Editors Pick

The average salary in Canada is CAD 64,850 per annum and 5,404 per month, and CAD 36.80 per hour, which converts to INR 3,979,467 per annum, 331,612 per month, and 2,267.73 per hour. However, the average salary offered in Canada may vary depending on the location, province, industry, job role, experience, and qualifications. A fresher can expect an annual average salary of CAD 32,175, while experienced professionals may earn up to CAD 58,706 annually. Canadian provinces like Ontario and British Columbia tend to offer higher average wages, while Canadian cities like Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver offer competitive salary packages.

*Want to work in Canada? Let Y-Axis assist you with the process.

Average salary offered in the top 3 Canadian cities

Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver are the top three Canadian cities with high average annual salaries. While Toronto and Vancouver are considered expensive to live in, Montreal, on the other hand, is comparatively affordable with a low cost of living. The average salaries offered in these cities differ based on industry, job role, experience, etc.  

The table below has details of the top 3 Canadian cities, the average annual salaries offered, and the cost of living:

*Looking to work in Canada? Sign up with Y-Axis for complete assistance with the process.

Average salary offered in the top 3 Canadian cities

Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia are the top three Canadian provinces that offer high average salaries. While Ontario and British Columbia are expensive to live in, Alberta is comparatively affordable and budget-friendly.

The table below has details of the top 3 Canadian provinces, the average annual salaries offered, and the cost of living:

Also, read…

Which province in Canada has more job opportunities in 2023?

What is the minimum wage in Canada?

Starting April 2025, the federal minimum wage in Canada will be $17.75 per hour. Certain Canadian provinces, like Yukon, offer an average hourly wage of $17.97. Anything over $70,000 is considered a good salary to lead a comfortable life in Canada.

*Looking for jobs in Canada? Avail Y-Axis Job Search Services to find the right one.

Top Paid Jobs in Canada

The table below has the list of top-paid jobs in Canada, along with the total number of job vacancies and the average salaries offered:

Read more…

Highest Paying Jobs in Canada for Indians

Top companies hiring in Canada

A recent survey done by Statistics Canada and Forbes surveyed over 40,000 Canadian employees to list the 25 best employers in Canada. According to the recent Canada’s Best Employers edition, Google ranked as the No.1 position, followed by Microsoft and Concordia University.

The table below has the list of top industries and companies in Canada that are currently hiring:

*Are you looking for step-by-step assistance with Canadian immigration? Contact Y-Axis, the world’s No. 1 overseas immigration consultancy, for end-to-end assistance!

The average salary in the USA is around $66,622 per annum, $5,677 per month, and $1,194 weekly. Indians can earn around INR 5,690,895 per annum, 484,919 per month, and 101,989 per week. The average salaries offered in the US may vary depending on location, job role, qualifications, experience, etc. A fresher can earn an average annual salary of $82,516 in the USA, while experienced professionals can expect a salary of $154,148 or more. New York, Massachusetts, and California are the top 3 US states that offer high average wages.
 

*Want to work in the US? Let Y-Axis assist you with the process.
 

Top 3 US States that offer high average salaries

New York, California, and Massachusetts are the top three US states offering high average annual salaries. While the three states have high costs of living and are expensive to live in, they also offer plenty of job opportunities with competitive packages. The average salary offered may differ based on the city, experience, qualifications, and job role.
 

The table below has details of the average annual salaries and the average cost of living in the top 3 US states:

*Looking to work in the US? Sign up with Y-Axis for complete assistance with the process.
 

What is the minimum wage in the US?

The minimum wage in the US is around $7.25 per hour. According to the federal minimum wage, a full-time worker in the US can earn around $15,080. However, the minimum wage may differ based on the state. For example, California and New York have their minimum hourly wages set at $16 and $15, respectively. While the minimum wage rate in the US is low compared to the other developed countries, the cost of living varies throughout the US. Individuals earning a minimum of $50,000 annually can lead a comfortable life in the US.
 

*Looking for jobs in the USA? Avail Y-Axis Job Search Services to find the right one.
 

Top Paid Jobs in the USA 

The table below has the list of top-paid jobs in the USA, along with the average annual salaries:

Read more…

In-demand jobs in the USA

Top companies hiring in the US

The US will have many job opportunities in the Tech, Healthcare, and Finance sectors. Some of the top US companies, such as Microsoft, NVIDIA, Amazon, and Alphabet, are currently looking for skilled talent.

