Breaking News: LMIA-Based Points Removed from Express Entry CRS

Big news for Express Entry candidates! The Government of Canada has announced a significant change to the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) used for Express Entry. Candidates will no longer receive additional CRS points for having a job offer based on a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).

What Does This Change Mean?

Previously, Express Entry candidates with an LMIA-based job offer could earn 50 additional CRS points. These extra points often played a crucial role in securing an invitation to apply (ITA) for permanent residency, as even a small boost in CRS scores could make a big difference.

Immigration Minister Marc Miller shared the news during a televised interview on December 17, 2024. While the exact implementation date for this change is still unclear, the government’s online CRS calculator continues to include these points as of December 18. Updates are expected soon.

Why Is This Change Happening?

According to Minister Miller, removing these points is part of a broader effort to reduce fraud and improve the integrity of Canada’s immigration system. He stated that this change would discourage candidates from attempting to purchase fraudulent LMIAs to boost their CRS scores.

By making this adjustment, the government aims to create a fairer Express Entry process and ensure genuine candidates are prioritized.

Understanding the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS)

The CRS is the scoring system used in Canada’s Express Entry program to rank candidates. The system awards points based on several factors, including:

• Age
• Education
• Language proficiency
• Work experience
  
  

Candidates can score up to 600 points for these core human capital factors. Additional points (up to 600) can be earned for:

• Having family in Canada
• French language skills
• Canadian education
• Arranged employment
• A provincial or territorial nomination
  
  

Impact on Express Entry Draws

Throughout 2024, most Express Entry draws required CRS scores above 500 points, with only category-based draws occasionally having lower cut-offs. Removing LMIA-based points may shift the dynamic of future draws, giving more weight to other factors like education, language skills, and provincial nominations.

What About the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP)?

The LMIA is a key part of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP), which allows Canadian employers to hire foreign nationals when no local workers are available. Employers must obtain an LMIA to prove that hiring a foreign worker won’t negatively impact the Canadian job market.

Recent changes to the TFWP include:

• Suspension of LMIA processing for low-wage jobs in September 2024.
• Increased wage requirements for high-wage positions, effective November 2024. Employers now need to pay workers 20% above the median wage for the role in their region.

These changes align with Canada’s broader immigration goals, including new targets for temporary resident permits under the 2025 Immigration Levels Plan, which sets the target for new TFWP permits at 82,000.

Key Takeaway

This policy shift underscores the government’s commitment to improving fairness and integrity in Canada’s immigration system. While the removal of LMIA-based CRS points may be disappointing for some candidates, it aims to level the playing field and reduce fraudulent practices in the immigration process.