Express entry explained

[phili878]

Long story short.

If you got no LMIA, do not even bother UNLESS:

you are on the high end on all the requirements, INCLUDING having family etc that lives there, then yes, you might just make it to the bare minimum...

Otherwise, seriously, save your money and time on IELTS and all this paperwork none sense.

Recommended by a 30 year old married guy with an IELTS 8.5 and Wife Band 8, Masters degree (Wife also), etc, etc but yes, having no family in Canada cost me the few extra points to qualify...save your money and time on the IELTS tests, and that horrible long ECA that almost need half a year to validate your foreign studies and charge you a lot for it too...

I hope I could help as many people as possible.... if you want to work in Canada and live there, you can, even with being on the lower end of everything, barely passing the minimums, just get an LMIA and you're square.

 

[scylla]

Having family in Canada doesn't get you any points under Express Entry.

 

[ntwkengg]

scylla is right. no points for showing relatives as per my knowledge.

please study EE CRS calculation in a better way and see where you lack to qualify even though you have 8 bands in IELTS.


also try ontario PNP or any other pnp if you qualify.

i hope you get some good thing and you get ITA at last.

 

[LizzyBob]

Long story short.

If you got no LMIA, do not even bother UNLESS:

you are on the high end on all the requirements, INCLUDING having family etc that lives there, then yes, you might just make it to the bare minimum...

Otherwise, seriously, save your money and time on IELTS and all this paperwork none sense.

Recommended by a 30 year old married guy with an IELTS 8.5 and Wife Band 8, Masters degree (Wife also), etc, etc but yes, having no family in Canada cost me the few extra points to qualify...save your money and time on the IELTS tests, and that horrible long ECA that almost need half a year to validate your foreign studies and charge you a lot for it too...

I hope I could help as many people as possible.... if you want to work in Canada and live there, you can, even with being on the lower end of everything, barely passing the minimums, just get an LMIA and you're square.

@ phili878, You might want to double check your facts, here is a link that shows how express entry points are calculated

www.cic.gc.ca/english/express-entry/grid-crs.asp

there are no points for having family members in Canada. It may "help" with regards to provincial nominations, but, even then, it is not strictly mandatory, as there are many successful provincial nominees who did not have any family members in Canada. Also IELTS scores and a Masters degree can make a huge difference, When I completed my masters degree AND obtained CLB10 scores in IELTS, my express entry scores went up from 393 to 478. I received my ITA on the next round after this! Though, an LMIA job will greatly improve your score, it is not absolutely necessary, most outland FSW applicants do not have LMIA, and many have still successfully obtained permanent residence (PR). In fact, a job offer does not immediately guarantee that a PR application will be approved. CIC is a bit more strict and investigative on applications with Canadian job offers. Some applicants have been rejected because of minor issues like; their employment letter does not state that the job is "full-time" and "permanent".

 

[papapsi]

Long story short.

If you got no LMIA, do not even bother UNLESS:

you are on the high end on all the requirements, INCLUDING having family etc that lives there, then yes, you might just make it to the bare minimum...

Otherwise, seriously, save your money and time on IELTS and all this paperwork none sense.

Recommended by a 30 year old married guy with an IELTS 8.5 and Wife Band 8, Masters degree (Wife also), etc, etc but yes, having no family in Canada cost me the few extra points to qualify...save your money and time on the IELTS tests, and that horrible long ECA that almost need half a year to validate your foreign studies and charge you a lot for it too...

I hope I could help as many people as possible.... if you want to work in Canada and live there, you can, even with being on the lower end of everything, barely passing the minimums, just get an LMIA and you're square.

This isn't correct. There are not points for relatives. That only helps with SOME Provincial programmes but not with your EE Profile. With only a Master's DEGREE and CLB 10 IELTS, I obtained a 470 score which may be good enough to get me an ITA at some point. My age cost me an additional 15 points. Your spouse alone can give you another 22-28 points. I suggest you look at the CRS calculator again and consider improving your IELTS Score. If your wife is younger and since she has the Masters you may consider making her the primary candidate.

Let me paint a few scenarios for you:
a. Ideal age <= 29; Master's degree, IELTS CLB 10 and some work experience will easily throw you above 470 which puts you in a good place to get an ITA
b. 30-31, CLB 10 IELTS, Master's degree and work experience will get you around 470 too. Remember you lose about 5 points for every year that passes

The simple point is outside Canada getting an LMIA backed job offer is very slim. A Provincial nomination though can give you 600 extra points but last year's statistics show the number of people getting in via Provincial nominations small. Do what you can to boost your scores close to or above 450 and that will vastly increase the odds in your favour.

