If your Express Entry profile is approaching expiration without receiving an invitation to apply (ITA) for Canadian permanent residency, you will need to create a new profile. As of April 2024, profiles in the Express Entry system expire after one year and the system does not retain any information from expired profiles. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) advises candidates to manually save their profile details for easier reapplication.
To remain in the candidate pool, you must first withdraw your expiring profile by following these steps:
- Sign into your account.
- Go to “View the applications submitted.”
- Select “Withdraw profile.”
- Confirm by clicking “Continue” under the warning text.
After withdrawing your old profile, you can create a new one to continue your pursuit of an ITA. This new profile will provide you with a fresh Express Entry profile number and a new job seeker validation code for Canada’s Job Bank.
To increase your chances of receiving an ITA, consider improving your Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score, which evaluates candidates based on skills, education, language ability, and other factors. Enhancing your CRS score can be achieved by:
- Improving language proficiency in English or French.
- Gaining additional education or having foreign credentials assessed.
- Securing a valid job offer.
- Receiving a provincial nomination.
- Increasing relevant work experience.
- Maximizing spousal points, if applicable.
For those looking to boost their eligibility further, category-based selections focus on specific attributes like language skills or professional experience in high-demand fields. To check your eligibility for these draws, visit the dedicated section on the IRCC website.