How-To: Maximize Your Express Entry Potential

Looking for Express Entry acceptance? Many potential immigrants to Canada wonder how they can maximize the possibility of being accepted through the new Express Entry program, and FWCanada suggests you increase your chances by improving your English proficiency!

Applicants for Canada’s Express Entry immigration program are ranked on a variety of factors, including their age, education, Canadian work experience, and language proficiency skills. While gaining points in education or work experience may take several years, action can be taken now to gain language proficiency points relatively quickly.

Applicants to these immigration programs must take one of a few approved language tests, one of the most popular being the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).  According to the British Council, the IELTS is the world’s most popular English language test for higher education and global migration.

A number of online resources are available to aid hopeful immigrants through the language testing process and ensure that proficiency points can be maximized when applying for Canadian immigration. For example, the IELTS website provides a downloadable information booklet to use as a resource. They have also made available sample questions to give applicants an idea of what to expect in the Reading, Writing and Speaking modules of the test, which is required for most Canadian immigration programs.  The website will also link prospective immigrants to local IELTS test centers that provide workshops for those preparing to take the test.

After writing the test, applicants will receive a Test Report Form with their complete results. The Test Report Form will be posted to the applicant 13 days after the test was written. The form is valid for two years, after which individuals must re-take the test.  When using these test scores for immigration purposes or to improve your number of points in the Express Entry program, FWCanada suggests applications for Express Entry be filed early in this two-year period while the test results are still valid.

Those Express Entry applicants who rank the highest on the qualifications test will receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residency to Canada.  With the competitive nature of Express Entry, improving language proficiency skills is an effective strategy to score higher and thus increase your chances of getting an ITA for Express Entry.

The resources provided by the British Council International English Testing System can prove extremely useful in advancing language proficiency skills and help make immigrating to Canada a reality.  For more information on the IELTS or to find an IELTS center to take the test, click here

For more advice on how to maximize your chances of being invited to apply for permanent residency through the Express Entry program, consult FWCanada.

FWCanada is a Montreal-based immigration law firm that provides professional legal services on Canadian immigration. For more tips and updates on Canadian immigration, follow FWCanada on FacebookTwitter, and Linkedin.

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