Canada’s Express Entry sees major drop in CRS scores

Key Takeaways

• After March 25, 2025, Express Entry no longer gives CRS points for arranged employment.
• CRS score drops pushed 5,740 candidates from the 501-600 band to lower ranges immediately.
• Candidates without job offers now have comparatively improved chances in Express Entry draws.

Canada 🇨🇦’s skilled worker immigration has just seen a big shake-up. Since March 25, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) stopped giving extra points in the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) for arranged employment. This change hit the Express Entry system fast and hard. With these extra points gone, thousands of people hoping to make Canada 🇨🇦 their new home saw their CRS scores drop overnight, sometimes by as much as 200 points.

Let’s break down what this means for everyone involved, from hopeful immigrants to employers, and what the numbers tell us about the new landscape as reported by VisaVerge.com and leading industry sources.

What Changed in the CRS System?

Before March 25, 2025, Canada 🇨🇦 rewarded Express Entry candidates who had an arranged job offer. If you had a valid job offer from a Canadian employer, you could collect 50 extra CRS points (most job offers) or even 200 CRS points for top management jobs. This policy made a huge difference. Those bonus points often boosted candidates above the cut-off needed to get an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence.

After March 25, 2025, these CRS points for arranged employment disappeared. Now, Express Entry candidates with valid job offers get no special boost to their scores. People who were counting on those points saw an instant drop in their CRS scores—their chance to get permanent residence through Express Entry became much slimmer overnight.

How Did This Affect CRS Scores and the Express Entry Pool?

The impact was quick and clear. When IRCC took away those extra points, many candidates dropped to lower CRS score bands. Here’s what happened according to data from multiple immigration consultancies:

• The biggest fall happened in the CRS 501–600 range, which saw 5,740 fewer candidate profiles between March 16 and April 14, 2025.
• Additional drops happened in CRS 491–500 (down 1,618 profiles) and 481–490 (down 984 profiles).
• These people didn’t just leave the pool; they were moved to lower score brackets:
  • The 461–470 range grew by 2,157 profiles.
  • The 451–460 range went up by 1,750 profiles.
  • The 401–450 range added 5,814 profiles.

Here is a simple breakdown:

Even with these drops in the top score bands, the total number of people in the pool actually increased by 7,373 during this time. This tells us that more people were entering Express Entry, but most found themselves in lower CRS score ranges than before.

Who Lost Out and Who Gained?

This policy change made things harder for candidates who had counted on arranged employment to boost their CRS scores:

• If you had a valid job offer, you lost up to 50 or 200 points—sometimes just enough to fall below the last draw’s cut-off. Many lost their advantage and now sit in a much lower score band.
• This loss can be the difference between getting an ITA and staying in the pool for months or even years longer, waiting and hoping.

But for people who entered Express Entry without a job offer, the change brought a ray of hope. Why? Their relative position got stronger:

• Candidates who never had a job offer are now closer to the top of the rankings because the competition fell back. Their chances of getting an ITA could rise, especially if the CRS cut-off for draws comes down in the future.

This creates a shifting environment where the competition is more open to everyone, not just those who managed to secure Canadian job offers ahead of time.

What Could Happen Next with Express Entry Draws?

With thousands of top scoring candidates shifted lower, the average CRS score in the Express Entry pool is expected to fall. Fewer people now have scores above 500. It’s likely that the cut-off score to receive an ITA—basically the “pass mark”—will go down in the coming months.

• More people with scores in the 450s and 460s may start to receive ITAs, as the pool is now made up of more candidates with mid-level scores.
• Recent statements from migration advisers suggest: “It is not yet clear how this change will impact future Express Entry draws… but we can expect a decrease in cut-off scores.”
• This could make Express Entry more attractive for people who have good skills and language ability but found it hard to get a job offer from a Canadian employer before moving.

Here’s what this could mean for you if you’re thinking about moving to Canada 🇨🇦 through Express Entry:

• If your CRS score is in the mid-400s or low 400s, your chances could improve, but there’s no guarantee as future draw sizes and frequencies still depend on IRCC policies.

The Bigger Picture: Why Did the IRCC Make This Change?

The policy aim is all about fairness and making sure Canada 🇨🇦 picks immigrants based on their own merit, not just who they know or who’s able to get a job offer. Some worry that giving a job offer too much weight makes the process unfair, as not everyone has the same connections or gets access to a Canadian employer from overseas.

