Federal Skilled Worker

Express Entry

Express Entry, an electronic management application involving the Federal and Provincial Governments including Canadian employers, is a system designed for immigration to Canada. Express Entry is not an immigration program or a type of visa, rather it is a system used to help with the selection and process of Canada’s immigration programs. These programs include Federal Skilled Worker Class, Federal Skilled Trades Class, and Canadian Experience Class.

Federal Skilled Worker

Through the Federal Skilled Worker program applicants are selected based on their ability to transition into Canada as a contributor to the Canadian economy.

Federal Skilled Worker – Eligibility

The minimum criteria that must be met in order to qualify you as eligible for the Federal Skilled Worker include:

Skilled Work Experience

Language Ability

Education

Skilled Work Experience

To meet the minimum requirements your work experience must be:

Within the last 10 years
The same type of experience listed under your National Occupational Classification (NOC), at the skill type of O, or skill levels A or B.
The work experience must be paid – volunteer work and unpaid internships are not valid
Experience must be at least 1 year (1,560 hours) of continuous work

Below is a breakdown of points per years of experience:

EXPERIENCE

1 year

2 - 3 years

4 - 5 years

6 or more years

POINTS

Language Ability

Being able to communicate is essential for your transition into Canada. Your language ability is determined by how well you are able to navigate the English language. Each Express Entry applicant is required to take the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam. Your language level will be determined on your test results on Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) for English, and Niveaux de Compétence Linguistique Canadien (NCLC) for French. The IELTS measures English proficiency, being fluent in both French and English dramatically increases your chances at immigration through the Federal Skilled Worker Program.

The IELTS and exam will measure your proficiency in:

It is essential to the client that a CLB of 7 is achieved in all four categories and the test results are within the last two years of the application for Express Entry. An application cannot be submitted without the completion of the IELTS exam.

FIRST OFFICIAL LANGUAGE

SPEAKING

LISTENING

READING

WRITING

CLB Level 9 or Higher

6 CLB Level 8

5 CLB Level 7

4 Below CLB Level 7

Not eligible to apply

Education

Through the Federal Skilled Worker programs applicants who are most eligible typically have completed a post-secondary education. The higher the education, the more promising the applicant’s chances are.

If some of your education was in Canada, you must provide a certificate, diploma or degree for the secondary (high school) or primary education completed.

If you have foreign education, an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report from an approved agency showing that your foreign education is equal to a completed certificate, diploma or degree from a Canadian secondary (high school) or post-secondary school is required.

Education

maximum 25 points

University degree at the Doctoral (PhD) level or equal

25 points

University degree at the Master’s level or equal OR University level entry-to-practice professional degree (or equal). Occupation related to the degree must be:

22 points

NOC 2011 Skill Level A, and licensed by a provincial regulatory body

21 points

Two or more Canadian post-secondary degrees or diplomas or equal (at least one must be for a program of at least three years)

20 points

Canadian post-secondary degree or diploma for a program of three years or longer, or equal

19 points

Canadian post-secondary degree or diploma for a two-year program, or equal

18 points

Canadian post-secondary degree or diploma for a two-year program, or equal

17 points

Canadian high school diploma, or equal

16 points

Proof of Funds

Once you have met all the requirements, you must provide proof of funds, showing that you are able to support yourself and your family. Below is a breakdown of funds required per family member.

NUMBER OF FAMILY MEMBERS

FUNDS REQUIRED (IN CANADIAN DOLLARS)

$12,300

$15,312

$18,825

$22,856

$25,923

$29,236

$32,550

FOR EACH ADDITIONAL FAMILY MEMBER

$3,314

Principal Applicant

If you are applying through the Express Entry system on your own, you are the Principal Applicant. As long as the applicant meets the requirements, they are eligible to be the Principal Applicant. This includes your spouse or common law partner.

Ideally, your Principal Applicant should be the one to most likely meet the requirements and earn the most points in both the section factor and the Comprehensive Ranking System.

What’s next?

Our team at Canada By Choice Immigration has helped over a thousand people immigrate into Canada through Express Entry. We provide our clients with their own personal Case Manager, supplying you with some of the most elite immigration minds with competitive services, developing your profile for the best possible chance at success. Our services include locating job opportunities for our clients as well as prepare them for the IELTS exam through a 30-day program.

Let us help you navigate through the immigration process, take our free assessment at

321 Tecumseh Rd. E Windsor, Ontario, Canada N8X 2R5