Citizenship & Immigration Canada Express Entry FCJ Refugee Centre 2015 FCJ Refugee Centre

Ministerial Instruction 15 Express Entry Program Repeals all processing eligibility criteria (including the application caps and eligible occupation lists) for new applications in the Federal Skilled Worker Class, Federal Skilled Trades Class, Canadian Experience Class, and a portion of the Provincial Nominee Program. From January 1, 2015 onwards application intake will be governed by the criteria for the new Express Entry (EE) application management system. Applications must be completed and submitted online and there is no cost to upload an application FCJ Refugee Centre

On June , Bill C-31 became law, and applications still in the backlog of the federal Immigrant Investor Program and Entrepreneur Program were terminated FCJ Refugee Centre

Goals of the Express Entry System The new on-line Electronic Management System (Express Entry) was created in order to: Improve application management and prevent backlogs; Increase the labour market responsiveness and empower Canadian employers; Assure the best candidates are selected, not the first to apply FCJ Refugee Centre

Implications CIC has no duty to consider all applications submitted for the economic migration programs. Candidates are placed in a pool where they are ranked against each other CIC will draw top candidates on a periodic basis and issue an “Invitation to Apply” ITA to those selected. Must apply within 60 days of issuance. ◦ Emphasis NOT on the first to apply, but the BEST to apply FCJ Refugee Centre

Applying under Express Entry System Candidates create an on-line profile detailing an “Expression Entry profile” in coming to Canada Profile should include: ◦ Language skill assessment ◦ Educational credential assessment ◦ Details of work experience- no occupation list, but experience must be in NOC skill type (0, A or B) ◦ Other details that will help them assess them. FCJ Refugee Centre

National Occupational Classification (NOC) for Express Entry The job, and the work candidates have done in the past, must be skill type 0, or level A or B to use Express Entry. Skill Type 0 (zero) : management jobs. Examples: restaurant managers, mine managers, shore captains (fishing) Skill Level A : professional jobs. People usually need a degree from a university for these jobs (doctors, dentists, architects) Skill Level B: technical jobs and skilled trades. People usually need a college diploma or to train as an apprentice to do these jobs. Examples: chefs, electricians, plumbers. FCJ Refugee Centre

Express Entry System Candidate is at a significant advantage if he/she attains a LMIA or provincial nomination (PN)… both imply job offer If the candidate does not have a LMIA or is a PN, he/she must register with Job Bank (an online portal designed to match potential candidates with future employers) FCJ Refugee Centre

What is a Labour Market Impact Assessment? A Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) is a document that an employer in Canada may need to get before hiring a foreign worker.Labour Market Impact Assessment A positive LMIA will show that there is a need for a foreign worker to fill the job and that no Canadian worker is available to do the job. A positive LMIA is sometimes called a confirmation letter. In some cases, you may not need an LMIA to apply for a work permit In some cases FCJ Refugee Centre

Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). Most provinces and territories in Canada can nominate immigrants through the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). Each province and territory has its own “streams” (immigration programs that target certain groups) and criteria for their PNP. For example, in a program stream, provinces and territories may target students, business people, skilled workers or semi-skilled workers. Since January 1, 2015, many provinces and territories have launched new Express Entry streams. FCJ Refugee Centre

The Ranking System All EE candidates will be given a score out of 1200, based on Comprehensive Ranking System formula: 1. Skills and experience 2. Spouse or common-law partner factors 3. Skills transferability 4. Additional points for provincial nomination or valid LMIA job offer (worth 600 points alone!) FCJ Refugee Centre

The Ranking System A. Single candidates B. Candidates spouses or common-law partners that will come with them to Canada (The maximum number of points is the same no matter the person’s marital status.) 1. Skills and experience factors (maximum 500) 1. Skills and experience factors (maximum 500) + 1. Skills and experience factors (maximum 460) 1. Skills and experience factors (maximum 460) + 2. N/A + 2. Spouse or common-law partner factors (maximum 40) 2. Spouse or common-law partner factors (maximum 40) + 3. Skill transferability factors (maximum 100) 3. Skill transferability factors (maximum 100) + 3. Skill transferability factors (maximum 100) 3. Skill transferability factors (maximum 100) + 4. Additional points (maximum 600) 4. Additional points (maximum 600) Grand total (maximum 1,200) FCJ Refugee Centre

1. Skills and experience factors Core / human capital factors With a spouse or common-law partner (Maximum 460 points) Without a spouse or common-law partner (Maximum 500 points) AgeNumber of points (100 maximum) Number of points (110 maximum) 17 years of age or less years of age years of age to 29 years of age years of age years of age9099 FCJ Refugee Centre

1. Level of Education Core / human capital factors - Education With a spouse or common-law partner Without a spouse or common- law partner Bachelor's degree OR a three or more year program at a university, college, trade or technical school, or other institute Two or more certificates, diplomas, or degrees. One must be for a program of three or more years Master's degree, OR professional degree needed to practice in a licensed profession (For “professional degree,” the degree program must have been in: medicine, veterinary medicine, dentistry, optometry, law, chiropractic medicine, or pharmacy.) Doctoral level university degree (Ph.D.) FCJ Refugee Centre