The table below has the list of top sectors and companies in the US that are currently hiring:

*Are you looking for step-by-step assistance with US immigration? Contact Y-Axis, the world’s No. 1 overseas immigration consultancy, for end-to-end assistance!

The average salary in the UK was £35,828 per year, around £2,985 per month in 2024. Indians working in the UK can earn around £35,000 or INR 37 Lakh per year. In 2025, the average salary in the UK is approximately £37,430, around £3,119 per month. Based on a full-working year of 2024, the average weekly wage is about £689 with an hourly rate of around £17.2.  A good salary in the UK depends mainly on where an applicant resides. For example, If someone lives in London, a wage of £45,000 can be considered reasonable. In smaller cities, a salary of £30,000 is considered good.
 

In 2023, the average salary in London was £42,000, or £3,500 per month, before taxes. This is significantly higher than the national average.
 

*Want to work in the UK? Talk to Y-Axis for complete guidance.
 

Average salaries in the UK for Full-time Employers in 2025

According to the Office of National Statistics data, the average weekly earnings for full-time employees across different industries are broken down. This data shows how much of the average income in the UK in each field typically makes per week, such as:

What are the highest-paying jobs in the UK?

Below are jobs roles that experts take on while relocating and working in the UK:

*Want to know more about highest paying jobs in the UK? Talk to Y-Axis for complete guidance.
 

Key Statistics that influence the average pay in the UK

The average wage statistics of the UK can vary depending on factors like industry and experience in the role.  Here are some key statistics that influence the average pay in the UK, such as:

• Experience: The more expertise, the higher the pay
• Education: Salary can differ based on education level
• Location: Metropolitan and major cities offer higher salaries
• Economic factors affecting salaries: The salaries can depend on the demand and salary of the workforce in the job market; government policies and prevailing interest rates can impact the regular pay
• Working conditions: Some jobs require individuals to perform tasks that may expose them to specific health risks that can affect salaries in the UK
• Employer: The size and number of employers in the company affect the pay scale of the employee.

*Want assistance with UK Immigration? Talk to Y-Axis, the world’s No. 1 overseas immigration consultancy for end-to-end support.

In Dubai, the average annual salary is around AED 191,807, which is around AED 92.21 per month, according to the report of Salary Expert. The average monthly salary in Dubai can be between AED 4,000 and AED 99,000, depending on factors such as education, past work experience, location of the job, position, etc.
 

*Willing to work in Dubai, UAE? Y-Axis is here to provide you with all the necessary guidance!
 

Top 10 job roles and their average annual salary in Dubai, UAE

The table below has the list of the top 10 job roles in Dubai, UAE, along with their average annual salary:

*Looking for jobs in Dubai, UAE? Avail Y-Axis Job Search Services to find the right one for you!!
 

What are the highest-paying jobs in Dubai, UAE?

The table below has the list of the highest-paying job roles in Dubai, UAE, along with the average annual salary:

What are the different types of work visas you can apply to migrate to Dubai?

The following are the different types of work visas in Dubai, UAE:

• Standard work visa: This visa allows foreign skilled workers who have a valid job offer from a Dubai employer to live and work in the country.
• Green Card: This visa allows specifically the skilled professionals, entrepreneurs, businessmen, freelancer to live and work in the country for up to 5 years.
• Domestic worker visa: This visa allows foreign domestic helpers and house help staff to migrate and work in the country.
• Golden visa: This visa is specifically curated for those foreign nationals who have a high net worth and want to live in the country for up to 10 years.
   

*Are you looking for step-by-step assistance with UAE immigration? Contact Y-Axis, the world’s No.1 overseas immigration consultancy, for end-to-end support!

Canada's immigration scene has seen a major change with the latest Express Entry draw. IRCC issued 825 invitations for permanent residence on April 14, 2025. By doing this, the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) specific draw reached a high cut-off score of 764 after removing CRS points for arranged employment. The Express Entry pool has gone through big changes and now contains 244,282 profiles. The policy update caused a massive shuffle in the pool, which led to 5,740 fewer profiles in the 501-600 CRS range. These changes align with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada's (IRCC) plan to welcome 124,680 new permanent residents through Express Entry in 2025 while tightening controls on the immigration system.

