Express Entry
Express Entry (French: Entrée express) is a system used by the Canadian government to manage Canadian permanent residence applications for filling labour gaps through certain economic immigration programs.[1] Launched on 1 January 2015, this immigration system is used to select and communicate with skilled and qualified applicants, it also manages a pool of immigration ready skilled workers.[2][3] Express Entry is designed to facilitate express immigration of skilled workers to Canada "who are most likely to succeed economically."[3] The system is identified to be efficient in processing times, with 80% of applications processed in 6 months or less compared to an existing one.[1]
Those who are eligible for one of the programs managed by Express Entry submit their application and the Canadian government issues invitation letters to successful candidates per a score system.[4] Acceptance of the invitation and positive assessment of the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada on the application will grant the applicant, and their accompanying family members, Canadian permanent resident status.[1]
Economic value versus "first-come first-served"[edit]
Express Entry replaced the original "first-come first-served" immigration selection system. Express Entry was expected to be more responsive to regional labour shortages.[5] It systemically favours qualified immigrants by prioritising such individuals and avoids the arbitrary selections of the previous system which, in some cases, were based on a first-come, first-served basis.[6][7]
Express Entry uses a points-based system, called the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), to automatically rank interested candidates and select the most competitive for immigration.[8] The core factors considered are age, level of education, language proficiency in English and/or French, and Canadian work experience.[9] An ideal candidate would be between the age of 20–29, possessing a high level of education, and advanced proficiency in either English or French.[9]
Concerns have also been expressed about the Express Entry system. Morton Beiser and Harald Bauder (2014) of Ryerson University wrote "Canada's once pathbreaking immigration policies are being transformed into a system that mainly serves employers, treating immigrants not as future citizens or members of Canadian communities and families but merely as convenient or cheap labour." Others fear that Express Entry gives too much power to politicians and bureaucrats. Advocates of Express Entry claim that it can reduce the number of migrants who fail to get work by better fitting immigrants to existing jobs vacancies.[10]