Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued information about its intention to eliminate CRS points associated with a job offer within Canada’s Express Entry system.
On December 17, Immigration Minister Marc Miller announced that candidates in the Express Entry system applying for Canadian permanent residency would no longer be awarded extra points in the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) for possessing a job offer based on a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).
At that time, he did not specify a timeline or additional information regarding the implementation of this change, nor did he clarify which candidates might be affected. Currently, candidates in the Express Entry system with valid job offers are eligible to obtain an extra 50 or 200 points in the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). These additional points can significantly influence whether a candidate receives an invitation to apply (ITA) for permanent residency or not.
The immigration department has also indicated that eliminating additional points for valid job offers is a "temporary measure." However, it has not provided a timeline for when this policy will be reinstated.
The upcoming elimination of Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points associated with job offers will apply to all candidates, both new and existing, within the Express Entry pool, including those who are currently employed in Canada temporarily.
In its announcement, the IRCC did not differentiate between job offers across various sectors of the economy, stating that the forthcoming change will be relevant to all candidates possessing job offers.
This modification will not affect newcomers
Who has already received an invitation to apply for permanent residence (PR) with a CRS score that included points for a job offer (under the “arranged employment” criteria) or
Have submitted an application for PR to the IRCC, which is presently under review.
Express Entry manages the system online from skilled workers and offers additional points if anyone applies under the Federal Skilled Worker Program, Federal Skilled Trade Program, and Canadian Experience Class.