PM me if you want some unofficial advise.

 

[phili878]

I was told that you get points under adaptability if you have family members there, or lived and studied in the past in Canada, etc.... Be that as it may, if you have no points at all in the adaptability section and score high on everything else, you are just wasting time if you have no LMIA. So at the end, whether family or not, the point was, if you got no points under adaptability, then you can forget about it. Bottom line, the most important is a LMIA and for that, a tourist visa is enough. Go to Canada with a tourist visa, do not tell the immigration officer at the airport that you are looking for a job, then go networking, get your LMIA, and only then start the paperwork.

Apologies if I said it wrong regarding family members, but at the end, you also need adaptability points or forget about it.

 

[LizzyBob]

I was told that you get points under adaptability if you have family members there, or lived and studied in the past in Canada, etc.... Be that as it may, if you have no points at all in the adaptability section and score high on everything else, you are just wasting time if you have no LMIA. So at the end, whether family or not, the point was, if you got no points under adaptability, then you can forget about it. Bottom line, the most important is a LMIA and for that, a tourist visa is enough. Go to Canada with a tourist visa, do not tell the immigration officer at the airport that you are looking for a job, then go networking, get your LMIA, and only then start the paperwork.

Apologies if I said it wrong regarding family members, but at the end, you also need adaptability points or forget about it.

You must be referring to the old FSWP system which has been phased out. In the new express entry system, there are no points for adaptability and you dont gain points for having family members. I dont have any family members in Canada and I dont have an LMIA either; however, I have still received an invitation to apply for PR using just my Masters degree and improved IELTS scores. There are several others like me with the same credentials who have received their ITA and some have even received their PR. Not many of us have the time or resources to travel down to Canada to hunt for a job, that even sounds more expensive than doing an ECA and IELTS. And such a trip may not yield an LMIA anyway.

At the end of the day, how you approach your PR application is entirely up to you, I wish you the best of luck.

 

[Asivad Anac]

At the end of the day, how you approach your PR application is entirely up to you, I wish you the best of luck.

Well said.

I would recommend that the OP approach their PR application by reading up on EE rather than posting half baked information/advice on the forum.

 

[papapsi]

You must be referring to the old FSWP system which has been phased out. In the new express entry system, there are no points for adaptability and you dont gain points for having family members. I know this because I dont have any family members in Canada and I dont have an LMIA either. However, I have still received an invitation to apply (ITA) for permanent residence using just my Masters degree and improved IELTS scores of CLB 10. There are several others like me with the same credentials who have received their ITA and some have even received their PR. Not many of us have the time or resources to travel down to Canada to hunt for a job, that even sounds more expensive than doing an ECA and IELTS. And such a trip may not yield an LMIA anyway.

At the end of the day, how you approach your PR application is entirely up to you, I wish you the best of luck.

Well said. All the best with your journey.

 

[Bobbieleigh]

We went to Canada for a job hunt last year and yes, two companies were interested and promised to apply for LMIA and we are still in touch with one of them but still waiting. Easier said than done. I have max points for education, language and work experience from outside Canada but it's the age that drags us down and there is nothing we can do about it. No Canadian work experience or education, again nothing we can do. But there are Provincial Nominee programs and this is another option. So there is always something that can be done.
Just stay positive and read through CIC webside, forums etc and you'll find the way.
All the best.

 

[andy108]

Long story short.

If you got no LMIA, do not even bother UNLESS:

you are on the high end on all the requirements, INCLUDING having family etc that lives there, then yes, you might just make it to the bare minimum...

Otherwise, seriously, save your money and time on IELTS and all this paperwork none sense.

Recommended by a 30 year old married guy with an IELTS 8.5 and Wife Band 8, Masters degree (Wife also), etc, etc but yes, having no family in Canada cost me the few extra points to qualify...save your money and time on the IELTS tests, and that horrible long ECA that almost need half a year to validate your foreign studies and charge you a lot for it too...

I hope I could help as many people as possible.... if you want to work in Canada and live there, you can, even with being on the lower end of everything, barely passing the minimums, just get an LMIA and you're square.

I really thing this post is full of negativity...

One does not need to have LMIA to get through express entry... many have done it.