IRCC will cancel CRS points for 'fast entry' job opportunities in the spring of 2025
The Department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has provided more updates on the cancellation of the job opportunity bonus program under Canada's fast track entry system. The department announced at a recent press conference that they will implement this change in the spring of 2025.
Currently, fast entry candidates with valid job offers can earn an additional 50 or 200 Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points. These additional points can easily determine whether a candidate will receive an invitation to apply for permanent residency (ITA) or not at all. The immigration department further clarified that the cancellation of bonus points for valid job opportunities is a "temporary measure", but it has not yet been announced when it will end.
Who will be affected
Once the comprehensive ranking system (CRS) bonus points for job opportunities are cancelled, it will apply to all new and existing candidates in the "fast track entry" pool *, including those who are already "temporarily working in Canada". IRCC did not differentiate job opportunities in different economic sectors in the press release, but stated that once the changes take effect, "it will apply to all candidates with job opportunities". This change will not affect the following new immigrants:
Has been invited to apply for permanent residency (PR), and the CRS score still includes the score for job opportunities (according to the "arranged employment" standard); perhaps
The PR application has been submitted to IRCC and is currently being processed.
*Please note the difference between "candidate" and "applicant" in the expedited entry system. When new immigrants enter the fast track entry pool, they are candidates, which means they have submitted candidate information for consideration. Once the new immigrant receives an ITA based on the information in their candidate profile, they can apply for a PR with IRCC. After submitting their application to IRCC, they are now the applicants.
Original Announcement
On December 17th, Immigration Minister Mark Miller announced for the first time that "fast track entry" candidates seeking Canadian PR will no longer receive additional points in the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) for job opportunities based on LMIA. Currently, fast entry candidates can earn an additional 50 or 200 CRS points as long as they provide valid job opportunities. At that time, he did not provide specific dates or other details of this change, nor did he know which candidates would be affected.
Regarding 'Fast Entry'
Canada's rapid entry system will provide additional points for those who have already been arranged for employment. This applies to anyone who applies based on the following conditions
Federal Technical Workers Program (FSWP);
Canadian Experience based Immigration (CEC);
Federal Technology Trade Program (FSTP).
Once a candidate creates a personal profile in the 'Fast Entry' system and meets the eligibility criteria for one of the three items mentioned above, their profile will receive 1200 points based on various factors, including their
Age;
education
Language proficiency;
hands-on background.
Candidates can also earn up to 600 additional points on their personal profile through the following methods:
Have brothers and sisters living in Canada as Canadian citizens or permanent residents;
French language skills;
Higher education in Canada;
Arrange employment;
Nomination by province/region.
Once this change takes effect in the spring of 2025, candidates in the candidate pool who have received valid job offers will not receive points for arranging employment.
Source: Shunda Immigration