Canada removes bonus ranking points for job offers in Express Entry system

Canada’s Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced that, effective March 25th, 2025, bonus Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points for job offers will no longer be awarded to Express Entry candidates.

This change will affect both current candidates in the Express Entry pool and future applicants, impacting the path to permanent residence (PR) for many.

Immigration News Canada (INC) cites that the elimination of these bonus CRS points removes a key advantage for candidates with arranged employment.

Previously, candidates could earn up to 200 additional CRS points for senior management positions and 50 points for other skilled job offers.

These points often helped candidates rank higher in the pool and improve their chances of receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence. As of March 25th, 2025, this benefit will no longer be available.

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Details of the policy update 

The policy change applies to both existing candidates and those planning to apply after March 25th. Before the change, candidates with a valid job offer supported by a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) could earn 200 points for senior management positions and 50 points for other skilled jobs.

• These bonus points were instrumental in propelling candidates to the top of the Express Entry pool, increasing their likelihood of receiving an ITA.

However, with the new policy, these additional points will no longer be awarded. IRCC described this change as a “temporary measure” in a press release dated December 23, 2024, but has not provided a timeline for when or if the bonus points will be reinstated.

• The Ministerial Instructions updated on March 25, 2025, keep the definition of a valid job offer but remove the section that awarded points for them. For candidates who depended on these points, the change takes effect immediately.

Meaning that the updated rules from March 25th, 2025, still explain what counts as a valid job offer, but they no longer give extra points for having one. Candidates who were relying on these points will notice the change right away.

What remains unchanged? 

Although the bonus points for job offers will be eliminated, job offers continue to be an important factor for eligibility in certain immigration programs:

• Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP): A valid job offer remains a requirement for eligibility.
• Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP): Job offers can still help candidates meet minimum eligibility criteria.
• Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs): Some PNP streams continue to require or benefit from job offers.

However, these job offers will no longer provide additional CRS points, which had previously helped candidates improve their scores.

Reasons behind the change 

While the full reasoning behind IRCC’s decision to remove bonus points has not been clearly outlined, reports inform that some possible explanations have emerged.

One theory is that IRCC may be aiming to level the playing field by prioritizing candidates based on factors such as education, language skills, and work experience, rather than those with employer connections.

Another possibility is that the move is a response to concerns over the authenticity of job offers and Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs), though IRCC has not explicitly tied this change to fraud prevention. Economic factors may also be a consideration, as Canada’s labor market evolves and certain industries experience fluctuations in demand for skilled workers.

Impact on candidates 

The removal of job offer points will directly affect current candidates in the Express Entry pool. Those who were depending on these bonus points for job offers may see a decrease in their CRS score, which could impact their chances of receiving an ITA in future draws. IRCC has advised applicants to allow several days for their CRS scores to update and to avoid contacting the agency unless discrepancies remain after a week.

For future applicants, the playing field has shifted. Without the bonus points, candidates will need to focus on maximizing other aspects of their profile, such as language proficiency, Canadian education, or work experience, to stay competitive in the pool.

Candidates who have already received an ITA or are in the process of applying for permanent residence will not be affected. Their points from job offers remain unchanged.

What candidates can do now 

Candidates seeking to improve their CRS scores can still take steps to strengthen their profiles:

• Enhance language scores: Higher language proficiency can add valuable points.

• Pursue additional education: New qualifications can increase the education score.

• Gain Canadian work experience: This can add up to 200 points.

• Consider Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs): A provincial nomination can provide 600 points.

• Utilize a spouse’s profile: A partner’s qualifications can add up to 40 points.

As of March 25th, 2025, the immigration process has become more competitive, and candidates will need to adapt to the new system by focusing on other ways to improve their CRS scores. The full long-term effects of this policy change remain to be seen.

Canada removes bonus ranking points for job offers in Express Entry system

nairametrics

US to Nigerians: Overstaying visa attracts permanent ban

The US government has issued a harsh warning to Nigerian travelers about the serious repercussions of overstaying their visas, underlining that violators may face lifelong bans from re-entering the nation.

The US Mission in Nigeria issued the warning on Monday via its X.

The immigration authorities stressed that consular officials have access to an individual’s entire immigration history, making it practically impossible to dodge sanctions for previous infractions.

They also stated that passengers are responsible for conforming to the restrictions of their visa and that ignorance of visa regulations will not be recognised as an explanation.

“If you overstay your US visa, you could face a permanent ban on travelling to the United States. Consular officers have full access to your immigration history and will know about past violations. There is no such thing as an ‘honest mistake’ – it is your responsibility to use your visa correctly,” the US Mission stated.

