Express Entry Job Offer Points Removed in 2025: What Applicants Need to Know

On March 25, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) implemented a significant policy change: Express Entry job offer points are no longer awarded. Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points for job offers are no longer granted. This change applies to current and future candidates in the Express Entry pool and affects both former 200-point senior management offers and 50-point other skilled job offers.

While Express Entry job offer points have been removed, job offers themselves still matter for eligibility under certain programs and for work permit and provincial strategies. This blog explains what changed on March 25, 2025, who is affected, and how to adjust your Canadian immigration strategy moving forward. If you would like legal advice on how this shift impacts your options, you can contact us through the Zohil-Morton Law Contact Page, or learn more about our permanent residence services and Express Entry representation.

What Changed: Express Entry Job Offer Points Removed

Prior to March 25, 2025, certain valid job offers could add either 50 or 200 CRS points to an Express Entry profile, depending on the occupation. Under the updated CRS criteria, IRCC no longer awards these additional points for job offers. The policy applies to:

• Job offers in NOC Major Group 00 senior management roles (previously 200 points)
• Job offers in other qualifying skilled occupations (previously 50 points)

IRCC has confirmed that this change is applied to both existing and future profiles in the Express Entry pool. Candidates may see their scores decrease as the system updates, and IRCC has indicated that this recalculation can take a few days.

What Did Not Change: Eligibility Requirements Involving Job Offers

Removing Express Entry job offer points does not mean job offers are irrelevant. Under IRCC’s program rules, job offers still matter for:

• Eligibility under the Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) and Federal Skilled Trades (FST) Programs when a valid job offer is part of the criteria
• Certain provincial nominee program (PNP) streams that require or favour job offers
• Work permit strategies based on Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs) or LMIA-exempt offers

In other words, the change targets CRS scoring, not the underlying definition of a valid job offer for program eligibility. Candidates should continue to declare job offers accurately in their Express Entry profiles to maintain eligibility where required.

Who Is Affected by the Removal of Job Offer Points

The removal of Express Entry job offer points is particularly significant for:

• Candidates who previously relied on 50-point job offers to become competitive in general rounds of invitations
• Senior executives and NOC 00 managers who previously benefitted from 200 extra points
• Employers who structured recruitment or relocation strategies around boosting CRS scores through arranged employment

These candidates may now find that their CRS scores have dropped substantially, pushing them below the cut-off for all-program draws or making category-based draws more important in their strategy.

How This Affects Your CRS Strategy

Without Express Entry job offer points, candidates need to re-focus on the core factors that drive CRS scores. These include:

• Language proficiency (including French, where appropriate)
• Education and the use of Educational Credential Assessments (ECAs)
• Age and planning around timing
• Canadian work experience
• Provincial nominations worth 600 CRS points

Job offers may still support these strategies indirectly. For example, a job offer can support a work permit that leads to Canadian experience and, in some cases, a provincial nomination. However, the job offer itself no longer generates CRS points in the Express Entry system.

Impact on Employers and HR Teams

For employers, the removal of Express Entry job offer points is a meaningful change in how recruitment, retention, and global mobility plans are structured. In the past, some organizations relied on arranged employment to help candidates reach CRS cut-offs more quickly. Today, employers need to think more broadly about:

• Supporting employees in gaining Canadian work experience that qualifies under Express Entry
• Exploring provincial nominee program (PNP) pathways that still recognize job offers
• Understanding when a job offer is essential for FSW or FST eligibility, even if it does not add CRS points
• Planning LMIA or LMIA-exempt strategies that lead to work permits and then permanent residence

Lawyer-led advice can help employers design compliant and sustainable pathways for key employees, particularly senior or specialized talent, despite the removal of Express Entry job offer points.

Job Offers, Work Permits, and Express Entry: Still Connected

Although CRS scores are no longer boosted by job offers, work permit and Express Entry strategies remain linked. A job offer can still be:

• The basis for an LMIA and employer-specific work permit
• The basis for an LMIA-exempt work permit under certain categories
• A requirement for some PNP streams that ultimately feed into Express Entry

In other words, candidates may use a job offer to come to Canada on a temporary basis, gain qualifying Canadian work experience, and then become more competitive in the Express Entry pool without ever receiving CRS points for the job offer itself.

Should You Update Your Express Entry Profile?

If you previously claimed CRS points for a job offer, IRCC has indicated that the system will update your score based on the new criteria. You should still ensure that your profile remains accurate, including:

• Declaring any valid job offers that affect your program eligibility
• Confirming that your work history, education, and language results are up to date
• Reviewing whether you now need to prioritize alternative strategies (for example, French language improvement or PNP pathways)

In many cases, the removal of Express Entry job offer points will require a broader strategy review rather than a simple one-to-one replacement of lost points.

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This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Please consult a licensed immigration professional regarding your specific situation.

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Frequently Asked Questions: Express Entry Job Offer Points Removed

Do job offers still matter if Express Entry no longer gives points?

Yes. Job offers remain important for eligibility under certain federal programs such as the FSW and FST Programs and for some provincial nominee streams. They also matter for work permit strategies. The change affects CRS scoring, not the underlying program rules about valid job offers.

Why did my CRS score drop after March 25, 2025?

If you previously received 50 or 200 CRS points for a qualifying job offer, those points have now been removed under IRCC’s updated criteria. The rest of your CRS calculation remains based on core and additional factors such as age, education, language, Canadian work experience, and provincial nominations.

Should I still declare my job offer in my Express Entry profile?

Yes. Even without additional CRS points, you should declare a valid job offer when it is relevant to your eligibility. Failing to provide accurate information can affect your eligibility or raise concerns about misrepresentation.

What alternative strategies should I consider now that job offer points are gone?

Many candidates will need to focus on other factors, such as improving language scores (including French), completing or assessing additional education, gaining Canadian work experience, or pursuing provincial nominations that provide 600 CRS points.