With the upcoming changes to the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) in Spring 2025, securing a job offer with a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) will no longer grant additional points . This shift necessitates a strategic approach to maximize your CRS score and enhance your chances of receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residency.  

Here are key strategies to consider:

• Prioritize Language Proficiency: Aim for the highest possible scores in your English or French language tests (IELTS or CELPIP). Achieving Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 9 or higher can significantly boost your core human capital and skill transferability points .  
• Explore Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs): Securing a provincial nomination can add 600 points to your CRS score, significantly increasing your chances of receiving an ITA . Research PNPs aligned with your skills and experience and explore eligibility criteria for different provinces.  
• Enhance Your Education: Consider pursuing higher education or obtaining additional certifications to increase your education points. A Canadian degree or diploma holds particular value .  
• Gain More Work Experience: Accumulate more work experience in your field, both within and outside Canada, to boost your core human capital and skill transferability points .  
• Optimize Your Spouse’s Profile: If you’re applying with a spouse or common-law partner, ensure their profile is also optimized by improving their language skills, education, and work experience .  

By focusing on these key areas, you can effectively compensate for the removal of LMIA points and strengthen your Express Entry application.

LMIA CRS Points

Previously, Express Entry candidates with a valid job offer supported by a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) could receive additional CRS points . An LMIA is a document that an employer in Canada needs to obtain before hiring a foreign worker. It demonstrates that there is a need for the foreign worker to fill the job and that no Canadian worker is available to do the job. This process helps protect Canadian workers and ensures that foreign workers are only hired when there is a genuine need.  

Latest CRS Point for Job Offers

As of December 2024, the Canadian government has announced that it will remove the additional CRS points awarded for job offers in the spring of 2025 . This means that having a job offer will no longer provide the same advantage in the Express Entry system as it did before .  

This change applies to all new and existing candidates in the Express Entry pool, including those already working in Canada temporarily . However, it will not impact newcomers who have already received an ITA or submitted a permanent residence application before the change takes effect .  

The removal of LMIA-based job offer points is a temporary measure, but the government has not specified when it will conclude . This change might make it more challenging for some candidates to receive an ITA, particularly those who relied heavily on job offer points to boost their score . Therefore, it’s crucial for prospective applicants to focus on improving their core human capital factors, such as language proficiency and education, and exploring alternative pathways like PNPs to increase their chances of being invited to apply for permanent residence.