immigration
Express Entry
TOP 5 TIPS TO TRANSITION YOUR TEMPORARY
FOREIGN WORKERS TO PERMANENT RESIDENCE
By Howard Greenberg
Filipe Frazao/Shutterstock.com
On Jan. 1, 2015, Citizenship and Immigration Canada
(CIC) overhauled Canada’s Permanent Residence process
with the introduction of the Express Entry system.
Foreign nationals seeking permanent residency now
require an invitation from CIC in order to apply under one of
the economic streams. Although this new system is expected to
drastically reduce processing times, it has also resulted in uncertainty
for employers and foreign nationals. There are some
tips that HR professionals can implement to transition their
temporary workforce.
1. APPLY FOR PERMANENT RESIDENCE AT THE
FIRST OPPORTUNITY
As Invitations to Apply (ITAs) are issued without prior notice, all
foreign nationals are advised to enter the Express Entry pool as
soon as the eligibility criteria are met by creating and submitting
an online profile. Individuals may remain in the Express
Entry pool for a period of 12 months, after which the profile
can be easily renewed. Once the profile is submitted, the individual
is eligible to receive an ITA.
2. SUBMIT AN ONLINE PROFILE AND UPGRADE
Employers and foreign nationals are advised to take a two-pronged
approach to maximize the likelihood of receiving an ITA at the
earliest possible opportunity: submit an online profile as soon as
possible; and immediately begin to upgrade the Comprehensive
Ranking System (CRS) points. CRS points may be upgraded by
obtaining an Education Credential Assessment (ECA), improving
language scores and increasing relevant work experience.
OBTAINING FOREIGN EDUCATION ASSESSMENTS
As ITAs are issued solely on the individual’s CRS score, it’s crucial
that all efforts are undertaken to maximize CRS points. Once an
individual is in the Express Entry pool, CRS points can increase
by upgrading certain aspects of the Express Entry profile, such as
obtaining an ECA:
■■ If the principal applicant has completed foreign post-secondary
education, then obtaining an ECA will result in additional
CRS points;
■■ An ECA is mandatory for consideration under the Federal
Skilled Worker (FSW) stream if the principal applicant has
HRPATODAY.CA ❚ OCTOBER 2015 ❚ 53