Express Entry job-offer points: update profile by Nov. 3

Express Entry candidates who want points for a high-wage job offer must update their profiles before Nov. 3, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) said in an Oct. 16 news release, the day Minister Lena Metlege Diab announced the changes in Kitchener, Ont.

This is an update to our earlier report on the announcement, which relied on secondary coverage. IRCC’s own release and backgrounder now confirm the details below.

The new points and the end of the labour market impact assessment (LMIA) requirement for qualifying job offers both take effect Nov. 3. IRCC said candidates already in the pool will have their Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores recalculated automatically, including points for eligible Canadian work experience. Candidates who want points for a job offer must add or correct that information themselves before the deadline.

IRCC said the recalculation may take up to two weeks and that invitation rounds will be paused during that period.

Under the backgrounder, candidates with at least one year of eligible Canadian work experience in a high-wage occupation can earn 70, 40 or 20 extra points, depending on how the occupation’s wage compares with the median. Job offers paying two times, 1.5 times or 1.3 times the median wage earn 100, 70 or 50 points. Candidates receive whichever option gives them more points. The two are not added together.

A high-wage occupation is one whose median wage is at least 1.3 times the median wage of the overall Canadian workforce, IRCC said. The department said the measure reflects the typical earnings of the occupation, not an individual’s salary. It will maintain the list using Job Bank, Labour Force Survey and Census of Population wage data from the previous three years.

The job must generally be full-time and continuous for at least one year after the candidate becomes a permanent resident, according to the backgrounder. An IRCC officer must confirm that an offer is genuine, and an offer that is revoked no longer qualifies. IRCC said anti-fraud measures will be in place.

A temporary public policy also exempts candidates invited on or after Nov. 3 from LMIA requirements used to establish eligibility under the Federal Skilled Worker and Federal Skilled Trades programs, if they meet the policy’s conditions.

IRCC said extra points do not guarantee an invitation. Whether a candidate is invited still depends on the requirements and CRS cut-off of each round.

“Canada is competing globally for people with the skills we need to build a prosperous economy and stronger public services,” Diab said in the release.

Candidates should read IRCC’s news release, the backgrounder on the high-wage changes, the instructions for updating job offer information and the high-wage occupations page. This article is general information, not legal advice. Anyone unsure how the changes apply to their case should contact IRCC or a licensed immigration consultant or lawyer.

Our earlier report covers the first reaction to the announcement.

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