On January 1, 2015, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) launched the new Express Entry program for processing permanent resident (PR) applications. The Express Entry program is an electronic system for managing these applications. PR applications under the Federal Skilled Worker Program, Federal Skilled Trades Program and Canadian Experience Class are now exclusively processed under this new program.

Skilled foreign workers who are interested in immigrating to Canada must first complete an online Express Entry profile. If the applicant meets the criteria of one of the three federal economic immigration programs listed above, they will be placed into the Express Entry pool.

Once in the pool, applicants are given a score out of a possible 1200 points. Candidates receive up to 600 points for personal characteristics such as: language skills, education, age, and work experience in Canada. Candidates receive an additional 600 points if they have either an existing valid job offer or a provincial nomination.

Candidates are ranked in the Express Entry pool based on their score. On February 27, 2015, the CIC issued 1,187 invitations to apply to candidates in the Express Entry pool with at least 735 points. This was the CIC’s fourth round of invitations for the year 2015.

If a candidate has an existing valid job offer or provincial nomination, their score will likely be at or above the selection threshold. If a candidate does not already have a valid job offer or a provincial nomination, they are required to registered with Canada’s Job Bank. Via Canada’s Job Bank, these candidates can promote themselves to prospective employers.

Employers can review Canada’s Job Bank in their search for potential candidates. Once an employer has made a valid offer to an applicant, that applicant must inform the CIC and update their application accordingly. The applicant will be awarded an additional 600 points, and in most cases, will score above the current selection threshold.

Later in 2015, the Canada Job Bank will be introducing a new online matching function to connect eligible employers with existing Express Entry candidates. We will be updating you on any new roll outs and changes to existing government policies and programs as they happen.

About the Author

Tyson Gratton, McMillan LLP

Tyson is an associate in the Employment and Labour Group in McMillan’s Vancouver office. Tyson assists both domestic and international clients in navigating all aspects of provincial and federal law including, employment standards, occupational health and safety, human rights, workers' compensation, and labour relations. Tyson also advises clients on the drafting of employment agreements, defending wrongful dismissal claims, creating comprehensive workplace policies, and managing privacy issues. In conjunction with his employment practice, Tyson advises clients on business immigration law and related human resource issues.

A cautionary note:

The foregoing provides only an overview and does not constitute legal advice. Readers are cautioned against making any decisions based on this material alone. Rather, specific legal advice should be obtained.