Canada is preparing to overhaul its immigration system. This can make the path to permanent residency (PR) easier for those working in high-paying jobs. This change can be made in the CRS (Comprehensive Ranking System) implemented under the Express Entry system.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), which is part of Canada’s Department of Immigration, is considering a new “highway occupancy factor”. This will give candidates extra points based on the salary level of their job. This means that not only age, education, and language, but also the income level of the job can now play an important role in the selection process.
Under the proposal, jobs that pay 1.3 times, 1.5 times or 2 times the national average wage would benefit. The higher the salary category, the more CRS points a candidate can get. These numbers will be based on job class and its average salary level, not individual salary.
This change could have the biggest impact on occupations already considered high-income. Doctors, surgeons, senior government officials, and senior management positions can fall into double the pay category. Engineers, cybersecurity specialists, teachers, and other skilled occupations can fall into the 1.5 times salary category. In addition, some financial and technical trades may fall into the 1.3 times salary category.
However, no official list of these jobs has been released yet. These are just possible examples based on approximate data. It is compiled on the basis of Canadian salary data and the NOC code system.
The Canadian government believes that high-earning people will perform better financially when they arrive in Canada and contribute more to the country’s economy. So this new factor is being considered.
At present, all this change is in the proposal stage and is being sought from the public and experts. A final decision is expected in the next 12 to 18 months. However, some elements may already be applied.
If implemented, Canada’s PR system could significantly tilt toward “high-income skilled workers.” This will also change the competition for express entry.
