Maximizing job opportunities in Canada: A guide for Express Entry candidates

Canada's economic immigration programs play a crucial role in the expansion of the country's labor market, contributing to nearly all the growth observed in the national workforce in recent years, as per CIC News.

Due to the integral role that immigration plays in Canada’s economy, employment initiatives are often connected to immigration programs to help Canada’s employers fill vacant positions that they may not be able to hire for within the country, says CIC News.

“One key example of this is the ability of employers to hire candidates within the Express Entry candidate pool,” it adds.


When do employers hire through the Express Entry system?
Employers need to meet certain requirements set by Canada before they can hire a foreign national from the Express Entry pool. This includes:

1. Ensuring that the job they are offering qualifies as skilled work, which is categorized under Canada’s TEER system as category 0, 1, 2, or 3 of the National Occupation Classification (NOC).
2. Demonstrating that they were unable to find a suitable candidate domestically by advertising the job on the Government of Canada’s Job Bank website and at least two other places.

Canada’s NOC system categorizes professions within the country, and the TEER system further classifies job levels based on training, experience, education, and responsibilities required for the role, says CIC News.

How do employers hire through Express Entry?
To recruit candidates and extend employment offers via Express Entry, Canadian employers utilize the "Job Match" function of the national Job Bank.

“The Job Bank is the federal platform for job postings in addition to a host of other employment-related services and resources like career planning tools, labour market information, and hiring help (among others),” says CIC News report.

The Job Match feature of the Job Bank matches an employer's job posting with profiles in the system that align with the job description. After identifying suitable candidates, employers can decide whether to consider them for the position. It's important to note that the Job Match feature evaluates all individuals in the Job Bank system, not just those in the Express Entry pool.

Employers who want to hire someone from the Express Entry pool may need a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) from the government. This assessment shows if hiring a foreign national will affect the Canadian job market. If the LMIA is positive or neutral, it supports hiring the foreign national. Sometimes, an LMIA isn't needed.

After getting the LMIA (if required), the employer must offer the job to the candidate according to Express Entry rules.

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 with a profile number and job seeker validation code.
2. Create a separate Job Match account, which is different from a Job Bank account. When setting up the Job Match account, users will be asked to enter their Express Entry information.

Once both accounts are set up and linked, newcomers will be matched with job postings in the Job Bank. Job postings that candidates in the Express Entry pool see are those advertised on the Job Bank for over 30 days, as per CIC News.

If individuals encounter issues connecting their Express Entry and Job Match accounts, they should follow specific steps.