Previously, candidates with a valid job offer supported by a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) could receive either 50 or 200 additional CRS points, depending on the position. These points often gave candidates a significant boost, helping them receive Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for permanent residence more quickly.
As of 25 March 2025, however, IRCC has eliminated these additional CRS points for job offers. This means:
- Job offers will still be required for certain immigration programs and categories (e.g., Provincial Nominee Program, employer-driven work permits).
- But they no longer provide extra CRS points in Express Entry draws.
Why Did IRCC Make This Change?
According to IRCC, this shift is intended to:
- Refocus the Express Entry system on human capital factors such as education, work experience, language proficiency, and adaptability.
- Reduce over-reliance on LMIA-backed job offers, which were being used as a shortcut to boost scores.
- Align with the new category-based selection system, which targets specific occupations or attributes (e.g., French-speaking candidates, health care workers) rather than relying on CRS scores alone.
What Does This Mean for Applicants?
This change will affect different candidates in different ways:
- Positive for highly skilled candidates: Applicants with high levels of education, strong language skills, and Canadian work or study experience may now have a better chance, as the playing field is more level.
- Challenging for employer-driven applicants: Foreign workers relying on job offers to increase their CRS score may now need to qualify based on their core human capital factors—or explore provincial programs instead.
- PNPs become more important: Many provinces continue to value job offers and use them as criteria for nomination. A provincial nomination still gives 600 CRS points, virtually guaranteeing an ITA.
Employer Considerations
Canadian employers who use job offers as a tool to help foreign workers gain permanent residence will now have to:
- Consider supporting workers through Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs).
- Continue using LMIA-based work permits where needed, but understand these won’t contribute CRS points under Express Entry.
- Adjust expectations about how quickly a foreign worker may obtain permanent residence.
