Skilled Immigrants under Express Entry Route

Invitations to Apply: Skilled Immigrants under Express Entry

The new electronic system of Express Entry was introduced in January, 2015. Before Express Entry, Skilled Immigrants needed to apply by submitting a paper-based application to the relevant case processing centre. This would often result in lengthy processing times due to the limitations of physical mail (delayed mailing times, documents lost in transition, etc). The new system of Express Entry involves submitting an electronic application online and covers the following streams of Skilled Immigrants:

• Federal Skilled Worker Program
• Federal Skilled Trades Program
• Canadian Experience Class
• Provincial Nominee Programs (limited to specified portions)

All of these Skilled Immigrant streams have different requirements in order to qualify. It is important to remember that when you first start your Express Entry application, you are not required to select a specific Skilled Immigrant stream. You simply create an Express Entry Profile. Once you have created an Express Entry Profile, you might be given an Invitation to Apply for Canadian Permanent Residence.

Creating Express Entry Profile

The advantage of creating an Express Entry Profile is that there is no initial cost to sign up. Anyone can create a profile by having access to a computer with an active internet connection and a scanner to upload any documents required.

When you are creating your profile, the Express Entry system will request certain information and documents from you. By entering this information and uploading these documents, you will be entered into something called the Express Entry Pool. This is a general pool of applicants that has the potential to be selected for an Invitation to Apply (ITA).

Receiving an Invitation to Apply depends on how well an applicant scores in the Express Entry Pool. This score is determined by the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) which is scored on factors such as:

• Language ability in either of Canada’s official languages (English or French)
• Education, training and other types of certification
• Work experience
• Skills
• Having a valid Canadian job offer

As mentioned before, when you initially create your Express Entry Profile, you are not required to select a Skilled Immigrant stream. However, your Invitation to Apply will be specific to one of the streams. For example, you may get an Invitation to Apply for the Canadian Experience Class under Express Entry if you have a year or more of full-time work experience in Canada.

If you accept the Invitation to Apply for a particular Skilled Immigrant stream, you will be required to provide documentation that will help to verify the claims you made in your Express Entry profile. If this information is not provided or contradicts information from your Express Entry profile, your application is likely to be rejected.

Documents to Provide after Receiving an Invitation to Apply

Language Tests

In order to verify your language ability, it will be necessary to upload documentation of language test results. Currently, results must be less than 2 years old when you apply for Permanent Residence. That means that if you create an Express Entry Profile and your language test results are almost out of date, you will need to retake the test and update your profile with new documentation.

At the moment, Citizenship and Immigration Canada accepts the following testing agencies for language assessment:

• CELPIP: Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program
  • Take the CELPIP-General test.
• IELTS: International English Language Testing System
  • Take the General Training option.
• TEF: Test D’évaluation de Français: you will need results from
  • Compréhension de lécrit
  • Compréhension de lórale
  • Expression écrite
  • Expression orale

It is important to remember that even if you come from an English or French speaking country, you will still be required to complete language testing from one of the above agencies and submit your results.

Police Certificates

Citizenship and Immigration Canada will require proof that you are not criminally inadmissible to Canada. Therefore, applicants will need to upload Police Certificates after receiving an Invitation to Apply. Police Certificates must be provided from any country in which you have lived for more than 6 months since the age of 18.

It is possible that Police Certificates from certain countries may take a long time to process. For example, some countries only allow applications to be submitted by mail and the processing time may take several weeks. Because of this, applicants are encouraged to apply for Police Certificates when they create their Express Entry Profile, if not earlier.

By uploading scans of original Police Certificates, you will be able to satisfy the immigration officer that you are not criminally inadmissible to Canada.

Contact Akrami and Associates

Many clients have come to us not knowing how to deal with the new Express Entry program and how to apply as a skilled immigrant to obtain permanent residency in Canada. We at Akrami and Associates have successfully guided these clients through the process from beginning till end and we can help you too. Contact us today at (416) 477-2545 or our toll free number at 1-877-820-7121 and one of our immigration lawyers will assess your situation and determine which route will work best for your immigration needs.

With Akrami and Associates, there is always a way!