A member with CRS 406 asked whether a job offer letter from a friend's company in Alberta could help boost their score.
- Without an LMIA, you cannot claim job-offer points — this was stated flatly and repeated by multiple members. A personal offer letter alone, no matter how genuine, doesn't count toward CRS unless it's backed by LMIA.
- Getting an LMIA is described as extremely difficult, so members cautioned against assuming this is an easy fix just because you have a personal connection at the company.
- The employer has to secure the LMIA for the specific position/NOC — one member pointed out that your friend's company would still need to go through the LMIA process tied to your particular NOC, not just issue a letter.
Takeaway: a job offer from a personal connection is not a CRS shortcut — the employer must obtain an LMIA for your specific NOC before the offer carries any CRS weight, and that process is genuinely difficult to secure.