Key takeaways
- Starts November 3, 2026. Every profile in the pool is re-scored automatically, and draws pause for up to two weeks while that happens.
- Canadian work experience can now earn up to 150 points (140 with a spouse): the same work-length points as today plus a high-wage bonus of 20, 40 or 70.
- Job offers earn CRS points again: 50, 70 or 100, but only in one of 186 high-wage occupations. No LMIA is needed.
- You get the experience points or the job offer points, whichever is higher, never both.
- Have a qualifying job offer? Add it to your profile before November 3 to have it counted in the re-score.
On October 16, 2026, Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab announced the biggest change to the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) since job offer points were removed in March 2025. From November 3, 2026, Express Entry will reward Canadian work experience and job offers in high-wage occupations, and an LMIA will no longer be needed for a job offer to count.
IRCC says the goal is to make Express Entry "more targeted and responsive to our labour market needs." Its own research found that Canadian work experience and pre-arrival earnings are among the strongest predictors of how newcomers do after landing (we cover that study in our research summary).
What changes on November 3, 2026
The core "Canadian work experience" factor becomes a new Labour Market Integration (LMI) factor. You can score it in one of two ways, and IRCC uses whichever gives you more points:
| Option | Without a spouse | With a spouse |
|---|---|---|
| Canadian work experience (work length + high-wage bonus) | up to 150 | up to 140 |
| Qualifying job offer in a high-wage occupation | up to 100 | up to 100 |
IRCC's changes page is explicit: you receive points for Canadian work experience or a job offer, not both.
1. Work-length points stay the same
If you already have points for Canadian work experience, you keep them. The table is unchanged:
| Canadian work experience | Without a spouse | With a spouse |
|---|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 0 | 0 |
| 1 year | 40 | 35 |
| 2 years | 53 | 46 |
| 3 years | 64 | 56 |
| 4 years | 72 | 63 |
| 5 years or more | 80 | 70 |
The eligibility rules for that experience don't change either: it must be in Canada, within the last 10 years, in a TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 job.
2. New: a high-wage bonus on top
If at least 12 months (1,560 hours) of your qualifying Canadian work was in a high-wage occupation, IRCC adds a bonus:
| Your 12+ months were in… | Bonus |
|---|---|
| Level 1 occupations (median wage at least 2× the average) | +70 |
| Level 2 or higher (at least 1.5×) | +40 |
| Level 3 or higher (at least 1.3×) | +20 |
| Under 12 months in high-wage occupations | 0 |
The months can be continuous or not, full-time or an equal amount of part-time, and combined across eligible jobs. If you held two jobs at once, hours only count up to the full-time equivalent of 30 hours a week.
3. Job offer points are back, with conditions
| Job offer in a high-wage occupation | CRS points |
|---|---|
| Level 1 (at least 2× the median wage) | 100 |
| Level 2 (at least 1.5×, under 2×) | 70 |
| Level 3 (at least 1.3×, under 1.5×) | 50 |
| Not a high-wage occupation | 0 |
The offer must be valid under Express Entry: generally full-time, continuous work in Canada for at least one year after you become a permanent resident. It can be from your current employer or a new one, for an existing or a new position.
No LMIA needed for job offers
From November 3, a labour market impact assessment (LMIA) is not required for a job offer to earn CRS points or to meet the job offer requirement for the Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) or Federal Skilled Trades (FST) programs. Having an LMIA will not give you extra points or priority.
Instead, an IRCC officer checks that the offer is genuine when you apply for permanent residence. That includes whether the employer is actively in business, has a real need for the role, can meet the offer's terms and follows employment and recruitment laws, and whether you are qualified and likely to accept and do the job. A revoked offer no longer qualifies. Our job offer without LMIA guide walks through the requirements and the profile update.
What counts as a high-wage occupation
A job is high-wage if the median wage for everyone in Canada in that NOC code is at least 1.3 times the average median wage of the whole Canadian workforce. It is based on your NOC code, not your personal salary. A well-paid job in a NOC that isn't on the list earns no bonus, and a modest salary in a listed NOC still qualifies.
IRCC's list has 186 NOC codes: 31 at Level 1, 89 at Level 2 and 66 at Level 3. It is built from Job Bank, Labour Force Survey and Census wage data for 2023 to 2025. If the list changes after you are invited, IRCC keeps using the level that applied on the date of your invitation.
