Express Entry is a selection system the Canadian Government implemented to expedite the processing of Permanent Resident applications. IRCC uses a Comprehensive Ranking System to evaluate, score and select candidates in the Express Entry pool. The CRS attributes points to candidates based on:

• - English and/or French Skills (Canada’s two official languages)
• - Education
• - Work experience
• - Age
• - Whether the candidate has a valid job offer, and
• - Adaptability (how well you are likely to settle in Canada)

If you meet the requirements, you can create an Express Entry profile detailing personal information. Periodically, a certain number of the highest ranked applicants will be invited to apply for Permanent Residence. Once you receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA), you have 90 days to submit an application for permanent residence with ALL necessary accompanying documents.

There are the following Express Entry Economic Immigration Programs:

• - Federal Skilled Worker (FSW)
• - Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
• - Federal Skilled Trades Class (FSTC)
• - Portion of the provincial nominee class (PNC)

• - You must show that you have at least one year of continuous full-time work experience in a skilled occupation of skill type 0, or skill levels A or B (managerial or professional position, or in a technical job or skilled trade) in the last 10 years.
• - You must meet minimum language requirements in English or French (Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7) by taking the IELTS or CELPIP tests to show proficiency in English, or the TEF or TCF to show proficiency in French.
• - You must provide either a proof of Canadian education or a foreign education with an Educational Credential Assessment report for immigration purposes from a designated organization.)
• - You must show that you have the required funds for you and your family to settle in Canada.

• - You must have at least one year of skilled work experience in Canada in the three years before you apply. The job experience must be in a Managerial job (NOC skill level 0), Professional job (NOC skill type A), Technical jobs and skilled trades (NOC skill type B). Self-Employment or work experience gained while being a full-time student does not count.
• - YYou must plan to live and work outside of the province of Quebec

• - You must have at least two years of full-time work experience in a skilled trade within the five years before you apply.
• - Meet all minimum job requirements in the skilled trade according to the National Occupational Classification (NOC), except for the requirement to obtain a certificate of qualification.

Skilled trades for the Federal Skilled Trades Program are organized under these groups of the National Occupational Classification (NOC):

• • Major Group 72, industrial, electrical and construction trades
• • Major Group 73, maintenance and equipment operation trades
• • Major Group 82, supervisors and technical jobs in natural resources, agriculture and related production
• • Major Group 92, processing, manufacturing and utilities supervisors and central control operators
• • Minor Group 632, chefs and cooks
• • Minor Group 633, butchers and bakers

• - You must have a valid job offer of full-time employment for a total period of at least one year, or a certificate of qualifications (from a Canadian province or territory) in one of the skilled trades.
• - MYou must meet minimum language requirements in English or French - Canadian Language Benchmark 5 for speaking and listening, and Canadian Language Benchmark 4 for reading and writing.

Provincial Nominee Programs

Most Canadian provinces and territories have their own programs to nominate individuals who wish to immigrate to Canada and who are interested in settling in a particular province. If you have the skills, education and work experience to contribute to any Canadian provinces or territories, you may be nominated to become a permanent resident.

Provinces with PNP programs each have their own selection criteria to find immigrants with skills that the province needs.

An applicant interested in a provincial nominee program can submit an application to the provincial nominee program directly.

You must have an intention to live in the province in which you apply and you must meet the requirements set by that province.

Spousal and other Family Members Sponsorship

Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada can sponsor their spouses, common-law partners, conjugal partners, dependent children (including adopted child/children), or other eligible relatives (such as a parent or grandparent) to become a Canadian permanent resident.

To sponsor your spouse common-law partner, conjugal partner or dependent children you must:

• • be a Canadian Citizen, or Permanent Resident (living in Canada)
• • be 18 years of age or older
• • You cannot be in prison, bankrupt, under a removal order (if a permanent resident) or charged with a serious offence;
• • You, yourself, cannot have been sponsored to Canada as a spouse within the last 5 years.

To sponsor your parents or grandparents you must:

• • be a Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident
• • be 18 years of age or older
• • You must meet or exceed the minimum necessary income (MNI) requirement for Family Sponsorship
• • You must sign an undertaking agreement that commits you to provide financial support for your sponsored parents or grandparents and repay any provincial social assistance benefits paid to the sponsored family members for 20 years.

Sponsors must provide three Notices of Assessment from the CRA to IRCC to prove that they meet the minimum necessary income requirement.

You can sponsor an orphaned brother, sister, nephew, niece or grandchild if they are related to you by blood or adoption, both their mother and father passed away, they are under 18 years of age, they are single.

Application on Humanitarian and Compassionate grounds

In some unique circumstances, you may apply for permanent residence from within Canada on humanitarian and compassionate grounds (H&C) if you are a foreign national currently living in Canada, need an exemption from one or more requirements of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) or Regulations in order to apply for permanent residence within Canada, believe humanitarian and compassionate considerations justify granting the exemptions you need; and are not eligible to apply for permanent residence from within Canada in any of these classes:

• • Spouse or Common-Law Partner;
• • Live-in Caregiver;
• • Caregivers: caring for children or people with high medical needs;
• • Protected Person and Convention Refugees; and
• • Temporary Resident Permit Holder.

The legal test sets out specifically that applicants must clearly demonstrate that they would experience unusual and undeserved or disproportionate hardship if they were required to leave Canada.

Applying for H&C consideration is an exceptional measure.

Immigration Pilot Programs

The Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot is a program designed for those who want to live and settle in one of the participating communities in Canada, becoming permanent residents.

Participating communities:

• • Vernon, British Columbia
• • West Kootenays, British Columbia
• • North Bay, Ontario
• • Sudbury, Ontario
• • Timmins, Ontario
• • Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
• • Thunder Bay, Ontario
• • Brandon, Manitoba
• • Altona/Rhineland, Manitoba
• • Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan
• • Claresholm, Alberta

Applicants need to meet the Federal and community-specific eligibility. The Pilot accepts job posting and applications for all skill levels and NOCs.

It is essential to show that the candidate plans to settle in the community to participate in the Pilot.

The Atlantic Immigration Pilot is the pathway for those looking to immigrate to one of the Atlantic provinces in Canada: New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador. Candidates can apply from overseas or from Canada if living here temporarily with a valid status.

To be eligible, the candidate needs a full-time, non-seasonal, and permanent job offer from a Canadian employer designated by the provincial government of the Atlantic province where the candidate will be working.

A minimum of CLB/NCLC 4 in English or French is required in all 4 abilities: writing, reading, listening and speaking.

The Agri-Food Pilot helps address the labour needs of the Canadian agri-food sector. The pilot provides a pathway to permanent residence for experienced, non-seasonal workers in specific industries and occupations.

Eligible occupations:

• • Retail butchers (NOC 6331)
• • Industrial butchers (NOC 9462)
• • Farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers (NOC 8252)
• • Food processing laborers (NOC 9617)
• • Farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers (NOC 8252)
• • General farm workers (NOC 8431)
• • Harvesting labourers (NOC 8611)
• • Farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers (NOC 8252)
• • General farm workers (NOC 8431)