Express Entry is a selection system the Canadian Government implemented to expedite the Permanent Resident visa process for various Economic Immigration Programs. It is an electronic process with online submissions which allows for quicker processing times, averaging around 6 months.

Eligibility

To be Eligible to apply under Express Entry you must meet the eligibility requirements for any one of the Immigration Programs that are processed by Express Entry. Each program has its own eligibility requirements. If you meet the requirements, an expression of interest to apply can be made by creating a profile
detailing personal information including skills, work experience, language ability (test scores), education.
All candidates who meet the eligibility requirements to apply with be placed into a pool and are ranked using a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). Periodically, a certain number of the highest ranked applicants will be invited to apply for Permanent Residence. Once a candidate receives an Invitation to Apply (ITA), they have 60 days to submit a application for permanent residence with ALL necessary accompanying documents. All required documents must be submitted within this timeline, otherwise they will be refused and be put back in the pool. After completing the process, successful candidates, and their dependants (spouse and children) can land in Canada as Permanent Residents and be on their way to becoming Canadian Permanent Residents.

The following programs are processed by Express Entry:

Canadian Experience Class – CEC
All Economic Class programs are designed to bring immigrants to Canada who can economically establish themselves in the country.

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The Canadian Experience Class is part of the Economic Class and this is managed by the Express Entry program. Approximate processing times are currently 6 months once an Invitation to Apply (ITA) is received.
To be eligible to apply, you must meet the program requirements.
​- Have obtained at least one year of full-time skilled, professional, or technical work experience in Canada within 36 months of the application date. Self-Employment or work experience gained while being a full-time student does not count.
-The job experience is in a Managerial job (NOC skill level 0), Professional job (NOC skill type A), Technical jobs and skilled trades (NOC skill type B)
– Meet the minimum language score of CLB 5 or CLB 7 on the Canadian Language Benchmark, depending on the level of the job
– Plan to live and work outside of the province of Quebec (individuals with work experience in Quebec and who plan to reside in Quebec may apply to the Quebec Experience Class).
Once selected from the Express entry Pool and awarded with an Invitation to Apply (ITA), candidates and their dependants must also undergo medical examinations and obtain security clearance as part of the Canadian immigration application process.
Pathway to Canada for International Students and Temporary Foreign Workers
The Canadian Experience Class offers students with Canadian work experience the fastest and simplest path to achieving permanent residence.
​After completing a program or course of study at a Canadian educational institution, international graduates can remain in the country and work on post-graduate work permits. Once a graduate or Temporary Foreign Worker obtains at least one year of Canadian work experience in a skilled, professional, or technical field, they may then
become eligible to apply under the Canadian Experience Class.
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Federal Skilled Worker Program – FSW
All Economic Class programs are designed to bring immigrants to Canada who can establish themselves economically in the country.
The Federal Skilled Worker program is part of the Economic Class and this is managed by the Express Entry program. Approximate processing times are currently 6 months once an Invitation to Apply (ITA) is received.
To be eligible to apply, you must meet the program requirements:
-Have professional work experience of at least one continuous year of full-time paid work experience or the equivalent in part-time continuous employment listed in the National Occupational Classification (O, A or B) in the last 10 years. OR qualify for arranged employment in Canada with a full-time, permanent job offer from a
Canadian employer along with a Labour Market Impact Assessment(LMIA) or without an LMIA if you are exempt.
-A Canadian diploma, certificate, or credential AND/OR a foreign educational credential, and an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) by an agency approved by IRCC to show it is equal to a completed Canadian secondary or post-secondary educational credential.
-Meet the minimum language score of CLB 7 on the Canadian Language Benchmark, or equivalent.
-Have settlement funds  to support yourself and your family for six months after arrival in Canada.
You must also score a minimum of 67 points under the following IRCC selection factors to be eligible to apply.

Once selected from the Express entry Pool and awarded with an Invitation to Apply (ITA), candidates and their dependants must also undergo medical examinations and obtain security clearances as part of the Canadian immigration application process.

Federal Skilled Trades Program – FST
All Economic Class programs are designed to bring immigrants to Canada who can establish themselves economically in the country.
The Federal Skilled Trade Class is part of the Economic Class and this is managed by the Express Entry program. Approximate processing times are currently 6 months once an Invitation to Apply (ITA) is received.

