Express Entry & PNP Programs
There are many pathways to obtain a Canadian PR or (Permanent Residency) and each pathway have specific requirements for a successful application.
What may work for one applicant may not be the right choice for another.
A common misconception among applicants is that being illegible for a PR is the same as receiving a PR.
You can be eligible for express entry PR pathway with just as low as 60 points. But to receive an invitation to apply (ITA) you may need points as high as 450 – 600.
The Unwanted Truth
Back in the day immigrating to Canada was simple and straight forward process, only few PR programs existed. You may even hear it from others who applied a long time ago indicating how easy it was to apply (just like they did). The problem is that nowadays, the programs are different and there are at least 100 PR pathways in Canada from federal to provincial programs. Each of them is coming with a different set of requirements and the most astonishing fact is that new programs are still being introduced every now and then by IRCC (Immigration, Refugee, and Citizenship Canada).
If you have already applied and received a refusal it will complicate your next PR submission as more work on providing explanations for the previous refusals must be prepared for the IRCC officer. The hardest part is to convince an officer why he should grant you the PR this time.
What is Express Entry
The Canadian Express Entry system was created in early 2015 as a replacement of the old system (first come first served), it consists of 3 main programs: Federal Skilled Worker, Canadian Experience Class, and Federal Skilled trade with the addition of the PNP (Provincial Nominee Program) where you receive a nomination by a province with your express entry application . Each of these programs mainly assess candidates on a number of factors:
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mainly work experience with the addition of other factors such as
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level of education,
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language proficiency,
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type of work experience, and many more.
The system awards the points to the candidates and invites them when their accumulated score reaches the minimum threshold in any round of invitation while they are in the system throughout the year. Each invitation round has minimum points required for an applicant to be invited. It can vary from as low as 75 points in Canadian Experience class to as high as 902 in provincial nominee program.
Most people focus on one pathway and seemingly forget the others, you can contact us so we can help you to obtain your PR the fastest way and avoid any miss opportunity.
Immigration regulations are constantly changing, and most programs are changing with it. Contact us before you miss an opportunity that might still be available for you.
Federal Skilled Worker
The FSW is Canada’s primary economic immigration pathway. The minimum requirements include at least one year of continuous full-time or equivalent paid work experience in the past 10 years in a skilled occupation under the National Occupational Classification (NOC) skill level 0, A, or B; validated intermediate or better language ability in English or French; for candidates educated outside of Canada, an educational credential (certificate, diploma, or degree) and an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report. In addition to meeting the FSWP’s minimum work, language ability, and education requirements, candidates must also obtain at least 67 points under its points grid.
Canadian Experience Class
As part of the Canadian governments’ plan to retain foreign workers working in Canada the CEC program was introduced as part of the express entry program. Valuing the Canadian experience gained by foreign works and their ability to integrate in the Canadian communities the CEC is the best choice as it values Canadian work experience and awards valuable points to the candidates for express entry application, increasing their chances of obtaining Canadian PR.
Another great benefit of the CEC is that it does not require the applicant to show sufficient funds as a proof that they can sustain themselves in Canada.
In order to qualify for the CEC, you need to have at least 1 year of Canadian work experience.
The CEC program applies to all of Canada with the exception of the Province of Quebec.
It is important to note that self-employed work experience and any work experience gained while studying is not considered when applying using the CEC program.
Federal Skilled Trade Program
The FSTP being one of the newer programs. The main focus of this program is skilled trade as part of the Canadian economy.
One of the benefits of FSTP is that it does not require the candidate to prove his/her education, this will result on lower score and lower points for the candidate.
To account for this fact that FSTP candidates having lower express entry points, few times a year a specific invitation round aimed only for the FSTP applicants are issued.
FSTP candidates who studied and worked in Canada should have high points towards their express entry application giving them a very high chance of receiving an invitation to apply for their PR.
Some of the trades or skilled experience under the FSTP includes:
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Industrial occupations
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natural operations trade
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utilities supervisors
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Electrical trades
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Agriculture & related operations
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Central control operators
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Construction
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Chefs and Cooks
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Maintenance
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Processing
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Butchers
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Equipment operations trade
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Manufacturing
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Bakers
The same as CEC, the FSTP program is for candidates planning to live and reside anywhere in Canada with the exception of the province of Quebec.
Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
The PNP is the provinces and territories way of handling their own immigration programs and the PNP is their way of doing so. By nominating their own candidates to apply for PR. All but Quebec and Nunavut have established their own PNP. Quebec has its own program with a different criterion of selection while Nunavut elected not have a PNP at all.
Each Provence and territory PNP have one or more stream related to the federal express entry programs. These streams awards applicants 600 points towards their express entry application, nearly guaranteeing them the Invitation Letter for PR.
The PNP program is the same as express entry with few differences:
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PNP is a provincial program while express entry is a federal program
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Not all provinces and territories offer PNP
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PNP differs from one provinces/ territory to another.
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PNP depends on each province/ territory job list (required jobs sometimes different between one province/territory and another)
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The list for jobs on demand for each province/ territory may change every year.
