(3) Facebook Page 1 of 11

CANADA Migration STEP BY STEP

PROCESS
EDU-CARE · WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2019 · 17 MINUTES

Some basic info on Canadian Immigration

For all immigration purposes, the Canadian Govt. has developed a really good website that
you’ll need at every step of the application here on - Immigrate to Canada. Thanks to this
website, you don’t need an attorney or consultant , BUT we are always here to help you
Otherwise we won’t exist

Canada offers multiple channels for immigration, that you can make use of:

• Express Entry: Most popular and fastest immigration route, run by the Federal govt..
Meant for skilled people. Manages three economic immigration programs:

◦ Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSW) - Skilled workers with foreign experience.
All professionals in sales, marketing, IT, finance, legal, medicine, etc. fall under this
category.

◦ Federal Skilled Trades Program (FST) - People qualified in a skilled trade with
foreign experience. Chefs, bakers, equipment operators, etc. fall under this
category.

◦ Canadian Experience Class (CEC) - Skilled workers who have Canadian work
experience.

• Provincial Nominee: Second most popular channel. Meant for people who do not
have sufficient score to clear Express Entry. Run by each individual province. Program
opens on ad-hoc basis. If you get nominated, then you must spend 2 years in the
province, before you can move to any other province.

• Family Sponsorship: Existing permanent residents can sponsor their relatives,

including their spouse, partner, children, parents, grandparents, and others to
immigrate

• Quebec-selected skilled worker: Immigration program run separately by the

province of Quebec. Meant for people who want to live in Quebec specifically.

• Start-up Visa: Have a start-up idea and can bring in local jobs? Canada will give you a
PR, if your idea is accepted by a designated organization and implemented.

• Self-Employed: Can contribute culturally or in athletics to Canada.

• Atlantic Immigration Pilot: Immigrate by graduating from a school or working in

New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, or Newfoundland and Labrador.

file:///E:/C/Documents/(3)%20Facebook.html 3/12/2020
(3) Facebook Page 2 of 11

This program is meant to boost the economies of Atlantic provinces that usually don’t
see much immigration influx.

• Refugees

Majority of the applicants apply via Express Entry, Provincial Nomination or Family
Sponsorship. For this answer, I’ll focus exclusively on Federal Skilled Worker Program.

Canadian immigration is entirely points based. Every applicant is awarded fixed points for
their education, age, language abilities, marital status, spouse’s qualifications, etc. The
system that awards these points is called the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS).

Every month, the Canadian Immigration Agency - IRCC, announces a cut-off score. All
applicants with CRS score above this cut-off receive an invitation to apply for permanent
residence. The ones that don’t qualify remain in the pool.

STEP-BY-STEP PROCEDURE TO APPLY FOR CANADIAN PR

STEP 1: Check your eligibility (Cost: Free, Time: 10 mins)

Use this quick online tool from the Canadian Govt. to check if you are eligible to apply. Do
you want to come to Canada, or extend your stay? Scoring Criteria >> Eligibility to apply as a
Federal Skilled Worker (Express Entry).

file:///E:/C/Documents/(3)%20Facebook.html 3/12/2020
(3) Facebook Page 3 of 11

STEP 2: Gauge your chances early (Cost: Free, Time: 15 mins - 2 hours)
If you are eligible to apply, then I strongly recommend you to check your CRS score with your
info and hypothetical scores for IELTS >> Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) tool:
skilled immigrants (Express Entry). At this stage, there are some important factors that will
adversely affect your application:

• IELTS score: You need to score at least 8–7–7–7 (Listening, reading, writing,
speaking respectively), to sufficient points to compete in the pool. Anything less than
this, will cost you tonnes of points.

