[josv]

Worth clarifying in case you're unfamiliar with the Canadian system: There is a points-based program for economic migration, but there are also other immigration avenues (e.g. family reunification) and appeal processes (e.g. based on established connection to Canada) that are not points based.

(In 2018, just over half of immigration to Canada was via points system, with 28% and 14% family reunification and refugees respectively. [0])

The points based system isn't a panacea. As a Canadian, I see it as a tradeoff: I dislike the fact that it makes access to Canada easier for the wealthy and privileged, but it's transparent and predictable and (hopefully) aligned with the skills that help immigrants succeed.

I'm no expert, but there are other differences you could look at. For example, having family in your community is a strong predictor of economic success for immigrants, so if you really care about successful integration, you might want to prioritize family reunification. It feels like the Canadian and US discourse on this have started to diverge. ("chain migration"?)

In any case, a complicated topic. [1] I certainly don't know what system is best. But I feel it's a bit reductive to only focus on the point-based aspect.

[0] https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/ca... [1] https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/co...