While creating your online Express Entry profile, it’s important to evaluate each question very carefully and provide only genuine, honest answers that can be backed up by supporting documents. It’s important to have a check-list of documents that are generally required and to keep them ready early on.
The information you provide on your profile is assessed according to a points system
that is allotted for each item.
- The Core Human Capital section contains information about age, nationality, family members, proficiency in Canada’s official languages – English and French, spouse/common-law partner if any and their core human capital factors.
- Skill Transferability section has information about education, foreign/Canadian work experience if any, certificates of qualification for those applying under the Skilled Trades category
- Additional points are awarded for valid job offer in Canada, sibling who is a permanent resident of Canada, post-secondary education in Canada, Provincial Nomination.
These factors can give a candidate a maximum of 1200 points. Based on the information provided, the total points achieved by the candidate are their Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score.
The profile is entered into an Express Entry pool of other candidates who have their own CRS scores. All members of the pool are ranked according to their scores, with the highest score appearing at the top of the pool.
Once in a fortnight an automated draw takes place. A pre-determined number of candidates are selected according to the cut-off points decided for that particular draw.
The process continues with these successful candidates being issued an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residency in Canada.
Once you accept the invitation, you need to submit all the required documents within 90 days. Your application will be processed within 6 months.
What Is A Job Offer?
This is one of the aspects of your Express Entry profile that can make a significant difference to your CRS. Under the Federal Skilled Worker program, if the candidate has already arranged employment for themselves in Canada, it positively affects your eligibility under the program and also boosts your total score.
It’s important to create a Job Match account in the Job Bank to boost your chances of getting an offer. When you create your Express Entry profile, you receive a job seeker validation code that can be used to register with the Job Bank.
To be considered a valid offer of employment, it must:
- be full-time and non-seasonal
- be for at least one full year
- fall under the listing of Skilled Jobs type 00 or Level 0, A or B under the National Occupational Classification (NOC)
- not be from one listed as an ineligible employer
- be in writing
- have details of nature of work, pay and deductions, duties, conditions of employment, location etc
- be preferably supported by a Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) that has been conducted by the employer and given along with the job offer letter,or be from one who is exempt from this requirement
Work permits, including open work permits are not considered to be valid job offers. Offers are not valid if they are from an embassy, high commission or consulate in Canada.
If the employer is listed in the Job Bank the LMIA is not required.
The criteria have changed recently and it’s important to monitor these changes frequently to avoid mistakes.
You can improve your chances of getting employment offers by formatting your CV or resume according to Canadian standards, writing a powerful and compelling covering letter, use social media like LinkedIn, Indeed, Ziprecruiter, etc to your advantage and apply only for relevant jobs that match your educational/work-experience factors.
Impact Of Valid Job Offer On Express Entry
Statistics released in 2018 by IRCC (Immigration Refugee Citizenship Canada) reveal that 90% of Express Entry applicants did NOT have a valid job offer. The number of points allotted to valid job offers was reduced from 600 to between 50 and 200 depending on the position. This means that the CRS scores have now become more heavily weighted in favor of core human capital factors.
Regardless of the recent reduction in points, a valid offer of employment can boost your CRS scores and make a difference to your rankings. Every point increment counts as the Express Entry system is highly competitive and pits the members of a pool against each other.
You can get up to a maximum of 200 points for a job offer that meets all the criteria and is listed under the NOC codes starting with 00. Job offers listed under NOC skill levels 0, A or B can yield up to 50 points.