Skip to main content
Last verified: June 2026 · Source: justice.gc.ca← Back to Law Explorer
IRPRPART 20 Transitional ProvisionsDIVISION 11 Economic Classes
r.361

Equivalent assessment

🍁 In Simple Terms

People already assessed and awarded enough units under the old points system were treated as having met the current minimum, in whichever stream matched: skilled worker, investor, entrepreneur, or self-employed. Applications filed before January 2002 kept being scored under the old rules for a defined transition window, with a hard date after which the current system took over. Provincial nominees with a pending application were assessed under the old rules as well.

Affects: Foreign nationals and permanent residents in Canada
Legal Text: IRPR Regulation 361
Pending applications — skilled workers

(4)Beginning on December 1, 2003, a foreign national who is an immigrant who made an application under the former Regulations before January 1, 2002 for an immigrant visa as a person described in subparagraph 9(1)(b)(i) or paragraph 10(1)(b) of those Regulations, other than a self-employed person within the meaning of subsection 2(1) of those Regulations, and whose application is still pending on December 1, 2003 and who has not, before that day, been awarded units of assessment under those Regulations must, in order to become a permanent resident as a member of the federal skilled worker class, (a)be awarded at least the minimum number of units of assessment required by those Regulations for a person described in subparagraph 9(1)(b)(i) or paragraph 10(1)(b) of those Regulations, other than a self-employed person within the meaning of subsection 2(1) of those Regulations; or (b)meet the requirements of subsection 75(2) and paragraph 76(1)(b) of these Regulations and obtain a minimum of 67 points based on the factors set out in paragraph 76(1)(a) of these Regulations.

Pending applications — investors

(5)Beginning on December 1, 2003, a foreign national who is an immigrant who made an application under the former Regulations before January 1, 2002 for an immigrant visa as an investor and whose application is still pending on December 1, 2003 and who has not, before that day, been awarded units of assessment under those Regulations must, in order to become a permanent resident as a member of the investor class, (a)be determined to be an investor within the meaning of subsection 2(1) of those Regulations and be awarded at least the minimum number of units of assessment required by those Regulations for an investor; or (b)be an investor within the meaning of subsection 88(1) of these Regulations and obtain a minimum of 35 points based on the factors set out in subsection 102(1) of these Regulations.

Pending applications — entrepreneurs

(5.1)Beginning on December 1, 2003, a foreign national who is an immigrant who made an application under the former Regulations before January 1, 2002 for an immigrant visa as an entrepreneur and whose application is still pending on December 1, 2003 and who has not, before that day, been awarded units of assessment under those Regulations must, in order to become a permanent resident as a member of the entrepreneur class, (a)be determined to be an entrepreneur within the meaning of subsection 2(1) of those Regulations and be awarded at least the minimum number of units of assessment required by those Regulations for an entrepreneur; or (b)be an entrepreneur within the meaning of subsection 88(1) of these Regulations and obtain a minimum of 35 points based on the factors set out in subsection 102(1) of these Regulations.

Pending applications — self-employed persons

(5.2)Beginning on December 1, 2003, a foreign national who is an immigrant who made an application under the former Regulations before January 1, 2002 for an immigrant visa as a self-employed person and whose application is still pending on December 1, 2003 and who has not, before that day, been awarded units of assessment under those Regulations must, in order to become a permanent resident as a member of the self-employed persons class, (a)be determined to be a self-employed person within the meaning of subsection 2(1) of those Regulations and be awarded at least the minimum number of units of assessment required by those Regulations for a self-employed person; or (b)be a self-employed person within the meaning of subsection 88(1) of these Regulations and obtain a minimum of 35 points based on the factors set out in subsection 102(1) of these Regulations.

Provincial nominees

(6)If, before the day on which this section comes into force, a foreign national who was a provincial nominee submitted an application for a permanent resident visa under the former Regulations that is pending immediately before that day, the foreign national shall be assessed, and units of assessment shall be awarded to them, in accordance with those Regulations.

Explore the Law
Browse all IRPA sections and IRPR regulations with plain-language summaries.
Explore the Law