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It was gathered that those who overstay their visa for more than 180 days but less than a year may face a three-year re-entry ban. If the overstay exceeds one year, the penalty could be a 10-year ban.

Repeat offenders and those with major offences face a permanent lifetime ban.

Since Trump’s return as president, America’s immigration policies have been stricter.

On February 16, 2025, the federal government expressed great concern regarding the deportation of its people from the United States, requesting Washington to follow international treaties and ensure a dignified repatriation procedure.

During a meeting with the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills Jr, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, underlined the emotional and financial hardship that these deportations are putting on Nigerians in the US and their families at home.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu stated that “about 201 Nigerians are currently detained in US immigration centres, with around 85 cleared for deportation,” adding that the government was advocating for a more humane approach to the process.

“With the new US administration in place, we expect commitments to ensure that, if repatriation occurs, it will be done with dignity,” she said.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu emphasised that many Nigerians in the US rely on remittances to support their families and education back home.

She also emphasised that deportations, particularly for those with no violent criminal history, should not be abrupt or traumatic.

“We are asking as a country whether they will be given ample time to handle their assets, or will they just be bundled into planes and repatriated?” She questioned.

US to Nigerians: Overstaying visa attracts permanent ban

2 Nigerians in US face heavy jail term over fraud

Two Nigerian nationals based in the United States, Solomon Aluko and Nosakhare Nobore, alongside four others, are facing a possible 62-year prison sentence each after being arraigned before a New York court for allegedly defrauding the U.S. government of $50 million.

It was gathered from a court document obtained on the US Department of Justice website on Sunday that the suspects were arraigned on four counts bordering on conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, engaging in a monetary transaction in property derived from specified unlawful activity, conspiracy to defraud the government, and aggravated identity theft.

The court document indicated that the suspects committed the offences between March 2020 and March 2025, in the Southern District of New York and across other places in the US.

The charge sheet noted that “the defendants, and others, worked together to steal money that did not belong to them by passing counterfeit, stolen, and fraudulently obtained cheques. They submitted the cheques to banks and then withdrew or transferred funds before the banks could determine that the cheques were counterfeit, stolen, or fraudulent.”

According to the document, the defendants allegedly stole information and identities of different individuals and businesses and used the information and identities to open bank accounts through one of their members, who was a bank teller at the time.

The bank accounts were allegedly used to deposit fraudulently obtained cheques from different US agencies.

It continued, “Once the cheques were deposited, the defendants withdrew the fraudulently obtained funds in cash or transferred them to other bank accounts under their control.

“Throughout their scheme, the defendants attempted to obtain approximately $80 million in total. They succeeded in depositing approximately $50 million.”

In a statement accompanying the document on the DoJ website, it was revealed that the suspects created a ‘fraud bible’, which contained specific instructions on how each member of the syndicate would operate.

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It further noted that the syndicate also openly communicated its operations via a Telegram group where discussions on their operations were held.

Commenting on the activities of the syndicate, the statement quoted the US FBI Acting Assistant Director, Leslie R. Backschies, as saying, “These six defendants allegedly used sham businesses, stolen, and fake identities to operate a multi-year cheque fraud scheme, resulting in $50 million in illicit funds being deposited into their accounts.

“The defendants brazenly attempted to exploit multiple United States government programmes in their attempts to illegally enrich themselves. The FBI will continue to ensure fraudsters attempting to lie, cheat, and steal from the government answer for their crimes in the criminal justice system.”

Similarly, the US IRS Special Agent in Charge of the case, Harry Chavis, said, “This group of suspects openly communicated about their fraud, taking pride in the multiple schemes that stole nearly $50 million from the American public.

“They lied and cheated a benefits system meant to help struggling businesses that need it, all while stealing cheques from agencies that assist the elderly and veterans. This gang of ‘bag hunters’ will now face justice for multiple charges.”

Following their indictment, the statement noted that the suspects could be sentenced to 62 years imprisonment each for the four counts.

It acknowledged that the defendants were presumed innocent until proven guilty by the court.

“Anand, 34, of Queens, New York; Nobore, 29, of Edgewater, New Jersey; Pappas, 28, of Miami, Florida; Ujkic, 44, of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida; Aluko, 29, of Hackensack, New Jersey; and Gonzalez, 28, of North Bergen, New Jersey, are each charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison; conspiracy to commit money laundering and engaging in a monetary transaction in property derived from specific unlawful activity, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; conspiracy to defraud the government, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; and aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory sentence of two years in prison.

“The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.

“The charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty,” the statement concluded.

2 Nigerians in US face heavy jail term over fraud

(Punch)