Express Entry

All about FSW, CEC, FST, and PNP

Table of contents

EXPRESS ENTRY
COURSE AND
MASTERCLASS

OCTOBER 24-27, 2022

About the Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) Program

When people start looking for ways to immigrate to Canada, they often they end up applying for the Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) program through Express Entry.

The FSW program is by far the most popular economic immigration program to Canada and each year it attracts thousands of applicants from around the world. The main benefit of FSW is that it is a point-based program managed through the Express Entry system. Since adopting the Immigration Act in 1976, Canada has used a point-based system to assess all foreign skilled workers. Under the current Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and Regulations, to be eligible for the FSW program, applicants must score at least 67 points for FSW program awarded based on six human capital factors:

  • Education - maximum 25 points

  • Proficiency in official languages - maximum 28 points

  • Work Experience - maximum 15 points

  • Age - maximum 12 points

  • Arranged Employment - maximum 10 points

  • Adaptability - maximum 10 points

After meeting the minimum Federal Skilled Worker 67 points pass mark, applicants can proceed with creating a profile in the Express Entry System.

FSW Minimum requirements:

  • You must have at least one year, in the last 10 years, of continuous full-time (or equivalent part-time) work experience in a skilled occupation (NOC 0, A, or B)

  • Pass an approved English or French language test with a minimum of CLB 7

  • Obtain either a Canadian educational credential or a foreign educational credential with an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA)

  • Score at least 67 points under FSW Points Grid (points assigned for age, education, work experience, language skills, job offer if you have one, and for adaptability skills)

  • Have enough funds for you and your family to settle in Canada

  • Be admissible to Canada

About the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) Program

Canadian Experience Class (CEC) is a program that was launched in 2008 and allows temporary foreign workers with professional, skilled, or managerial Canadian work experience apply for permanent residence in Canada. In general, CEC is somewhat similar to a FSW program, however the eligibility criteria are slightly different for CEC applicants. For example, unlike with FSW, there is no education requirement for the Canadian Experience Class.

Overall, to qualify for CEC a temporary foreign worker has to meet the criteria laid out in s.87.1(2) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR) set out below:

CEC minimum eligibility requirements:

Have eligible Canadian skilled work experience:

  • Have a minimum of 12 months of full-time Canadian skilled work experience within the past 36 months. This criterion can be also met through part-time work experience;

  • Work experience must be in NOC 0, A, or B.

  • Work experience obtained while the applicant was engaged in full-time study in Canada, as well as self-employed or unauthorized work experience cannot be used for CEC.

Meet CEC minimum language requirements:

  • Minimum CLB 7 for candidates claiming work experience obtained in NOC 0 or A jobs;

  • Minimum CLB 5 for work experience in NOC B jobs;

Express Entry application process

Express Entry is an electronic application management system that was launched on January 1, 2015 and replaced the former first-come, first-served system of application processing for Permanent Residence (PR) applications. Under Express Entry system all applicants who are eligible for FSW (or other economic class programs) and who have a valid Express Entry profile are placed in a “Pool of Candidates” where they are ranked based on their Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score. Candidates with the highest CRS scores receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for Permanent Residence in Canada if and when draws take place.

STEP 1. Meet minimum eligibility requirements under one of the economic streams

Each economic stream has it’s own minimum eligibility requirements. For example, to qualify for the Federal Skilled Worker Program the candidate has to score minimum 67 out of 100 points of the FSW points grid. For CEC, applicants have to meet specific requirements and demonstrate eligible Canadian work experience. Only after the candidates meet the minimum eligibility criteria under one of the economic streams they are allowed to create an Express Entry Profile.

STEP 2. Create an Express Entry Profile

Each candidate must create an Express Entry online profile and submit it to the Pool of Candidates. Candidates must have an Education Credential Assessment (ECA) or proof of completion of Canadian studies and a valid language test result to create a profile. The candidate will receive a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score depending on their skills and background.

To create an Express Entry profile an applicant will need to collect a list of documents, including passport, ECA, language test results, etc.

Download our FREE Express Entry Profile Documents Checklist with top tips here:

STEP 3. Receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA)

All profiles in the Pool are ranked by the CRS score. Top candidates receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for Permanent Residence if and when IRCC issues a Round of Invitations. A candidate’s Express Entry Profile will remain active for 1 year. If the candidate does not receive an ITA within 1 year, the Profile will automatically expire.

An Invitation to Apply (ITA) allows the candidate to prepare and submit a formal application for permanent residence. ITAs are issued to the candidates with the top CRS scores. In non pandemic times, IRCC would issue ITAs approximately every 2 weeks to top ranked candidates in the Pool. Each Round of Invitations identifies the minimum qualifying CRS score, the Program (FSW, FST, CEC, or PNP) and the number of ITAs issued in that particular Round of Invitations.

STEP 4. Submit an electronic Application for Permanent Residence (eAPR)

After the ITA is received, the candidate has 60 days to submit their Electronic Application for Permanent Residence (eAPR).

At the eAPR stage, the candidate has to enter detailed personal information and disclose personal history, work history, travel history, and family composition. The candidate’s CRS score must also be confirmed with supporting documents, including Police Certificates, medical exams, proof of education and proof of employment. The candidate then electronically signs and submits the completed eAPR forms and all supporting documents through the Express Entry Profile.

How much does it cost to apply for Canada PR through Express Entry?