Canada issues 825 PR invitations in first Express Entry draw post-LMIA change

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held its first Express Entry draw on April 14, 2025, after removing points for arranged employment. The draw resulted in 825 invitations to apply (ITAs) for permanent residence.

Draw held on April 14, 2025

Canada's immigration system underwent a major change with the April 14 draw. Earlier, candidates with Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)-backed job offers got extra points in the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). The new draw put into effect the latest changes that removed these advantages.

The CRS score threshold reached 764 points in this latest draw. The higher cut-off shows how competitive the draw was, especially since it was limited to Provincial Nominee Program candidates who get 600 additional points automatically.

The draw adds to Canada's immigration targets for 2025. IRCC had already issued 30,683 invitations in the first quarter, bringing the total to 31,508 ITAs for 2025 so far.

IRCC usually holds Express Entry draws every two weeks. These draws alternate between different candidate categories. The system handles applications for several economic immigration programs:

• Federal Skilled Worker
• Federal Skilled Trades
• Canadian Experience Class
• Portions of Provincial Nominee Programs

Only PNP candidates were invited

Following IRCC's strategy, this draw focused only on Provincial Nominee Program candidates. PNP-specific draws have become a regular part of Canada's express entry system. The government confirmed they "will continue to invite candidates with a provincial or territorial nomination through general and Provincial Nominee Program-specific rounds".

The April 14 round showed higher numbers compared to recent PNP-specific draws, both in cut-off score and invitations:

Competition among provincial nominees has grown since the policy change, as shown by rising cut-off scores for PNP draws. IRCC also held program-specific draws for French-speaking candidates before this round. These had much lower cut-offs of 379 and 410 points on March 21 and March 6.

PNP candidates get an automatic 600-point boost to their scores. This means successful candidates needed at least 164 points from core human capital factors to meet the minimum threshold.

The latest draw shows IRCC's dedication to provincial immigration priorities while it adjusts its points system to handle concerns with the arranged employment pathway.

IRCC removes CRS points for arranged employment

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) made a major policy change for Express Entry candidates on March 25, 2025. The federal agency removed all additional Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points that candidates could earn through arranged employment, including those backed by a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).

Change effective March 25, 2025

IRCC's updated Ministerial Instructions eliminated job offer points from express entry CRS score calculations. This affects both current and future candidates in the Express Entry pool. Former Immigration Minister Marc Miller announced these changes on December 17, 2024. IRCC confirmed through a December 23 press release that this would be a temporary measure, though they didn't specify an end date.

This update reshuffles express entry CRS score distribution throughout the pool by removing points for arranged employment. All the same, candidates who received invitations to apply (ITAs) or had ongoing permanent residence applications before March 25 won't see any changes from this fundamental change in policy.

Points removed for LMIA-backed job offers

IRCC removed these points from CRS calculations:

• 200 points for senior management positions under Major Group 00 of the National Occupation Classification
• 50 points for all other skilled occupations

The agency managed to keep valid job offers as part of the eligibility criteria for several programs:

• Federal Skilled Trades Program
• Federal Skilled Worker Program
• Some streams under provincial nominee programs

IRCC wants to curb fraud in the immigration system by removing these points. They specifically targeted the illegal practice of "purchasing an LMIA." The federal government believes this change will reduce fraud and make Canada's immigration system stronger.

The March 25 Ministerial Instructions has sections about qualifying offers of arranged employment, even though it removes points for these offers. This shows that job offers still matter in the immigration process, even if they don't give candidates a direct CRS advantage in the express entry next draw calculations.

CRS cut-off rises to 764 in latest PNP draw

The CRS threshold hit a remarkable 764 points during the April 14 PNP-specific draw. IRCC's decision to remove arranged employment points from express entry CRS score calculation led to this record-high cut-off.

Comparison with previous PNP draws

The latest CRS threshold of 764 shows a big jump from recent Provincial Nominee Program-specific rounds. IRCC invited candidates with a minimum score of 736 during the March 17, 2025 draw. The March 3 draw needed only 667 points. Early 2025 data shows this upward trend clearly:

Express entry latest draw scores varied throughout early 2025. The April 14 draw issued more invitations than the previous PNP-specific round—825 compared to 536. IRCC seems to balance higher score requirements with larger invitation volumes.

