A dramatic shakeup in Canada’s Express Entry (EE) immigration system has sent shockwaves through thousands of applicants, as many who were once top-ranked candidates suddenly lost their competitive edge. Simultaneously, the province of Manitoba has rolled out an emergency open work permit program to shield certain Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) applicants from losing their legal status.

Together, these developments signal a fundamental reshuffling of Canada’s immigration landscape.

---

Federal Shakeup: Over 8,000 Candidates Demoted Overnight

As of March 25, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) implemented a significant policy change: the removal of Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) bonus points for those with a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), a move that immediately disrupted the EE pool.

Applicants who had previously received a 50- or 200-point boost through LMIA sponsorship saw their CRS scores plummet—many falling out of the high-score range critical to securing an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residency.

According to official data, the changes resulted in:

• A reduction of 5,740 candidates in the 501–600 score range;
• 1,618 fewer in the 491–500 range;
• And 984 fewer in the 481–490 range.

In total, 8,342 high-ranking candidates were effectively “downgraded” to lower tiers, losing their priority advantage in the selection process.

“This is one of the most extensive internal redistributions we’ve seen,” one immigration consultant told us privately. “People spent years building a competitive profile, only to have it unravel overnight.”

Though the overall EE candidate pool grew by 7,373 individuals over the same period, analysts say this increase primarily reflects a reshuffling, not an influx of new hopefuls.

---

Manitoba’s Emergency Work Permits: A Lifeline for PNP Hopefuls

In response to growing status uncertainty, the Manitoba government announced a temporary open work permit initiative targeting certain MPNP (Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program) candidates. The policy is designed to help those whose existing permits are expiring—but who have not yet reached the federal PR stage—remain legally employed.

Applicants are eligible if they meet all of the following criteria:

• Their current work permit will expire within 45 days, or already expired in 2024 or 2025;
• They have continuously resided in Manitoba since before January 15, 2025;
• They held a valid Expression of Interest (EOI) in the MPNP system as of January 15, 2025, and it remains active;
• They can provide a letter of employment from a Manitoba employer;
• And they meet IRCC’s general criteria for work permit applications.

Starting April 22, 2025, eligible candidates can apply online for a “support letter” from the province, which can then be submitted to IRCC as part of an open work permit application. The program ends December 31, 2025.

However, those who have already received a formal Letter of Advice to Apply (LAA) under the MPNP are not eligible.

“This is our way of closing a gap that’s left too many people in limbo,” said one provincial immigration official. “We need these workers, and they deserve a chance to stay while their PR files are being processed.”

---

The Legal Status Crisis: Falling Through the Cracks

While federal authorities claim the removal of LMIA bonuses is meant to shift focus toward applicants’ own education, language, and work experience, the abruptness of the change has exposed a systemic vulnerability: many applicants now find themselves without a valid work permit, without PR status, and without options.

For example, those with expired post-graduation work permits (PGWPs), or who are no longer eligible for new LMIAs due to low-wage job restrictions, now face the possibility of forced departure.

“I had a 490+ score thanks to LMIA,” said one Chinese applicant who declined to be named. “Now I’m in the 430s. My permit expires in July. I don’t know what to do.”

Employers are also facing fallout. In regions where labour shortages remain acute, losing a vetted and experienced worker due to red tape is both disruptive and demoralizing.

---

Policy Overhaul or Crisis of Trust?

For IRCC, the aim may be to refine the EE system to better align with long-term labour goals. But critics argue the suddenness and lack of transitional safeguards are eroding trust in Canada’s immigration process.

Sandra Blair, a veteran policy analyst, warns that this is “not a tweak—it’s a redefinition of value in the selection process. The problem is, real people are paying the price.”

She adds: “There should have been a grace period. This is like mid-flight course correction without notifying the passengers. People are crashing.”

---

Conclusion: In Search of Certainty Amid a Shifting System

While Manitoba steps in to offer temporary relief, and IRCC defends its structural overhaul, applicants caught in the middle are left with more questions than answers.

To them, immigration is not just a score or a category—it’s a life plan. A job. A home. A future. And when that path becomes opaque, the credibility of the system itself is at stake.