IMMIGRATION
I
mpactful changes are being considered 
for Canada’s federal high-skilled immi-
gration programs, alongside a potential 
realignment of the Comprehensive 
Ranking System (CRS) used within Express 
Entry. Most are over a year away from 
becoming reality, but their potential impact 
on permanent residency pathways has 
employers and mobility partners on alert.
At a high level, Immigration, Refugees 
and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is moving 
to consolidate the Federal Skilled Worker 
Program, Canadian Experience Class and 
the Federal Skilled Trades Program into a 
single federal pathway managed through 
Express Entry. Amendments to the CRS 
itself are being tabled with the goal of 
simplifying the system and sharpening its 
focus on economic outcomes and labour 
market alignment.
These changes signal a step towards a 
clearer, more streamlined path to perma-
nent residency. As CERC states in its 
submission: “Employers and globally 
mobile talent will benefit from clearer 
rules, reduced administrative complexity 
and a selection model that better reflects 
real labour-market needs.”
AT A GLANCE
Numerous changes to the CRS are being 
tabled. First, policymakers are exploring 
ways to tie CRS points more directly to 
Canadian labour market outcomes in 
high-wage roles. For example, one model 
would set the threshold at two times the 
national median wage for occupations 
such as physicians or university professors, 
while lower thresholds (e.g., 1.5 or 1.3 
times the median wage) would apply to 
roles like engineers, teachers, transporta-
tion managers or skilled trades.
“That would mark a notable shift,” says 
Evelyn Ackah, managing lawyer and CEO 
with Ackah Law. “Rather than focusing 
primarily on whether someone has a job 
offer, the system would place more weight 
on earning potential. In that sense, selec-
tion moves toward higher-wage occupa-
tions, with a defined benchmark deter-
mining who qualifies.”
There are further discussions around 
reintroducing points for job offers, but 
only where they align with high-wage 
thresholds. As Cristina Guida, partner and 
corporate immigration practice director 
with Green & Spiegel, explains: “They 
By Matthew Bradford
As IRCC moves to consolidate programs, relocation stands to be 
heavily impacted by the adjustments
BRACING FOR 
IMMIGRATION 
CHANGE
want to reward job offers or Canadian 
work experience in high-wage occupations. 
That’s their way of attracting top talent, 
particularly executives.”
Under the current point rankings, Guida 
continues, older executives with extensive 
experience and families face a harder 
time being selected, and more so with the 
removal of the 200-point job offer bonus 
for arranged employment. “By shifting 
toward earnings-based predictors, where 
a specific salary level or role creates eligi-
bility, it opens the door for higher-earning 
candidates who are currently screened 
out,” she says.
In addition to these changes, there are 
proposals to simplify baseline eligibility by 
introducing a standardized requirement of 
one year of skilled work experience within 
the past three years across TEER 0 to 3 
occupations. TEER 0 jobs are manage-
ment occupations, e.g., a public relations 
manager. TEER 1 jobs are those which 
generally require a university degree, e.g., 
a software engineer. TEER 2 jobs gener-
ally require a college diploma or some 
form of apprenticeship training that lasts 
two or more years.  
Summer 2026  PERSPECTIVES  13

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