Maple News reports that as of March 25, 2025, Canada has officially removed bonus Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points for arranged employment under its Express Entry immigration system. The change applies to candidates holding valid job offers, including those backed by a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)—a factor that previously awarded either 50 or 200 additional CRS points.
According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), this policy shift is a temporary measure aimed at bolstering the integrity of the immigration system. Although IRCC has not specified when or if the points will be reinstated, the move is intended to deter immigration fraud, specifically the illegal practice of candidates purchasing fraudulent LMIAs to boost their CRS scores.
The removal of job offer-related CRS points impacts new and existing candidates in the Express Entry pool who have not yet received an Invitation to Apply (ITA). Those who have already received ITAs or who are progressing through the permanent residence application process remain unaffected.
While candidates will no longer benefit from the CRS point boost for job offers, such offers still play a crucial role in qualifying for the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Federal Skilled Trades Program, and certain Provincial Nominee Programs.
The decision has introduced notable changes in candidate rankings. For instance, if a candidate previously received 50 points for a job offer, their new score will now be 50 points lower—potentially changing their competitive position in upcoming draws. For example, in a case study provided by Maple News, a candidate named Andrew saw his score drop from 540 to 490 after the change, while another candidate, Anita, maintained her score of 500 and would now receive an ITA over Andrew if the cutoff is 495.
The latest Ministerial Instructions retain the definition of a valid job offer but have removed the provision that awarded CRS points for it. Additionally, the revised instructions eliminate specific clauses that had expanded eligibility criteria for short-term physician job offers issued by government-related healthcare employers.
The Express Entry system is a points-based immigration framework that assesses candidates on factors like age, education, language ability, and work experience. Until now, arranged employment was a significant factor in helping candidates exceed the typical cutoff scores required to receive an ITA.
This change is part of a broader crackdown on immigration-related misconduct. IRCC has recently proposed regulatory reforms, including the creation of a compensation fund for victims of fraudulent immigration consultants, reflecting the government’s commitment to transparency and fairness in immigration processing.
IRCC advises that CRS scores may take a few days to be updated across their systems and requests that applicants only contact them if incorrect scores persist for more than a week.
Maple News will continue to monitor developments related to Express Entry and provide updates as more information becomes available.