Express entry immigration points system revealed before Jan. 1 launch

The details on Express Entry and some of the commentary:

A detailed list explaining how candidates will be ranked and selected based on the factors listed above was published in the Canada Gazette on Monday.

“Research shows these criteria will help ensure newcomers participate more fully in Canada’s economy and integrate more quickly into Canadian society,” Alexander said.

Richard Kurland, an immigration lawyer and policy analyst, has been supportive of some immigration changes made by the Conservatives, including the recent reform to the caregivers program.

However, when it comes to express entry, Kurland is concerned about the lack of openness.

“It is worth a try, but the design flaw is there is no transparency, oversight, or accountability for the operation of the new system. It is a recipe for political interference.”

“The result can be justified in any case, but you will never know why one identically qualified person was selected over another.”

Kurland said the government will in effect have full control in picking the winners and losers rather than processing applications on a first-come, first-served basis — as is the case now.

Morton Beiser, a professor of distinction at Ryerson University and founding director of the Centre of Excellence for Research on Immigration and Settlement CERIS based in Toronto, has been raising questions about the governments shift in policy for some months now.

After reviewing the governments new points system on Monday, Beiser said certain aspects are still unclear.

“Under the old regulations, it was clear that if someone scored above a certain threshold, they were considered eligible to be granted an immigration visa.… Under the current provisions, it’s less clear.”

While Beiser welcomed the say provinces will have about which immigrants come to Canada, hes skeptical of the role employers will play.

“It’s probably a good thing to give provinces more say in the process, but industry? This means that the immigration office becomes a recruitment office,” he said.

Like all policy and program changes, we shall only see in a number of years how well it works, both in an operational sense (6 months to entry) as well as outcomes (how well these immigrants do in the short and medium-term).

And why the Government doesn’t present the system in an easy to read table format as well as the more bureaucratic form in the Canada Gazette is beyond me (I created this simplified table to help me understand how it would work).

Express entry immigration points system revealed before Jan. 1 launch – Politics – CBC News.