Express Entry: So Far So Good
Anybody who had followed the government of Canada’s announcements regarding the launch of its new Express Entry selection system for Canadian immigration coming up to launch day on January 1, 2015, knew the rules and procedures that would govern the system, but nobody could say for certain how things might pan out.
Three months and six draws later, we are getting a fuller picture of how the system operates in reality.
In terms of how often Express Entry draws are made, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) appears to favour frequent draws that select a limited number of candidates. Before launch day, CIC officials said that an estimated 15 to 25 draws would be made in 2015. With six draws having taken place between January 31 and March 27, CIC is on track to get to the upper end of that estimated range if the regularity of draws remains consistent.
CIC also indicated that candidates without a qualifying job offer from a Canadian employer or a provincial nomination may be selected in earlier draws from the pool. While the first four draws selected only candidates who had either a job offer or a provincial nomination, the two most recent draws have indeed selected a number of candidates who did not have either one. These candidates had reasonably high scores under the Comprehensive Ranking System based on factors such as age, level of education, language ability, and work experience. Up to 600 points may be awarded for these factors, with a further 600 awarded to candidates with a qualifying job offer from a Canadian employer or a provincial nomination.