Express Entry Changes to Comprehensive Ranking System

Express Entry Comprehensive Ranking System Changes

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has recently announced some changes to the Express Entry Comprehensive Ranking system. These changes include gaining additional points for having a sibling within Canada as well as additional points for proven French ability. In addition, another very important change to consider is for candidates who do not have a qualifying job offer or a provincial nomination, they will no longer have to register in the Canadian Job Bank. These changes were proposed in March of 2017 but have only been introduced as of June. Although these changes are not as impacting as the changes that happened in November of 2016, they are still extremely important and informative for candidates who are applying through Express Entry. In this article, I will address the changes to the Comprehensive Ranking System for Express Entry and how these changes will affect future candidates.

Who is affected by these Express Entry Changes?

Many candidates who are applying through Express Entry will be glad to know that their scores will most likely remain the same. Due to these new changes, there will be no reduction in the Comprehensive Ranking System point’s total, unlike the changes that were introduced in November of 2016. Additionally, these new changes will benefit some candidates as any candidate with a sibling within Canada or proven French ability may be able to improve their point’s total as a result.

It is extremely important to be aware of the structure of the points system and what factors can help you obtain more points compared to others. For instance, the new changes, specifically, if a candidate has a sibling in Canada will allow the candidate to obtain 15 additional points, and for candidates with a French ability, this will allow the candidate to obtain 15 or 30 points. In contrast, other factors such as obtaining a qualifying job offer will allow the candidate to obtain either 50 or 200 points, or if a candidate has a provincial nomination, this will allow the candidate to obtain 600 points. Therefore, it is evident that there are some factors that will allow you to obtain a much larger amount of points compared to others; the provincial nomination is the most valuable factor in the system today.

The candidates that are able to benefit from these new changes will also be able to benefit the Canadian economy once they arrive in Canada. Because the Express Entry economic immigration program allows skilled workers to gain entry into Canada through a very selective system, this essentially allows Canada to attract highly motivated and skilled foreign nationals that will assist businesses and their ability to grow and strengthen the Canadian economy. Furthermore, any candidates who have siblings in Canada already will be able to integrate into Canadian society much easier with the help of their siblings. Any Francophone candidates will also be able to help Francophone minority communities improve and strengthen.

Keep in mind, if these new changes do not directly affect you as a candidate, they may still affect the make-up of the pool to some degree. Therefore, it is essential to review your points and see if there are any changes with regards to your ranking.

Can I get Points for Express Entry for having Siblings?

Candidates who currently have a sibling living in Canada may be awarded up to 15 additional points. The sibling must be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada and they must also be at least 18 years old. If you have more than one sibling that is living in Canada that is also a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, the additional points will still remain the same at 15. Unfortunately, the 15 points are not awarded per sibling. If the candidate’s spouse or common-law partner has a sibling in Canada with the above mentioned qualifications, then you may still be awarded the additional points. The only qualification that the sibling must have is that your spouse or common-law partner must have a shared mother and/or father with that sibling; the relationship can be validated through blood, adoption, marriage or common-law partnership.

Having a sibling in Canada is extremely beneficial for the candidate as they will be able to assist the candidate with their integration in Canada. IRCC states that this will improve the health and social outcomes of the candidate’s life as they start their new life in Canada.

Can I get Points for Express Entry for Speaking French?

Any candidate who wishes to come to Canada through Express Entry is required to take a language test recognized by the government of Canada in either English and/or French. Whenever a candidate can prove their proficiency in either English or French, they are awarded 136 points, out of the 1,200 points available, as a first language; if they can also prove a second language, another 24 points will be available.

With the new changes implemented, candidates with a French ability will be able to obtain more points than before. An additional 15 points will be awarded to candidates who can prove an intermediate or better French ability. They must show an equivalency to Canadian Language Benchmark or CLB 7 for French and CLB 4 or lower for English ability, or no proven English ability at all. However, candidates who are able to prove that they do in fact have intermediate or better French ability as well as an English ability of CLB 5 or better, may be able to obtain an additional 30 points.

Contact Akrami & Associates

If you wish to apply for Express Entry and you are a skilled worker from a foreign country, we can help you with this process. If you are from another country and are not sure whether you qualify for Express Entry, we suggest you research on the government website to find out. Applying for Express Entry can be confusing if you are unfamiliar with how Immigration applications work. Moreover, any Immigration application can become overwhelming if done alone; therefore, it is highly recommended that you seek out professional and experienced help before attempting to apply. Here, at Akrami & Associates, we work and have experience with many different immigration issues. We have helped many of our clients receive permanent residency and the ability to work in Canada through Express Entry. If you believe that you might be eligible, please feel free to contact Akrami & Associates at our office at 416-477-2545 for more information or if you would like to book a consultation with an immigration professional for more advise.

With Akrami & Associate there is always a way!!