Starting March 25, 2025, applicants who wish to migrate to Canada through Express Entry will not receive additional points for job offers received from employers in the country. The move is part of Canada’s efforts to tackle LMIA fraud, where Labour Market Impact Assessments are being bought and sold illegally.
This temporary measure also applies to arranged employment, with both methods unfortunately used by a small number of bad actors to defraud future immigrants of thousands of dollars of their hard-earned money.
Changes to Canada’s Express Entry pathway
Effective March 25, there will be changes to the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) tool used to determine the points and eligibility criteria that prospective immigrants need when they begin their plans to migrate to Canada. This applies to all current and future applicants who have job offers.
200 points will be deducted from the scores of applicants who have job offers under Major Group 00 of the National Occupation Classification matrix, which includes roles in senior management, while 50 points will be deducted from those who have received job offers in other skilled occupations.
“Although this change will officially take effect on March 25, 2025, it may take a few days for your CRS points to be updated accordingly in your profile,” Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has stated. “If you do not currently have a qualifying job offer, please be aware that you will no longer be able to gain additional CRS points for this factor.”
“If you have an active Invitation to Apply (ITA) that has not expired or been declined, you are not affected by this change and will remain eligible for that specific round of invitation.”
This change will also not affect an applicant’s eligibility to remain in the pool of prospective migrants to Canada.
Canada’s efforts to tackle LMIA fraud come in the wake of the announcement made in December 2024, when IRCC announced a temporary measure in the Express Entry system aimed at reducing fraud. This measure seeks to eliminate the incentive to illegally buy or sell LMIAs and arranged employment with the intention of improving one’s chances of being selected as a permanent resident of Canada.
Does a job offer still affect a person’s profile?
Simply put, yes. While not worth any points at the moment, having a valid job offer from an organization in Canada will still be part of the selection criteria for both the Federal Skilled Worker Program and the Federal Skilled Trades Program.
As part of Canada’s efforts to tackle LMIA fraud, the presence of a job offer also gives applicants an advantage in the Provincial Nominee Program, where provinces or territories can consider a qualifying job offer for eligibility or selection criteria.
“It is important to continue including the details of any job offers in your Express Entry profile to ensure you remain eligible for various programs,” added IRCC.
Priority for in-country workers
Earlier this month, Canada announced it will prioritize in-country workers to meet the needs of the labour market, over candidates from overseas.
However, external candidates with experience and qualifications in healthcare and social services, trades, and education fields have a better chance of being invited to apply for permanent residence.
Candidates who speak French as first language, or have strong French-language skills, also have a better chance of being selected.
Also read: An AI-powered platform to accelerate your job search as a newcomer to Canada
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