The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is set to implement significant reforms to its immigration processes. These changes will notably impact candidates applying for permanent residency through the Express Entry system, as well as the practice known as "flagpoling."
In the context of permanent residency applications, Express Entry candidates will face a major shift. IRCC plans to remove points for job offers supported by a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) from the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). Previously, candidates with an LMIA-backed job offer could earn an additional 50 or 200 CRS points, which significantly influenced their chances of receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residency.Immigration Minister Marc Miller announced this reform during a televised interview on December 17, emphasizing that the change aims to combat fraud related to the purchase of LMIAs and enhance the fairness of the immigration system. However, the exact implementation date remains unclear. As of December 18, the government’s online CRS calculator still awards 50 points for a valid job offer.
Another major reform is the impending end of "flagpoling." This practice involves new immigrants briefly leaving and re-entering Canada at a border crossing to obtain same-day immigration services, thereby bypassing regular processing times. Minister Miller stated that this change will alleviate pressure on border services and strengthen the integrity of the immigration system. While IRCC intends to implement this reform as soon as possible, the exact start date has yet to be announced.
These reforms follow several adjustments made to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) earlier this year. In September, LMIA processing for the low-wage stream of the TFWP was paused, and in November, the salary requirements for the high-wage stream were increased. These policy changes align with the government’s broader immigration objectives, as outlined in the 2025 Immigration Levels Plan, which sets a target of 82,000 net new work permits under the TFWP.
