Express Entry is arguably the fastest and most preferred pathway to gaining Permanent Residency in Canada.
A candidate’s Qualification for entry into the Canadian Federal Express Entry pool is contingent on meeting the eligibility requirements for any of the three programs on offer.
Said programs include:
1. Federal Skilled Worker Class (FSW)
2. Federal Skilled Trades Class (FST)
3. Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
The first step in the application process is the creation of a Express Entry profile.
Applicants are given a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRD) score based on points accrued from core human capital and personal details.
The CRS score is a numerical value on a scale of 1,200 points. It is determined by the core human capital of applicants.
This includes:
1. age
2. work experience
3. educational background
4. ability to adapt and
5. language skills.
The Canadian Express Entry immigration system is competitive as only a limited number of candidates with the highest CRS score in the pool are issued Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for Canadian permanent residence.
A CRS score of over 470 points is generally considered good albeit it does not offer any guarantee of receiving an ITA. iTA’s are largely predicated on the cut-off score of the particular Express Entry pool a candidate features in.
Thus, an applicant must prioritise leveraging on all available options to maximise their CRS score beyond the threshold.
In 2029, the CRS score requirements for the draws of all program classes was between 439 to 456. The average was circa 461. CRS score requirements vary with each draw
It is imperative that prospective applicants focus on exploring avenues to increase their score especially through language test results in order to stand a change of being issued an ITA.
