Canada has one of the most advanced immigration systems in the world in Express Entry. Launched in January 2015, it is designed by Canadian authorities to better align the skills of immigrants with the needs of the labour market.

Previously, candidates applying under the Canadian Experience Class, Skilled Worker Class or the Skilled Trades Class submitted their applications and were approved or denied on a first-come, first-served basis. However, this created an unmanageable backlog of applications that took years to process.

Express Entry changed this. It placed all candidates in a pool, with each application carrying a score using a Comprehensive Ranking System(CRS). Roughly every two weeks, the federal government identifies the highest ranked candidates and issues Invitations to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence under the above three programs.

Special categories under each Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) were also created to allow each province to nominate candidates that meet its policies and programs. Provincial nomination can dramatically boost an applicants’ CRS score.

Examples of PNP Express Entry Categories

• Ontario
• Manitoba
• Saskatchewan
• British Columbia
• New Brunswick
• Nova Scotia

A key feature of the new system is that candidates can improve their score while in the Express Entry pool, without submitting a new application.

The CRS gives a score to a candidate based on the information in the candidate’s profile. These scores allow candidates in the pool to be ranked against each other. Applicants are given points based on the following factors:

• Skills and work experience.
• Education (including new rules for education obtained in Canada).
• Language ability in English and/or French.
• Language ability and education of the applicant’s spouse or common law partner.
• Possession of a job offer supported by a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment.
• Possession of a provincial government nomination for permanent residence.
• Certain combinations of language skills, education and work experience that result in a higher chance of the applicant becoming employed.

Points are distributed as follows:

Total available: 1,200

• Provincial nomination: 600
• Senior management job offer backed by LMIA (National Occupational Code 00): 200
• Other listed job offer backed by LMIA (NOC O, A, B): 50
• Three years’ Canadian post-secondary education OR master’s OR professional degree OR doctorate: 30
• One or two years of Canadian post-secondary education: 15
• Other skills, work experience, education: 500
• Transferable skills and combinations: 100

NOTE: Although it helps significantly, a job offer or provincial nomination is not a requirement. Since the system was introduced, candidates with scores as low as 450 have received an ITA. For a full list of the draws so far, click here.

How can a candidate increase their Express Entry CRS score?

A candidate should consider entering the Express Entry pool as the beginning of their journey to obtaining Canadian permanent residence. Typically, applicants already working in Canada or those with very high qualifications (under age 30, master’s degree and proficiency in English and/or French), have received invitations. Candidates outside Canada who do not have a strong profile can submit an application and begin working to improve their qualifications. Profiles remain valid for 12 months. By entering the pool and simply waiting for an ITA, borderline candidates could be wasting an opportunity. There are many ways a score can be boosted while a candidate is in the Express Entry pool.

1. Keep a broad perspective

Often a candidate can be too focused on one factor instead of being aware of all the areas where points can be increased. For example, a well-educated person may assume they will qualify on that factor alone. Points can be scored by all candidates in a variety of areas. If anything, being strong on one factor should make a candidate focus on others where there is room for improvement. Force yourself to consider each factor one by one and ask the question: How can I improve my score in this area? A small improvement in two or three areas can mean a large improvement overall in the quest for an ITA.

2. Get a provincial nomination

The only pathway to 600 points since the rules changed on November 19, 2016, a provincial nomination is a great way for a candidate to jump to the top of the pool. The best organised candidates will most likely prosper by taking this route. Those who can identify a hiring sponsor employer will succeed here as well. Different provinces have different priority occupations, and these can change all the time. Often they will open and close their categories in a matter of a few days – or even hours, in the case of Saskatchewan recently. Candidates need to have their applications up to date and ready to send. They also need to stay abreast of the latest news. Some provinces do nothing more than update their websites when categories open or close. Being alert to when those categories open can be the difference between 600 points and an ITA, or another six months spent waiting. Candidates who have previously visited a province can also get extra points, so that is also worth considering.

3. Get a job offer

Easier said than done, yes, but by securing a job offer and the up to 200 points it provides, the chances of receiving an ITA are dramatically increased. The best way to achieve this is by conducting a comprehensive job search that is linked to visiting Canada. As a candidate is preparing for a potentially life-changing move, visiting the country is always advisable. Aside from offering an insight into what life in Canada will be like, the chances of landing a job are significantly greater if a candidate is available to meet face-to-face with employers or attend employment fairs in Canada. It is possible to obtain a job offer from overseas, but why not increase your chances by visiting Canada?

