How to be considered for jobs in Canada while still in the Express Entry pool?

Canada’s economic immigration programs are crucial to the nation's labor market growth, contributing nearly 100% to recent increases in the national workforce.

Given the vital role of immigration in Canada's economy, many employment initiatives are linked to immigration programs to assist employers in filling positions that cannot be filled domestically. A notable example is the option for employers to hire candidates from the Express Entry pool.

When Do Employers Hire Through the Express Entry System?

Employers can hire through the Express Entry system if they meet certain conditions and standards set by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

Specifically, employers must:

1. Hire for a Qualified Skilled Position: The position must qualify as skilled work, which includes jobs classified under Canada’s Training, Education, Experience, and Responsibilities (TEER) system as categories 0, 1, 2, or 3 of the National Occupation Classification (NOC) *.
2. Prove Domestic Recruitment Efforts: Employers must demonstrate that they cannot fill the job domestically. This includes providing proof that the job has been advertised on the Government of Canada’s Job Bank website and in two other places.

*The NOC system is used to describe and categorize professions in Canada. The TEER system further distinguishes job levels based on the training, experience, education, and responsibilities required for the roles.

How Do Employers Hire Through Express Entry?

To hire candidates through the Express Entry system, employers in Canada utilize the "Job Match" feature of the national Job Bank. The Job Bank is the federal platform for job postings and offers various employment-related services and resources, such as career planning tools, labor market information, and hiring assistance.

Steps to Hire Through Express Entry:

1. Using the Job Match Feature:

• Employers post job listings on the Job Bank.
• The Job Match system then pairs the job postings with profiles that match the job descriptions.
• Employers can review these matched candidates and decide whether to consider them for the position. Note that the Job Match feature includes all individuals in the Job Bank, not just those in the Express Entry pool.

1. Meeting Pre-conditions and Making a Job Offer:

• If an employer wants to make a job offer to a candidate within the Express Entry pool, they may need a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).
• An LMIA is a government assessment that evaluates the impact of hiring a foreign national on the Canadian labor market. The assessment must return a positive or neutral result.
• Certain conditions may exempt the employer from needing an LMIA.

1. Making a Valid Job Offer:

• After obtaining an LMIA (if required), the employer can make a valid job offer to the candidate according to Express Entry standards.

How Can Newcomers Be Considered for Jobs While in the Express Entry Pool?

Newcomers in the Express Entry pool who want to use the "Job Match" feature of the Job Bank must:

1. Have a Valid Express Entry Profile:

• Ensure you have a valid Express Entry profile with a profile number and job seeker validation code*.

1. Create a Job Match Account:

• Create a Job Match account, which is separate from a Job Bank account but falls under the same umbrella of services. During the profile creation process on Job Match, you will be prompted to enter your Express Entry information.

*Job seeker validation codes are provided by IRCC and allow eligible profiles to start looking for work in Canada. These codes, along with the profile number, are generated once a valid profile is submitted to the Express Entry pool. If you do not receive a job seeker validation code, contact IRCC.

Once both accounts are set up and connected, newcomers will be matched with job postings within the Job Bank. Express Entry candidates will only be shown job postings that have been advertised on the Job Bank for over 30 days.

If you encounter issues connecting your Express Entry and Job Match accounts, follow the recommended steps provided by the Job Bank.