A few common examples:
| Occupation | NOC | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Family physicians, lawyers, financial managers | 31102, 41101, 10010 | Level 1 |
| Software engineers, registered nurses, civil engineers, teachers | 21231, 31301, 21300, 41220 | Level 2 |
| Accountants, web developers, industrial electricians | 11100, 21234, 72201 | Level 3 |
| Cooks, truck drivers, retail supervisors, general electricians | 63200, 73300, 62010, 72200 | Not on the list |
Search all 186 codes in our high-wage occupations list.
Worked examples
These are calculated with the November 3 rules (single applicant, no spouse):
| Candidate | Today | From Nov 3 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 year as a software engineer (21231, Level 2) | 40 | 40 + 40 = 80 |
| 5 years as a financial manager (10010, Level 1) | 80 | 80 + 70 = 150 |
| 3 years as a web developer (21234, Level 3), plus a Level 3 job offer | 64 | 64 + 20 = 84 (beats the 50-point offer) |
| 1 year as a network technician (22220, not on the list), plus a Level 2 job offer as an information systems specialist (21222) | 40 | 70 (the offer beats 40) |
More examples, including couples, are in how the new LMI points work.
What happens to profiles already in the pool
- Automatic re-scoring. IRCC will recalculate every existing profile under the new rules, including points for eligible Canadian work experience. This can take up to two weeks.
- Draws pause. IRCC says invitation rounds will be paused during the recalculation.
- Job offers need you to act. To get points for a qualifying job offer, update your profile with the job offer details before November 3. Because the online system hasn't been updated yet, IRCC tells candidates to record a job offer without an LMIA using placeholder values (LMIA number 00000). See the step-by-step instructions.
- More points don't guarantee an invitation. Invitations still depend on each round's type and cut-off score.
What stays the same
- Age, education, language, spouse factors and additional points (provincial nomination, French, Canadian study, sibling) are unchanged.
- Skill transferability is unchanged and does not use the high-wage rules. It still uses your total years of Canadian work.
- Category-based draws (healthcare, trades, French, etc.) continue. In December 2025 IRCC added a category for doctors with Canadian experience, and in February 2026 it renewed categories for health care, trades, research, transportation and education.
What this means for you
- CEC candidates in a listed occupation gain the most: 1,560 hours in a Level 1, 2 or 3 NOC adds 20 to 70 points without anything else changing.
- Candidates outside the list keep their current points but now compete with people who gained up to 70. If many profiles go up, cut-off scores may rise. That is our reading, not an IRCC forecast.
- Candidates with a high-wage job offer, including people abroad applying through FSW, can now get 50 to 100 points without an employer going through the LMIA process.
IRCC's consultation report suggests more changes may follow, including to spousal, sibling and French points, but nothing beyond the November 3 changes has been announced.
Frequently asked questions
When do the new Express Entry CRS points start?
November 3, 2026. IRCC will recalculate all existing profiles automatically, which may take up to two weeks, and invitation rounds will be paused during that time.
Can I get points for both a job offer and high-wage Canadian experience?
No. IRCC awards points for Canadian work experience (work length plus the high-wage bonus) or for a qualifying job offer, whichever gives more points. They are not added together. The factor is capped at 150 points without a spouse and 140 with one.
Do I need an LMIA for an Express Entry job offer after November 3, 2026?
No. From November 3, 2026, an LMIA is not required for a job offer to earn CRS points or to meet FSW and FST job offer requirements. An IRCC officer will assess whether the offer is genuine when you apply for permanent residence. An LMIA gives no extra points or priority.
Is high-wage based on my salary?
No. It is based on the median wage of everyone in Canada working under your NOC code compared with the average median wage of the Canadian workforce. Your personal salary does not decide it.
Do I need to update my Express Entry profile?
Points for eligible Canadian work experience are recalculated automatically. If you want points for a qualifying job offer, IRCC asks you to update your profile with the job offer details before November 3, 2026.
Official sources
Figures and rules in this guide are checked against IRCC program pages. If anything conflicts, trust the government page.
Canadian PRLedger is a free tracking and calculator tool — not a law firm, not an RCIC practice, and not affiliated with IRCC. These guides summarize public program rules for planning purposes only. For case-specific advice, speak with a licensed immigration consultant or lawyer.
