The most popular way to immigrate to Canada

The most record-breaking Express Entry draw with a minimum score took place on March 29 in Canada. While in 2022 the number of invitations ranged from 1,500 to 4,750, now it has increased to a remarkable 7,000. In March, a total of 21,000 lucky people were invited. And the required minimum score is decreasing each time. Last year it started at 557, then dropped to 542, and finally hit an all-time low of 491. On March 29, it dropped even more.

But if you're already imagining your name in the invitation list, I'm sorry to disappoint you — it won't be there.

Express Entry

If you're unfamiliar with Express Entry, let me give you a quick overview. It's a system that allows you to register for a chance to receive an invitation to immigrate to Canada. Your application will be evaluated based on various factors such as your age, work experience, education, language skills, and more.

The passing score is announced several times a month by Canadian officials. If you reach it, you have to submit your documents, wait for them to be checked. Once approved, you'll receive a visa in your passport and can proceed with booking a flight to Canada.

More about how the Canadian immigration system works.

I want to note that the most recent draws don't require a job offer and the passing score was 481 out of a possible 1,200. That might seem like a significant difference, but is it really easy to get this score? I'm going to tell you about it.

Requirements

I'll start with the eligibility requirements. To be eligible, you must qualify for one of the federal programs. There are three different programs available, but most foreign applicants opt for the Federal Skilled Worker Program as it doesn't require a Canadian job offer to apply.

What you need:

• a year of work experience within the last 10 years;
• at least a high school education, but better higher education;
• a good level of English or French, at least IELTS 6;
• enough money;
• score 67 points out of 100 on the evaluation system.

Let me clarify the evaluation system — don't confuse it with Express Entry. First, you need to score a minimum of 67 points on the Federal Skilled Worker evaluation system. This evaluation is a prerequisite for applying for Express Entry through the Federal Skilled Worker Program. Once you meet the minimum point requirement on the Federal Skilled Worker evaluation system, you can then register for the Express Entry system.

I'll just tell you that you can score 67 points if you're under 35 years old, have several years of work experience, a bachelor's degree, and a good level of English, preferably even above IELTS 6. If you're older than 35, you may need to have more work experience or better language skills to boost your score, or your spouse or partner can learn the language, and so on.

Points calculation

Assuming you have achieved 67 points and can now register for Express Entry, let's dive into how points are awarded within this system. Your age, education, work experience, language proficiency, and other factors will all be evaluated to determine your overall score.

Let's take John as an example to clarify the requirements. John is 28 years old, has a master's degree, and a good command of English with an IELTS score of 6. He also has 4 years of work experience, although he hasn't studied or worked in Canada, nor does he have any relatives there. However, his spouse Kate has a bachelor's degree, 3 years of work experience, and a decent IELTS score of 5, slightly lower than John's.

They seem quite good candidates for immigration to Canada. They're educated, proficient in English, and have work experience. But they will score only 360 in Express Entry, can you imagine that? Only 360, let me remind you, the passing score is 481. So who can score that many points? Don't think that no one, I'll give you some examples of such candidates right now.

Let me introduce Mary, the next candidate. She is 30, she also has a master's degree, 3 years of work experience, excellent English skills at an advanced level of IELTS 7, and she has also learned French, although her proficiency level is slightly lower at upper-intermediate. Mary is planning to immigrate on her own without a job offer, Canadian education, or any relatives in Canada.

How many points will she get? 526. It goes to show that if you know two languages, you can get a passing score and be invited. But you need to know both languages very well to get enough points. So if you learn French in addition to English, your chances of immigration will greatly improve. This applies not just to Express Entry, but to other programs as well.

Who else can score enough points without learning French? The third candidate is Mike, a 30-year-old with a master's degree, 4 years of work experience, and an IELTS score of 6.5. Mike doesn't speak French, hasn't studied in Canada, and doesn't have any relatives in the country. So far seems an ordinary applicant. However, Mike has a job offer from a Canadian employer, which can make a significant difference. His occupation doesn't matter, but it must be skilled. In this case, Mike will score 432 points.

There are a couple of ways for him to increase his score. One option is for Mike to study harder and retake the IELTS exam, aiming for a score of 7. This would immediately raise his points to 514, but of course, IELTS 7 is a high level.

The second option — Mike can come to Canada on a work visa and gain Canadian work experience for a year. No need to retake the English test, let it be IELTS 6.5. Then in a year, Mike will score 516 in Express Entry. Note that some points for his age will be deducted because they decrease after 30. But Mike will get a lot of extra points for his one-year Canadian work experience.

So, as you can see, despite the Canadian government's efforts to lower the required points, immigrating through Express Entry can still be quite challenging, and many applicants may not score enough points. If you're curious about how many points you might be able to score, you can do it with the official Express Entry calculator.

Financial requirements

Financial requirements are also an important aspect of immigrating to Canada through federal programs. For one person, it's CAD 13,310, for two people, it's CAD 16,570, and for a family of 4, it's CAD 24,733. This means that in addition to scoring enough points, you also need to have a substantial amount of money in your account. Luckily, the amount in American dollars is less, and no one will take this money from you. You only need to show it in your bank account.

Other ways of becoming a PR

There are other options to get permanent residency in Canada. There are provincial immigration programs that have less strict requirements for applicants. You don't need to know the language so well, and the amount of money you need in your account is lower. However, most of these programs require either finding a job in Canada or graduating from a Canadian college or university. These are the two most reliable alternative ways to move to Canada.

When it comes to finding a job in Canada, having a job offer from a Canadian employer can provide you with additional opportunities for immigration. It can help you qualify for other immigration programs, increase your score in existing programs, and allow you to come to Canada on a work visa before applying for permanent residency. This can give you the chance to work in Canada, get Canadian work experience, and apply for even more programs that can lead to permanent residency.

I personally recommend the option of immigrating through education, as it provides the opportunity to obtain a Canadian qualification and better adapt to life in Canada. If you decide to apply through our services, we can guarantee your admission to a Canadian institution, regardless of your age, English proficiency, and educational background, without requiring any admissions tests.

However, I must caution that not everyone who applies will be granted a visa. To receive a more accurate assessment of your chances, I suggest booking a consultation with our immigration company. We have several experienced immigration consultants who specialize in different areas, including two experts in education-related matters.

Once you complete your studies, there are additional immigration programs available to you, and you'll be eligible to apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit in Canada, which allows you to work and eventually become a permanent resident.

However, the financial aspect is a major consideration. On average, studying at a college costs CAD 16,000, and the same amount is needed for living expenses in Canada. But don't worry, we have partnerships with numerous universities and colleges throughout the country, and we can help you obtain tuition discounts and scholarships. For example, one of our recent clients received a CAD 9,720 grant for her MBA program in Vancouver. Additionally, you don't need to study for several years — one or two years are sufficient.

Ivanna Pavlenko, a Canadian regulated immigration consultant