Canada’s immigration department plans to reintroduce points for job offers under the Express Entry system as part of a broader set of reforms, according to its latest departmental plan by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. The move will allow candidates with job offers and Canadian work experience in high-wage occupations to gain additional points in the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS).
The department also said it will consider how to reward candidates certified to work in regulated occupations under the revised system.
Also read: Canada expands work permit access for rural employers, raises cap on low-wage foreign workers
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While “high wage” has not been defined in the plan, Canada’s existing immigration programmes typically classify such roles based on median wages in each province or territory.
Also read: Canada to allow some Quebec foreign workers to extend employer-specific work permits by 12 months
Earlier, candidates could receive an additional 50 or 200 points for valid job offers, which significantly improved their chances of receiving an invitation to apply for permanent residence.
The removal of these points led to a drop in CRS scores for many candidates in the Express Entry pool, while those without job offers gained a relative advantage.
The department said the proposed changes are part of ongoing efforts to refine the Express Entry system and align it with Canada’s labour market needs.
The department also said it will consider how to reward candidates certified to work in regulated occupations under the revised system.
Also read: Canada expands work permit access for rural employers, raises cap on low-wage foreign workers
Focus on high-wage jobs, skilled talent
The reforms are part of a wider strategy to attract global talent. However, the department has not specified a timeline for implementing these changes.(Join our ETNRI WhatsApp channel for all the latest updates)
While “high wage” has not been defined in the plan, Canada’s existing immigration programmes typically classify such roles based on median wages in each province or territory.
Shift after earlier removal of points
Canada had removed CRS points for job offers in March 2025, citing concerns over fraud linked to candidates purchasing Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs) to increase their scores.Also read: Canada to allow some Quebec foreign workers to extend employer-specific work permits by 12 months
Earlier, candidates could receive an additional 50 or 200 points for valid job offers, which significantly improved their chances of receiving an invitation to apply for permanent residence.
The removal of these points led to a drop in CRS scores for many candidates in the Express Entry pool, while those without job offers gained a relative advantage.
Job offers still relevant
Despite the change, valid job offers continued to play a role in determining eligibility under programmes such as the Federal Skilled Worker Program, Federal Skilled Trades Program and certain Provincial Nominee Program streams.The department said the proposed changes are part of ongoing efforts to refine the Express Entry system and align it with Canada’s labour market needs.
