November 10, 2016 – The Department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced that it will be implementing changes to the existing point distribution and timelines for Express Entry applications. The changes will be in effect on November 19, 2016. The changes will particularly affect certain Canadian work permit-holders and graduates of Canadian post-secondary institutions.
Highlights of the changes include:
- Additional points for graduates of some post-secondary programs in Canada;
- Broadening the definition of an Offer of Employment to include certain workers on LMIA-exempt employer specific work permits who have accumulated at least one year of full-time experience with their employer;
- Reducing the points awarded for holding a Labour Market Impact Assessment with an Offer of Employment;
- Differentiating between Executive level workers and other high-skilled workers in the points distribution for Offers of Employment;
- Allowing 90 days for the applicant to submit their supporting documents after they receive an Invitation to Apply for permanent residence, up from 60 days.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.