Impact on candidate eligibility

The higher cut-off score has changed candidate eligibility prospects drastically. Successful PNP candidates in this express entry latest draw needed core human capital factors that total at least 164 points (after subtracting the standard 600-point PNP bonus). Previous draws had a much lower baseline.

Candidates who relied on LMIA-backed job offers worth 50-200 points face tough challenges now. Immigration expert Ajay Sharma pointed out that candidates with scores around 470-500 would sometimes buy fake LMIA job offers to improve their chances before the policy change. These applicants now have much lower chances of selection.

PNP nominations have become crucial for candidates aiming for high scores, unlike program-specific draws. IRCC conducted French-language draws with much lower thresholds during this period—379 points on March 21 and 410 points on March 6. This highlights how alternative pathways have gained importance.

Industry experts believe the CRS cut-off will stay above 500 until at least mid-2025, especially if IRCC keeps draw sizes between 3,000-4,000 applicants every few weeks. Candidates remain hopeful that scores might drop later in the year, especially with consistent larger draws.

Express Entry pool composition shifts after policy update

The March 25 policy change that removed arranged employment points completely changed Canada's Express Entry candidate pool. Data from March 16 to April 14, 2025, shows major changes in how candidates are distributed across CRS score ranges.

Drop in 501–600 CRS range

The most noticeable change happened in the high-scoring 501-600 CRS range. This bracket saw a sharp drop of 5,740 profiles. The removal of 50-200 point bonuses for LMIA-backed job offers caused this big decrease. The 491-500 and 481-490 ranges also lost 1,618 and 984 profiles.

The three highest-scoring brackets lost 8,342 profiles in just one month. These brackets represent candidates above the 90th percentile. Senior management candidates felt this impact the most since they used to get 200-point bonuses for arranged employment.

Before March 19, about 37,170 people in the express entry pool had extra points for arranged employment. Their CRS scores dropped by a lot when these points disappeared. This changed their rankings in the pool completely.

Increase in 451–500 and 401–450 ranges

Mid-range CRS brackets grew quickly during this time. The 461-470 range added 2,157 new profiles, while the 451-460 range grew by 1,750. The 401-450 score band expanded impressively with 5,814 new profiles.

The Express Entry pool added 7,373 candidate profiles during this period. This brought the total to 244,282 candidates. People still want to immigrate to Canada, but they now compete under different rules.

The current express entry CRS score distribution shows most candidates in the middle ranges:

Competition has become fierce in the mid-score brackets, with 71,542 candidates now in the 451-500 range. Experts believe the express entry next draw cut-offs will stay above 500 until at least mid-2025. This could change if IRCC decides to increase draw sizes.

IRCC aims to reduce fraud through LMIA point removal

IRCC's decision to eliminate LMIA points from express entry CRS score calculations comes from their need to curb fraud. The federal department discovered widespread abuse of the arranged employment pathway and took swift action.

Fake job offers were being purchased

Officials found a disturbing trend of express entry candidates who bought fraudulent Labour Market Impact Assessments to increase their scores. "Candidates with a CRS score of around 470, 480, or 500, where the cut-off for invitations could be as high as 540, 550, or 560, were purchasing fake LMIA job offers for large sums of money, between INR 2531413.52 and INR 4219022.54," explained immigration expert Ajay Sharma. Many applicants saw this illegal shortcut as their only way to receive an invitation to apply.

The massive financial scale of this fraud pushed IRCC to act. With fraud cases rising in Canadian immigration programs, officials decided removing the incentive completely would work better than monitoring individual cases. Note that submitting false documents, including fraudulent job offers, leads to serious consequences under Canadian law, including:

• A minimum 5-year ban from Canada
• Permanent record of fraud with IRCC
• Potential removal from Canada
• Possible criminal charges

Policy aims to restore fairness

Immigration Minister Marc Miller made it clear that "this temporary measure will reduce fraud by removing the incentive to illegally buy or sell labour market impact assessments to improve a candidate's chances of being selected". The government sees this change as crucial for keeping the program's integrity intact.

"We will be implementing further measures that reinforce the program and reduce the potential for LMIA fraud," Miller added. The measure should "result in increased fairness and integrity in Express Entry" by ensuring the express entry latest draw crs score reflects candidates' true merit rather than their financial means to buy advantages.

