The 5 Most Common Express Entry Mistakes
Many of the refusal or incompleteness issues come from inherent “shortcomings” with the Express Entry system. Applying for Canadian permanent residency can often be a daunting task, especially when trying to understand which documents are required and trying to understand instructions which need to be strictly followed. Still, small mistakes can result in an application being returned or rejected. The following are the top five most made mistakes when applying for Canadian permanent residency.
First, miscalculating points. When a profile is created a score is generated. However, unless an applicant updates the information in their application the score does not automatically update. Applicants who have birthdays, find new jobs, get new degrees conferred, or even have new family members can find their applications reassessed at the time of their application to find they no longer meet minimum requirements that their initial Invitation to Apply was based on.
The Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Quebec Skilled Worker Program, and several Provincial Nominee Programs work on a points-based system. Applicants must meet the minimum required points to qualify for that program. Knowing how many points will be awarded for different qualifications can be confusing. Is a medical degree worth 20, 22, or 25 points for the Federal Skilled Worker Program? Under the Quebec Skilled Worker Program, is your spouse’s vocational diploma worth one or two points? Understanding the points system can be difficult and if an applicant fails to meet the minimum required number of points for a program, the application will likely be refused.
Second, all the candidates of Express Entry must upload minimum one police certificate if you have not left your home country for more than six months since the age of eighteen. Look at the PCC section to know what you require. Also, you must provide a police certificate for the entire family members, children of eighteen years and above, and spouse. The Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) is compulsory and it must be scanned in color. PCC must be provided on a date before the EE candidate’s departure date from the country: You must know that you have to apply for PCC only after exiting the country, even if it is just one day before you leave the country, but remember you should not request it before leaving.
Third, job details discrepancy with the NOC (No Objection Certificate) code. Job responsibilities and details must go in agreement with NOC code. The tile of the job could be confusing so make sure to keep the depiction closest to NOC code. Some NOCs can be very similar as the job duties listed in various NOCs can overlap (e.g. NOC 0213, Computer and Information Systems Managers and NOC 2171, Information Systems Analysts and Consultants).
Work-related reference letters are often the most problematic documents for applicants in this program. If a visa officer determines that the duties and responsibilities listed on the applicant’s reference letters do not correspond to the duties listed in the qualifying NOC, the application could be returned or refused. However, if the duties and responsibilities listed are written exactly from the NOC, the application can also be refused for providing documents that may be deemed as self-serving.
Fourth, much of the e-APR system is now based on proof of documentation such as medical examinations and police certificates, which themselves are dependent on documentation provided by third parties (other Countries/Doctors, etc.). Many times, an individual will have challenges securing those documents and/or have past medical examinations or police certificates near expiry. Most of the times errors are innocent or simply based on poor document handling or time-lining of expiry dates.
When applicants are provided a personalized checklist at the e-APR stage, the checklist does not often provide complete details of what is required. For example, looking at a checklist of required uploads, it can be easy to assume that only the document named is required without questioning whether that document is a) enough or, b) the details of the content required in that document.
And finally, picking the wrong visa office. Knowing which visa office is responsible for the processing of an application is very important. Applicants who submit their application to the wrong visa office can have their application returned, this very common mistake and the resulted consequences can be avoided by using an experienced and trusted representative.
As you can see, the process of immigrating to Canada can be complex and a lot of attention and caution is required. That is why here at Springwind Immigration Consulting Services Inc. we help you with your application, to minimize the chance of the errors mentioned above. We are immigration consultants authorized by the CICC (College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants) and regulated by the Government of Canada to assist Canadian immigration applicants. Our success is because we take the time to understand properly the unique case of each file. Our staff at Springwind Immigration Consulting Services Inc. can adjust rapidly to changing immigration rules and regulations and offer the peace of mind that only the finest customer care will provide. Contact us now and let us help you make Canada your home.