When should I apply for the Express Entry Program 2023

Tejaswini Panigrahi
[Published 04 Jan, 2022 | 03:23 PM]
About Author - 6 min read
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Should I Apply for Express Entry Program 2023 Now?

Well, this is the most asked and valid question in recent times in the immigration world, and it is quite understandable as Covid-19 is nowhere around vanishing soon.

Canada is famous for its abundant resources and job opportunities but it lacks severely in terms of skilled population. So, to overcome its skilled/trade labor shortages, it has aimed to welcome 411,000 new immigrants per year under its Immigration Levels Plan 2021-2023.

It is news that almost 60% of the immigrants might migrate through the skilled workers’ program, where the Express Entry system is the primary method. Most of the candidates who migrate to Canada through the Express Entry stream, do so through the Federal Skilled Worker Program.

Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the former immigration governing body of Canada had issued the Express Entry invitations to only the CEC and PNP candidates, throughout the year 2021. And the reasons were quite simple and understandable, as those candidates were already present in Canada and the whole world was undergoing various lockdown-travel restrictions amidst the Covid-19 pandemic. As the CEEC and some of the PNP candidates were already present in the country, they were less likely to face pandemic-related travel delays or such issues, which could’ve disturbed their timeline of receiving the Canadian PR Visa. So, it is likely to conclude that most of the FSWP candidates are still awaiting their invitations from Canada.

Although it might seem wise to wait for the direct Express Entry draws to resume before applying for the programs, but a careful cost-benefit analysis reveals the benefits of going ahead and joining the pool now. However, the only drawback of entering the pool now is that your language test results (IELTS, PTE, or TOEFL, etc results) might expire before the application proceeds and if you do not receive an ITA within two years of passing it.

What is Express Entry stream?

Express Entry Program is the most popular Canadian Immigration stream, which is an online & fast-tracked process for managing immigration applications. This program is an online, point-based stream, that determines the eligibility of the applicants from each sub-category and issues them an invitation for Canadian PR. 

The Express Entry stream is a management system for the three Federal Economic Immigration programs (receives applications through the below sub-streams), such as:

• Federal Skilled Trade Program
  
• Federal Skilled Worker Program
• Canadian Experience Class Program 

The candidates in the pool are ranked based on their CRS score (Comprehensive Ranking System Score) and the highest-ranking candidates receive the ITA for Canada PR.

It also allows the provinces and territories to search for skilled candidates from its pool through the PNP-aligned Express Entry Streams of each PNPs. However, the candidates in the pool who receive a PNP invitation are allocated an automatic 600 points to their CRS score, hence increasing their chances of receiving the ITA in the subsequent draws.

Step-by-step process of applying for the Express Entry stream

1. The first step involves creating an online profile along with crucial documents such as Educational Certificates, Work Experience Certificates, and other personal documents such as ID Proof, etc. The candidate has to submit their application under one of the following streams, according to their eligibility:

• Federal Skilled Trade Program 
  
• Federal Skilled Worker Program
• Canadian Experience Class Program 

2. Once the application is accepted into the pool, the candidate is allocated a job seeker Validation Code and Express Entry Profile Number through which they can develop their resume in the Canada Job Bank.

3. The third step involves the ranking system, where the candidates are ranked according to their CRS scores.

4. The highest-ranking candidates are then offered the Invite to Apply for the Canadian PR Visa.

What are the Eligibility criteria for Express Entry?

To be eligible for the Express Entry stream,

• The candidate must have a full-time work experience of a minimum of one year in a skilled occupation, in the last ten years.
• The candidate should also score the minimum of CLB (Canadian Language Benchmark) seven in either English or French
• They should also have a minimum of post-secondary education, along with an Educational Credential Assessment report to prove the equivalence of their education level to the Canadian Education Level.

Although these are the important criteria, better profiles are ranked better.

Are you eligible for the Express Entry stream of 2023? Let’s find out now!

Call us or click here to find out your eligibility for the Canadian PR Visa with the best Canadian Immigration Consultant in Delhi/NCR. Nationwide Visas.