These concerns have led IRCC to strengthen its fraud detection efforts across immigration streams. The department "trains officers around the world to detect fraud and protect the integrity of Canada's citizenship and immigration system" and collaborates with the Canada Border Services Agency and Royal Canadian Mounted Police to break down violations.

Candidates with job offers lose competitive edge

IRCC's March 25 policy change has altered the competitive landscape for Express Entry candidates who had job offers backed by Labour Market Impact Assessments. Many applicants relied on these extra points to get invitations. Their advantage disappeared overnight.

Loss of 50–200 CRS points

The new policy removed two tiers of arranged employment points from the Comprehensive Ranking System calculation:

• 50 points to job offers in most skilled occupations
• 200 points to senior management positions (NOC Major Group 00)

The adjustment hit about 37,170 people in the Express Entry pool who held these extra points as of March 19, 2025. The express entry CRS score distribution showed this change right away when 8,342 profiles dropped from the highest score ranges.

Candidates with job offers must keep their employment arrangements to stay eligible for certain immigration programs. These applicants now score nowhere near typical cut-off thresholds for the express entry latest draw since they lost their CRS boost.

Example of score impact on real candidates

Two fictitious Express Entry candidates show how the competitive landscape has changed:

• Andrew: His original score was 540 (including 50 points for a job offer)
• Anita: Her original score was 500 (without a job offer)

The change flipped their positions:

• Andrew's score fell to 490
• Anita's unchanged score of 500 put her ahead of Andrew

A hypothetical Canadian Experience Class draw with a 495 cut-off would give Anita an invitation while Andrew would miss out, despite his valid job offer.

Senior management candidates face even bigger challenges. Take a 45-year-old candidate with a two-year foreign diploma, CLB 7 English proficiency, and 6 years of combined experience. Their score might have reached 318 with the 200-point bonus. The change left them with almost no chance in any upcoming express entry next draw.

Many candidates now need to focus on improving their core human capital factors or getting provincial nominations. The playing field has leveled, which helps applicants without job offers compete better in the upcoming express entry canada latest draw.

PNP nominations become more critical for high scores

Now that LMIA-backed job offers no longer provide CRS points, Provincial Nominee Programs have become the most valuable pathway for candidates who just need competitive scores in the express entry latest draw.

PNP adds 600 CRS points

Provincial nominations give candidates an unmatched advantage in the Comprehensive Ranking System. IRCC awards 600 additional CRS points to candidates nominated by a province. This creates an almost guaranteed path to receiving an invitation to apply for permanent residence. The current system allows this substantial point boost as the maximum additional points any candidate can receive.

These 600 points override other potential advantages in the express entry CRS score calculation. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada makes it clear: "If you have additional points for a job offer or study in Canada, we'll only add the 600 points for your nomination". The system caps additional points at 600, whatever other qualifications you have.

Candidates affected by the recent LMIA point removal should focus on securing a provincial nomination. This remains the most strategic way to achieve competitive scores for the express entry next draw.

Provinces play a stronger role

Provincial immigration authorities have gained more influence in candidate selection with this policy change. They can now search the Express Entry pool to find potential nominees that match their regional workforce needs. Provinces send a "notification of interest" message to promising candidates' Express Entry accounts.

Many provinces employ Expression of Interest (EOI) systems to manage nominations effectively. These systems help provincial authorities to:

• Create candidate pools they can draw from when needed
• Select applicants based on specific labor market requirements
• Streamline processing by prioritizing candidates with in-demand skills
• Give eligible candidates ongoing consideration throughout the year

The PNP started 25 years ago to help smaller provinces attract immigrants who mainly settled in Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia. Recent immigration patterns show this approach has worked well. The PNP is now "a key driver of economic growth across the country". The program boosts employment, investment, entrepreneurship, and spending in regions that once struggled to attract newcomers.

Provincial nominations have become crucial for candidates who want to immigrate to Canada, especially with the recent express entry latest draw CRS score threshold of 764.

French language proficiency gains new importance

French language proficiency has emerged as a key advantage for candidates who want lower cut-off thresholds in the express entry latest draw after LMIA points disappeared from the Comprehensive Ranking System. The Canadian government now focuses heavily on attracting French-speaking immigrants, which creates great opportunities for bilingual candidates.

