Canada's express entry

How invitation rounds operate, including types, selection process, and CRS scoring

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The Express Entry system is Canada’s primary method for managing applications for permanent residence from skilled workers.

The process relies on regular Rounds of Invitations (ROIs), where candidates from the pool are selected based on their ranking score under the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS).

How the rounds work

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) holds invitation rounds throughout the year. The process involves a few key steps:

Determine round type: IRCC first decides which type of round will be held (General, Program-Specific, or Category-Based).

Set invitation number: The number of candidates needed to meet immigration targets is decided.

Identify candidates: The Express Entry system selects the highest-ranking candidates in the pool who are eligible for the chosen round type.

Issue invitations: These selected candidates are then sent an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence.