Express Entry Changes on November 3, 2026: New CRS Points for High-Wage Occupations

What is changing in Express Entry on November 3, 2026?

On October 16, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced upcoming changes to Express Entry’s Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) and Canadian work experience for high-wage occupations. Starting November 3, 2026, candidates will earn additional CRS points for either Canadian work experience in eligible high-wage occupations or a qualifying job offer in an eligible high-wage occupation, whichever earns higher points. Further, a qualifying job offer will no longer require a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).

Candidates in the Express Entry pool who may qualify for job offer points should review and update their profiles before November 3 to make sure all job offer information is included and accurate. A re-calculation of candidate’s CRS score could take up to two weeks. Until the CRS scores are updated, IRCC will pause Express Entry invitation rounds and resume once the re-calculation is complete.

Changes announced:

• additional CRS points for eligible Canadian work experience in high-wage occupations within the last 10 years;
• additional CRS points for qualifying job offers in high-wage occupations; and
• removal of the requirement to hold a Labour Market Impact Assessment for qualifying job offers.

Not all occupations are considered high-wage and eligible for additional CRS points. IRCC has published a list of eligible high-wage occupations, and we anticipate this list will see periodic changes. 

Updated Ministerial Instructions for Express Entry are likely to be released by IRCC on November 3rd. These instructions may include additional changes that have not yet been announced.

How does IRCC decide which occupations are high-wage?

IRCC will determine the wage of each eligible occupation by using data from multiple sources over the last 3 years. Each occupation will be placed at the highest wage level its median wage reached over that period. IRCC will use data from Job Bank, Labour Force Survey and Census of Population to determine the high-wage occupation level. If the list changes after an invitation to apply is issued, the level in effect on the date of the invitation applies.

The wage earned by a worker or offered by an employer is not considered.

Which occupations are on the Express Entry high-wage list?

IRCC has published 186 eligible high-wage occupations, effective November 3, 2026.  The occupations are separated into 3 lists based on the National Occupational Classification’s (NOC) median wage being at least 2x the average median (31 occupations), at least 1.5x but less than 2x (89 occupations), or at least 1.3x but less than 1.5x (66 occupations). The list gives specific NOCs from each of the following industries broad occupational categories:

Occupational Categories	NOC Category	TEER	No. of Occupations
Legislative and senior management occupations	0	0	6
Business, finance and administration occupations	1	0, 1, 2	18
Natural and applied sciences and related occupations	2	0, 1, 2	45
Health occupations	3	0,1,2	22
Occupations in education, law and social, community and government services	4	0,1,2,3	32
Occupations in art, culture, recreation and sport	5	0,1,2	10
Sales and service occupations	6	0	4
Trades, transport and equipment operators and related occupations	7	0,2,3	34
Natural resources, agriculture and related production occupations	8	0,2,3	7
Occupations in manufacturing and utilities	9	0,2,3	8

TEER: Training, Education, Experience, and Responsibilities

How many new CRS points can candidates earn?

The new factors will fall under a CRS category called Labour Market Integration.

Express Entry candidates may receive points, based on:

• Eligible Canadian experience, with additional points for high-wage occupations; or
• Qualifying job offer in high-wage occupation

Points are not given for both. The CRS calculation will include points for only one – Canadian experience in a high-wage occupation or qualifying job offer in high-wage position – based on whichever gives more points. 

Additional points for Canadian experience:

• Up to 150 points to candidates without an accompanying spouse or common-law partner (80 for work length; 70 for high-wage experience); or
• Up to 140 points to candidates with an accompanying spouse or common-law partner (70 for work-length; 70 for high-wage experience).

Additional points for qualifying job offer:

• Up to 100 points.

CRS points for Canadian Experience in High-Wage Occupations

Additional points are given based on the wage level of their occupation. These points are only given to those with at least one year (12 months or 1,560 hours) of paid experience in Canada in a high-wage occupation listed on IRCC’s high-wage occupation list. The experience does not need to be continuous and can be combined across more than one eligible high-wage job.

Additional CRS Points

High-wage occupation level	Additional CRS points
At least 12 months of combined experience at 2 times the average median	70
At least 12 months of combined experience at 1.5 times the average median or above (if not eligible for the 70 points)	40
At least 12 months of combined experience at 1.3 times the average median or above (if not eligible for the 40 or 70 points)	20

CRS points for all Canadian skilled experience will remain

IRCC intends to keep the current CRS points, up to 80 points (70 with an accompanying spouse or common-law partner) for 5 years of skilled, paid experience in Canada within the last 10 years. Candidates will still see points for Canadian experience in any skilled occupation. But candidates with experience in high-wage occupations will earn additional points.

CRS points for Qualifying job offer in high-wage occupations

CRS points will be based on the median wage of the occupation.

High-wage occupation level	CRS points
At least 2 times the average median wage	100
At least 1.5 times, but less than 2 times, the average median wage	70
At least 1.3 times, but less than 1.5 times, the average median wage	50

How does IRCC assess a high-wage job offer?

A job offer for an existing position or a new position both qualify. The offer must be recent and in writing listing the details of the offer, including terms and conditions.  Officers will review the genuineness of the offer. The job must generally be for full-time, continuous work in Canada for at least one year after the candidate becomes a permanent resident.

Most of the high-wage occupations require special training or education, licensing or years of experience. We expect IRCC officers to refer to the NOC employment requirements, among other sources, to determine if the candidate qualifies for the position under the NOC and whether the offer is legitimate, based on the job requirements listed by the employer.

Employers must also be actively engaged in the business, demonstrate there is a reasonable need for the position and be able to meet the terms of the offer. Officers will also look at whether the employer is following federal and provincial employment and recruitment laws, and whether the candidate is qualified for the job and likely to accept and carry it out.

Additional documentation from the employer, along with the job offer, is likely to be required to prove the business’ active operations, need for the position and genuineness of the offer.

Do Express Entry job offers still need an LMIA?

Canada will issue a temporary public policy to candidates qualifying under the Federal Skilled Worker Program and Federal Skilled Trades Program who are invited to apply on or after November 3, 2026. The policy will exempt them from all requirements related to LMIAs and LMIA exemptions for qualifying job offers used to establish eligibility, provided they meet its conditions. Further eligibility requirements for this exemption will be shared when the public policy is published.

What these changes mean for Express Entry Candidates

Canada’s immigration system has often focused on labour needs. When Express Entry was launched in 2015 and included the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) and a CRS system that didn’t include specific NOC codes, candidates with various skilled Canadian experience had an equal opportunity to qualify under CEC and gain the same amount of CRS points. However, over the last few years, Canada’s immigration announcements and policy changes have signaled a return to targeted economic immigration, back to specific NOC codes being favored over others based on labour needs. 

Many Express Entry candidates may see no change in their CRS score with these changes. Instead, the competition to receive an invitation to apply under Express Entry may get tougher for those without Canadian experience or a valid job offer in a high-wage occupation.

To learn more about these changes and how they may impact you, contact us for a consultation. Our immigration team can review your Express Entry profile and any job offer with you. If you are also considering a provincial route, see our post on the 2026 changes to the BC Provincial Nominee Program. You can reach our immigration team at immmigration@bellalliance.ca

Government Sources:

Announcement: Changes to Express Entry for high-wage occupations

Express Entry: High-wage occupations and how we assess them