Changes to Canada’s Immigration Points System
Temporary foreign workers in Canada seeking permanent residency will no longer receive extra points for job offers backed by a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), according to Immigration Minister Marc Miller. This adjustment aims to curb fraudulent practices within Canada’s Express Entry System, which manages the nation’s skilled immigration programs.
At a recent press conference, Minister Miller stated, “We are introducing further measures to strengthen program integrity and decrease potential LMIA fraud by eliminating the additional points given to candidates under Express Entry for having a job offer. This change is anticipated to remove the motivation for candidates to purchase an LMIA, promoting greater fairness and integrity in the system.”
This policy shift seems to be part of the government’s broader efforts to limit the influx of newcomers amid increasing unemployment and a housing shortage in Canada. The announcement coincided with Statistics Canada’s report on the country’s slowest quarterly population growth estimate since early 2022.
Employers utilizing Canada’s temporary foreign worker program are required to demonstrate that they cannot find a suitable candidate within the country. To do this, they must obtain a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) from the federal government.
Canada’s LMIA Approvals on the Rise
In the first quarter of this year, the Canadian government approved approximately 71,300 Labor Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs), a noticeable increase from 63,300 during the same time last year. The majority of these approvals were granted for positions such as farm workers, cooks, food-counter attendants, truck drivers, and construction laborers.
However, it’s important to be aware that some groups engage in the illegal selling of LMIA-approved job positions to foreigners at exorbitant prices. This issue affects those outside of Canada and individuals already in the country who seek to enhance their immigration scores to transition from temporary to permanent residency.
Many temporary residents, including international students and foreign workers in Canada, as well as individuals abroad, aim to immigrate to Canada as skilled workers. They typically utilize the Express Entry platform, established nearly a decade ago, which assesses potential immigrants based on points for education, work experience, language skills in English and French, age, and additional criteria.
Applicants with higher scores out of a possible 1,200 have better opportunities to attain permanent residency, a status paving the way for eventual citizenship. This system is strategically designed to attract young, skilled talent from across the globe.
PL Immigration, a leader in Canadian immigration services, can guide you through the complexities of this process, ensuring your journey toward permanent residency in Canada is smooth and efficient.
Applicants under 30 get the maximum points for the age category in Canada’s immigration system. Points are also awarded for Canadian education credentials and work experience.
An LMIA (Labour Market Impact Assessment) could give applicants an extra 50 to 200 points.
Earlier this year, a government official involved in processing LMIA applications anonymously mentioned to the Financial Post that there is a lack of adequate checks and balances to effectively evaluate applications. However, the federal government has stated that it has increased inspections to improve this process.
The United Nations described the temporary foreign workers program as a potential ground for exploitation in a report last year.
Industry experts indicate that recent changes to Canada’s points-based immigration system for skilled workers have increased the demand for LMIAs, making it harder for immigrants to qualify.
Consequently, LMIAs have reportedly been sold at higher prices this year, ranging from $10,000 up to $70,000 in some instances.
The government has yet to announce when it will implement its recent proposals.
