Candidates for Express Entry should be aware that the term “arranged employment” under the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) only applies to qualifying job offers.
CRS points play a significant role in an applicant’s economic immigration path through Express Entry. These points are significant in deciding who gets an Invitation to Apply (ITA) from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). They are used to rank candidate profiles against each other.
Therefore, regardless of whether they apply to the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), or the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP), all Express Entry candidates are continuously seeking methods to raise their CRS score and increase their chances of being granted permanent residence in Canada.
A candidate’s CRS score might be raised by having “arranged employment” ready for their arrival in Canada. The benefit of arranged employment is that it can provide an applicant an extra 50 or 200 CRS points.
The IRCC makes it clear that only specific employment offers are eligible for CRS points. The IRCC makes it clear that the requirements for qualified employment vary based on the program.
For FSWP and CEC candidates to qualify for CRS points under the category of “arranged employment,” they need to have a job offer that is:
Valid/offered for a minimum of a year following the candidate’s permanent resident (PR) visa being issued by the IRCC
*The qualified employer(s) must possess a work permit that was issued** based on a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) or a fresh positive LMIA that accepts the offer and names the worker and their job.
**This is applicable to foreign nationals who hold NOC TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 jobs and are actively employed in Canada.
Those who apply for the FSTP and CEC and who currently hold an LMIA-based work permit are required to:
A foreign person may also earn CRS points for “arranged employment” provided they have a valid LMIA-exempt work permit and are employed in a NOC TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 role.
For FSTP workers to qualify for CRS points under the category of “arranged employment,” they need to have a job offer—or jobs—that:
Is/are for work that falls under a qualifying skilled trade occupation (under a qualifying NOC)
*The qualifying employer(s) must either have a new positive LMIA that approves the offer and names the worker and their position or a work permit that was issued** based on a positive LMIA.
**This applies to foreign nationals who are currently working in Canada in a skilled trade job
FSTP applicants should be aware that foreign nationals with an existing LMIA-based work permit must:
Possess the right to work in Canada from the time they apply for a PR visa until the visa is granted.
Be given the option to work full-time by their present employer(s) if they are hired as PRs.
Note: This full-time employment offer needs to be for a position in the same three-digit level of the NOC as your existing position, and it needs to be extended for at least a year.
In addition, foreign nationals may earn CRS points for “arranged employment” provided they hold a valid LMIA-exempt work visa for any of the skilled trade jobs on the list.
IRCC makes it clear that a work visa does not count as a job offer for the purpose of earning CRS points as an Express Entry candidate, regardless of the candidate’s employment status in Canada or elsewhere.
A employment offer should include the following details for each Express Entry-managed program in addition to the ones mentioned above:
Not from a Canadian high commission, embassy, or consulate
gives particular information on the position being offered, such as the salary, benefits, responsibilities, and working circumstances (such as hours worked).