On Tuesday, December 17, 2024, the Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (“IRCC”) announced the removal of bonus points for Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) supported job offers under the Express Entry system.
Previously, applicants with LMIA supported job offers could receive up to 50 or 200 additional Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points, giving them a significant advantage in the competitive Express Entry pool. As of December 18, 2024, these bonuses have been eliminated.
“This decision reflects our commitment to ensuring Canada’s immigration system is fair, transparent, and trustworthy,” Minister Miller stated. “By reducing avenues for fraud and abuse, we are reinforcing the integrity of our programs.”
Among the reasons behind Minister Miller’s decision are the following:
(a) Combatting Fraud
About 71,300 LMIAs were approved by the Government of Canada in the first quarter of this year, compared to 63,300 during the same period last year. Most applications were for farm workers, cooks, food-counter attendants, truck drivers and construction labourers.
Some groups, however, illegally sell LMIA approved jobs at extremely high rates to foreigners who are either outside the country or are already in Canada and are looking for ways to boost their immigration score in order to transition from temporary to permanent resident status
(b) Enhancing Integrity
Removing points for LMIA supported job offers promotes a fairer immigration process. Candidates in specific fields, such as STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) or healthcare or those with French language skills, may still have an advantage in the CRS pool due to their high-demand skills and/or language abilities. For those outside of Canada without a job offer, the change could open up more opportunities, as the CRS cutoff is expected to drop to between 450 and 500 in the next six months, making it easier for ordinary candidates to be invited to apply
(c) Preventing Abuse
This change is intended to curb the practice of purchasing LMIAs to artificially boost CRS scores, undermining the system’s credibility.
Industry insiders say the demand for LMIAs has increased in recent years because recent changes to Canada’s points-based immigration system for skilled workers have made it tougher for prospective immigrants to qualify.
As such, LMIAs this year were reportedly sold at a higher price than before, ranging from $10,000 to as much as $70,000 in some cases.
Impact on Applicants
Without the LMIA points, candidates will need to prioritize other CRS factors, such as language proficiency, education, and Canadian work experience, to remain competitive in the pool.
If you are an existing client of Abrams & Krochak with an LMIA supported job offer and wish to discuss how this change might affect your eligibility, please send an e-mail to info@akcanada.com.