Canada has announced new rules for Express Entry workers seeking permanent residency in the country. The candidates, including Indian engineers, technicians and other IT workers, are likely to be impacted by the recently-announced changes in the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS).
According to the new rules, IT workers applying for Canadian PR will no longer receive the extra CRS points they used to get for having a job offer backed by an LMIA (Labour Market Impact Assessment) – a document that allows Canadian employers to hire foreign workers legally. It is required when an employer is unable to find a Canadian citizen or permanent resident to fill a position.
This means that professionals will need to achieve a higher CRS score based on other factors.
What is changing
Previously, Express Entry candidates with LMIA-backed job offers received a significant boost to their Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score – an extra 50 or 200 points, depending on the job offer. These bonus points provided an edge to LMIA candidates in being the deciding factor in receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residency and not being invited at all.
With the changes, that is, without the extra points from LMIA-backed job offers, some candidates who relied on those points to reach the required CRS score in Express Entry draws may find it tougher to get an Invitation to Apply (ITA). This may lead to increased competition among candidates whose profiles are assessed only on factors like age, education and language skills.
Notably, it is unclear when these changes will come into effect.
Canada revises immigration rules
The development comes about 15 days after Canada unveiled significant changes to its immigration policies. The Trudeau government introduced reductions in the number of both permanent and temporary residents entering Canada over the next three years. These changes are part of plans aimed at addressing Canada’s housing, healthcare and infrastructure challenges.