Express Entry: New provincial questions

Summary#

The Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, Marc Miller, issued amendments to the Ministerial Instructions Respecting the Express Entry System on June 26, 2024. The changes add new questions to Express Entry profiles about where candidates live, where they worked, and where they studied in Canada.

What it does#

• Amends subsection 7(1) of the instructions to collect additional information from Express Entry candidates, including:
  • whether they currently live in Canada and, if so, which province;
  • the province where they gained their work experience;
  • whether they have studied in Canada, the province where they studied, and, if applicable, the designated learning institution number for that school.
• The instructions take effect immediately (the notice is dated June 26, 2024).
• The notice does not explain how this extra information will be used in selection, ranking, or decision-making.

Who's affected#

• People who create or already have an Express Entry profile or who plan to apply through Express Entry.
• Immigration representatives and employers who help prepare Express Entry profiles.
• The federal department named in the notice, the Department of Citizenship and Immigration, which will collect the additional details.
• It is not clear from the notice whether provinces, territories, or other programs will gain direct access to these new data fields or how they will be applied.

Why it matters#

• Express Entry profiles will now include more province-level detail about residence, work history and Canadian study.
• That extra detail could change how candidates are identified, contacted, reported on, or coordinated with provincial programs — but the notice does not state any specific new uses.
• For applicants, this means providing more specific personal and education/work-location information when they update or submit a profile.