Creating a federal Express Entry profile is your first step towards immigrating to Canada. In this post, we share expert tips to ensure that your profile is prepared properly and maximizes your chances of getting an invitation to apply for Permanent Residence.
The Express Entry system for immigrating to Canada as a Permanent Resident is a two-step system whereby interested applicants first need to create an online profile, and then must wait for an invitation to apply for Permanent Residence from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
Creating your Express Entry profile can be likened to an audition, whereby you present your skills, experience and education to the Canadian government and hope that your personal details will match the type of immigrants that are being invited to apply for Permanent Residence in Canada. You must qualify in one on 3 programs: the Federal Skilled Worker program, Canadian Experience Class, or the Federal Skilled Trades program. Beyond that, you are competing with all others in the pool who are also seeking permanent residency, as only the highest ranked candidates are invited to apply.
With that in mind, it’s very important that your profile is completed correctly so that you have the best possible opportunity to receive an invitation to apply. Keep reading for our best tips to overcome the common errors that we see when meeting with clients who have prepared their own Express Entry profiles.
1. Double check your entries
It’s very important to double or triple check your profile entries to ensure that the information and personal details you have entered are correct. A simple typo on an English exam score, or a date of birth can make a huge difference in your Comprehensive Ranking System points. An error in your passport details will likely cause you major grief. This is a computerized application – there is no human who can correct things, so your data must be precisely correct.
2. Understand your CRS Ranking score
You should independently calculate your CRS score based on your personal situation, and then compare your calculated score to what is automatically generated by the EE profile system. Errors in entering the data can result in faulty profile scores, which means that every action taken after submitting the profile will be inaccurate as well. This causes many different types of issues from wasted time and opportunity to the loss of time and money when you submit an e-APR when you are not qualified, but do not realize it.
Also, it is always worthwhile considering whether the CRS score of your spouse or common law partner might be higher. It does not matter which one of you is the principal applicant, as the other can be approved for permanent residency as an accompanying family member.
It’s important to clearly understand your points situation clearly right from the start so that you can take meaningful action to create the future you envision rather than waiting for a future that will never arrive because your profile was somehow faulty.
3. Take the IELTS General, not Academic
If you are taking the IELTS exam, ensure that you take the General language test, not the academic one. The academic IELTS is not valid for Canadian immigration purposes.
You need language test results before you can submit your profile. Of course, if you are lucky enough to have language proficiency in both of Canada’s official languages, you will have much higher points for two language test results if you take both tests.
4. You need an ECA to start creating your profile
First, be sure to request an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) for immigration purposes. There are other kinds.
Your educational history must be verified by an ECA before you will be awarded points in the Comprehensive Ranking System. You won’t know for certain how many points you will obtain for your education until you receive the ECA report, because the points are based on how your foreign education equates to the Canadian education system.
Typically, Canada Immigration is looking for 12 years of formal education before considering post-secondary credentials. This means that if you finished High School at the end of Grade 10 and then completed a four-year University degree, you will likely find that your ECA shows you have the equivalent of a Canadian 2-year post-secondary program.
The current system of evaluation does not have a sufficient mechanism to evaluate vocational or apprenticeship training where individuals receive trade certification from a government agency or professional body, rather than a post-secondary institution. Unfortunately, many highly qualified tradespeople therefore have very few points for education.
5. Tradespeople should apply – even with few points for education
Although many qualified tradespeople will not obtain a high CRS ranking due to the complete loss of any education points, you should still enter the pool regardless. Approximately twice a year there are Express Entry Draws when only Federal Skilled Trades applicants are invited to apply, and the points required are much lower than other draws. For that reason, if you have a skilled trade, it’s a good idea to enter the pool and keep your profile active, because you never know when a draw will target only the Federal Skilled Trades Program and you will be invited to apply.
6. Changes to Family Composition affect eligibility
Changes in your family composition will affect your eligibility under Express Entry. If you get married, become common-law, separate or divorce, or have children – update your profile immediately to ensure that your online data remains accurate. If you are planning to both immigrate to Canada and to get married in the near future, it would be a good idea to consult with an immigration professional (lawyer or licensed immigration consultant) as part of your wedding planning. Having a legal spouse will impact your immigration application for sure, and you need to know exactly how that will work in your situation. Sometimes a change of wedding date can be the difference between qualifying and not qualifying to immigrate.
7. Check your SPAM or junk mail folder
Once you have submitted your profile, any notifications from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship will arrive to you via email. Regularly check your SPAM folder to ensure that you don’t miss any important notifications. Remember that once you apply for Permanent Residence, you are given 7-day deadlines to provide requested information, or your application is refused.
8. Watch for expiry dates – language tests 2 years, ECA 5 years
If you are issued an invitation to apply for Permanent Residence, it’s important to double check the expiry of your documents. You must apply for Permanent Residence before your language test results are 2 years old, and before your education credential assessment is 5 years old. These dates are not locked in when you receive an invitation to apply.
9. The NOC code needs to match your duties, not your title
When choosing the National Occupation Classification (NOC) number to best describe your work history, focus on your job duties. What matters is that your regular duties match both the lead statement and the main duties listed in the NOC. The actual title of your job is less important than selecting the exact correct number under the National Occupation Classification for every skilled position you are relying on for your application.
10. Pay attention to deadlines
If you are issued an invitation to apply for Permanent Residence, pay careful attention to the deadline by which you are required to apply. Each invitation is accompanied by a date and a time and you must submit your completed electronic Application for Permanent Residence before that time. Due to time zone differences, the date the invitation expires may not correspond with your local time. In addition, the IRCC portal is well known for having periods of down time. Ensure that your application will be complete and submitted well before the deadline to save yourself any last-minute heartache.
The Way Immigration would be pleased to work with you to prepare your Express Entry profile so that you have the assurance that your skills and qualifications are represented appropriately to meet eligibility requirements. We can ensure you receive accurate and maximum CRS points for your particular situation, and guide you through all steps of the Express Entry system to achieve your dream of Canadian permanent residency.