French draws offer lower cut-offs

Express entry draws that target French-speaking candidates have shown much lower CRS thresholds lately. IRCC conducted a French-language proficiency draw in March 2025 with a cut-off score of just 379 points and invited 7,500 candidates. Another draw in March had a threshold of 410 points and issued 4,500 invitations. Draw #287 set an even lower bar at 336 points and invited 2,500 French-proficient candidates.

Category-based selection became a game-changer when it made French language proficiency a designated category in June 2023. IRCC ran several French-language invitation rounds throughout 2023. The first three draws alone resulted in 6,900 invitations. These category-based draws now consistently show the lowest CRS scores in the Express Entry system.

IRCC prioritizes bilingual candidates

Candidates can now earn up to 50 additional CRS points for strong French language skills—even when French is their second language. The point system works this way for those scoring NCLC level 7 or higher on all four French language skills:

• 25 additional points with CLB level 4 or lower in English
• 50 additional points with CLB level 5 or higher in English

This bonus aligns with Canada's ambitious francophone immigration targets. The government plans to welcome 8.5% French-speaking immigrants in 2025, with an increase to 10% by 2027. The Official Languages Action Plan 2023-2028 backs this goal with INR 11,577 million over five years to boost Francophone immigration.

Provincial programs have started favoring bilingual applicants more. All but one of the eleven communities in the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot give extra points to bilingual candidates. Several Provincial Nominee Programs now prefer candidates with high French proficiency.

Candidates with French language skills should keep an eye on category-based selections for express entry next draw predictions. These selections will likely remain the most available path to permanent residence throughout 2025.

Express Entry pool grows despite score redistribution

The Express Entry pool has grown bigger despite what everyone expected after the LMIA policy changed point distribution. Numbers show the total candidate population kept growing in early 2025 even as thousands saw their scores drop.

Total profiles increase to 244,282

IRCC data shows 244,282 active profiles in the Express Entry pool as of April 14, 2025. The pool added 7,373 new candidates since mid-March. The pool grew larger even as high-scoring brackets saw dramatic drops.

People still show strong interest in Canadian immigration paths. The Express Entry pool has grown steadily through early 2025. It's now the biggest it's been in over a year. The pool's makeup looks different now, but interest remains strong.

Current Express Entry pool CRS distribution:

More competition in mid-score ranges

Mid-range score brackets have become much more packed. 71,542 candidates now sit in the 451-500 range, making it the most crowded segment. The 401-450 range has grown to 67,301 candidates.

Most profiles seem to have moved down rather than leaving the pool. The 461-470 range picked up 2,157 new profiles while the 451-460 range added 1,750. This shift has made competition tougher in these middle ranges.

Experts think Express Entry draw cut-offs will stay above 500 points until at least mid-2025, unless IRCC sends out more invitations. The latest draw score of 764 shows how competitive things have become, especially for provincial nominee draws.

Candidates in the pool should expect longer wait times unless their scores fall in the highest brackets. They might also qualify for special draws that target French speakers or specific provincial nominees.

IRCC confirms change is temporary but gives no end date

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has labeled the removal of LMIA points as an interim policy. The department hasn't shared any specific timeline about when these points might return to the express entry CRS score calculation.

Ministerial Instructions updated

The latest version of Ministerial Instructions from March 25, 2025 made this immigration policy move official. This update completely removed sections that awarded CRS points for arranged employment offers. Other parts of the Express Entry system remained unchanged. IRCC kept the definitions of qualifying job offers within the instructions but removed their point values.

The instructions still explain what makes a job offer eligible for immigration purposes. This shows the government values their importance in the immigration process. The strong framework remains ready if IRCC decides to bring back LMIA points after addressing fraud issues properly.

No timeline for reinstating LMIA points

IRCC's original press release from December 23, 2024 called this policy move a "temporary measure" to curb LMIA-related fraud. Former Immigration Minister Marc Miller explained the change would "reduce fraud by removing the incentive to illegally buy or sell labour market impact assessments to improve a candidate's chances" of receiving an invitation in an express entry next draw.

IRCC hasn't mentioned any target date to bring these points back. The government's official messages confirm this policy isn't permanent. However, there's no clear plan or criteria about when the express entry latest draw might include LMIA considerations again.

Candidates face challenges while planning their long-term immigration strategies. They must now assume job offers won't give CRS advantages anytime soon. The focus has moved to core human capital factors and provincial nominations instead.

