Many students at Cloud Nine College (CNC) are looking for pathways to obtain permanent residency (PR) in Canada. The easiest way for students looking to apply for PR is through the Express Entry (EE) system–an online system where international students and workers can apply for immigration to Canada.
Am I eligible for Express Entry?
In order to be eligible, you must have skills and abilities that contribute to Canada’s economy. The Express Entry system manages PR applications to Canada from people under these 3 economic programs:
This page compares the 3 programs in detail—the requirements for language skill, work experience and education. Study it carefully to figure out which category you belong to and make sure you meet all the requirements.
What documents are required for Express Entry application?
You need specific documents at different stages of the Express Entry application process. We recommend you prepare these documents now because some documents take a long time to get.
- Passport or travel document (requirement)
- Language test results (requirement)
- Education credential assessment report (requirement)
- Provincial nomination (optional)
- Written job offer from an employer in Canada (optional)
The above items are relatively quick to obtain. However, the following items can take a long time to obtain. Since you only have 60 days to submit your application for PR after you’ve received the invitation, we recommend you request these items as soon as your profile is in the pool:
Police certificates can be difficult and lengthy to obtain. In case you cannot obtain this certificate on time, you can submit both a letter of explanation and proof that you made your best effort to get a police certificate on time (emails, phone calls, etc).
How do I apply for Express Entry for PR?
Once you have met all the necessary requirements for express entry, you can submit your profile on the Canadian government’s website (here) to be considered for the Express Entry program. Upon review, if you’re deemed eligible, the government of Canada will accept you into their “pool on candidates”.
All eligible candidates are ranked using a points-based system:
- 60 points = English language test
- 600 points = when you receive a job offer through an LMIA or a Provincial Nomination
Based on your profile and the amount of points you obtain, the system will automatically invite candidates with the highest points to apply for PR. The government has promised that selected candidates will receive their PR within 6 months.
How to Improve Your Express Entry Score
If you have a score, you increase your chances to be selected from the database. There are a few things you can do to improve your Express Entry score:
- Securing a job offer using a job search engine
- Contacting provinces and territories in order to be consider to a Provincial nominee program
- Obtaining a higher test score in your language test
- Increasing your level of education
- Acquiring an important job skill (i.e. computer programming, artificial intelligence)
We know that securing a job offer is one of the most difficult parts of the process, it requires so much hard work and luck. This is why, for most students, the easiest way to improve their Express Entry score is by scoring higher on their English language tests.
Depending on your test results, your score can range between 25 and 100 points for a level CLB-7 or CLB-9. This gap makes a huge difference in your Express Entry pool standings and could affect your chances of receiving an invitation to apply for PR.
Tips for your Express Entry application
- You will remain in the database for one year from the date your profile was submitted.
- If your situation changes at any time (for example if you started a new degree, are taking an exam for another language, got married or just had a child), you must update your profile.
- Make sure all the information provided in your profile is true and precise at all times.
- If your profile is on the database for a year and you do not receive an invitation to apply for PR, you must submit a new profile.
Final Tip on Providing Accurate Information
If you are invited to apply for PR, you are responsible for providing accurate information that matches the ones written in your original profile.
If misrepresentation is found (i.e. providing false information, failure to update new material information or skipped other important information) you will be subject to the following punishments:
- Your application may be rejected
- You can be declared as inadmissible
- You cannot re-apply for PR for 5 years
About Cloud Nine College
Cloud Nine College (CNC) has partnered with several institutions for pathway programs: Acsenda School of Management, Arbutus College, Vancouver Career College (VCC), Visual College of Arts and Design (VCAD), CDI College, PCU College, Reeves College, and Coquitlam College. If you complete the entire pathway you will have the opportunity to earn various higher education degrees including a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), Bachelor of Hospitality Management, and various Arts, Health and Education Diplomas. CNC also offers IELTS preparation classes for candidates planning to apply for Canadian immigration, or for work experience purposes. Contact CNC for more information on how you can prepare for your Express Entry for PR application.
