IMPACT – MEDIUM

What is the change? Canada’s Department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship has shortened the length of time that successful candidates in the Express Entry system have to apply for permanent residency.

What does the change mean? Express Entry candidates who are issued an invitation to apply after today’s date will have 60 days instead of 90 days to submit their application for permanent residency.

  • Implementation time frame: Immediate.
  • Visas/permits affected: Permanent residence.
  • Who is affected: Express Entry candidates who are invited to apply after June 26, 2018.
  • Business impact: While job candidates drawn from the Express Entry pool will have a shorter deadline to apply for permanent residency, they may also obtain permanent residency sooner.
  • Next steps: Individuals who have been issued an invitation to apply before June 26 will still have 90 days to apply for permanent residency; those issued an invitation after that date are subject to the 60-day time frame.

Background: Express Entry candidates are ranked according to a Comprehensive Ranking System, based on factors such as a job offer in Canada, education, work experience and language skills. Draws are conducted roughly twice a month, to select the top-ranked candidates. Those selected are issued invitations to apply for permanent residency.

BAL Analysis: Individuals do not need to take any steps to update their Express Entry profile, but should be aware of the shorter deadline to apply for permanent residency if they are selected in a draw.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group. For additional information, please contact your BAL attorney.

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