Canada’s Express Entry (EE) program has revolutionized the immigration process, offering a streamlined pathway to permanent residency for skilled workers. In 2021 alone, over 440,000 candidates submitted their profiles to the EE system, demonstrating the intensity of the competition. As the competition becomes tougher, you must maximize your CRS score to stand out from other applicants. With the guidance of a reputable Canada immigration agency, you can work on streamlining your application and improve your chances.
What is Express Entry?
Express Entry is a system used by the Canadian government to manage permanent residency (PR) applications from skilled workers. Applicants who want a PR status can submit their profile for EE if they are eligible under Canada Experience Class (CEC), Federal Skilled Worker (FSW), Federal Skilled Trade (FST), or the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).
The Canadian government uses the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) to evaluate applicants. It is a point-based system to assess the applicants’ profiles and rank them against one another. The top-ranking applicants usually receive an invitation to apply (ITA) for PR.
Tips to Increase Your CRS Score
The CRS score depends on your educational qualifications, work experience, linguistic competence, and other factors. Keeping these factors in mind, you can focus on the following tips to increase your chances of getting an ITA:
- Enhance Your Educational Qualifications: Education holds significant value in the CRS scoring system, offering up to 200 points for studies outside Canada and 250 points for Canadian post-secondary credentials. You can boost your education score by acquiring extra qualifications, such as pursuing an additional degree. You may also increase your score by getting extra Educational Credential Assessments (ECAs) for your existing degrees.
- Improve Your Language Proficiency: Linguistic competence can boost your score to a great extent. This is an area you can work on by taking additional courses and clearing language examinations. For example, achieving high scores in English and French language tests (like IELTS) can increase your final score.
- Leverage Your Work Experience: If you accumulate more skilled work experience, both in Canada and abroad, you can get valuable CRS points. Often, candidates fail to claim CRS points for jobs that seem to be unskilled but are considered to be skilled jobs under the National Occupation Classification (NOC). A reliable Canada immigration agency can guide you to claim your points for your work experience, whether they were part-time or full-time.
- Explore Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs): You can research and explore PNPs to secure a provincial nomination and a significant CRS score boost. An experienced immigration agent can guide you through this process.
- Secure a Job Offer: If you obtain a valid job offer from a Canadian employer, you can get considerable CRS points. You can scout relevant opportunities and submit applications to secure a job offer in Canada.
- Make the Most of Family Ties: You can claim additional CRS points if you have a sibling who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. You can also leverage your spouse or common-law partner’s CRS score by making them the principal applicant if their qualifications are higher than yours.
These tips can help you transform your chances as you apply through the EE system. Consult a Canada immigration agency today to get more help!