Immigration News & Updates

Canada Express Entry System Overhaul: Concerns Rise as PR Wait Times Increase for Indian Applicants

Canada Express Entry System Changes: What Indians Need to Know About Increased PR Wait Times
Canada’s overhaul of the Express Entry system raises concerns among Indian professionals, as PR wait times increase and job offer points are eliminated. Learn more.

Concerns Rise as PR Wait Times Increase in Indian Applicants for Canada Express Entry System Overhaul!

Canada’s recent announcement to overhaul the Express Entry system has caused significant concern, particularly among Indian professionals. Effective from Spring 2025, the removal of additional points for job offers is expected to significantly increase competition and cause delays in obtaining Permanent Residency (PR). The new changes will make it more challenging for professionals, especially from Telugu cities, to secure PR within the previous timeframes.

Key Changes in Canada’s Express Entry System

Canada’s Express Entry immigration system is undergoing major modifications that will directly impact how professionals gain Permanent Residency (PR) in the country. These changes are set to take effect in Spring 2025, and the announcement has already raised alarms within the professional community, particularly in India.

The most significant change involves the elimination of additional points granted for job offers under the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). Currently, candidates with LMIA-backed job offers receive extra points, significantly improving their chances of receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residency.

Changes Impacting Candidates with Job Offers

This change will likely extend PR wait times by as much as three to five years, as experts predict that the reduction in LMIA points will make the overall competition for PR more intense. Candidates will now have to excel in other areas, such as education, language proficiency, and Canadian work experience, to increase their CRS scores.

Challenges for Older Professionals

The shift in the Express Entry system is particularly concerning for older professionals. The CRS system already favors younger candidates by awarding higher points for age. Once a candidate crosses the age of 29, their score starts to decrease. Without the LMIA-backed job offer points, individuals in their 30s and 40s will face even more difficulty in securing an ITA, as their CRS scores are likely to remain lower due to the age factor.

Ravi Kothapalli, a software engineer from Hyderabad, expressed his disappointment in an interview with The Times of India. He was just 300 points away from his target CRS score and had been relying on his LMIA-backed job offer to bridge the gap. “The goalposts have shifted, and this change has left me uncertain about my future in Canada,” Kothapalli shared.

Focus on Core Human Capital Factors

The policy shift underscores the growing importance of human capital factors such as education, language proficiency, and Canadian work experience. With the removal of LMIA job offer points, international students and professionals will need to strengthen their profiles in these areas.

Saurabh Arora, from University Living, an international accommodation service provider, emphasized the need for Indian students to enhance their academic credentials and gain local work experience to stay competitive under the new regulations.

What’s Next for India’s Aspirants?

While these changes aim to reduce fraud and strengthen border security, they also present new challenges for individuals, particularly those from India, who aspire to live and work in Canada. According to Marc Miller, Canada’s Immigration Minister, these changes are part of a broader strategy to manage immigration and secure the Canadian labor market. However, many see it as a setback.

Industry experts believe the revised system will place greater importance on candidates’ education, language skills, and work experience in Canada, rather than job offers from Canadian employers. As a result, professionals from India may need to reconsider their approach and explore other ways to boost their profiles, such as obtaining higher education qualifications or gaining more local experience in Canada.

Canada’s Express Entry system overhaul is a significant development that will undoubtedly affect professionals hoping to immigrate, especially those from India. The removal of LMIA-backed job offer points is expected to increase competition and extend PR wait times. As the system shifts its focus towards core human capital factors, prospective immigrants will need to adapt by strengthening their qualifications in areas like education, language proficiency, and Canadian work experience.