While possessing a job offer is not mandatory for those seeking to immigrate using the Express Entry system, applicants with an approved job offer (also called arranged employment) in hand will have a greater chance of being invited to apply for permanent residence.

Under current regulations, applicants with an arranged employment offer under National Occupational Code (NOC) TEER 0 major group 00 (senior management) will receive 200 points under their Comprehensive Ranking Score (CRS) score, while those with TEER 1, 2 or 3, or any TEER 0 other than major group 00 will receive 50 points.

Applicants who have received a job offer must add the following information to their Express Entry profiles:

• Employer name and address
• Start date of the job
• Labour Market Impact Assessment number or indicate that the job offer is LMIA-exempted
• NOC code related to the job

Job offers under the three different skilled immigration programs are subject to different requirements.

Job Offers under the Federal Skilled Worker Program and the Canadian Experience Class

A valid job offer under these programs must be:

• For work that is continuous, paid and full time (at least 30 hours a week)
• For work that is permanent and not seasonal
• For work that falls under TEER category 0, 1, 2 or 3  of the National Occupation Classification.

Applicants under these programs must also fulfill ONE of the following two conditions:

1. The employer making the job offer has obtained a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment from Employment and Social Development Canada.
2. The applicant is already working in Canada on a work permit that was issued based on a LMIA AND,
   1. The job falls under TEER category 0, 1, 2 or 3 of the NOC.
   2. The applicant is working for the employer that is listed on his or her work permit.
   3. The applicant is authorized to work in Canada on the day he or she applies for permanent residence.
   4. The applicant will be authorized to work in Canada on the day that a potential permanent residence visa is issued.
   5. The applicant’s current employer has offered the applicant a full-time job should the applicant be accepted for permanent residence. The offer must be for at least one year and have the same NOC Code as the applicant’s current job.

Job Offers under the Federal Skilled Trade Program

A valid job offer under the Federal Skilled Trade program must be:

• Made by one employer or by two employers simultaneously
• For continuous, full-time work (at least 30 hours per week)
• For work that will last at least one year
• For work that falls under the “Skilled Trade” section of the NOC database. These jobs will have codes that start with the following numbers:
• • 72
  • 73
  • 82
  • 83
  • 92
  • 93
  • 6320
  • 62200

Applicants under this program must also fulfill ONE of the following two conditions:

1. The employer making the job offer has obtained a positive LMIA from Employment and Social Development Canada.
2. The applicant is already working in Canada on a work permit that was issued based on an LMIA AND,
   1. The job is in a skilled trade (see section above).
   2. The applicant is working for the employer that is listed on his or her work permit.
   3. The applicant is authorized to work in Canada on the day he or she applies for permanent residence.
   4. The applicant will be authorized to work in Canada on the day that a potential permanent residence visa is issued.
   5. The applicant’s current employer has offered the applicant a full-time job should the applicant be accepted for permanent residence.

Other Requirements for All Applicants

In order for a job offer to be valid, an applicant must be able to convince Canadian immigration officials that they are capable of performing the job that they have been offered. If the relevant job is regulated in Canada, the applicant must also be able to show that they will be able to obtain any required licenses or certifications upon arriving in Canada.

Note: In Canada, the provincial governments are responsible for regulating trades and professions. Applicants are thus advised to contact the government of the specific province they wish to live in so that they can learn about relevant regulatory requirements.

A job offer will be INVALID if it consists of work at:

• An embassy in Canada
• A high commission in Canada
• A consulate in Canada