- Manan Gupta
- 2025/03/25
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has implemented measures to combat fraud in the Express Entry system, targeting the illegal buying and selling of Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs) and job offers.
Starting March 25, 2025, IRCC will overhaul the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) within Express Entry, affecting both existing candidates in the pool and new applicants. The key change? The elimination of additional CRS points previously awarded for job offers, a move designed to deter exploitation of the system.
What’s Changing?
Effective March 25, 2025, IRCC will be implementing changes to the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) for both the current candidates in the Express Entry pool and future applicants.
This applies to all candidates who have job offers and can be awarded points as follows:
200 points: For job offers in occupations classified under Major Group 00 of the National Occupation Classification matrix (e.g., senior management positions), or
50 points: For job offers in any other skilled occupations.
If your Express Entry profile currently includes a qualifying job offer, please note that the additional CRS points associated with this factor will be removed. Although this change will officially take effect on March 25, 2025, it may take a few days for your CRS points to be updated accordingly in your profile.
Who’s Exempt?
Candidates with an active Invitation to Apply (ITA) that hasn’t expired or been declined are in the clear. If you’ve already been invited in a draw before March 25, 2025, your points and eligibility for that specific round won’t be affected by this update.
Why the Change?
IRCC’s move comes amid growing concerns over fraudulent practices, where individuals purchase LMIAs or fake job offers to boost their CRS scores and secure an ITA. By removing these points, the agency hopes to level the playing field and prioritize genuine candidates, aligning with broader immigration reforms announced in the 2025–2027 Immigration Levels Plan.
What’s Next?
Candidates should log into their Express Entry profiles after March 25, 2025, to confirm their updated CRS scores. While no action is needed now, those relying on job offer points may see their competitiveness drop in future draws. IRCC advises staying tuned to official updates for further details as the implementation date approaches.
This temporary measure marks another step in Canada’s evolving immigration strategy—balancing fraud prevention with the need to attract skilled talent. Stay informed as more changes could be on the horizon.
Manan Gupta is a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC - IRB) and the CEO of Skylake Immigration. He is a licensee in good standing of the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC) and a member of the Canadian Association of Professional Immigration Consultants (CAPIC). He frequently gets quoted and appears as a media commentator on CBC News/Radio, Prime Asia TV, 101.3 FM radio, Global News, Omni TV, Truck News and others to discuss matters related to Canadian immigration, public safety, transportation amongst others.
For ethical, reliable and trusted services to meet your immigration and citizenship goals, you can contact Skylake Immigration :
Call : +1-416-451-0040
Email : manan@skylakeimmigration.com
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