Canadian immigration prospects for students & less experienced folks

One of the most frequently asked questions by students or folks with less experience is what are my prospects for Express entry.  This post is specifically for you!!

Couple of things in your favor 

1. Age - Typically if you are a student then you might be under 30 years. You get more points for your age. You lose 1 point every year after 35.
2. Work experience - The requirement is that you need to have 1 year of full time skilled experience.  Full time means 30 hours a week. If your job was part time means 15 hours a week and you would need 2 years. Effectively,  you must have gained the equivalent amount of experience as someone who worked full-time for at least one year (1560 hours).
3. With 1 year of experience you get 9 points, with 2-3 years, you get 11 points, with 4-5 years, you get 13 points and for more than 6 years you get 15 points. You can get atmost get 15 points. Post 6 years of experience, it doesn't matter. Read along for more.
4. If you have Canadian education then you get additional 5 points.
5. If you have Canadian work experience then you can get upto 10 points.
1. If you are on Canadian work permit currently after studying in a Canadian university, then you are well positioned to get Canadian permanent residency.
6. If you are a young couple with 1-3 years of experience, you have very good chances because for spouse you get additional points that could help you easily meet the cut-off.
7. You don't have to wait longer if you have these pre-requisites. 

How should students with no or < 2 years experience prepare?

1. You can understand the process for Express entry. This blog and the various free resources on the internet will help you.
2. If you are a student then you should find your prospective NOC i.e. occupation code based on the job you would get. Stay for one year in that job at least. Don't switch unless you have to. This is because if you want an employment letter with responsibilities from them, you should have stayed in the company for a year.
3. Keep track of the latest cut-off scores of express entry draws. 
4. Calculate your score with 1 year of experience and see what it comes out to. 
5. Plan on getting a job post your course. 
6. Money is always a factor and you need to figure out how to finance the different aspects. Here is a post that can help you determine the money you need for this process.  
7. If you are not in Canada or won't have a job offer then you will also need proof of funds. You might want to think of how to go about that.
8. If you are planning to apply next year then you can plan on squaring off your pre-requisites like education and language tests. 

What benefits does a PR get you?

Canadian permanent residency makes a world of difference than just having a Canadian visa. You are not dependent on an employer and can freely move within Canada.  Earlier you get this benefit,  the better it is. More for a later post!

Final take - Know the different factors that impact your score well and calculate your score. If it falls in line with CRS cut off score, apply for Canadian PR.

Next steps
1. Get started with express entry today!!!
2. Here are the benefits of permanent residence.