• Education: If you have a Bachelor/Masters, do some background research to check if

World Education Services (WES), the authority that will assess your educational
qualifications, will consider your university degree equivalent to a Canadian
Bachelors/Masters. Reason why I say this is because if you have a Masters from a tier 3
college, and if WES does not find it equivalent to a Canadian degree, then you will end
up being recognized as an applicant with only a Bachelors degree, losing crucial points
in the process. Doing this check at this stage will save you a lot of money and trouble.

• Age: Every year beyond the age of 30, applicants will lose 5 points. So if you are
planning to apply at a later date, then be sure to keep this mind.

• Work Experience: While claiming for work experience, note that Canada assumes
that you have always worked in the same job classification, as denoted by your NOC
code. If you were a Marketer for 3 years, and an Interior Designer for 2 years, then you
cannot claim a combined work experience of 5 years. Choose whichever experience you
want to claim, and stick with that corresponding NOC throughout your application.

• Spouse: It is not mandatory to have your spouse take the IELTS and verify their
educational credentials. But if your CRS calculator shows you with points in the range of
400–430, then consider entering hypothetical IELTS scores for your spouse, and also
entering their educational credentials.

Try multiple permutations and combinations of the above factors in the CRS tool before you
even begin your PR journey. Now, go through the CRS draws announced in the past few
months with this link >> Express Entry rounds of invitations. This will help you get an idea
about where you currently stand.

For e.g., for this entire year, the draws have always been around 440–445. So look for a
hypothetical CRS configuration that will help you score more than this cut-off.

Everyone with a CRS score of 400+ should proceed to the next step. Others who aren’t
scoring as much, should do a little bit more research and consider alternative immigration
methods.

file:///E:/C/Documents/(3)%20Facebook.html 3/12/2020
(3) Facebook Page 4 of 11

Protip: I suggest taking a free mock IELTS test to actually check how much you score.
Your entire application may rest on the laurels of your language abilities, so I would give
particular attention to this.

Another ProTip: If your spouse is younger than you, or has higher educational
credentials, then please let them be the primary applicant instead.

STEP 3: Educational Credentials Assessment ( Time: 30–45 days)

Dipak has an excellent step-by-step process on how to do this >> What is the process to get
Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) for Canada PR from WES? This assessment will
take you approximately one month, so get started at the earliest. You don’t have to evaluate
your 10th or 12th results. Meanwhile, some things to keep in mind:

• I chose the express shipment via UPS at CAD 85 to receive the document. People who
have chosen the cheapest delivery option have had mixed results. So take your chances.

• I also chose to have my university send the transcripts and degree certificates directly to
WES, with the reference number mentioned. Works flawlessly, saves time.

Edit 2019: From December 1, 2018, the applicants’ college or university has to
directly courier the attested documents to WES. Please do not courier yourself. It has
to come from your college/university

For everyone asking questions on WES.

Steps for WES ECA evaluation for Canada Immigration purpose, important points and some
more info.(a lot of info, so going to be a long post)

Before you start just check following things:

1. Website: World Education Services Canada: International Credential Evaluation

Please please go through the website and make yourself familiar with navigation. You will get
most of your answers there. Don't start asking questions before going through information
posted on website. Its for your own good to get first hand information before listening to
other people.

***Always make sure you are on Canada website not USA one. you can see that on top right
corner of Website where a flag is listed with country name or in website address with "/ca"
listed in address.***

2. Degree equivalency tool

Degree Equivalency Tool

file:///E:/C/Documents/(3)%20Facebook.html 3/12/2020
(3) Facebook Page 5 of 11

WES has free tool to check equivalency of your degree to Canadian degree. Don't rely
completely on this as the final assessment always depends on the actual evaluation but it will
give you an idea and a head start. If your degree is not listed there it doesn't mean it wont be
equivalent to anything, you will get to know that in real assessment.

***If you are not sure after using the tool, if your degree/college will be valid for ECA through
WES try to email/ WES to check or ask if anyone had same degree evaluated before. That
might help you little bit in the case where your degree/ college is not valid and save you some
money, you can check other designated organizations for your ECA then.***

3. Required Documents

Required Documents - World Education Services

Check what documents you need for your evaluation here. If you don't have those in hand
just start collecting those. Get your transcripts from your university or any other document
listed as per your education.

