CANADA REMOVES BONUS CRS POINTS FOR VALID JOB OFFERS IN EXPRESS ENTRY

🗓 Effective March 25, 2025

📌 Express Entry candidates will no longer receive additional CRS (Comprehensive Ranking System) points for having a valid job offer — even if the offer is supported by an LMIA (Labour Market Impact Assessment).
📉 Previously, candidates could earn 50 to 200 extra CRS points for a job offer, significantly increasing their chances of receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence.
🔁 However, starting March 25, 2025, these bonus points have been officially removed, directly impacting the scores of candidates who previously relied on a job offer.

🔍 Who is affected?
✅ Candidates who haven’t received an ITA will now see their CRS score drop by the amount they previously gained from the job offer (50 or 200 points).
✅ Candidates who already received an ITA or submitted a PR application will not be affected.
✅ Candidates without a job offer may now benefit indirectly, since others in the pool will have lower scores → higher chances of being selected.

📎 Example:

• Andrew had a CRS score of 540 (including 50 points for a job offer)

• Anita had a score of 500
  👉 After the change, Andrew loses 50 points and drops to 490 → If the cutoff is 495, Anita will receive the ITA, not Andrew.

💬 Why did the Canadian government make this change?
Former Immigration Minister Marc Miller explained that the change was made to prevent the illegal sale of LMIAs, a growing concern in immigration fraud.
This step is part of Canada’s effort to increase transparency, fairness, and protect the integrity of its immigration system.
📝 According to IRCC, this is a temporary measure, but no end date has been announced. IRCC also notes that CRS scores may take a few days to update. If scores don’t update within a week, affected candidates may contact IRCC.

📌 Important Note:
✔️ A valid job offer is still relevant for eligibility under:

• Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)

• Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)

• Some Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) streams

📣 In Summary:
🔻 Valid job offers no longer add CRS points
🔺 Candidates without job offers may now rank higher
⚠️ Express Entry is now more competitive — reassess your CRS score and immigration strategy!

📥 Is your Express Entry profile affected by this change?
If your score dropped due to losing job offer points, this is the time to reassess your immigration plan.
Need a clear direction? Don’t hesitate to message SICON — our immigration advisors will help you understand your case and guide you toward the right solution!