Canada Introduces New Residency Selection System

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If you are considering becoming a permanent resident in Canada, take note that the North American country has introduced a new residency selection system. The new system, called the Express Entry selection system, enables the country’s authorities to hand-pick workers with the aim to fill job vacancies Canada needs the most through immigration.

The latest changes to the country’s residency selection system took effect early this month and according to Canada’s citizenship and immigration website, the first draw for an invitation to apply is planned for this week.

Before, the applications of those who want to be permanent residents are processed on a first-come first-served basis. With the Express Entry selection system now in effect, interested applicants under certain economic migration programmes are now required to make an electronic expression of interest. Instead of submitting documents and paperwork, they will be required to fill out an online application form, complete language tests, and if applicable, have their education credentials assessed.

Those who meet certain criteria will be accepted into a pool. Then, they will be ranked against other applicants to determine who is the most viable to become a permanent resident in Canada. They will receive points depending on how they excel on certain factors such as job offer, skills, educational attainment, and experience.

With the selection process becoming much tougher than ever, Edwina Shanahan, a migration expert with visafirst.com, has encouraged Irishmen and women who want to become permanent residents in Canada to improve their credentials and qualifications to beef up their chances of achieving their goal. “It is important that those Irish workers who want to apply for residency enter this pool with the maximum points that they can achieve, as higher-ranking candidates will be invited to apply first, depending on their occupation demand and labour market expectations,” she said.

With the new system in place, an estimated 2,000 Irish workers expected to apply for Canadian residence visas this year will face a tougher and stricter residency selection process. But if there’s one good thing that came out with the implementation of the new selection system, it has got to be the fact that the selection process has become much quicker than before. The processing of applications for permanent residency can be completed within six months. If an applicant failed to receive an invitation to apply or ITA within 12 months of submitting his or her application, they can renew their application and update their online profile any time.

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