To be eligible to apply, you must meet the program requirements.
-have offers of employment from up to two employers in Canada of at least one year duration (accompanied by an LMIA) OR a Certificate of Qualification from a provincial or territorial body
-meets the minimum language score of CLB 5 for speaking and listening, CLB 4 for reading and writing.
-have obtained 24 months of qualified work experience in the skilled trade in the last five years
-be qualified to meet the requirements of the job offer(s) or trade in Canada, as defined by the NOC. NOC B level occupations will be eligible for this program.

Eligible occupations fall into the following general categories:
 Industrial, electrical and construction trades
 Maintenance and equipment operation trades

 Supervisors and technical occupations in national resources, agriculture and related production
 Processing, manufacturing and utilities supervisors and central control operators
 Chefs and cooks
 Butchers and bakers
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Certification or Offer of Employment
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Trade certification in Canada falls under provincial jurisdiction. Each province outlines which professions will be regulated and establishes regulatory bodies where applicable. Provincial certification is often difficult to obtain from outside Canada and accordingly this program will be most beneficial to tradespeople who obtain an approved offer of employment from a recognized employer, or who are already working in Canada as temporary foreign workers. Not all trades are regulated in all the provinces. Where a trade is not regulated, an offer of employment becomes mandatory.
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Tradespeople who obtain an approved offer of employment for one year or more in their trade from a Canadian employer are also eligible to apply. The offer of employment will be evaluated to ensure that it is an eligible trade and that the hiring will have a neutral effect on the Canadian Labour Market.
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​Once selected from the Express entry Pool and awarded with an Invitation to Apply (ITA), candidates and their dependants must also undergo medical examinations and obtain security clearance as part of the Canadian immigration application process.
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Provincial Nominee Program – PNP
PNP programs are another option to immigrate to Canada if you do not have enough points to be selected under Express Entry or not eligible for any other immigration category. The Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) allow Canadian provinces and territories to nominate individuals who wish to immigrate to Canada and who are interested in settling in a specific province.
Each Canadian province (except Quebec, which has a different selection system) and two territories have their own unique Provincial Nominee Programs. Participating provinces and territories sign agreements with IRCC that allow them to select immigrants who meet the requirements that they have set forth. Provinces with PNP programs each have their own selection criteria to find immigrants with skills that the province needs which they cannot hire locally. The selection criteria and occupations vary across provinces from information technology, medical, agriculture, trades, business, investors, and people who have ties to Canada.

How does the program work?
​Candidates must first be entered into the Express Entry System and have a CRS score, then apply to a PNP program (which is a separate application). You will remain in the Express Entry pool for a year, or until you are selected to apply for Permanent Residence.
After you receive a Notification Of Interest (NOI) following which the province processes your PNP application and if they send you a you Provincial Nomination Certificate, you will be granted 600 points to add to your Express Entry score. With these additional 600 points, you will be selected and invited to apply for PR at the
very next draw.
Benefits of applying under PNP program
Once a Provincial Nominee Certificate is granted, you receive 600 point that goes towards your Express Entry score. On average, individuals without a PNP certificate will score between 200 and 450. The most recent cut off scores to be selected forExpress Entry have been in the 400 – 500 range. Individuals with a PNP Certificate automatically are granted 600 points to add to their Express Entry core of 200-450 points. The PNP certificate would give a final Express Entry score above 800 which is significantly higher than the current cut off selection score of around 400-500 points.
Rural and Northern Immigration Program
The Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot is a community-driven program. It’s designed to spread the benefits of economic immigration to smaller communities by creating a path to permanent residence for skilled foreign workers who want to work and live in one of the participating communities listed:
 Sault Ste. Marie, ON
 Thunder Bay, ON
 Brandon, MB
 Altona/Rhineland, MB
 Claresholm, AB
 Vernon, BC
 Sudbury, ON
 Timmins, ON
 West Kootenay (Trail, Castlegar, Ross land, Nelson), BC
 North Bay, ON (Coming soon)
 Moose Jaw, SK (Coming soon)

The requirement to apply for one of the participating communities is that an applicant must meet community specific requirements.