CRS points for arranged employment from Express Entry - Removed

Canada Removes CRS Bonus Points for Job Offers in Express Entry

As of March 25, 2025, Canada has officially removed the bonus Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points for arranged employment from the Express Entry system. This means candidates will no longer receive an extra 50 or 200 CRS points for having a valid job offer, including those backed by a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).

Why Was This Change Made?

The decision, initially announced by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) in December 2024, aims to:

*Address fraud concerns, such as the illegal buying and selling of LMIAs.

*Strengthen the integrity of the immigration system.

*Shift focus toward core factors like age, education, language skills, and work experience.

Who Is Affected?

*All Express Entry candidates, regardless of job sector or temporary work status in Canada.

*Those who previously relied on these points—50 for most skilled jobs and 200 for senior management roles (NOC 00)—will see a drop in their CRS scores unless they have already received an Invitation to Apply (ITA) or submitted their permanent residence application before this change took effect.

*Candidates with ongoing ITAs or applications will keep their original scores, including job offer points.

What Does This Mean for Applicants?

This removal is described as a temporary measure, though IRCC has not confirmed if or when job offer points may return. The impact could include:

*Increased Competition: With job offer points removed, candidates must strengthen other aspects of their profiles.

*Potential Lower CRS Cut-off Scores: Future Express Entry draws may see reduced cut-offs, benefiting those with strong human capital factors.

*Alternative Strategies: Candidates may focus on improving language test scores or seeking a provincial nomination (worth 600 points) to boost their CRS ranking.

What Should You Do?

If you were relying on job offer points, reassess your Express Entry profile and explore options to improve your score. Keep an eye on updates and prepare for upcoming draws as the system adjusts to this change.