Wait – Don’t Submit that Express Entry Profile!
Express Entry is Canada’s largest economic immigration program, responsible for the vast majority of immigrants from overseas that settle in Canada every year. Even conducting basic research online about how to immigrate to Canada, you will find many articles of general guidance telling you how to submit an Express Entry profile as your first step towards immigrating to Canada.
It seems simple enough. Take a language test, get your education assessed and then spend about an hour answering some online questions to see what your chances of immigrating to Canada will be. There is no fee payable to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada when submitting a profile, so there is really no risk in starting this process, right?
Wrong! There can be serious negative consequences in submitting an Express Entry profile if you are not likely to be invited to apply, but almost no one is writing about when you should not submit an Express Entry profile. Let me tell you why.
What you don’t know can indeed hurt you
There is a large percentage of people for whom Express Entry will never be the option to immigrate to Canada – because of language ability, age, education or occupation. Even if they meet the minimum threshold criteria of one of the Programs to get an Express Entry profile number, the reality is they will never be invited to apply.
Some of you who will not succeed through Express Entry may wish to try a different route to immigrate to Canada, like starting out with a work permit or a study permit instead. This is where things get interesting. I have seen file notes where IRCC has refused a work or study permit with the reason, “I am not satisfied that this applicant has a genuine temporary intent. They have previously submitted an Express Entry profile with a low CRS score.”
Simply because they had submitted an Express Entry profile at some point in the past, the applicant was then penalized by IRCC on a subsequent temporary application where it is imperative to demonstrate that you plan to stay only temporarily in Canada. Yes, IRCC officers should not necessarily do this, but they do, and you need to be aware of it before you submit an Express Entry profile that will remain within their records forever.
What is your long term goal?
For most people their goal is to obtain permanent residence in Canada.
It is imperative that potential Express Entry candidates take a big picture approach to their Canadian Immigration dream. First, it is critical to understand your realistic chances of succeeding through one of the Express Entry programs before you start submitting any information to the Canadian government to enter the Express Entry pool. This is where a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant can help. Schedule a meeting with one of our Calgary Immigration Consultants before you take any action towards submitting an Express Entry profile, so that you clearly understand all of the risks and options of your personal situation.
Do you need to take an English test?
English or French tests for Canadian Immigration purposes are valid for only two years after the date of the exam. Although a language test is needed to enter an Express Entry profile, we have already established that an Express Entry profile will not be useful for the large majority of people looking to immigrate to Canada. Why spend $300 CAD and a day of your life taking this if you won’t be able to use the language test results for anything productive? If you have a spouse or common-law partner, then you are potentially wasting $600 CAD on language test results you may not require, or that may never provide a useful outcome for you. We can help you understand whether or not a language test is likely to be beneficial in your situation, before you spend the time and money to obtain one.
Do you need to get your ECA (Educational Credential Assessment)?
An Educational Credential Assessment is a process whereby an organization in Canada evaluates your foreign education (high school and post-secondary) and determines what the Canadian equivalent education would be if you had studied in Canada. It costs around $250 CAD and can take 2-4 months to obtain. We can help you understand if you actually need to embark on this process or not – will getting these education points make any difference to your chances to immigrate to Canada? Once complete, the Educational Credential Assessment will be valid for 5 years for Canadian Immigration purposes.
What are your realistic chances of success with Express Entry?
The fact that you are in the Express Entry pool only means you meet the minimum requirements for one of the programs managed by Express Entry. It is your Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score that will determine whether you will actually be invited to apply for permanent residence, as the system only chooses the highest ranking candidates. Starting in 2023, IRCC will also be choosing applicants on the basis of their past work history, which will make it even more difficult to predict exactly who will be successful through Express Entry. A good understanding of IRCC priorities and historical data will be needed to try to predict the characteristics of who will likely be invited to apply for permanent residence.
It is possible for us to calculate your CRS points without using the online IRCC system at all. An experienced consultant can help you understand how likely it is that you will receive an invitation to apply, based on your points compared to IRCC priorities and historical trends in the draws. At present, for example, if you are over age 40 or have less than a University education, there is almost no chance you will have enough points to be successful through the Federal Skilled Worker Program or the Canadian Experience Class, regardless of how long you stay in the pool.
Is there another route that is better for you?
If Express Entry is not going to work for you, then what are the other options that are more feasible for you to become a Permanent Resident? We can discuss the various Provincial Nominee Programs as well as other federal Immigration programs. There are also temporary options that may provide a stepping stone to put you in a better position to qualify for Permanent Residence at a later date in the future – there are over 100 different pathways by which it is possible to immigrate to Canada.
Be informed, be smart about Express Entry!
In conclusion, sometimes what potential candidates don’t know is the most dangerous part of all. In terms of Express Entry, it’s better to be fully informed before you start submitting information to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
At The Way Immigration , we can provide practical guidance to achieve your Alberta immigration goals, and help get you on a path to becoming a Permanent Resident, especially for skilled workers. When it comes to Express Entry, we can assess your eligibility to enter the pool, your actual CRS points, whether additional points are feasible to obtain, and your realistic chances of being invited to apply through Express Entry. If not Express Entry, we can explore what other programs might work better for you. Contact our office today and benefit from our years of experience with Express Entry.
Frances Wipf, RCIC, is recognized globally as an expert in Canadian immigration matters. She is licensed by the CICC to provide legal representation and strategic immigration insights. In practice since 2008, Fran has successfully guided thousands of clients to achieve their Canadian immigration dreams through a combination of realistic assessment, technical excellence, and honest advice.
