The expense comes up short compared to the benefit of permanent residency in Canada.
In short, if you are not in the Express Entry pool, your prospects of getting an invitation to apply for permanent residency are nil. Alternatively, joining the pool increases your chances of obtaining an ITA.
The first problem is that no one knows when the IRCC will start issuing ITAs to FSWP applicants again. By design, Express Entry is not predictable since it’s intended to be both competitive (so that the highest-scoring applicants have an edge) and sensitive to the demands of Canadian provinces and businesses alike. Due to the unexpected nature of the epidemic, it has grown even more unpredictable since last year.
The Express Entry draw on February 13th, 2021, will serve as an example of this. IRCC conducted a draw on a Saturday without notice (draws usually happen on Wednesdays and Thursdays) and awarded 27,332 ITAs to CEC applicants who were not expecting it at all. A total of 5,000 ITAs had previously been set as the benchmark.
It was the lowest CRS (Comprehensive Ranking Score0 cut-off ever for that draw, with a score of only 75.
Second, participating in the pool increases your chances of getting invited to a provincial nomination. An extra 600 CRS points are earned by accepting a provincial invitation, almost guaranteeing an Express Entry ITA.
Express Entry applicants are invited regularly to apply to the PNP by the provinces of Canada. They do this to attract highly qualified employees in demand on the job market. You may only obtain the provincial nomination certificate if you are invited to apply. This results in an award of 600 CRS points and increases your chances of being selected as a permanent resident in the next Express Entry draw that takes PNP applicants into account.
A “Plus Account” in Canada’s Job Bank is another perk of being part of the pool. Your chances of being hired may improve if you have this kind of access to job prospects that match your skills and experience. If you accept an eligible employment offer, you may earn an extra 50 to 200 CRS points. While these bonus points do not guarantee an ITA, they do increase your chances. If you succeed in obtaining an ITA, you will be in a better position to rapidly integrate into the Canadian labor market through the job you have already secured.
It’s natural to be hesitant about joining the Express Entry pool now, but it’s in your best interest. Don’t forget that Canada appreciates your talents and invites you to come and live here. Once IRCC reopens its doors to FSWP applicants, initiating the Express Entry process may put you one step closer to realizing your dream of moving to Canada.
