Blog

200 Points for Express Entry

Posted on 06/11/2018

In November 2016, Express Entry changed the CRS (Comprehensive Ranking System) points awarded for arranged employment in Canada. Previous to this change – that is from the introduction of Express Entry in early January 2015 up to November 2016 – you were awarded 600 points for having arranged employment in Canada. After November 19, 2016 you were awarded points for arranged employment as follows:

• 50 points for Express Entry candidates with a valid job offer in the following NOC categories:
  • NOC skill type 0: An NOC skill type is defined as the type of work performed. Skill type 0 contains senior management and middle management occupations. It is characterized by high levels of responsibility, accountability, and expertise.
  • NOC skill level A: An NOC skill level is defined as the amount of education and training required to qualify for and to perform any specific occupation. Skill level A contains those occupations requiring a university degree – including a bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree.
  • NOC skill level B: contains those occupations that have the following educational and/or training requirements:
    • 2 to 3 years post-secondary education at community colleges, technological institutes or CEGEPs in Quebec, OR
    • 2 to 5 years apprenticeship training, OR
    • 3 to 4 years secondary school + on-the-job training + occupations specific courses, or specific work experience
    • Occupations with supervisory responsibilities
    • Occupations with significant health and safety responsibilities
• 200 points for Express Entry candidates with a valid job offer in an NOC 00 occupation.
  • NOC major group 00: this group contains Senior management occupations, or senior executives in other words.

This change was done to ensure that higher-qualified candidates – those applying under NOC 00 – will be more likely to receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA).

 

Another major change done in November 2016 was to award points for a job offer to candidates already in Canada on a work permit with an LMIA or Labour Market Impact Assessment. This ensures you do not have to apply for a new LMIA if you are already in Canada on a temporary work permit with a previous LMIA, or an LMIA exemption, as long as the LMIA remains valid. The LMIAs include:

 

High-wage LMIAs:

These are Labour Market Impact Assessments for jobs offering wages at or above the provincial/territorial median wage.

 

Low-wage LMIAs:

These are Labour Market Impact Assessments for jobs offering wages below the provincial/territorial wage.

 

Here is a list of provincial and territorial median wages:

Province or Territory	Before May 3, 2018	As at May 3, 2018
Alberta	$25.89	$26.40
British Columbia	$22.50	$23.00
Manitob	$20.00	$20.83
New Brunswick	$18.90	$19.35
Newfoundland and Labrador	$20.31	$21.98
Northwest Terriroties	$32.00	$32.00
Nova Scotia	$19.49	$20.00
Nunvaut	$30.00	$31.00
Ontario	$22.12	$22.50
Prince Edward Island	$18.44	$19.00
Quebec	$21.00	$21.75
Saskatchewan	$23.60	$24.00
Yukon	$28.00	$28.00

 

Global Talent Stream LMIA:

This is a 2-year pilot program launched on June 12, 2017 under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. This program is for innovation-based firms that require highly-skilled, specialized talent for their operations. There are two ways to use this pilot program:

• Category A: this applies if your firm has been referred to the Global Talent Stream program by a designated partner and the firm is hiring unique and specialized talent.
• Category B: this applies if your firm is seeking foreign workers to fill occupations on the following Global Talent Occupations List (no referrals are required for Category B).

NOC Code	Occupation
0211	Engineering Managers
0212	Architecture and Science Managers
0213	Computer and Information Systems Managers
2147	Computer Engineers (excludes software engineers and designers; see 2173)
2161*	Mathematicians and Statisticians (actuaries are excluded)
2171	Information Systems Analysts and Consultants
2172	Database Analysts and Database Administrators
2173	Software Engineers and Designers
2174	Computer Programmers and Interactive Media Developers
2175	Web Designers and Developers
2283	Information Systems Testing Technicians
5131*	Producer, technical, creative, artistic director and project manager – Visual Effects and Video Games
5241*	Digital Media Designers

*These are subsets of the NOC Code categories and only include those occupations listed above.

 

Dual-intent LMIA:

These enable employers to hire skilled foreign workers on a temporary basis while their applications for permanent residence are being processed by IRCC. Dual-intent LMIA’s are used to support a foreign worker’s application to IRCC for both:

• A permanent resident visa, AND
• A temporary work permit.

 

LMIA exclusively in support of an application for permanent residence:

This is the standard case where you apply for an LMIA in order to assure that your application is supported by a valid job offer.

 

Changes to the Job Offer Requirement

Several other changes made in November 2016 to the Express Entry requirements are the following:

The job offer need only be for a minimum of 1 year (rather than the previously required indeterminate length). This enables contract-based workers to apply and be awarded points for arranged employment in Canada.

The following points are awarded for studies in Canada:

 

Job Offer Length:

The job offer need only be for a minimum of 1 year (rather than the previously required indeterminate length). This enables contract-based workers to apply and be awarded points for arranged employment in Canada.

 

Points for Studies in Canada:

The following points are awarded for studies in Canada:

Type of Studies in Canada	Points Awarded by Express Entry
1 to 2-year diploma or certificate	15 points
3-year or longer degree, diploma, or certificate	30 points
1-year or longer master’s or doctoral degree	30 points

 

Response to the Invitation To Apply (ITA):

Allowing 90 days (rather than 60 days) to apply for permanent residence after receiving an ITA (Note: It switched back to 60 days in August 2018).

 

PNP Points

However, the points awarded for a Provincial Nomination through one of the PNP’s in Canada remains at 600 points.

 

 

In other words, while a job offer will definitely help boost your CRS total and increase your chances of an ITA, your overall skills and experience – whether educational, work, training, certifications, or language skills – were placed on a more even footing. And remember, it’s only senior management jobs (NOC 00) that add 200 points. The rest (NOC 0, A, and B) add 50 points to your CRS.

So, it will always help to be offered a job but having a well-rounded Express Entry profile is the best way to ensure success. And a provincial nomination remains the best way to boost your CRS score.

 

If you need assistance, contact Maxcan Immigration at our offices in Markham or Scarborough; call 1-416-479-4221 / 1-647-866-9126 or 1-855-562-5188.

Posted in Tips and tagged Comprehensive Ranking System, Express Entry, Job Offer