The first step in the process will cost you nothing - it is free to create an Express Entry profile. However, as you begin collecting the necessary supporting documents for your eAPR, expenses will add up quickly. Realistically, preparing and submitting a PR application to Canada will cost you at least between $3,000 to $5,000 CAD. You will need to consider the following minimum expenses:

  • Educational Credential Assessment (approximately $200);

  • English or French Language Test (approximately $350);

  • Police Clearance Certificates (the cost varies from country to country);

  • Medical Exam (approximately $250);

  • Certified English or French language translation for all supporting documents;

  • Processing fee ($825);

  • Right of Permanent Residence Fee ($500) for the Principal Applicant and Accompanying Spouse (There are also fees for children);

  • Biometrics fee ($85).

On top of these expenses, candidates for Permanent Residence in Canada must meet the Proof of Funds (POF) requirements. POF are the funds that are readily available to the candidate for settling in Canada. The minimum Proof of Funds requirements change every year and currently range between $13,213 CAD to $34,964 CAD depending on the number of family members accompanying the Principal Applicant to Canada.

How long does the Express Entry process take?

IRCC has a processing standard of 6 months starting from the time when the Permanent Residence application is received, however the processing time varies depending on a number of different factors, such as:

  • the type of application submitted;

  • if the application is complete;

  • how quickly we expect to process applications we’ve already received;

  • how easily we can verify your information;

  • how long you take to respond to any requests or concerns; etc.

Applications received after IRCC meets their yearly limit may have to wait longer to be processed. Furthermore, COVID-19 has significantly impacted the processing time and IRCC adjusted its processing priorities.

Keep in mind that the process of collecting all supporting documents and preparing your application can take months or even years. It is wise to start preparing your application materials as soon as possible. You will need to have a language test report form and an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) before you will be allowed to create an Express Entry Profile. Also, there is a narrow timeframe of 60 days for submitting the eAPR after you receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA). For this reason, applicants are encouraged to have all documents in their possession even before they receive the ITA or submit their Express Entry Profile to the Pool.

Unreasonable delay in Express Entry processing times. What to do?

If you believe you are experiencing unreasonably long processing times with your Express Entry application, you can book a consultation with an Immigration Lawyer to see what options might be available to you. For example, depending on your situation and duration of the delay you may:

How to find your NOC code for Express Entry?

When you’re preparing an Express Entry application you will need to match your work experience to a particular National Occupational Classification (NOC) code. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) uses the 2016 National Occupational Classification system to classify jobs in Canada. One of the most important ways of classification is Skill Level. If your foreign work experience in not considered to be “Skilled” (Skill Level B or higher) for the purposes of IRCC, then you will not receive any points for work experience under the Express Entry system. Therefore, it is absolutely essential that you get your NOC right, because otherwise your application may get refused.

Check our Blog post on tips and strategies you can use to determine your NOC code:

Common reasons for Express Entry refusal

Your Express Entry application can be rejected for many reasons and luckily all Express Entry mistakes are completely preventable. Even if you made a mistake, in some cases we still can save your application after submission. However, with some applications the mistake is spotted after it is already too late and there is nothing that can be done on our end. Through the years of our practice we see the following common Express Entry mistakes that often may lead to refusal:

  • You chose the wrong NOC code;

  • Your reference letters are not perfect

  • Your proof of funds documents are deficient

  • You did not include all correct documents with your EE application

  • You did not understand and did not answer the statutory questions correctly

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If you believe you made a mistake with your Express Entry application - contact a Canadian Immigration Lawyer immediately. There still might be a chance to save your application.

Do I need a lawyer for Express Entry application?

The short answer is no, but there are many reasons why you would still want to hire a lawyer for your Express Entry application.

Even though IRCC has tried to simplify the application process, the Express Entry journey remains extremely complex. With many legal nuances unknown to the average candidate and due to the ruthless approach IRCC takes in refusing applications for the slightest mistake, the risk of refusal is quite high. An application can be refused for misrepresentation, missing any document or signature, for incorrect translations, and even because of a typo or failing to attach a color scan of your document. By hiring a lawyer you minimize your chance of failure and maximize your chance of spotting a mistake and correcting your application before you submit it to IRCC. Unfortunately, over years of practice, we have had too many consultations with candidates who came to us for help when it was already too late to correct mistakes made in their applications.

How can I hire an Express Entry Immigration Lawyer?

If you need assistance with preparation or review of your Express Entry application you can retain one of our Canadian Immigration Lawyers at Holthe Immigration Law. Our lawyers at Holthe Immigration Law will assist you with identifying and resolving any potential legal challenges, determining your NOC codes, reviewing work reference letters for Express Entry, reviewing your letters of explanation, etc. Should you retain our firm, you will be working directly with a lawyer in reviewing your application forms and supporting documents until the lawyer is confident that your application is ready for submission.

We work with our Express Entry clients through a Collaborative Review Approach, which allows us to reduce our legal fees and keep delivering superb experience. With this representation model, you do the technical work of collecting the documents and entering your information into the forms. At the same time, our law firm does the legal work. We provide you with educational materials, video instructions, training, legal support and assist you throughout the process, addressing any legal challenges you may have. By hiring a Canadian Immigration Lawyer at Holthe Immigration Law you ensure you always have a lawyer working with you collaboratively to review and revise your Express Entry application until it is ready for submission.

Before you can retain one of our Canadian Immigration Lawyers to work with you on your Express Entry application we require that you book an initial paid consultation. During the consultation the lawyer will identify potential legal issues and determine if we are in a position to help you with your immigration matter.