PGWP holder with CSR score of 509. Is this enough for EE? If not, which options should I commit to to earn more points?

[raremt99]

My profile:

1. Never Married
   
   
2. 29
   
   
3. Two Canadian certificates/degrees/diplomas with one being a 3+ year program (I'm in Canada on a PGWP)
   
   
4. IELTS maxed out
   
   
5. 1 year NOC TEER 1 job experience (permanent, full-time, currently working) with the same employer in Ontario, and less than one year foreign work experience
   
   
6. Currently working continuously with the same employer that offered me a job a year ago, and I am exempt from an LMIA as a PGWP holder. So I guess that means I have a job offer but not an LMIA? Hence I answered "no" for this on the CRS tool calculator.
   
   
7. I have a sibling who is a Canadian PR/citizen

Putting that all into the CRS tool calculator (https://ircc.canada.ca/english/immigrate/skilled/crs-tool.asp) gives me 509 points.

Are these points enough or should I get more? If I'm to get more I see four ways I can do so.

1. Under 4) (language ability) I could try to get NCLC/CLB 5 in French. I took some French courses in college, but would still need several months of dedicated effort and hiring a tutor to help brush me up. Though this would cost hundreds of dollars (including the TCF/TEF fee), and only get me 4 additional CRS points (513 total). Getting to NCLC/CLB is an even bigger leap and investment. Even if it gives an extra 50 points (559 total), it's not achievable in the near future.
   
   
2. Under 5) (foreign work experience) I could go back abroad to work for a few months and accumulate a year of foreign work experience. This would get me 38 points (547 total). But that's not ideal. Neither logistically nor in terms of career growth.
   
   
3. Under 6) (valid job offer + LMIA) I could ask my employer for an LMIA. This would get me 50 points (559 total)... Though I heard this is a $1000 and six month process, so it's not an easy ask, and what if it's denied? For context, I work in marketing for a mid-sized subsidiary of a big corporation. My position required a degree in a related major. I'm sure there are Canadian PRs/citizens who could replace me, especially since I'm just in a junior position. So would I get fired and replaced if the LMIA is denied?
   
   
4. Under 6) (Canadian work experience) I work for another year in Canada. This would get me another 13 points (522 total). But it's not ideal because next year I would lose 5 points due to hitting 30 y.o. and it also gets too close to the expiry of my PGWP (14 months from now).

 

[scylla]

My profile:

1. Never Married
   
   
2. 29
   
   
3. Two Canadian certificates/degrees/diplomas with one being a 3+ year program (I'm in Canada on a PGWP)
   
   
4. IELTS maxed out
   
   
5. 1 year NOC TEER 1 job experience (permanent, full-time, currently working) with the same employer in Ontario, and less than one year foreign work experience
   
   
6. Currently working continuously with the same employer that offered me a job a year ago, and I am exempt from an LMIA as a PGWP holder. So I guess that means I have a job offer but not an LMIA? Hence I answered "no" for this on the CRS tool calculator.
   
   
7. I have a sibling who is a Canadian PR/citizen

Putting that all into the CRS tool calculator (https://ircc.canada.ca/english/immigrate/skilled/crs-tool.asp) gives me 509 points.

Are these points enough or should I get more? If I'm to get more I see four ways I can do so.

1. Under 4) (language ability) I could try to get NCLC/CLB 5 in French. I took some French courses in college, but would still need several months of dedicated effort and hiring a tutor to help brush me up. Though this would cost hundreds of dollars (including the TCF/TEF fee), and only get me 4 additional CRS points (513 total). Getting to NCLC/CLB is an even bigger leap and investment. Even if it gives an extra 50 points (559 total), it's not achievable in the near future.
   
   
2. Under 5) (foreign work experience) I could go back abroad to work for a few months and accumulate a year of foreign work experience. This would get me 38 points (547 total). But that's not ideal. Neither logistically nor in terms of career growth.
   
   
3. Under 6) (valid job offer + LMIA) I could ask my employer for an LMIA. This would get me 50 points (559 total)... Though I heard this is a $1000 and six month process, so it's not an easy ask, and what if it's denied? For context, I work in marketing for a mid-sized subsidiary of a big corporation. My position required a degree in a related major. I'm sure there are Canadian PRs/citizens who could replace me, especially since I'm just in a junior position. So would I get fired and replaced if the LMIA is denied?
   
   
4. Under 6) (Canadian work experience) I work for another year in Canada. This would get me another 13 points (522 total). But it's not ideal because next year I would lose 5 points due to hitting 30 y.o. and it also gets too close to the expiry of my PGWP (14 months from now).

I would try to do 1 and 3 in parallel. Start the French right away and see if your employer will go for an LMIA. I don't understand the bit about being fired if the LMIA isn't approved.

 

[raremt99]

I would try to do 1 and 3 in parallel. Start the French right away and see if your employer will go for an LMIA. I don't understand the bit about being fired if the LMIA isn't approved.

Alright. I actually don't understand what happens if an LMIA isn't approved. That was a question on my part.

I just looked into how to ask an employer for an LMIA. I saw that the wage needs to be equal to or higher than the median according to the job bank. Currently I'm working under that median because I'm just a junior. While I'm sure my employer would be willing to pay the $1000 fee to apply for an LMIA, I'm not sure they'd be willing to increase my wage up to the median just because that's a huge jump.

Thoughts on how I should approach asking?

 

[scylla]

Alright. I actually don't understand what happens if an LMIA isn't approved. That was a question on my part.

I just looked into how to ask an employer for an LMIA. I saw that the wage needs to be equal to or higher than the median according to the job bank. Currently I'm working under that median because I'm just a junior. While I'm sure my employer would be willing to pay the $1000 fee to apply for an LMIA, I'm not sure they'd be willing to increase my wage up to the median just because that's a huge jump.

Thoughts on how I should approach asking?

I really can't answer that question. It would depend on so many factors including what company you work for, if they are a large company with a formal HR structure, policies, standard. They would basically have to give you a pay increase as well as support the LMIA process. Do you meet requirements for a pay increase based on your tenure, performance, etc? Are they willing to consider a mid year increase or do they only do this at year end. Is the pay increase within your salary band. Where would this put you against others in the same role? Would this mean you are being paid more than others with more experience than you? Etc. It sounds like you've been working with them for a while so you should be familiar with how the pay increase process works by now. If it's a huge jump, then realistically it's probably not going to happen.

 

[raremt99]

Update incase anyone reading in the future is in the same position. This conversation randomly came up with my manager, who revealed that they're in the same position. I didn't even ask directly, but my manager shared their experience that the company is very strictly hands off on immigration matters.

For PGWP holders who weren't fortunate enough to get an LMIA, looks like French is our golden ticket. Bon vent to anyone reading.