4. Hire an employment professional

Strongly consider hiring an employment professional. This can help improve your digital resume, provide you with an extensive database of potential hiring employers across Canada and share other pointers that will increase your chances. Never rely on online job boards alone. Applicants need to learn how to stand out from others in the pool and maximize their chances. Visit Global Recruiters of Montreal for more information.

5. Boost your education

• Is your education from a Canadian institution?

New regulations introduced on November 19, 2016 benefit international students completing recognized degrees and diplomas in Canada by awarding extra points as follows:

Points Awarded for Canadian Education Under Express Entry

To score Canadian education points, the candidate must have:

• Studied in Canada at a Canadian educational institution.
• Been enrolled in full-time study or training for at least eight months.
• Been physically present in Canada for at least eight months.

• Advancing your education while in the pool

Clearly, achieving a higher level of education means more points, although qualifications achieved outside Canada must first be verified through an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA). There is nothing to stop a candidate completing an undergraduate or a postgraduate degree, depending on the level of education already attained. A bachelor’s degree can be worth up to 170 points. Not only will this result in a better overall score, but it is also a screening criteria for many potential employers.

• Get all your qualifications assessed

Often candidates only put their highest qualification forward for an ECA. By putting all post-secondary qualifications forwards, a candidate stands to increase their score. One qualification might score better than another in the ECA, or a qualification might better suit the skills being looked for in a particular province. A candidate is always better off proving a broader level of education.

• Qualifications for Canadian Experience Class candidates

Canadian Experience Class (CEC) applicants can access the Express Entry pool without requiring a post-secondary qualification, which is not true for the Federal Skilled Worker Class (FSWC). This means it is not a requirement for CEC candidates to subject their qualifications to an ECA. But that does not mean a CEC candidate`s score is not boosted by a post-secondary qualification. Simply put, if a candidate is post-secondary educated, he or she needs to take the necessary assessment steps to be given the points the credential is worth.

6. Applying with your spouse or partner?

• Choose the principle applicant carefully

Candidates may think it is obvious who is better qualified when applying as a couple, but that is not always the case. Those with qualifications and experience in trades can score better than a spouse with a degree or experience in an area Canada already has ample labour supply. This is also worth looking out for under the provincial programs, which specify their own in-demand job categories. Age is also an important factor. It is worth putting in the time to assess who is the best principle applicant. There is also nothing to stop a couple applying twice, each as the principle applicant.

• Your spouse can score points

Once you have decided who the principle applicant is, the other person in the relationship can boost the CRS score by up to 40 points by increasing Canadian work experience, boosting education or improving language skills. Certain provincial programs also give points for well-qualified spouses.

7. Increase your work experience

• Non-Canadian experience

Non-Canadian experience is not as valuable as Canadian experience under Express Entry, but it still counts. Non-Canadian experience comes under the combination factors, worth 100 points overall. This means, for example, that more experience combined with a better language score can boost your points. Points are gained for up to three years of non-Canadian experience.

• Canadian experience

Canadian experience is the gold standard. It is awarded points in its own right, and a candidate gets additional points for up to five years of working in Canada. If a candidate is in the country and working, he or she should keep doing so.

• Additional experience

There may be caps on how many points a candidate`s experience can score, but he or she should still keep their profile up to date with all experience. Provinces are on the lookout for expertise in particular areas, and those areas can quickly change. Extra experience could lead to a provincial nomination, worth 600 points.

8. Improve your language skills

Any improvement in a candidate`s language skills can result in a better score, but reaching Canadian Benchmark Level 9 or above can mean an additional 100 points on top of the 260 available in combination with other factors. The better a candidate`s English and/or French, the higher the score, so a candidate should keep going to lessons and keep retaking the tests while he or she is in the Express Entry pool. If you are bilingual in English and French, get both languages assessed to maximise the points available.

9. Stay Informed

The rules under the Express Entry immigration system are expected to change this fall. The government has been studying how the process can be improved. Provinces and territories also periodically enhance their programs to better respond to the many sub labour markets across Canada. By staying in touch with all of the programs at both the federal and provincial levels, you can hopefully adjust to the new rules before others.

Interested employers: Kindly contact us here to receive further information.

Interested candidates: Find out whether you qualify to Canada by completing our free on-line evaluation. We will provide you with our evaluation within 1-2 business days.