As of March 25, 2025, candidates in Canada’s Express Entry system will no longer receive additional Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points for having a valid job offer, including offers supported by a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). This change is outlined in the most recent Ministerial Instructions and significantly alters how candidates are ranked in the Express Entry pool.

What Has Changed?

Previously, candidates with a valid job offer could receive an extra 50 or 200 CRS points. These points often made the difference between receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence or not. While a job offer still plays a role in eligibility for some immigration programs, it will no longer boost a candidate’s CRS score.

The government has stated that this is a temporary measure, introduced to combat fraud and reduce misuse of the LMIA process. However, there is no timeline for when the previous point structure might be restored.

Who Is Affected?

All Express Entry candidates who had received additional points for a valid job offer will see their CRS scores decrease accordingly. For some candidates, this change could push them below the cut-off score in future draws.

For example, a candidate who previously had 530 points, including 50 for a job offer, would now have 480. In contrast, another candidate with 500 points and no job offer would remain unaffected. If the cut-off score in an upcoming draw is 490, the second candidate would receive an ITA while the first would not.

Candidates who have already received an ITA or whose permanent residence applications are in progress will not be affected by this change.

Why Was This Change Introduced?

In December 2024, then-Immigration Minister Marc Miller announced that awarding CRS points for job offers had created incentives for candidates to purchase LMIAs. The removal of these points is intended to limit that behavior and reduce fraud. This change is part of a broader set of measures introduced by the federal government to strengthen oversight and prevent misuse of the immigration system. These include proposed regulations to support victims of unethical immigration consultants.

Does a Job Offer Still Matter?

Yes. While job offers no longer boost CRS scores, they remain important for eligibility under several programs, including the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Federal Skilled Trades Program, and certain Provincial Nominee Program streams. Additionally, the revised Ministerial Instructions have removed a provision that allowed physicians with short-term public sector job offers to qualify more easily. That exemption no longer applies.

What Should Candidates Do Now?

If you are in the Express Entry pool, recalculate your CRS score to see how this update affects your position. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has stated that it may take a few days for scores to update and advises candidates to wait a week before reporting issues.

To stay competitive, consider improving your language test results, pursuing further education, or exploring options through provincial nomination programs.

This change reshapes the Express Entry landscape. Candidates should reassess their strategies and remain alert to further updates from IRCC.

Please contact our experts at Relydence Immigration & Investment for more strategies to strengthen your application.