The Express Entry profile is vital for Canada immigration. But is it possible to have more than one Express Entry profile? Here’s the answer!An ITA for PR will be issued based on the scores of applicants & their rankings in the Express Entry pool using the CRS, i.e., Comprehensive Ranking System.
The CRS is a points-based system used to assess candidates in the Express Entry pool. Every candidate’s CRS score is based on numerous factors, like education, skills, work experience, language proficiency, etc.
According to the Canadian government, applicants might only have one Express Entry profile at a time. The rule is set out in the Canadian immigration law.
IRCC emphasizes that creating more than one profile will not give an applicant a better chance of being invited to apply for Canadian permanent residency. Moreover, it won’t enable applicants to be invited under a different program.
Duplicate Profiles In The Express Entry Pool
Is it possible to have more than one Express Entry profile? Well, according to a Strategic Policy & Planning report, although applicants might have an active profile in the pool at any time, they might create a new GCKey & further submit a new profile. A GCKey is a unique electronic credential enabling candidates to access online government websites.
Over the past several years, the number of duplicate profiles in the pool has only been in the hundreds. With such low numbers, no action has been taken by IRCC to remove these profiles. However, the number of duplicate profiles in the Express Entry pool grew substantially in 2022.
On January 9, 2023, over 29,945 duplicate Express Entry profiles were associated with 10,229 unique applicants. The report managed to identify unique applicants by matching data elements like name, date of birth, etc., in order to find duplicate profiles.
The report does not identify why candidates created multiple profiles. However, it states that:
- In over 70% of the cases, there was no change in the CRS scores between any two given profiles of the applicant. Such a high number does not indicate an attempt to game the system.
- Over 53% of all duplicate profiles have been inactive for 100 days, implying that numerous duplicates have been abandoned.
- The number of applicants with more than one profile increased by 57% from October to November. This strongly indicated a response to the November 16 deadline to update profiles with NOC 2021 information.
The report concluded by stating that there is no clear indication of integrity concerns within the Express Entry system. However, the sheer number of duplicate profiles might warrant an effort by IRCC to ‘clean up’ the pool.
Am I Eligible For Express Entry?
In order to be eligible for Express Entry, applicants must meet the criteria of at least one of the three economic immigration programs, i.e., CEC, FSTP, & FSWP.
The FSWP is Canada’s foremost economic immigration pathway. The minimum requirements are as follows:
- Validated intermediate or better language proficiency in French/ English.
- A minimum of one year of full-time/ equivalent paid work experience in the last ten years in a skilled profession under NOC Teer category 0, 1, 2, or 3.
- For applicants educated outside of Canada, an educational credential & an ECA report.
Moreover, apart from meeting the minimum work, language proficiency, & education requirements, applicants must also obtain a minimum of 67 points under its points grid.
In addition, CEC provides permanent residence to international students as well as foreign workers who have Canadian work experience. Applicants must have obtained a minimum of skilled, professional, or technical work experience in the nation within three years of the application date & meet the relevant language proficiency criteria.
Furthermore, FSTP is available to applicants who wish to become permanent residents based on qualifying for a skilled trade. The eligibility criteria include:
- A minimum of two years of full-time work experience in a skilled trade within five years prior to submitting an application.
- Meeting the job requirements of the skilled trade.
- Meeting the language proficiency criteria.
- Having a full-time employment offer in Canada for a period of a minimum of one year or possessing a certificate of qualification in the skilled trade, which an official Canadian authority has provided.