You can also ask your university if they can mail your transcripts directly to WES, you can
use "Academic records request form" given on website for this. Check if your University
needs their own form filled too for releasing your documents.(do this after you get your WES
reference number as you will need that in case you are giving the address of WES to
university for mailing your transcripts, In case you are taking your transcripts yourself for
mailing, you can get reference number later too).

***Make sure your transcripts are valid. Transcripts must show: all subjects taken, grades
received for each subject, and for each year you were in the program. Semester wise
transcripts are not valid for evaluation. Transcripts should be sealed and signed with a stamp
from university.***

***If your University does not give subject-wise Transcript, Ask if you can get all your mark
sheets attested from University, and they will sign and stamp all photocopies and put them in
one envelope and seal them with stamp like transcripts. That is mostly called document
verification in University.***

4. Check how will you pay your fees. Credit card/ Money order/ Western Union or in case any
other option listed in instructions. Check it out. Fee is approximately $225-$230(including
taxes) in Canadian currency. Rest depends on what additional services you chose for delivery
etc. Cheapest courier option is $7.

ECA - World Education Services

Next steps:

file:///E:/C/Documents/(3)%20Facebook.html 3/12/2020
(3) Facebook Page 6 of 11

1. Create a WES account.

World Education Services Canada: International Credential Evaluation

Click "Apply now", then click on "Canada", Then "ECA application for IRCC" and proceed
with further steps.

***Make sure you choose ECA application for IRCC not the other option.***

Fill up your details in all pages very carefully and correctly.

You will have to provide a recipient address, give your address there. When you will proceed
it will automatically generate "Recipient 2" as IRCC. Don't worry about that one, it is used for
electronic delivery of your records to IRCC when you put your WES report number while
filling your express entry profile.

2. Pay your fees

3. Reference number will be generated.(This will be used in all your communications with
WES)

***Once you submit your profile and reference number is generated you cannot edit your
information so do not be in haste, check carefully and then submit.***

***Your reference number is not ECA report number. You can't use it in Express entry
profile. It is only used for communication with WES. When your evaluation is completed and
you get your ECA report it will have your ECA number which you will mention in Express
Entry application.***

4. Read all instructions on what documents to send and at which address.

*** Put your reference number on all your transcript envelops(at an empty space, not on the
seal or signature or anywhere on flaps) and backside of your degree photocopies. I will
suggest using a pencil not a pen for that as sometimes pen ink leaks through paper.***

***You can put all your documents in one big/ master envelope and send to WES. No need to
mail everything separately. Make sure again to put your reference number with WES address
on the packet.***

***Do not send any original document to WES unless asked specifically with instructions that
they will return it after evaluation.***

file:///E:/C/Documents/(3)%20Facebook.html 3/12/2020
(3) Facebook Page 7 of 11

5. you can check status of your application by logging in your WES account. It will show once
they have received your documents, your evaluation report will take up to 20 days after your
documents are received. Be patient.

***If you are using tracking with your courier and it shows your documents delivered but
WES account doesn't show received don't panic. It takes up to a week for WES to update
receiving of documents.***

6. Once your evaluation is completed you most probably will receive an email. You can find
pdf copy of your report by logging in your WES account.

***Check your report that everything is correctly mentioned.***

***No need to wait for hard copy of your report for Express entry if you have got pdf version
in your account. It is same and have your report number on it which you can use for express
entry profile.***

***Your ECA is valid for 5 years.***

Note: Do not ask any question if you have not read entire post. If the information is already
posted here just check it out. I am no expert but will try to answer any question which I
haven't answered here if and only I am sure about that. Will also edit the post and add the
point.