1. Language Official languages proficiency - first official language Maximum points for each ability (reading, writing, speaking and listening):32 with a spouse or common-law partner 34 without a spouse or common- law partner With a spouse or common-law partnerMaximum 128 points Without a spouse or common- law partnerMaximum 136 points Less than CLB 400 CLB 4 or 566 CLB 689 CLB CLB CLB CLB 10 or more3234 FCJ Refugee Centre

1. Second official language Official languages proficiency - second official language Maximum points for each ability (reading, writing, speaking and listening): 6 with a spouse or common- law partner (up to a combined maximum of 22 points) 6 without a spouse or common-law partner With a spouse or common- law partnerMaximum 22 points Without a spouse or common-law partnerMaximum 24 points CLB 4 or less00 CLB 5 or 611 CLB 7 or 833 CLB 9 or more66 FCJ Refugee Centre

1. Canadian Work Experience Canadian work experience With a spouse or common-law partnerMaximum 70 points Without a spouse or common-law partnerMaximum 80 points None or less than a year 00 1 year years years years years or more7080 FCJ Refugee Centre

Spouse or common-law partner factors In express entry when a family applies there is a principal applicant. The principal applicant should be the person who is able to get the most points. For example, if one person has an LMIA it should be that person who applied as the principal applicant. Spouses can add up to 40 points to the points awarded to the principal applicant based on education, language proficiency and Canadian work experience FCJ Refugee Centre

Skill Transferability factors Maximum 100 points for this section Education Maximum 50 With good official language proficiency and a post-secondary degreeMaximum 50 points With Canadian work experience and a post-secondary degree Maximum 50 points FCJ Refugee Centre

Additional points Maximum 600 points 1) Arranged employment (positive Labour Market Impact Assessment required) 600 2) Provincial or territorial nomination 600 FCJ Refugee Centre

Important Notes Important Notes Applicants are responsible for any and all information provided to CIC Keep all information true and accurate. Changes to situation must be promptly updated on your profile. I.E. marriage, new career, new baby, etc. Misrepresentation (provided false or misleading information or omitted important details) can lead to a refusal; or a finding that the applicant cannot come to Canada and cannot re-apply for 5 years. FCJ Refugee Centre

Submit your profile If you are eligible, fill out your Express Entry profile online. You will need to create a MyCIC account to do this. It will ask you about your: ◦ identity ◦ contact information ◦ education in more detail ◦ work experience in more detail ◦ language ◦ family who would come with you to Canada (dependants) There is no cost to complete and submit an Express Entry profile. FCJ Refugee Centre

Invitations to apply – Skilled immigrants (Express Entry) Top candidates will be invited to apply and will then be able to apply online for permanent residence. If you are invited to apply, you will get a message in your MyCIC account telling you: ◦ which program you are invited under, and ◦ what to do next. Completing an online Express Entry profile or entering the pool does not guarantee that you will get an Invitation to Apply for permanent residence FCJ Refugee Centre

If you are not invited to apply You can only stay in the Express Entry pool for one year from the date you were accepted into it. You can see this date in your MyCIC account. Your Express Entry profile will expire if you are not invited to apply in those 12 months. If it expires, you will get a message in your MyCIC telling you so. FCJ Refugee Centre

Data 112,700 people applied for permanent residence, but only one in 10 succeeded in getting an actual invitation to come, that means only 411 people arrived since January launch of immigration program. Only 844 permanent resident visas were issued, including both the applicant and family members, and more than 85% of the 12,017 selected from the pool were already in Canada on temporary permits at the time of the application. Among the 41,218 active candidates remaining in the pool, more than half (27,000 people), had a score between 300 and 399. Only 355 had a score over 600; 51 had a score above 1,000. Top 5 source countries included India, the Philippines, the United Kingdom, Ireland and China. FCJ Refugee Centre

Some concerns regarding Express Entry Program (1) FCJ Refugee Centre No predictability for applicants: success depends on who is in the pool with you Language standards is changing source countries, while ignoring 2 nd generation successes 3 rd party assessment of language and education credentials, more objectivity is needed Regulated occupations still a big problem ·

Some concerns regarding Express Entry Program (2) FCJ Refugee Centre CEC is not automatic; meeting the criteria gets you in the pool Problematic for international students and high- skilled TFWs Harder for international students to qualify for PR. Job offers must be in O, A, B NOC codes ·

Some concerns regarding Express Entry Program (3) FCJ Refugee Centre Bias built in for short-term labour market needs- Nation building is not creating a two ‐ step immigration process. Those with temporary entry status ineligible for social protections. No incentive for employers to hire from abroad. ·

Challenges of Express Entry Program FCJ Refugee Centre EE applicants are not eligible for services EE that became permanent residents “not need” of settlement services The reduced number of PR will affect the formula settlement sector in transition to an employment services ·