Now, arranged employment won’t directly give you bonus points in Express Entry. But this doesn’t mean Canadian employers can’t bring in foreign workers through other programs:

• Employers can still use the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) process. With an LMIA, employers show they couldn’t find a Canadian for the job and can then sponsor a foreign worker.
• Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) are still in place. Provinces can select candidates based on local job needs, and some PNP streams are designed for people with job offers.

So, employers will have to look more closely at these other ways to bring talent to Canada 🇨🇦, but Express Entry is now less influenced by arranged employment.

What Should Candidates Do Now?

If you are in the Express Entry pool, or planning to enter, here’s what you need to know:

1. Check Your CRS Score Regularly: With the rules around arranged employment changing, you need to know exactly where you stand in the new system. Visit the official Government of Canada’s CRS tool to calculate your score and see how competitive you are.
2. Focus on Language and Skills: Since arranged employment no longer gives you extra points, make sure you have the best possible language scores and work experience. Improving your English or French can add a lot of points to your CRS score.
3. Look Beyond Express Entry: Remember, Express Entry isn’t the only way to get permanent residence. Provincial programs and employer sponsorship through LMIA are still open, and may even become more important after this change.
4. Follow IRCC Announcements: The immigration rules in Canada 🇨🇦 change often. Check in with Canadian government websites or trusted sources like VisaVerge.com so you don’t miss new updates.

What Does This Mean for Employers in Canada 🇨🇦?

For businesses, supporting a foreign worker with a job offer no longer gives that person an edge in Express Entry. This means:

• Employers might find it a bit tougher to use Express Entry to bring in foreign staff, especially when there’s no longer a direct benefit in CRS scores for arranged employment.
• It may shift hiring focus to programs where arranged employment is still rewarded, like certain streams within Provincial Nominee Programs or through the LMIA process.
• Companies that need workers quickly or with very certain skills could be affected, as Express Entry will now favor well-rounded candidates more than those simply with a job offer.

Still, Canada 🇨🇦 remains open to skilled workers, but the path now relies more heavily on your language skills, education, and work experience than just having a job offer lined up.

What Was the Public Reaction and Are There Any Controversies?

Like all big rule changes, this one has sparked a lot of talk and even some disagreements:

• Many candidates and immigration lawyers say this brings more fairness since not everyone could access Canadian job offers—especially those applying from abroad.
• Others argue that it now ignores the real value of arranged employment, which shows a candidate already fits the Canadian job market.
• Some business groups worry they’ll lose tools for attracting skilled foreign talent quickly, especially in industries facing worker shortages.
• IRCC has said that the move will balance the system, making sure immigrants are picked more for their personal qualities and potential than for having job ties.

It’s too soon to say if the change will make it harder or easier for Canada 🇨🇦 to get the skilled workers it needs, but for now, Express Entry’s doors seem a bit wider for those without a job offer.

Final Thoughts and What Comes Next

In short, Canada 🇨🇦’s Express Entry just became a more level playing field. Losing the extra CRS points for arranged employment caused a mass shift of thousands of people to lower score bands. The most affected were those who’d lined up job offers expecting a big boost, while many other skilled workers now find themselves in a stronger position.

If you have a mid-range CRS score and good language skills, the future could be bright—especially if the IRCC lowers the cut-off scores in future draws. For those with job offers, it’s time to look at other immigration paths or to work on boosting other parts of your profile.

This change signals that Canadian immigration is always evolving. Whether it makes it easier or harder for you depends on your own background, skills, and where you focus your efforts next.

For the most reliable, up-to-date information on Express Entry, CRS scores, and all changes tied to arranged employment, always check government sources or trusted sites like VisaVerge.com. Canada 🇨🇦 continues to welcome skilled newcomers—and now, more than ever, what you bring to the table matters most.

Learn Today

CRS (Comprehensive Ranking System) → A scoring system used to rank Express Entry candidates for Canadian immigration based on factors like skills and experience.
Arranged Employment → A valid job offer from a Canadian employer, previously giving candidates extra CRS points under Express Entry.
ITA (Invitation to Apply) → A formal invitation given to high-ranking Express Entry candidates to apply for permanent residence in Canada.
Express Entry → Canada’s online immigration management system for skilled foreign workers applying for permanent residence.
Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) → A government-required process showing a Canadian employer could not find a local worker before hiring foreign staff.

This Article in a Nutshell

Canada’s immigration system has shifted—since March 25, 2025, Express Entry no longer rewards arranged employment with extra CRS points. Thousands dropped in rank, but this change gives hope to those without job offers. The new focus is on candidates’ own skills, language ability, and education above all.
— By VisaVerge.com

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