=================

STEP 4: Take the “IELTS General Training” test (Time: depends on test date
availability)
While you initiate the WES ECA process, also start looking for available IELTS test dates in
your city. Considering the heavy demand for IELTS for both immigration and education, test
dates are at least 20 days away in many cities around the world. Having said that, I strongly
suggest that you take a test date that’s at least 30 days away to give you ample time to
prepare for the test.

ProTip: Some tips to score well on your IELTS exam

1. Buy the Barron’s 4th Edition IELTS book. Hands down the best book out there in the
market with structure, tips, training and outcome.
Canadian Residents >> Barron’s IELTS (affiliate link) Residents >> Barron’s IELTS
(affiliate link)

UPDATE (Aug 2019): Barron’s have just come out with a super-pack that includes

file:///E:/C/Documents/(3)%20Facebook.html 3/12/2020
(3) Facebook Page 8 of 11

study material, practice tests, strategies, and vocabulary builder. If you could extend
your budget a bit more, then I recommend this one instead.
Canadian Residents >> Barron’s IELTS Super-pack (affiliate link)
Residents >> Barron’s IELTS Super-pack (affiliate link)

2. Spend the first three days understanding the exam pattern. Barron’s has an incredible
introduction to each question type. They’ll teach you tips, tricks and common mistakes
that many people make. They even guide you in understanding the question, skimming
while reading, listening for key words, etc. I was initially scoring in the 34–36 range for
listening and reading, and after reading this book, I was consistently hitting 38–40. This
makes a huge difference to your morale and your CRS points.

3. Take a General IELTS test to evaluate where you are. Don’t give excuses about why you
lost points. If you made silly mistakes in the practice test, you’ll make it in the main
exam again. Most people score between 32–35 and then excuse themselves by saying if
not for silly mistakes they would have scored 39–40. Yeah, don’t do that!

If you hit CLB 7 or CLB 8 in your practice test, then you’ll need an hour of practice daily.
One listening, one reading and one writing test.

If you hit CLB 6 and below, you’ll need to put in two hours of practice daily. Atleast two
listening, two reading and two writing tests daily.

4. Practice tests are available at

1. Barron’s CD

2. Your IELTS registration

3. IELTS test preparation, full exam guidance

4. Free IELTS Practice Tests

I really found the online tests to be very useful because the answers were
instantaneous and you can keep going on and on to improve your score.

5. Learning how to speak is a tricky thing. They’ll check for your pronunciation,
intonation, vocabulary, sentence formation, etc. The best way to prepare for this is to go
through many YouTube videos where sample speaking tests have been conducted.
Remember, a good speaking score comes from covering all of the evaluation parameters.
Many people find that simulating a speaking test with a friend or a mirror is incredibly
helpful. DO NOT under-estimate this.

6. Writing is where most people eventually fall. The Barron’s book is very useful in this
section. They’ll guide you on how to organize your thoughts quickly, how to craft a
meaningful write -up and how to avoid common mistakes. As of this moment, make it a
point to be grammatically correct (including Punctuation) in your emails, WhatsApp
chats, SMSs and any other forms of written communication. Install Grammarly plugin
for Chrome - this will help identify your mistakes in real-time while you write on the
desktop.

file:///E:/C/Documents/(3)%20Facebook.html 3/12/2020
(3) Facebook Page 9 of 11

7. This is the most important one: none of the above will set you up for the real test day as
much as mock tests will. Sign up for at least 3–5 mock tests at your nearest IELTS
coaching institute to get a feel of how the real exam feels like. This will help you
immediately course correct your preparation efforts.

All the best!

STEP 5: Start saving money in your bank account as Proof of Funds

As part of the PR process, Canadian immigration rules require you to have sufficient funds to
manage your living expenses when you first arrive. Through the PR process, applicants need
to prove that they have the necessary funds in their bank account. For more details on the
amount, type of funds, etc >> Proof of funds - Skilled immigrants (Express Entry)

In case you don’t have the sufficient funds, consider saving the required funds in your bank
account at the same time you decide to apply for PR. Its best to show a gradual accumulation
of funds in your account, rather than sudden, bulk transfers.