Candidates must now rely on core human capital factors

Express Entry candidates must now rely on their core human qualities to stay competitive in upcoming draws since arranged employment points no longer count. The CRS calculation system has fundamentally changed how applicants position themselves in the pool based on their inherent qualities.

Age, education, language, experience

The detailed Ranking System assesses candidates through four main human capital factors. Point allocations vary based on marital status:

Younger applicants between 20-29 years get an automatic 110 points. Educational credentials carry substantial weight and add up to 150 points without a spouse. Language proficiency stands as the most valuable single factor, offering up to 160 points for candidates without spouses.

Canadian work experience adds up to 80 extra points. This experience must come from employment with a Canadian employer while physically present in Canada. Self-employment and work during full-time studies don't count toward these requirements.

No shortcuts via job offers

Candidates can't use LMIA-backed employment to boost their scores anymore. This change has spread thousands of profiles across the express entry pool. Many candidates who ranked high before saw their scores drop by 50-200 points.

Candidates must now maximize their core qualities through legitimate ways. Better language test scores can lead to substantial increases—up to 310 CRS points when combined with other factors. Getting additional credentials or international work experience can boost scores substantially.

The next express entry draw suggests candidates should focus on these inherent factors. IRCC states clearly: "You don't need a job offer to be successful under Express Entry". The system assesses applicants based on "their ability to integrate in the Canadian job market" through human capital characteristics.

Latest express entry draw score thresholds reflect candidates' genuine qualifications rather than their ability to get job offers. This arrangement matches IRCC's goal to select immigrants who showed success in Canada's labor market.

Provincial Nominee Programs adapt to new Express Entry rules

Canadian provinces are quick to reorganize their Provincial Nominee Programs as the Express Entry system gets a complete overhaul. The elimination of LMIA points and major changes in CRS score distributions have forced provinces to fine-tune their nomination strategies to work in the immigration system.

Provinces adjust nomination criteria

BC has made the boldest changes by closing many streams. The province will only accept 1,100 new applications in 2025. These limited spots now target front-line healthcare workers and entrepreneurs who can boost the economy. BC has stopped general occupation draws for 2025. The plan is to nominate just 100 high-impact candidates from its existing pool of over 10,000.

Saskatchewan made its move on March 27 with new Job Approval Forms and program updates. The federal government's decision to cut SINP's 2025 nomination allocation by 50% led to these changes.

The total Provincial Nominee Program allocation shows a big drop - from 110,000 in 2024 to just 55,000 in 2025. This reduction shows that Express Entry has become the main gateway for economic immigrants.

More emphasis on in-demand skills

Provinces are zeroing in on candidates with experience in high-demand sectors this year. Healthcare workers, especially those in front-line positions, get special attention in many provinces. BC's Health Authority stream now only accepts front-line healthcare professionals.

Category-based selections target people skilled in healthcare, social services, trades, and education. Priority goes to family physicians, nurse practitioners, dentists, carpenters, plumbers, teachers, and childcare educators.

PNPs have replaced general draws with targeted occupation lists that match regional economic needs. Saskatchewan requires candidates to have experience in high-skilled occupations (TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3) that the province needs. BC's education draws now focus only on fully qualified Early Childhood Educators, removing Early Childhood Educator Assistants from the list.

Conclusion

Canada's Express Entry system has changed dramatically after IRCC's March 2025 policy updates. The removal of LMIA points has altered the map of candidate distributions. Thousands of profiles have moved into mid-range CRS score brackets. Provincial Nominee Programs are now the foundations of achieving competitive scores. However, reduced PNP allocations point to greater federal control over immigrant selection.

The Express Entry pool currently has 244,282 candidates, which shows strong interest despite major point changes. Competition is fierce, especially when you have 71,542 candidates competing for invitations in the 451-500 range. French language skills give candidates an edge through category-based selections that have lower cut-off scores.

IRCC plans to welcome 124,680 permanent residents through Express Entry in 2025. This suggests we'll see bigger or more frequent draws soon. While LMIA point removal is labeled temporary, there's no timeline for bringing it back. Candidates must now focus on their core human capital factors. Healthcare workers, skilled trades professionals, and French-speaking candidates get special attention through targeted draws.

Candidates who want to succeed in Express Entry must adapt to these new rules. They need to build on their qualifications instead of depending on job offers. These changes match IRCC's goal to select immigrants who can thrive in Canada's job market over the long term.