Wind of changes for international students.

Minister of Immigration  John McCallum announced upcoming changes to the Express Entry system, thanks to which foreign students studying in Canada will be much easier to obtain permanent resident status in the country of the maple leaf. Candidates with Canadian diplomas will be awarded additional points under the comprehensive ranking system (Comprehensive Ranking System). Under the new system, foreign graduates can receive up to 30 points in addition to their education.

Consequently, on November 19, many international graduates of Canadian post-secondary study programs who are in the Express Entry pool may find that their CRS score — bolstered by an additional 15 or 30 points — could be high enough to result in an ITA in a following draw. Graduates should also note that their profile may become more competitive, as other candidates’ scores may drop due to the number of points awarded for a job offer (another factor under the CRS) having been reduced significantly.

LMIA POINT CHANGES

IRCC has significantly reduced the scores for the presence of LMIA from 600 to 50. Only holders of NOC 00 will receive 200 points for the presence of LMIA. As a result, foreign students can compete with qualified specialists in Express Entry pool and get a high passing score.

An individual who studied in Canada several years ago may obtain up to 30 additional points for their Canadian degree, diploma, or certificate, as there is no time limit on the eligibility of education for the purposes of being awarded points.

The new CRS
In order to be eligible for these additional points, the foreign national is required to have studied in Canada at a Canadian institution, in a full-time study or training program, for at least eight months. The foreign national must have been physically present in Canada for at least eight months during his or her studies.

Points are assigned only for the highest level of education reached by the principal applicant (PA), up to a maximum of 30 points. Spouses or common-law partners of principal applicants will not be awarded additional points for their educational credential if it was completed in Canada.