Express Entry is an online selection system used by the Canadian government to expedite,organize and process applications for various economic immigration programs. The electronic system with online submission which manages three main federal economic programs:

• Federal Skilled Worker (FSW)
• Federal Skilled Trades Class (FSTC)
• Canadian Experience Class (CEC)

What Are The Requirements For Express Entry?

In general, to be eligible to apply to Express Entry as a skilled worker, you must:

• Have at least one year, in the last 10 years of continuous full-time (or equivalent part-time) work experience in a skilled occupation
• Be able to demonstrate on an approved language test a minimum of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) seven in either English or French
• Completed post-secondary education that is assessed against Canadian standards with an Education Credential Assessment

These are the minimum requirements to apply to Canada’s Express Entry system as a skilled worker. Meeting these requirements doesn’t mean you will receive an invitation to apply for Canadian permanent residence. Candidates with stronger profiles will always be selected over candidates that simply meet the minimum requirement.

How Long Does Express Entry Take?

Express Entry can take as little as six months to process, from submission of the Express Entry profile to the issuance of a permanent resident visa. However, not all cases will proceed this quickly. Your Express Entry profile will remain active in the pool of candidates for 12 months if you do not receive an invitation to apply. If after 12 months you have not received an invitation, you are welcome to resubmit your profile and remain in the pool. To break it down further:

• Your profile will remain valid for 12 months in the Express Entry pool
• Upon issuance of the ITA, you will have 60 days to provide the requested full application of documents
• Once the immigration authorities receive your complete application. IRCC may process your application in about six months