Do you wish to know if you are qualified to use the Express Entry to Canada in 2023? Read this article to find out more. Every year, the Canadian Citizenship and Immigration Resource Center (CCIRC) receives a lot of applications to use the express entry but unfortunately, not all completed applications are acceptable.
In this article, I am going to show you what the Canada Express Entry is all about, who is eligible for the application and the easiest way to make the application.
About Express Entry Canada
Express Entry is an online mechanism that has been created by the Canadian government for the purpose of organizing and processing applications for skilled workers who wish to migrate to Canada and acquire Canadian permanent residence status.
Express Entry is the fastest and most popular pathway to permanent residence for immigrants seeking a new life in Canada.
Programs Available for Canada Express Entry
Canada’s Express Entry manages the following Federal Economic program:
- Federal Skilled Worker (FSW)
- Federal Skilled Trades (FST)
- Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
You can apply for any of the programs through the system to acquire permanent resident permit in Canada. See Canada Immigration Form.
Eligibility for Canada Express Entry
To be eligible for the Canada’s Express Entry, the applicant should at least get a university or college degrees, skilled work experience and moderate proficiency in English and/or French.
In addition to this, you have to find out the requirements for each of the above listed federal economic programs and get the one that you want to apply for ready before the application.
Other special eligibility criteria include the following:
- Have at least one year, in the last 10 years of continuous full-time (or equivalent part-time) work experience in a skilled occupation
- Be able to demonstrate on an approved language test a minimum of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) seven in either English or French
- Completed post-secondary education that is assessed against Canadian standards with an Education Credential Assessment
Cost of Canada’s Express Entry
The cost of immigrating to Canada through Express Entry is about $2,300 CAD for a single applicant, or about $4,500 CAD for a couple. The breakdown of costs includes,
- Language tests: Average cost – $300
- Educational Credential Assessment (ECA): Average cost – $200
- Biometrics: $85/person
- Government fees: $1,325/adult & $225/child
- Medical examination fees: average cost – $450/adult & $250/child
- Police clearance certificates: average cost – $100/country
You will not be required to any fees to submit your initial Express Entry profile. You will only have to pay once you are invited to apply for Canadian permanent residence.
In addition to the government processing fees, you may also need to pay provincial immigration fees if you apply through a PNP. See Visa Sponsorship Jobs in Canada.
It should also be noted that unless you are applying under the Canadian Experience Class program or have a valid arranged employment offer, you will need to demonstrate you have sufficient funds to support your resettlement in Canada.
These settlement funds are not fees paid to the government but you must have access to them to be approved for a permanent residence visa. The amounts per family size are as shown in the table below:
| Number of Family Members | Funds Required |
| 1 | $13,757 |
| 2 | $17,127 |
| 3 | $21,055 |
| 4 | $25,564 |
| 5 | $28,994 |
| 6 | $32,700 |
| 7 | $36,407 |
| For each additional family member | $3,706 |
| Required amount as of May, 2023 |
How to demonstrate proof of settlement funds for Express Entry
To demonstrate proof of funds for Express Entry, applicants must submit letters from financial institutes where they keep their money. The letter must include the following:
- Printed on the financial institution’s letterhead
- Include the financial institution’s contact information
- Include the name of the applicant
- List any outstanding debts or loans
- Include the following information for each account:
- Account numbers
- Date of opening
- Current balance of each account
- Average balance for the previous six months
How to Apply for Express Entry to Canada
Application to Express Entry involves a two-step process that must be followed carefully. The first step is to submit your profile which requires the following documents:
- Language test results
- Educational credential assessment report
- A passport or travel document
After you submit your profile and you receive an invitation to apply for Canadian permanent residence, you will need to provide a more substantial application that includes reference letters, additional identity documents, police clearance certificates, and results of a medical examination.
How long does Express Entry take?
Express Entry can take as little as six months to process, from submission of the Express Entry profile to the issuance of a permanent resident visa.
However, not all cases will proceed this quickly. Your Express Entry profile will remain active in the pool of candidates for 12 months if you do not receive an invitation to apply.
If after 12 months you have not received an invitation, you are welcome to resubmit your profile and remain in the pool. To break it down further:
- Your profile will remain valid for 12 months in the Express Entry pool
- Upon issuance of the ITA, you will have 60 days to provide the requested full application of documents
- Once the immigration authorities receive your complete application, and your permanent resident visa, IRCC may process your application in about six months
How to calculate Express Entry points
Canada’s Express Entry points are the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score that Canada uses to rank candidates in the Express Entry pool. They are series of factors that are used for the calculation of CRS. They include the following:
- Age;
- Level of education;
- Proficiency in French or English;
- Foreign and Canadian work experience;
- Spouse factors; and
- Connections to Canada
You will stand a chance of getting approval if you have a higher Express Entry Point. They are some factors that can contribute to your getting higher points. Such factors are:
- Higher language proficiency in English and/or French
- Bilingualism in French and English
- A Master’s degree or Ph.D. education
- Canadian work or educational experience
- A Canadian brother or sister currently residing in Canada
- An arranged employment offer from a Canadian company
- A nomination from a provincial nominee program
I wish you the best as you apply for your migration to Canada through Express entry. For any other questions, kindly make of the comment section below this article.
