Immigration Minister Marc Miller Targets Fake Job Offers and LMIA Fraud in Immigration Overhaul
As international students and temporary workers face expiring visas, many are desperate for pathways to permanent residency.
Canada is preparing to clamp down on fraudulent job offers used to exploit its immigration system. Immigration Minister Marc Miller is considering eliminating the extra points awarded for employer-sponsored Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs).
Currently, Canada’s Express Entry system assigns bonus points to applicants who secure job offers validated by LMIAs, boosting their chances of gaining permanent residence. These 50 bonus points are increasingly seen as a target for abuse, with unscrupulous employers and recruiters charging tens of thousands of dollars for fraudulent job offers.
“There’s a value to LMIA, but it can’t be $70,000 on the black market,” Miller told The Toronto Star. “Not prejudicing people with bona fide LMIAs, but it’s a balancing act. I think it’s safe to say I’m seriously considering [removing it].”
The misuse of LMIAs comes at a critical time for Canada’s immigration system. As international students and temporary workers face expiring visas, many are desperate for pathways to permanent residency. This desperation has fueled a shadow market for fake job offers, which Miller admits has overwhelmed the capacity of enforcement authorities to tackle.
“We need to do more,” he acknowledged, emphasizing that eliminating the value of LMIAs for fraudsters could be a key step in addressing the issue.
The proposed crackdown on LMIA fraud coincides with other sweeping changes to Canada’s immigration policies. In response to criticism linking rapid population growth to housing shortages and affordability issues, Miller has already reduced permanent resident admissions by 20% and introduced caps on temporary resident permits.
Additionally, Canada faces a growing asylum claim backlog, compounded by expectations of increased irregular migration at the U.S. border under a potential second Trump presidency. Miller noted that Canada experienced a similar surge in irregular border crossings after Donald Trump’s first election in 2016, when mass deportation threats led many to seek refuge in Canada.
“When Canadians are saying we need to do a better job with migration, I don’t equate them with being anti-immigrant,” Miller said, acknowledging the public’s concerns about Canada’s capacity to absorb newcomers.
As Canada grapples with these challenges, Miller emphasized the need to safeguard the immigration system’s integrity, which has historically been a global model. Removing LMIA-based points from the Express Entry system could deter fraud while ensuring that genuine applicants aren’t penalized.
With public trust in immigration policies at stake, Miller’s proposed reforms aim to balance Canada’s reputation for openness with the practicalities of sustainable growth.