Express Entry and the Employer Liaison Network Building Bridges Workshop – Humber College May 12, 2016

Express Entry: Intelligent Application Management Express Entry introduces competition to economic immigration. Potential candidates: Express Their Interest in immigrating to Canada Create an online Express Entry profile at no cost Are accepted into the Express Entry Pool if they meet Minimum Entry Criteria Are assigned a human-capital based score according to the Comprehensive Ranking System Candidates with the highest rankings in the pool are invited to apply. Only highest ranked candidates are invited to apply for permanent residence. Once invited, candidates have 60 days to submit their application which is processed by the department in 6 months or less 1 2 Express Entry Pool 2. COMPREHENSIVE RANKING SYSTEM 1. MINIMUM ENTRY CRITERIA 3. INVITATION TO APPLY EXPRESSION OF INTEREST APPLICATION PROCESSING 1 For 80% of complete applications, once received by the department

Express Entry Minimum Entry Criteria Federal Skilled Worker Program at least one year continuous full-time skilled work experience Canadian Language Benchmark 7, supported by a language test Education level of high-school or above, supported by an Education Credential Assessment At least 67 points in the Federal Skilled Worker points grid based on skills, education, work experience, age, job offer and adaptability Canadian Experience Class At least 12 months skilled work experience in Canada, obtained with the proper authorization Canadian Language Benchmark 7 for managerial or high-skilled occupations; 5 for skilled occupations, supported by a language test Education level of high-school or above, supported by an Education Credential Assessment Federal Skilled Trades Program At least two years full-time work experience in a skilled trade Canadian Language Benchmark of 5 for speaking and listening and 4 for reading and writing, supported by a language test Meet the job requirements of that trade as described by the National Occupation Classification Have an offer of full-time employment OR a certificate of qualification in your trade from a Canadian province or territory Classification (le cas échéant)3 If the candidate does not have a job offer supported by a Labour Market Impact Assessment or a provincial or territorial nomination, they must also submit a Job Bank profile.

Core/human capital factors Single 500 Spouse 460 Age Education OL – First OL – Second2422 Cdn work experience Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) Spouse factors40 Education10 OL- First20 Continuous Cdn work experience 10 Skill transferability 100 points (max) Education (w/OL or CDN exp) 50 Foreign work exp (w/OL or CDN exp) 50 Certificate of qualification (w/OL) 50 Total: 1200 points (max) Additional points600 points (max) PT Nomination600 Valid job offer (LMIA) 600

Objectives of Express Entry On January 1, 2015, IRCC launched Express Entry, an electronic application management for Canada’s key economic immigration programs. Express Entry is flexible, responsive and fast. Its objectives are: – Flexibility in selection and application management – Responsiveness to labour market and regional needs – Speed in application processing The intended outcomes of Express Entry are: – Increased international competitiveness through improved processing speed – Improved economic outcomes through the selection of the “best and brightest” – Better labour market responsiveness through a more active role for Provinces and employers 5 Express Entry applies to: o Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) o Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) o Canadian Experience Class (CEC) o A portion of the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)

Express Entry and 2016 Immigration Levels 2016 Annual Immigration Levels: 280, ,000 permanent residents Express Entry aligns Invitations to Apply with the Annual Levels Plan 2016 Levels Plan includes Express Entry and pre-Express Entry candidates Economic Class programs account for more than half of all 2016 admissions Economic Other – Caregivers, Federal Business, Quebec Skilled Workers, Quebec Business Federal Economic – Federal Skilled Workers, Federal Skilled Trades, Canadian Experience Class Target: 54, Targets for 2016 (approximate) Total economic (Federal, PNP and other): 160,000 Total family: 80,000 Total refugees and humanitarian: 55,000

Invitations to Apply 7 Since January 1, 2015: 1,500 candidates per round Minimum score above 450. Invitations issued are based on the annual Immigration Levels Plan 2. COMPREHENSIVE RANKING SYSTEM 1. MINIMUM ENTRY CRITERIA 3. INVITATION TO APPLY EXPRESSION OF INTEREST APPLICATION PROCESSING

IRCC is reviewing Express Entry implications for international students The system is favourable to former international students and post-graduate work permit holders Students obtain high points for education, Canadian work, official language skills and youth. – Student Express Entry candidates have a higher median score (408) than others in the pool (360)* – More invited Express Entry candidates (22%) have study experience in Canada compared the those in the pool (13%)* International Students Candidates in the pool who have been issued a study permit * Invited candidates who have been issued a study permit* *Data as of November 23, 2015EE = Express Entry PNP = Provincial Nominee Program CEC = Canadian Experience Class FST = Federal Skilled Trades Program 8

Who got an Invitation to Apply in 2015 Always get invited Candidates with Provincial nominations or LMIA/job offer (above 600). – Includes: IT professionals, scientists, food service supervisors and chefs. CRS scores in upper 400s but below 600. – Includes: younger candidates with high education, language proficiency and Canadian work experience. Often get Invited International Students – most scores Francophones – currently 1% of pool but 2% of invitees. University Professors – among top 10 NOCs of invited candidates. Rarely get invited “Business high-flyers” – lower points for age and education. Primary occupation NOC C – Express Entry designed not to include NOC “C”. – (NOC C are occupations which require high school qualification only.) 9 2. COMPREHENSIVE RANKING SYSTEM 1. MINIMUM ENTRY CRITERIA 3. INVITATION TO APPLY EXPRESSION OF INTEREST APPLICATION PROCESSING

The Employer Liaison Network 10 What is the ELN? The Employer Liaison Network (ELN) is a network of CIC Officers located in regional offices across Canada What do ELN Officers do? Provide Canadian employers with useful and up-to-date information on permanent economic immigration programs and policies related to Express Entry What are the goals? To increase employer awareness and use of the Express Entry system To facilitate linkages between Canadian employers and skilled labour overseas To gather feedback from employers on the Express Entry system to ensure that CIC is aware of employer needs, preferences, issues, gaps, and local labour market needs.

The Employer Liaison Network 11 Six ELN Officers are located across Canada Vancouver: BC & YT Calgary: AB & NT Winnipeg: MB & SK Toronto (2): ON Halifax: NS, NB, PE, NL An Official Languages Coordinator is located at CIC’s National Headquarters Quebec manages its own economic immigration programs. Nunavut is covered by officials in Ottawa

What are we hearing from stakeholders? Happy to see that IRCC is engaging with the public. Broad acceptance of the Express Entry model. Appreciation for the 6 month processing time. Interested to hear about recruiting labour abroad. But... The LMIA process is challenging. Technical issues with the representative’s portal are frustrating. Concerns that good candidates are not being invited to apply. 12

What’s Ahead? One year later, IRCC is reviewing the Express Entry system: o Review is based on system data o It includes feedback from partners, stakeholders, provinces and territories, and clients Monitoring Outcomes: processing times and approval rates = fairly simple economic outcomes will take longer to measure Early results monitoring has yielded some areas for future work: points for a job offer job offer requirements official languages and family reunification objectives 13

For more information on Express Entry: 14 To reach an Employer Liaison Officer: Thank you. Merci. Questions?