Some candidates for immigration to Canada have already taken an important first step and submitted an Express Entry profile.
Only candidates who are eligible for one of Canada’s federal economic immigration programs are able to submit their profile into the Express Entry pool.
Eligible candidates in the Express Entry pool are ranked according to the Comprehensive Ranking System, which ranks eligible candidates for immigration to Canada through Express Entry under the following components:
- core human capital factors;
- accompanying spouse or common-law partner factors;
- skill transferability factors; and
- factors relating to a provincial nomination or a qualifying offer of arranged employment.
The highest-ranked candidates are issued invitations to apply for Canadian permanent residence when the government of Canada performs regular draws from the pool. Therefore, it is in candidates’ best interests to strive to improve their scores in order to increase their chances of receiving an invitation to apply.
Obtain 600 CRS Points
The most beneficial single thing that a candidate may do to improve his or her Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score is obtain a nomination from a Canadian province or a qualifying job offer from a Canadian employer.
While candidates who do not have a qualifying job offer from a Canadian employer or nomination from a Canadian province may receive an invitation to apply for permanent residence at some stage, the 600 points available under the Comprehensive Ranking System mean that candidates with either a qualifying job offer or provincial nomination will receive an invitation to apply for permanent residence at a subsequent draw from the Express Entry pool.
Provincial Nominee Programs: A Fast-Track To Permanent Residence Through Express Entry
In Canada, the federal government and the provinces and territories share jurisdiction over the selection of immigrants. Geographically and politically, Canada is divided into 10 provinces and three territories. Apart from the territory of Nunavut and the province of Quebec, all other provinces and territories have immigration programs that allow them to nominate individuals who wish to immigrate to Canada and who are interested in settling in a particular province. These are the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs).
Provincial and territorial governments have been using these programs to welcome new permanent residents to Canada. Each PNP is tailored to the specific needs of the provinces and territories, which aim to select new immigrants who will be able to settle into life and work in the region and effectively contribute to the community, both socially and economically.
Most PNPs contain a stream aligned with the federal Express Entry immigration selection system. Candidates in the Express Entry pool who obtain an enhanced nomination from a province are awarded 600 points under the Comprehensive Ranking System, out of a possible total of 1,200. When these additional points are added to a candidate’s human capital and skills transferability points, it will result in an invitation to apply for permanent residence at a subsequent draw from the Express Entry pool.
