Difficult path to get PR in Canada! Government is going to close this system, know what will be the effect on students

Canada PR rule changes: Getting Canadian Permanent Residency (PR) is not going to be easy. Students looking to move to Canada are in for a shock as the government is considering removing Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) scores from the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) for the Express Entry program. LMIA is the document through which a company/employer proves that it cannot find Canadian workers for the job and now it has to hire a foreign worker.
Currently, securing a job through LMIA adds 50 points to the applicant’s CRS score. This also increases their chances of getting Permanent Residency (PR). Permanent residency through the Express Entry program is given only to those people who have a good CRS score. CRS score increases depending on factors like work experience, command of English language, age, educational qualification. But now there can be a direct loss of 50 points.

Why does Canada want to remove LMIA points from CRS?

The immigration system in Canada has recently been changed. The number of international students has been limited. For this reason, Indian students going from India to Canada to study have started increasing their points through LMIA, so that they can get PR. The Express Entry system allows eligible applicants to submit their information, after which Canadian officials select people through a draw of lots. Applicants who are selected receive an ‘Invitation to Apply’ (ITA).

After this they have to apply for permanent residency with all the details. During this, the applicant also has to show all the necessary documents. A job through LMIA not only extends the student’s time in Canada but also provides them with Canadian work experience. This also strengthens the PR application profile of the applicant. Experts say that students should get a good job so that their company pays the LMIA fees itself.

However, Canada says that jobs available through LMIA have become a source of fraud. Some fake job offer letters are being sold for tens of thousands of dollars. Because of this, certain applicants are getting an advantage over others. The government feels that removing LMIA points will curb its misuse and fake job offers. At the same time, genuine applicants will get benefits. The government wants that people should not be cheated.

What will be the impact of withdrawal of LMIA on students?

Students who depend on LMIA based jobs will now have to find other ways to increase their CRS points. After the removal of LMIA points, some companies may stop hiring foreign workers, which will make it difficult for students studying in Canada to get jobs. Students will now have to think about scoring more points in certification or language tests to increase their CRS score.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Tirath Singh, educational consultant at Punjab-based Pinnacle Education, said, “Without LMIA points, smart but financially weak students will benefit as they will no longer have to compete with fake ones. “There will be a level playing field, with emphasis on factors such as education, work experience and language skills.”

Experts say that students should take tests like IELTS or CELPIP again, so that they can get maximum score in CRS ranking. Students should look into employment opportunities through the Canadian Work Experience and Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP). Even today these factors are given priority in PR applications.