If you want to become a Canadian permanent resident (PR) through Express Entry, planning ahead can help you a lot. Express Entry is competitive, and the government only invites candidates with the highest Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores in each draw.
Express Entry has many rules, and your eligibility and strength as a candidate will change over time. Below are the key factors that can affect your chances:
- Your eligibility for the Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
- CRS points for Canadian work experience
- CRS points for foreign work experience
- Your age
- Your eligibility for category-based draws
- The validity of your language test
- The validity of your Educational Credential Assessment (ECA)
If you understand these factors, you can plan your next steps and improve your chances in the coming year.
You can also make a profile on CanadaVisa+ (CV+) to explore how your eligibility may change in the future.
Eligibility For The Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
Many candidates need CEC eligibility to get PR, especially if the government continues the recent trend of inviting mostly CEC candidates.
There has not been a general all-program draw since April 23, 2024. For the past year and a half, non-CEC candidates have been invited mainly through:
- category-based draws
- French-language draws
- or provincial nominee draws (Provincial Nominee Program)
To qualify for the CEC, you must:
- have at least one year of skilled work experience in Canada
- work as an employee (self-employment does not count)
- not count any work done while studying full-time
If you are working now in a skilled Canadian job but have less than one year of experience, CV+ will show you when you are expected to become CEC-eligible.
Canadian Work Experience
You can earn CRS points for Canadian work experience under:
- core human capital factors
- skill transferability factors
CV+ will estimate your future Canadian work experience and show how many CRS points you may have next year or the year after.
Foreign Work Experience
In order to know how your Express Entry competitiveness changes over time, you must understand how foreign work experience helps.
Well, for some candidates, foreign work experience increases CRS points more than additional Canadian work experience.
You can earn up to 50 CRS points for foreign work experience under skill transferability factors. Most people need foreign work experience to reach the maximum 100 points available for skill transferability.
If your current job is outside Canada, CV+ will also project this into the future and add points when appropriate.
However, working abroad may make you lose CEC eligibility if you no longer have one year of Canadian work experience in the past three years.
Age
Age is a major part of CRS scoring.
You can earn the highest points between 20 and 29 years old:
- 110 points (single applicant)
- 100 points (with spouse)
From age 30 onward, your points slowly decrease each year. At age 45, you get zero CRS points for age.
If you are applying with a spouse, choosing the younger partner as the main applicant can increase your score.
CV+ automatically considers your age progression when estimating future CRS scores.
Eligibility For Category-Based Draws
To be invited under an occupation-specific category-based draw, you must have at least six months of full-time (or equal part-time) continuous experience in a single eligible occupation within the last three years.
If you do not yet have six months of experience in the qualifying occupation, CV+ will project when you will meet this requirement.
Moreover, if your qualifying experience becomes older than three years, CV+ will also show when you stop qualifying for category-based draws.
Language Test Validity
Language test results are valid for two years.
CV+ uses your test scores when comparing self-assessments to official results, but it does not automatically remove your eligibility when your test expires.
You must keep track of your test expiry date. If it expires before you apply, you will need to retake the test.
Your test must be from an IRCC-approved provider.
Educational Credential Assessments (ECAs)
You need an ECA for each foreign educational credential that you want counted in your CRS score.
CV+ includes ECAs in its accuracy assessment but does not estimate ECA expiry.
ECAs expire after five years, and you must have a valid ECA when submitting your PR application.
Explore your pathway to move to Canada with Immigtoronto. Our team of skilled RCICs offers customized immigration solutions, ensuring a trustworthy and professional process. Contact us at [email protected].
