Canada is set to undertake significant changes aimed at its immigration policies, particularly related to the Express Entry system and the practice known as flagpoling. Immigration Minister Marc Miller announced these updates amid growing concerns around immigration fraud and the pressures faced by public services.
Starting spring 2025, significant modifications will be made to the Express Entry program. Notably, candidates will no longer benefit from additional points for holding job offers. This measure seeks to curb illegal practices where immigrants might buy Labor Market Impact Assessments (LMIAS) to boost their application competitiveness. "We are taking important steps to reduce fraud whilst continuing to attract the skilled talent our economy needs," remarked Miller, highlighting the government’s commitment to integrity within the immigration system.
Express Entry serves as Canada’s primary pathway for skilled workers seeking permanent residency under various programs, including the Federal Skilled Worker and the Canadian Experience Class. The government has acknowledged the importance of immigration for economic stability and growth, aiming to attract skilled professionals necessary for its labor market.
At the same time, the ban on flagpoling—where individuals on temporary visas would briefly leave Canada to cross back and access immigration services at ports of entry—has been introduced immediately. This practice had seen over 69,300 cases processed by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) during the last fiscal year, diverting resources away from significant border enforcement duties.
"Flagpoling is unnecessary and diverts resources from...enforcement activities," stated Public Safety Minister David McGuinty. The practice has often been criticized for enabling queue-jumping among applicants, allowing individuals to bypass lengthy application processes by re-entering Canada and applying at the border. Exceptions to this ban will apply for specific categories, including truck drivers and individuals covered under certain international agreements.
Immigration lawyer Eddie Kadri has been vocal about the concerns with the current immigration system and supports the limitation on flagpoling, noting, "We have an immigration system which needs to be completely reimagined, reinvented, and we need to bring down processing times." He argues this problem has led to frustrations among immigrants who find themselves waiting excessively long for applications to be processed, leading to practices like flagpoling.
The proposed changes reflect broader adjustments within Canada's immigration policies, which are also grappling with public sentiment shifts and the pressures of housing affordability. The government is expected to reduce overall immigration targets and focus more on balancing economic needs with the capacity to integrate newcomers.
Critics of these measures, including Conservative immigration critic Tom Kmiec, argue these actions are merely surface-level fixes rather than comprehensive reforms needed to address systemic fraud and inefficiencies. He has previously called for the Minister to appear before the Commons immigration committee to address concerns surrounding LMIA fraud directly.
Overall, Canada's immigration reforms signal both response to current challenges and proactive measures aimed at ensuring the system can support economic needs without compromising on integrity. These changes will undoubtedly shape the future immigration experience for many prospective migrants, particularly those from countries like India where aspiration to settle is high.
