CHANGES TO EXPRESS ENTRY IN 2025

Immigration law

06 Jan

There were several changes to Canada’s Express Entry system in 2024. Looking at these recent developments and trends can help us better understand what to expect in the year ahead.

The IRCC has identified the following priority categories for targeting through the Express Entry system in 2025 as per the 2025-2027 Immigration Levels Plan: healthcare professions, trades occupations, and proficiency in the French language.

In 2025, Express Entry will play a bigger role in Canada's immigration system as the federal government increases its target for economic immigration under federal programs to 124,590, up from 110,770 in 2024.

At the same time, overall immigration levels will be reduced by 20% compared to 2024, giving the government more control over immigration and processing fewer admissions through provincial and regional pathways.

The Federal High-Skilled (FHS) allocation, which includes Express Entry, will make up 31.5% of the overall immigration targets in 2025, up from 22.8% in 2024. With fewer admissions through the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), the majority of economic immigrants will enter Canada through Express Entry, making it a key pathway for skilled workers.

The Honorable Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship, announced that starting in spring 2025, Express Entry candidates will no longer get extra points for having a job offer. This change is intended to stop the illegal buying and selling of labor market impact assessments.

RRM Law, a Brampton immigration lawyer and one of the best law firms in Brampton, can assist you regardless of the changes by providing expert guidance on eligibility requirements, preparing and submitting your application, and ensuring all necessary documents are accurate and complete.

Right now, Express Entry candidates can earn an extra 50 or 200 points if they have a valid job offer, depending on the job's level. The removal of these points is considered a "temporary measure," but the IRCC has not yet stated when it will end.

Once the removal of CRS points for a job offer takes effect, it will apply to all new and existing candidates in the Express Entry pool, including those already working temporarily in Canada. The IRCC’s announcement did not differentiate between job offers in various sectors, stating the change will apply to all candidates with job offers.

However, this change will not affect those

>> Who have already been invited to apply for permanent residence with a CRS score that included points for a job offer?

>> Or those who have already submitted a permanent residence application that is still being processed.

Canada’s Express Entry system currently gives extra points for arranged employment to applicants under the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), Canadian Experience Class (CEC), and Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP).

After creating a profile in the Express Entry system and qualifying for one of these programs, candidates are assigned a score of 1200 based on factors like age, education, language skills, and work experience. Candidates can earn up to 600 additional points for having a sibling in Canada, French language skills, Canadian post-secondary education, arranged employment, or a provincial/territorial nomination. However, starting in spring 2025, candidates with valid job offers will no longer receive points for arranged employment.

In addition to immigration services, RRM Law offers support in other legal areas, such as criminal defense attorney, real estate lawyer, and family law attorney. They can represent you in communications with the government and help you navigate the application process, including the next steps toward applying for permanent residence with the Canadian federal government.