Express Entry / December 19, 2024

IRCC To Eliminate LMIA-Based Job Offer Points From Express Entry CRS System

The Canadian government has announced a major change to the Express Entry immigration system that will soon impact candidates seeking permanent residency. Effective in the near future, Express Entry candidates will no longer receive extra points in the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) for having a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)-based job offer.

Previously, candidates with an LMIA-based job offer could receive an additional 50 or 200 CRS points, depending on the job's National Occupational Classification (NOC) code. These extra points were often crucial in determining whether a candidate would receive an invitation to apply (ITA) for permanent residency. The 50 points could be the deciding factor between being invited to apply or not, significantly influencing candidates' chances of success.

The announcement was made by Immigration Minister Marc Miller on December 17, 2024, during a televised interview. While the date of the change’s implementation remains unclear, as of December 18, the government’s online points calculator still awards 50 points for having a valid job offer.

The CRS is a points-based system used by the Canadian government to assess and rank Express Entry candidates, who are applying for permanent residency through one of three immigration programs. Candidates are scored on several factors, including age, education, language proficiency, and work experience. The higher a candidate’s score, the greater their chance of receiving an ITA.

Currently, candidates can earn a maximum of 600 points for "core human capital" factors, such as education and language skills. They can also receive up to 600 additional points for factors like having a sibling in Canada, French language skills, post-secondary education in Canada, and arranged employment. The latter includes job offers supported by a positive LMIA.

The change announced by Minister Miller will remove the 50 or 200 additional points previously awarded for arranged employment. Specifically, candidates could earn 50 points for an LMIA-based job offer in any NOC TEER (Training, Education, Experience, and Responsibilities) category, while 200 points could be earned for a job in an NOC TEER 0 occupation, such as executive-level roles.

This shift comes as part of broader changes to Canada’s immigration policies. The government is taking steps to strengthen the integrity of the immigration system and address concerns about LMIA fraud. Minister Miller highlighted that the goal is to ensure fairness in Express Entry and prevent candidates from purchasing an LMIA to gain an advantage in the system. He believes the changes will eliminate this incentive and foster a more equitable process for all candidates.

In addition to these changes, the Canadian government recently implemented reforms to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP). This included suspending the processing of LMIAs for low-wage positions and raising the pay requirements for workers in high-wage streams. These modifications reflect Canada's evolving approach to immigration and its focus on reducing the potential for fraud.

The policy changes also align with the government’s 2025 Immigration Levels Plan, which aims to issue 82,000 net new TFWP work permits. By reducing the reliance on LMIA-based points in Express Entry, Canada hopes to create a more transparent and fair immigration system.

Share this article