Higher-earning workers may be prioritized for permanent residence sooner than previously anticipated, under the planned overhaul of Express Entry, the Canadian federal government’s flagship system for selecting skilled immigrants.
Although the full suite of planned changes to Express Entry is expected to be implemented 12 – 18 months from now, the new High-Wage Occupation factor may drop much sooner, according to a high-ranking official at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
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Among other details, the official also further clarified a number of previously revealed details, including that candidates in the Express Entry pool will have their CRS scores at the time of the change, and that points for studying in Canada may persist for higher levels of education.
These details come from an April 21 IRCC webinar for immigration lawyers and build on the proposals first made public on April 10.
New details from the April 21 webinar
The following developments have been confirmed per the meeting notes of the April 21 webinar:
- The full regulatory process (timeline for all changes) will likely be between 12 and 18 months.;
- CRS changes will use Ministerial Instructions, while program changes will be made through regulation changes; and
- Age-related CRS points will not change.
The following developments are planned to occur:
- Trade points will likely be tiered, with more points for full licensure than for apprenticeship; and
- Certificate of Qualification points will likely be limited to Red Seal-designated trades.
The following are still being considered:
- The High Wage Occupation factor may roll out ahead of the full program merge; and
- Studies-in-Canada points may be kept in a reduced form (i.e., higher education only).
Clarifications on earlier proposals
The following clarifications are confirmed to be the case per the meeting notes:
- When the changes take place, candidates who have already received ITAs issued prior to the changes, or who have submitted or who go on to submit applications, will have their applications assessed under the rules in place at the time they each received their ITA;
- Candidates in the pool at the time of the change will have their CRS scores recalculated; and
- Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) candidates with only foreign experience will remain viable.
High Wage Occupation factor may be fast-tracked
IRCC said the High Wage Occupation factor may be accelerated to support Canada’s talent attraction strategy sooner.
As reported on April 10, the High Wage Occupation factor would award extra CRS points to candidates with Canadian work experience or a job offer in an occupation that pays above the national median hourly wage.
The April 21 notes also reveal that while the official definition of a job offer is still being developed, it will “likely align with current regulations” in terms of needing to be a “full-time job offer in a high-wage occupation, with Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) requirements or exemptions”.
Points are proposed to be awarded in three tiers based on how far above the median an occupation sits.
IRCC clarified that the high-wage factor will be based on the Job Bank rate of pay associated with the National Occupation Classification (NOC) code for the candidate’s occupation, not on the individual candidate’s pay.
Full reform could take 12 to 18 months
IRCC estimates that the full regulatory process typically takes 12 to 18 months. This is the first timeline estimate the department has given since announcing the proposals.
This extended timeline may be due to the standard process required to make regulatory amendments.
Further CRS changes could take effect before the program merger
IRCC told stakeholders that changes to the ranking system will be made through Ministerial Instructions, while changes to the minimum eligibility criteria will require regulatory amendments.
This matters because Ministerial Instructions can be issued significantly faster than regulatory changes.
This provides the mechanism by which CRS changes proposed— including the High Wage Occupation factor — could come into effect ahead of the merger of the three federal economic programs.
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Points for studying in Canada may survive in a reduced form
The April 10 proposals listed studies in Canada (currently worth 15 to 30 CRS points) as a factor up for removal or modification, with IRCC citing the factor as a weaker predictor of economic success.
IRCC has now said these points may be kept, removed, or modified, with the department considering only awarding them for higher levels of education.
Age-related CRS points will not change
Age points — which decline as candidates get older — will stay as they are. IRCC said age remains a good predictor of long-term economic outcomes.
This is the first time IRCC has spoken to the impact of age-related points in the context of new changes.
While previously not explicitly selected for removal or adjustment, IRCC had identified age as a weaker factor in predicting economic success as compared to other factors like language and work experience.
Trade points may soon be tied to Red Seal and tiered by level
Candidates in the skilled trades may face two new changes not previously announced.
First, IRCC plans to tier trade points. Candidates with full licensure or certification are slated to receive a greater number of CRS points than those on an apprenticeship pathway.
Second, IRCC is considering limiting Certificate of Qualification points to Red Seal-designated trades. These trades already have a national standard, which IRCC says makes officer assessments more consistent.
In previous statements, the department had stated that they would offer better recognition for Red Seal trades, making the new proposed exclusivity a marked change.
What these changes mean for current applicants and pool candidates
IRCC also used the webinar to clarify what the changes mean for people already in the Express Entry system.
If you already have an ITA: The rules in place at the time you received your ITA will apply. The changes will not affect you.
If you are in the pool: Your CRS score may be recalculated when the new rules take effect. IRCC said changes will apply on a go-forward basis, but pool scores may be adjusted under the new factors.
If you are an older candidate: IRCC said the factor is designed partly to offset the CRS penalty older candidates face as they lose age points. Candidates with strong earnings in high-wage roles could gain points that help balance that age-related decline.
What will happen to skilled workers with only foreign work experience?
Express Entry’s new single program will not penalize those with only foreign work experience and will be open to either foreign or Canadian work experience as qualifying factors.
While this was heavily implied during previously revealed changes, this is the first time that IRCC has stated outright that those without any Canadian work experience would not face disadvantages in qualifying for the newly proposed single program.
What to watch for next
IRCC said a public survey and a discussion paper with more details will be posted later this week.
No firm implementation dates have been set—but the combination of a 12-to-18-month regulatory timeline, a potentially accelerated High Wage Occupation factor, and CRS changes moving through Ministerial Instructions means the first visible changes could arrive within the next year.
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