Despite recent changes to Canada’s Express Entry system, having a job offer is still valuable for anyone who wants to become a permanent resident.
On March 25, 2025, the government of Canada announced that Express Entry candidates will no longer receive an additional 50 or 200 Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points for having qualifying arranged employment.
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Despite this change, those with job offers are still strong candidates for Canadian immigration. Here’s why.
Many pathways require job offers to qualify
There are a number of pathways to permanent residency that require candidates to have a job offer.
Provincial Nominee Programs – job offer streams
One route to obtaining Canadian permanent residence is to receive a nomination from a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).
Almost all provinces of Canada have provincial nominee programs (PNPs) to help meet immigration and labour market needs.
PNPs have multiple immigration streams, which group applicants based on their skills, work experience, or connection to the province.
Out of 80+ PNP steams, almost half of the streams require job offers.
Getting a job offer from an employer in the province you which to settle can help you qualify for provincial nomination. After obtaining a nomination, you would apply to the federal government for permanent residence.
Atlantic Immigration Program
The federal government also has immigration programs that require job offers from designated employers.
One such example is the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP), a pathway for PR for skilled foreign workers and international graduates who want to live and work in an of Canada’s four Atlantic provinces.
These are
- New Brunswick;
- Nova Scotia;
- Prince Edward Island; and
- Newfoundland and Labrador.
Among other requirements, to be eligible for the AIP you need a job offer from a designated employer and must have that job offer endorsed by the province.
AIP applicants can also get a work permit for up to 24 months so they can work for their employer as their PR application is being processed by the federal government.
Rural Community Immigration Pilot
Earlier this year, the federal government announced the launch of the Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP) to spread the benefits of immigration to smaller rural communities.
There were 14 communities selected to participate in this pilot.
To be eligible, candidates must meet certain eligibility criteria including work experience, language proficiency, educational qualifications, and proof of funds. They must also have a genuine offer of employment from a designated employer within the community.
Francophone Community Immigration Pilot
Canada also launched the Francophone Community Immigration Pilot (FCIP) earlier this year.
This is a pathway to permanent residency for foreign nationals with an intermediate level of French who want to work and settle in certain Canadian communities.
Six communities in total were chosen to participate in this pilot.
To be eligible, candidates need to demonstrate work experience, educational qualifications, settlement funds, language proficiency in French, and have a genuine letter of employment from a designated employer that meets specific conditions.
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Temporary to Permanent pathways
Besides making foreign nationals eligible for certain PR pathways, having a job offer can help foreign nationals or temporary workers in Canada qualify for Express Entry.
Gaining CRS points through Canadian work experience
A job offer no longer awards applicants with CRS points under arranged employment.
But Express Entry candidates can still gain up to 180 CRS points for Canadian work experience.
Getting a job offer to work for a Canadian employer on a work permit can be an important stepping stone in a foreign national’s temporary-to-permanent status journey.
Canadian work experience is one of the factors listed under Core/ Human Capital factors of the CRS system. Even one year of Canadian work experience awards 40 CRS points, which greatly improves a candidate’s chances at receiving an invitation to apply for Canadian PR.
Here is a breakdown of how many points a foreign national stands to gain by having Canadian work experience under Core Human Capital:
| Canadian work experience | With a spouse or common-law partner | Without a spouse or common-law partner |
| None or less than a year | 0 | 0 |
| 1 year | 35 | 40 |
| 2 years | 46 | 53 |
| 3 years | 56 | 64 |
| 4 years | 63 | 72 |
| 5 years or more | 70 | 80 |
Canadian work experience can also contribute to points under the Skill Transferability Factors.
In this section, candidates are given points based on how different qualifications such as their language skills, education, Canadian work experience, and foreign work experience combine.
Those with Canadian work experience can earn points on the following:
| Skill Transferability Factor | Maximum points |
| Canadian work experience and a post secondary-degree | 50 |
| Canadian work experience and foreign work experience | 50 |
| Total points | 100 |
A candidate with Canadian work experience can score up to 100 CRS points by maximizing two Skill Transferability factors.
Qualifying for Canadian Experience Class
Canadian Experience Class (CEC) is one of the three programs managed under Express Entry.
To be eligible for CEC, candidates must have completed at least one year of full-time, skilled work experience in Canada within the past three years.
In 2025, IRCC will prioritize CEC candidates for Express Entry. This approach is in-line with Express Entry draws in late 2024 and early 2025 alternating between CEC, Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), and French language proficiency draws.
In contrast, Express Entry has not held a general draw since April 2024.
For foreign nationals, securing a job offer and gaining one year of skilled work experience in Canada can significantly improve their chances of receiving an invitation to apply for permanent residence under the CEC.
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