One-Time Relief in Canada PR Eligibility - Canada Express Entry System

Updated on: 07 Sep 2023

Covid - 19 restrictions have forced students to study online over the past two years. Canada is now relaxing rules for Express Entry candidates, giving students a fair chance to apply for PR.

Students enrolled in Canadian universities had to complete their courses online through distance education. It affected their chance of getting a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score that would qualify them for PR under Express Entry. But now, as per IRCC’s (Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada) recent update, students who completed their courses online between March 2020 and August 2022 are eligible for Canadian educational credential points.

In the regular course, if more than 50% of the program was completed online through distance learning, it did not count for the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores. But considering the Covid-19 pandemic, a one-time relief to the Express Entry candidates is being given to ease the rules for PR eligibility.

According to IRCC, you are now eligible for CRS scores if you have a Canadian Degree, diploma, or certificate & completed parts of your program/training during the eligibility period, even if you completed the program entirely: 

• through distance learning,
• from outside Canada, or
• through part-time studies.

IRCC also mentioned that candidates who have claimed an education credential need to update their Express Entry profile. Update your Express Entry Profile by answering the following questions: 

• How much in-person study did the candidate complete to get the credential?
• How much study did the candidate complete in Canada?
• How much full-time studying did the candidate complete?

You may lose out on an invitation to apply for permanent residency if these fields are left unanswered, according to the IRCC webpage. Ensure that your Express Entry profile is up-to-date by August 2, 2022, so that you can be considered to be invited for permanent residence in the next Express Entry round.

• Permanent Residency PR 

First published date: 01 Aug 2022