluations, job offers, police certificates, medical examinations, and proof of finances. As you wait in the pool for invitations, create and complete your profile. If you accept the invitation, you have 60 days to complete the application, upload the required papers, pay the required fees, and submit it.
