Express Entry Immigration to Canada

Tired of waiting year after year for a U.S. Green Card? Interested in moving to a diverse and welcoming country with a strong economy, great education, and universal health care? Then you need to apply for permanent residence in Canada under the new Express Entry program. Qualified individuals can immigrate to Canada in as little as 6 months.

Due to COVID, the Express Entry system has been suspended since December 2020. However, Canada Immigration Minister Sean Fraser has announced that Express Entry draws will resume in early July 2022.

There are many important advantages to the Express Entry system:

• There are no quotas on the number of people who can apply
• No job offer is required
• There is no occupations list – all skilled occupations are eligible, including all Information Technology and Software Development occupations.

Express Entry is a two step process. First, candidates file an online “profile” summarizing their qualifications. The profile must include test results from one of the three official approved language tests. The approved tests are the IELTS and CELPIP for English, and the TEF for French. If you have a university degree from outside Canada, you must also include the results of an evaluation (known as an “ECA”) by one of the approved evaluation agencies. The profile will also include a summary of your work experience.

If you meet the minimum requirements, you will then be placed in the Express Entry “pool.”  Each candidate in the pool will be ranked based on a 1,200 point system known as the Comprehensive Ranking System (“CRS”). Up to 600 points are available based on age, work experience, education, and language test results. Additional points are awarded for a job offer from a Canadian employer, for having a brother or sister in Canada, for skills in both English and French, or for a Canadian degree. Persons with a provincial nomination receive 600 bonus points.

About every two weeks,  Canada conducts a draw.  The highest ranked applicants receive Invitations to Apply. Persons selected in the draw have 60 days to prepare and submit a complete application for permanent residence. Due to the short period of time allowed, it is important to have the necessary documents and information available so the application can be submitted on time. At the present time, most applicants are receiving immigrant visas within six months of filing their applications.

Here’s how our staff of experienced professionals will help guide you through the Express Entry system:

• We will evaluate whether you meet the minimum requirements for Express Entry.
• If you have not taken a language test, we can help you find a test center, provide you with helpful information to prepare for the test, and get your test results back as soon as possible.
• If you are eligible, we will prepare and submit your Express Entry profile, including getting your evaluation if you have a non-Canadian degree (U.S. equivalency evaluations for H-1B purposes will not be accepted).
• We will  help you to take steps to achieve the maximum possible number of points in the CRS system, and to update your profile if your point total can be increased.
• We will help you collect police clearances and other necessary documents so you will be prepared to finalize your application in the 60 days allowed once you receive your Invitation to Apply.
• If and when you are issued an Invitation to Apply, we will prepare and submit the actual application.
• If you have a job offer from a Canadian employer, we will work with the employer to  ensure the job meets the requirements for extra points.  If you qualify for one of the provincial nominee programs, we can help you apply for a nomination.

To get your application underway or for more information, SEND US AN EMAIL with the following information:

• A complete and up to date C.V. including your education and work experience. Please provide accurate dates for your work experience, and indicate if any of the work experience was unpaid or part time.
• Your date of birth.
• Whether you have a job offer in Canada.
• Whether you have a spouse or children that will be coming to Canada with you. If your spouse has a work history or university education, please include your spouse’s CV as well. If you have children, please tell us their ages.
• Your language test results if you have taken one of the official language tests.
• Your reasons for wanting to move to Canada, and any other special circumstances that will help us understand your case.

Why should you retain Allen & Hodgman for your Canadian immigration case? There are two important reasons: (1) No other lawyers have our experience with both U.S. and Canadian immigration. We can be sure you coordinate your Canadian and U.S. immigration plans to achieve the best results in the shortest time. (2) At Allen & Hodgman, you can always pick up the phone and talk to a professional who is familiar with your case. No voicemail, answering service, or recorded message.