A new express entry canada immigration system will give skilled immigrants express entry into Canada. Under the new system, those immigrants with a higher demand will be inside Canada within six months. Beginning on Jan. 1, skilled immigrants will be matched with vacant jobs where no Canadian workers are available. Only the candidates with the most points will be offered permanent residency. A maximum of 600 points will be given to skilled immigrants who receive a permanent job offer from a Canadian employer or who have been nominated for immigration by a province or territory.

Immigration Minister Chris Alexander said these are the ones that will be “picked first”. He also noted the “first draw” for permanent residency applications is scheduled for the last week of January.

Skilled immigrants will receive up to 1,200 points based on factors in two major categories with no minimum level of points is needed to qualify:

• A maximum of 500 points will be allotted for “core human capital factors” such as age, education level, language proficiency and work experience in Canada.
• A maximum of 100 points will be assigned for “skill transferability factors,” such as education level, foreign work experience and a certificate in the trades.

Candidates who have a permanent job offer from a Canadian employer or those who have been nominated for immigration by a ministry or province will qualify for a maximum of 600 points, and would likely have an advantage of being “picked first” over other applicants.

Under express entry the government will control applications instead of processing applications on a first-come, first-served basis — as is the case now.  Critics are concerned with the lack of openness, transparency, oversight or accountability.

Employers appear supportive of the new system, but are not clear on how skilled immigrants will be matched with available jobs in Canada.

According to the government, approximately 65,000 to 75,000 skilled workers will be offered permanent residency in 2015 under one of three categories:

• 47,000 to 51,000 will come through the federal skilled worker class and the federal skilled trade’s class.
• 21,000 to 23,000 skilled workers through the Canadian experience class.
• An additional 46,000 to 48,000 skilled workers will receive permanent residency through the provincial nominee program under express entry.

Successful applicants must also undergo health exams and security checks and will be required to show proof of funds available to support themselves and their family.

A few examples of how prospective candidates might be ranked under the new express entry system are given below:

Case 1: 32-year-old IT programmer without a spouse

Age: 94 points

Full proficiency in English: up to 136 points

Proficiency in French: 0 points

Post-secondary program credential of three years or longer: 120 points

Transferable skills: up to 100 points

Canadian work experience: 0 points

Sub-total: up to 450 out of 600 points

Additional 600 points for a nomination from a ministry or province or for a permanent job offer

Total: up to 1,050 points.

Case 2: 27-year-old IT engineer and designer without a spouse

Age: 110 points

Proficiency in either English or French: up to 136 points

Proficiency in a second official language: up to 24 points

Equivalent of a Master’s degree: 135 points

Transferable skills: up to 100 points

Canadian work experience: up to 80 points

Sub-total: up to 585 out of 600 points.

No permanent job offer or a nomination from a province or territory: 0 points.

Total: up to 585 points.

Case 3: 45-year-old financial analyst with a spouse

Age: 0 points.

Proficiency in either English or French: up to 128 points.

Proficiency in a second official language: up to 22 points.

Equivalent of an undergraduate university degree: 120 points

Transferable skills: up to 100 points.

Canadian work experience: up to 70 points.

Spouse factors: up to 40 points.

Sub-total: up to 480 points out of 600 points.

Additional 600 points for a permanent job offer or a nomination from a province or territory.

Total: up to 1,080 points.

Attorney Colin Singer Commentary:

The Federal Skilled Worker Program will continue to represent the largest number of Economic Class immigrants to Canada with most being selected under the human capital contribution assessment approach.

Employers with pressing hiring needs will unlikely wait a period of 6 months or longer for a candidate to begin employment.  The Canada Job Bank under the new Express Entry system may become a marginal or secondary source of potential candidates for recruiters.  At best, this could account for a modest number of applicants selected by employers under the new system.

Express Entry will succeed to the extent that the inventory of potential candidates and the processing of applications for permanent residence by the Canadian government will be easier to manage than previously.

Source: CBC