On November 19, 2016, changes to the allocation of points under the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) will come into force. The changes, which were first announced on November 10, 2016, include an extension of the submission period after an Invitation to Apply (ITA) is issued, reforms of the allocation of points for certain job offers without a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), and the introduction of additional points for international graduates of Canadian study programs.
The CRS is the system used by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to allocate points to candidates in the Express Entry pool who wish to apply for Canadian permanent resident status through the Federal Skilled Worker Class, the Federal Skilled Trades Class, or the Canadian Experience Class. Candidates are ranked by their CRS points score, and the top-scoring candidates are issued an ITA during periodic draws conducted by IRCC.
Invitation to Apply
One of the most significant changes is the extension of the submission period. Since the introduction of the Express Entry system in January, 2015, candidates who receive an ITA have had 60 days to submit a complete application with all required supporting documents. As of November 19, this period will be extended to 90 days. IRCC aims to process submitted applications within six months.
Job Offers
Under the system that has been in place until now, candidates in the Express Entry pool who have a job offer and a LMIA — a document obtained by the employer offering the job, proving that no Canadian citizen or permanent resident was ready, willing, and able to perform the job — obtain 600 CRS points.
As of November 19, candidates with a job offer and a LMIA will obtain 200 points if the job is in Major Group 00 Senior Management Occupations of the National Occupational Classification System (NOC), or 50 points if the job is in any other skilled occupation (skill levels 0, A, and B of the NOC). Whereas currently a LMIA is required in order to obtain any points for a job offer, as of November 19 certain candidates may obtain points for a job offer without obtaining an LMIA. Such candidates include:
- Holders of a valid work permit who have been employed in Canada under an international agreement such as NAFTA for at least one year full-time (or part-time equivalent); and
- Candidates on a closed work permit — for example, those on intra-company transfer — who have been working in Canada for at least one year full-time (or part-time equivalent).
In both of these situations, the candidate must be working for the employer who is making the job offer, and the employer must be specified on the work permit.
The table below shows which foreign workers in Canada may be able to obtain points for a job offer without the need to obtain a LMIA.
International Graduates
Candidates in the Express Entry pool may obtain up to 150 points for their education, but until now there have been no additional points awarded for educational credentials obtained in Canada. As of November 19, candidates who have graduated from an eligible program of study in Canada may obtain up to 30 points in addition to the points allocated for the level of their education. Points may be awarded to the principle applicant for Canadian education as follows:
- 15 points, to candidates who have an eligible credential from a one-year or two-year post-secondary program;
- 30 points, to candidates who have an eligible credential from:
- a post-secondary program of three years or more;
- a university-level program at the master’s level or at the level of an entry-to-practice professional degree for an occupation listed in the National Occupational Classification matrix at Skill Level A for which licensing by a provincial regulatory body is required; or
- a university-level program at the doctoral level.
In order to obtain points for a Canadian educational credential, the principal applicant is required to have studied full-time in Canada at a Canadian educational institution for at least eight months, and must have been present in Canada for at least eight months of the study program.
Further Changes Possible
In a statement released by IRCC on November 14, it was implied that further changes to the CRS could be forthcoming. The statement noted that the upcoming changes ‘are part of a number of improvements the Government is making on a continual basis to bring changes for a more fair and responsive immigration system that will address emerging needs and ensure long-term economic growth for the middle class.’
Reinforcing this implication, Canada’s Immigration Minister, John McCallum, said, “We have committed to doing more to attract highly skilled immigrants to come to Canada and become permanent residents, because this is important to build our economy and strengthen our society. I am confident that the changes to Express Entry will be one of the many positive outcomes of the changes we will be bringing to our immigration system.”