ProTip: If you have a salary account, maintain the account balance with every monthly
salary credit. Use your spouse’s income for other expenses.

STEP 6: Create your Express Entry profile (Cost: Free, Time: 1 hour)
After you have received your ECA and IELTS reports, go ahead and create an express entry
profile. IRCC has a fantastic and easy to understand guide on creating your Express Entry
profile. Submit an Express Entry profile: Online form. Submit your application. You’ll receive
a confirmation via email, and within the application inbox inside the CIC portal. You’ll also
receive the CRS score that the system has given you, and will be placed in the Express Entry
pool.

From here on, keep a close eye on the draws announced by IRCC. If your CRS score clears the
cut-off, then you will receive an Invitation to Apply within 24–48 hours, via email.

In case the cut-off appears to be far beyond your reach, and if you feel there is nothing more
you can do to add more points to your profile, then consider applying for Provincial
Nomination Programs instead. Am not an expert in PNP process, but you can seek help
through a legion of fellow applicants over at CanadaVisa forums >> Provincial Nomination
Program Immigration

STEP 7: Post-ITA Documentation (Time: 60 days)

Congratulations on receiving your ITA! You have now successfully completed the major
hurdle of your immigration journey. All that is left now is to provide the documentation
expected of you within the time limit, and if everything is in order, you’ll receive your PR
confirmation.

file:///E:/C/Documents/(3)%20Facebook.html 3/12/2020
(3) Facebook Page 10 of 11

The documents you will need to prepare at this stage are:

• Medical Exam at a IRCC authorized center.

• Police Clearance Certificate

◦ If you have lived in a foreign country for more than 5 months cumulatively, then
you will have to procure a police clearance from those authorities. This can take a
while, so get started on this first. (Note: IRCC says 6 months, but I have seen people
with 5 months of stay also being asked for PCC)

• Reference letter from employer.

• Bank Statement & Digital Photos

STEP 8: Application Submission and PPR

After having prepared the documents, you need to submit these in the system and make the
final payments.

1. - Application Processing fee: CAD 550 per person

2. - Right of Permanent Residence Fee (RPRF): CAD 490 per person ~ (Note: this can
also be paid when you are landing in Canada)

3. - Dependent Child: CAD 150 per child

4. - per person biometrics fee or for entire family

If you have successfully paid your fees and submitted the application, you’ll receive an
Acknowledgment of Receipt (AoR) via email and within the application inbox.

Shortly after your application submission, CIC will contact you for biometrics and give you
30 days to submit your biometrics. Only after you have done this, they will start processing
the application. Everyone between 14–79 years of age, will be required to submit their
biometrics. You’ll receive all instructions in the mail.

From here on, all you need to do is wait for an email from IRCC requesting your passport.
Among the immigration community, this is called PPR - passport request. At this stage, you
can be 99% sure that your PR has been confirmed. Once you receive this email, you visit the
nearest VFS Global center, submit your passport and photos, and await for the final visa
stamping.

ProTip: Paying your RPRF will reduce the processing time by 4–7 days.

STEP 9: Pre-arrival and landing

Although you have received the PR confirmation in Step 8, the process is not yet officially
concluded. One year from the date of your medicals, your immigration visa will expire.

file:///E:/C/Documents/(3)%20Facebook.html 3/12/2020
(3) Facebook Page 11 of 11

Within this time, you and your dependents must enter Canada by Flight or car at the border
crossing, and complete the formalities.

ProTip: Plan to land 3 months after receiving your PR.

This concludes the step-by-step process for obtaining a Canadian PR. All the best, folks!

file:///E:/C/Documents/(3)%20Facebook.html 3/12/2020