…Three months after the launch of Express Entry, Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander welcomed three of the first Express Entry candidates to become Canadian permanent residents—Emma Hughes, Yaoyao (Anita) Zheng and Xin (Frank) Zhao.first-permanent-residents-to-Canada

Hughes is a successful candidate from Ireland who applied under the Federal Skilled Worker stream. She now works as an application scientist for EcoSynthetix in Burlington, Ontario.

Zheng and Zhao were both international students who applied under the Canadian Experience Class. Zheng came to Canada from China and in 2012 she graduated in Supply Chain Management from Humber College. Today, she works as a dispatch logistician at DMA Logistics in Mississauga, Ontario.

Zhao also came to Canada from China as an international student and graduated in 2003 from Mohawk College in business accounting. Zhao is currently employed at Wing on New Group Canada, in Markham, Ontario.

Launched in January, Express Entry is a new way of managing applications for Canada’s key economic immigration programs. Candidates create an online profile and express their interest in coming to Canada permanently. Candidates who meet the minimum criteria are accepted into the pool and ranked according to various factors, including language proficiency, education and work experience. Each is a leading indicator of one’s likelihood of integrating fully and quickly into Canadian society and making an optimal contribution to the economy.

Quick facts

  • 6,851 Express Entry candidates have received an invitation to apply for permanent residence. Most complete electronic applications under Express Entry will be processed in six months or less.

Excerpt from news filings