Canada PR visa is always a topic of discussion among people who wish to immigrate to Canada one day. Canada has been on top of immigration destination list because of the opportunities present there whether its high-quality living standard, career opportunities, healthcare system or excellent educational system, it always offers the best, grabbing the attention of people from all over the world.
As per the recent reports, Canada’s immigration system has seen major transformation after the removal of CRS (Comprehensive Ranking System) scores for the applicants having a job offer. This change is implemented effectively from March 2025, leading to a significant drop in CRS points for many candidates who have applied through the Express Entry system, modifying the landscape of skilled immigration system of Canada.
The CRS Score system of Canada
The CRS or Comprehensive Ranking System is used by the Government of Canada to evaluate the rank of the candidates who applies for a Canada Permanent Residency Visa through the Express Entry system, which is an online system that manages the application of the skilled workers.
The Comprehensive Ranking Scoring System is used by the IRCC (Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada) to evaluate the profile of the candidates and rank them in the Express Entry pool. Candidates are assigned points based on various factors like:
- Core Human Capital Factors: age, education language proficiency (English or/and French), and work experience
- Spouse or Common-law partner factors: education, language proficiency, and work experience of the spouse or common-law partner accompanying them to Canada.
- Skill Transferability factors: Combination of work experience, language skills, and education.
- Additional factors: additional points for factors such as valid job offer, provincial nomination, Canadian education, and French language skills
Understanding the Role of Job Offer CRS Score
Before the recent changes, a candidate with a valid job offer supported by LMIA (Labour Market Impact Assessment) could achieve:
- 50 additional CRS scores for job offers in NOC (National Occupational Classification) TEER 0-3 occupations.
- 200 additional CRS scores for job offers in NOC TEER 0 under the Major Group 00 (senior management roles such as CFOs and CEOs).
These additional points from job offers greatly impacted candidate’s CRS point, increasing their chances of receiving an ITA (Invitation to Apply). The CRS points are calculated by the CRS Calculator, it is basically a tool that is designed to offer an estimate of the candidate’s CRS points on the basis of their profile information in Express Entry.
The Consequences of removing Arranged Employment points
It has impacted the total points of many candidates in the Express Entry pool who earlier used to rely on the arranged employment points to increase their CRS points. For example: Candidates with an employment offer in the NOC TEER 0-3 occupation would experience a 50 points reduction, while the candidates with a job offer in NOC TEER 0 Major Group 00 would experience a 200 points reduction.
This recent change has reshaped the distribution of CRS score in the Express Entry pool. A candidate without a job offer is now in a more competing position after the removal of arranged employment points as it has leveled up the playing field to some extent.
Why Canada removed the Arranged Employment points?
Canada’s decision of removing the arranged employment points was because of the raising concerns over the integrity of the Canadian immigration system. Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, asserted that the recent change is for reducing the possible LMIA fraud and to enhance the fairness of the Express Entry system. The Canadian Government wishes to ensure that the immigration system remains transparent and equal for all the candidates.
Who is being affected by this change?
The recent change of removal of arranged employment points is applicable to all the applicants in the Express Entry pool, inclusive of those who has already submitted their profiles. Moreover, the candidates whose PR applications are under process or those who have already received their ITA are not affected by it. It will have no effect on their CRS score and it will remain the same as it was during their ITA issuance.
It is crucial to remember that though the additional points for arranged employment has been removed but a valid job offer is still important to manage the eligibility criteria for specific immigration programs operated under the Express Entry, such as the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), and Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP). The candidate is still needed to fill their employment offer details in their Express Entry Profile to manage the required eligibility in these programs, although the points have been removed.
Estimated effects on CRS score cut-off scores after the change
The recent change of removal of arranged employment points is anticipated to affect the CRS cut-off score for the future draws of Express Entry. With a huge number of candidates encountering a decrease in their CRS score, the overall distribution of points within the Express Entry pool will shift. This shift might lead to a lower CRS cut-off score in the future draws, possibly increasing the opportunity for the applicants without a job offer to get an ITA.
Nevertheless, it is also significant to consider that other factors like the no. of ITAs issued in every draw and the introduction of category-based draws can also play a role in influencing the CRS cut-off scores. So, removal of arranged employment points may lead to lower cut-off scores, but it is not the sole determining factor.
Strategies for those affected by the change
Candidates who are experiencing a drop in their CRS score after the removal of arranged employment points should regard the following strategies to increase their chances of getting an Invitation to Apply (ITA):
1. Language Proficiency: The candidates should focus on improving their language skills as with a higher language scores in tests such as IELTS or CELPIP can boost their CRS score.
2. Work Experience: Gaining more work experience, specifically in NOC TEER 0-3 occupations, can lead to getting higher scores.
3. Educational Credentials: Enhance your educational credentials as getting additional educational qualifications or completing a Canadian educational program can add more points.
4. Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP): Explore more PNP option, as many Canadian Provinces offer immigration programs that can give additional CRS points and increase the chances of receiving an ITA.
How can Sernexuss help you?
Sernexuss is a top immigration consultant of India providing invincible services to its clients for over past 12 years. We at Sernexuss understand that after the recent changes in the immigration process of Canada PR, many candidates have lost hope, as the changes have affected the CRS scores of many applicants. Sernexuss ensures that with the right guidance and 100% transparent services, clients will be able to achieve their Express Entry visa or Canada PR.
Connect today with the experts of Sernexuss for the right guidance!