Express Entry: 2018 Quarterly Review
It’s June, which means we’re almost halfway in the Canadian immigration plans of 2018. This year’s target was to increase the number of economic immigrants via the Express Entry system. The system still continues to contribute the largest number of new economic immigrants to Canada. We’ll take a close look at the progress made by the Express Entry system Canada so far this year.
A short overview of Express Entry system
Firstly, it’s important to understand that the Express Entry system was initiated to help in managing Canadian immigration applications under 3 programs: Federal Skilled Workers (FSW), Federal Skilled Trade (FST) and Canadian Experience Class (CEC). Once a person receives an invitation to apply (ITA), they can submit their application for permanent residence in any of these three programs and be granted the ability to live and work in Canada.
To receive an ITA, you must first create an Express Entry profile. The information you include in your profile such as the age, work experience, education and language proficiency will determine the score you’ll receive. The Comprehensive Ranking System is used to score candidates and determine who receives an ITA. After approximately every two weeks, the immigration officials will draw from the pool a list of candidates who will receive ITAs. They take candidates who have the highest CRS score. Upon receiving an ITA, you’re given 90 days to submit your application for permanent residence under any of the 3 programs mentioned earlier.
The 2018 immigration targets
In 2018, the immigration officials announced that the government had given them higher targets which means that they are expected to take in more economic immigrants than they did in 2017. The target was set at a total of 177,500 new economic immigrants of which 74,900 would be taken in through the Federal High Skilled programs and 55,000 through the Provincial Nominee Programs. Most of these applications will be processed through the Express Entry system.
In the first quarter of 2018, the number of ITAs issued is relatively low and since we know that it’s important for the IRCC to meet its target for 2018, we can expect that they’ll want to make up for these low numbers by issuing more ITAs the rest of the year. In each draw, they’ve consistently issued 2750-3000 ITAs.
What does this mean for candidates?
While the IRCC has plans to accept more new immigrants through Express Entry Canada, the number of profiles submitted may also increase in 2018. This means that they’ll have more candidates to review and the scores may never go lower than 441 points. Therefore, to increase your chances of being selected and issued an ITA, make sure you provide the right information on your profile.
Consult an immigration lawyer Canada to help you review your application and leverage factors such as your work experience to increase your score. Immigration lawyers understand the important details that could contribute to making your application stronger. This year, you have a better opportunity to immigrate to Canada through Express Entry. Consult a lawyer to help you assess your eligibility and help you understand the best options for you.
