Do you want to work and live in Canada? Brace yourself: The Canadian Immigration Department has just published updates for Express Entry candidates in 2025. Whether you are a skilled employee, a tradesperson, or a doctor, this new structure could be your path to permanent residency.
Step 1: Get An Employment Offer (The Key To Express Entry Success)
If you have your eyes set on Canada, your first action is to get an authentic employment offer. However, what is an authentic employment offer under the new Express Entry system? Below is what you are required to understand:
Your employment offer is required to include:
- Beginning date of job
- Name and address of employer
- Labor market impact assessment (LMIA) number (if relevant)
- The accurate National Occupational Classification (NOC) code
- Written verification informing your salary, employment responsibilities, and job requirements.
Note: A work permit is not an employment offer. Even with an open work permit, you still require a formal employment offer to be eligible for Express Entry.
Step 2: Who Can Apply? (Express Entry Sub-programs Clarified)
Canada’s Express Entry system comprises three sub-schemes, each with a special employment offer condition:
Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) And Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
- The employment is required to be full-time (30+ hours per week), reimbursed, and continuous.
- It is required to remain for a minimum of 12 months after getting permanent residency.
- It is required to be in a NOC TEER 0, 1,2, or 3 class.
- It must come from a boss with a new LMIA. If you already work in Canada with an LMIA-based employment permit, your present employer must provide you with full-time employment.
Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) For Skilled Tradespeople
- You can possess an employment offer from one or two employers.
- You must be in a qualified trade profession, such as welders, electricians, carpenters, and more.
- Employers must offer an authentic LMIA unless your present work permit is eligible for an exclusion.
Special Laws For Doctors
- If you applied after April 25, 2023, your employment offer does not need to be continuous for 12 months.
- You can still secure points under the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) and promote your Express Entry point.
Do You Need An Lmia Based On The New Update
A labor market impact assessment (LMIA) is a document ascertaining that no Canadian employee is obtainable for employment. In several cases, your employer must obtain an LMIA before providing employment.
For 2025, the Canadian Immigration Department has revised LMIA guidelines to match the new Express Entry structure. In several situations, your employer must obtain an LMIA before providing employment. Below is when an LMIA is needed:
You Require An LMIA If:
- You do not possess an authentic Canadian employment permit.
- Your present employment permit is expired.
- You are operating under an open work permit
- Your employment offer is from an employer not mentioned on your work permit.
You Do Not Require An LMIA If:
- You have operated full-time for the employer for at least 12 months under an authentic employment permit.
- Your work permit is excluded from an LMIA under foreign consensus (CUSMA, GATS), regional consensus, or unique Canadian interest schemes.
Step 3: Ascertain You Can Do The Job
Before your visa receives the green light, Canadian officers are required to be persuaded that:
- You can carry out the employment responsibilities.
- You satisfy the certification conditions in the region where you will work.
Every region has various laws; therefore, check the certifying authorities for your occupation before applying.
In conclusion, this key Express Entry update is placed to make it simpler for skilled employees to get an authentic employment offer and relocate to Canada without stress; if you are serious about making your move, this is the time to begin connecting, getting an LMIA-supported employment offer, and making sure you satisfy the qualification measures.