Recent proposals suggest that higher earnings will carry more weight than Canadian work experience in the competition for Canadian permanent residence under the Express Entry system.

Key changes include awarding points based on income levels, standardizing work experience eligibility, and merging all programs into one stream with unified requirements.

Specific changes involve standardizing language requirements, modifying the Comprehensive Ranking System factors, introducing job offer points, and eliminating the current point grid used by the Federal Skilled Worker Program.

These proposed changes are based on a slide deck shared with immigration lawyers and are part of IRCC’s plan to retire existing Express Entry programs and launch new initiatives.

New Eligibility Requirements for the Merged Program

Under the proposed system, all candidates would need at least a high school diploma and a minimum of one year of cumulative work experience in the last three years, whether in Canada or abroad. Language proficiency at CLB 6 (or NCLC 6 for French) would be mandatory for all applicants.