Which Express Entry Program is best for you?
Express Entry is an online application management system for skilled workers who wish to migrate to Canada as permanent residents.
The interested candidates needs to submit their profile online on IRCC website. After that, the eligible profiles are accepted in Express Entry Pool & ranked according to their CRS scores by the Canadian Government. CRS score of a candidate is calculated on the basis of age, education, work experience, language skills, as well as other factors.
It is basically a points based system used to rank the candidates who are in Express Entry Pool. Around every two weeks, the Canadian Government selects the candidates with highest CRS scores from the pool and sends them ITA (Invitation To Apply) for PR.
Express Entry Programs are:
- FSWP (Federal Skilled Worker Program)
- FSTP (Federal Skilled Trades Program)
- CEC (Canadian Experience Class)
Key differences between the programs:
| Eligiblity Criteria |
FSWP (Federal Skilled Worker Program ) |
FSTP (Federal Skilled Trade Program) |
CEC (Canadian Experience Class) |
| Language Skills | English or French skills –CLB 7 |
English or French skills –CLB 5 for speaking and listening –CLB 4 for reading and writing |
English or French skills –CLB 7 if your NOC is 0 or A –CLB 5 if your NOC is B |
| Education | Secondary education required. You can get more selection criteria (FSW) points for your post-secondary education. |
Not required | Not required |
| Type & Level of Experience | Canadian or foreign experience in 1 of these NOCs: -0 -A -B |
Canadian or foreign experience in a skilled trade under key groups of NOC B | Canadian experience in 1 of these NOCs: –0 –A –B |
| Job Offer | Not required. But you can get selection criteria (FSW) points for having a valid job offer. |
Required: A valid job offer of full-time employment for a total period of at least 1 year or a certificate of qualification in that skilled trade issued by a Canadian provincial, territorial or federal authority |
Not required |
| Work Experience | One year continuous within the last 10 years (combination of part-time, full-time or more than 1 job in your primary occupation) | Two years within last 5 years (either combination of full-time or part-time work) | One year in Canada in the last 3 years (either combination of full-time or part-time work) |
NOC Code (National Occupation Classification)
It is a list of all the occupations in the Canadian labor market describing each job according to skill type and level.
- Skill Type 0 (zero): Management jobs
- Skill Level A: Professional jobs that usually call for a degree from a university
- Skill Level B: Technical jobs and skilled trades that usually call for a college diploma or training as an apprentice
- Skill Level C: Intermediate jobs that usually call for high school and/or job-specific training
- Skill Level D: Labour jobs that usually give on-the-job training
CLB (Canadian Language Benchmark)
The CLB is the Canadian standard which evaluates the English language ability of candidates who wish to work or study in countries where the language of communication is English.
IELTS tests the English language ability of candidates in four components:
- Speaking
- Listening
- Reading
- Writing
