Government Reveals More Rules on Express Entry System

The government will bring in sweeping changes to permanent residence applications under economic class programs on January 1 (see here for information we had posted previously on the upcoming Express Entry System http://www.lmlawgroup.com/news/2014/12/2/new-express-entry-rules).

At Long Mangalji, we have been working hard to find out what these changes will mean for our clients. We have recently been to several seminars where CIC program directors have been able to shed more light on the Express Entry System.

Here are some important facts that we have learned:

• Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) Certificate holders will need to also qualify for the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), Federal Skilled Worker (FSW), or Federal Skilled Trades (FST) programs in order to go through the Express Entry System.  If you hold a PNP certificate and do not qualify as well for any of these programs we expect that your application will still be processed but the wait time would be longer.
• There will not be a restricted occupations list for the CEC.  Anyone who has the requisite high skilled work experience (and other qualifications) would be eligible.
• Bridging work permits will be available to persons who have been given an invitation to apply for permanent residence and have submitted a complete application that has passed first-stage approval.  They will not be available to persons who are in the pool but have not been given invitations to apply.
• If you have been given an invitation to apply but do not submit a perfect application, your application will be returned and you will have to start the entire process over again and enter into the pool again.

We predict that the chances of being selected through this system will be greatest for those who get into the pool early as competition will be the lowest then.  The first invitations are expected to be issued on January 30, 2015. 

If you have any further questions about these changes or would like to see if you qualify for permanent residence, contact us at (416) 548-9101, or at inquiries@www.lmlawgroup.com.