Express Entry: new CRS points for high-wage jobs and job offers from November 3, 2026

IRCC is adding a "Labour Market Integration" factor to the CRS: up to 70 extra points for Canadian work experience in a high-wage occupation, job offer points are back, and an LMIA is no longer needed.

Published October 16, 2026 · Takes effect November 3, 2026

The short version

  • From November 3, 2026, the CRS has a new Labour Market Integration factor worth up to 150 points.
  • It scores either your Canadian work experience or a qualifying job offer, whichever gives you more. You cannot get both.
  • Canadian work experience in a high-wage occupation earns +70, +40 or +20 extra points, on top of the usual points for years of experience.
  • Job offer points are back (100, 70 or 50), but only for jobs in high-wage occupations. An LMIA is no longer needed.
  • IRCC will recalculate all existing profiles automatically. This may take up to two weeks, and invitation rounds will pause until it is done.

What is a high-wage occupation?

An occupation (NOC) counts as high-wage when the median wage of everyone in Canada working in that NOC is at least 1.3 times the average median wage. It depends on the occupation, not on your own salary.

IRCC groups 186 NOCs into three levels, using Job Bank, Labour Force Survey and Census data from 2023 to 2025. If the list changes after you are invited, IRCC keeps the level that applied on the day of your invitation.

Level (NOC median wage vs. average)Extra points for work experienceJob offer points
At least 2×+70100
1.5× to under 2×+4070
1.3× to under 1.5×+2050
Not on the list00

Canadian work experience: two parts

1. Points for years of experience (no change). Any qualifying work in a TEER 0–3 job counts, as today.

Years of Canadian experienceWith a spouse or partnerWithout
1 year3540
2 years4653
3 years5664
4 years6372
5 years or more7080

2. The new high-wage bonus. You need at least 12 months (1,560 hours) of qualifying Canadian work experience in high-wage occupations:

  • It does not have to be continuous, and part-time work counts in equal amounts.
  • It can be combined across several high-wage jobs. Jobs held at the same time count up to 30 hours a week.
  • 12 months in the 2× level gives +70. If not, 12 months combined at the 1.5× level or higher gives +40. If not, 12 months combined at the 1.3× level or higher gives +20.

Maximum: 70 + 70 = 140 with a spouse or partner, 80 + 70 = 150 without.

Job offers

  • To earn points, the offer must be valid under Express Entry and be in a high-wage occupation.
  • No LMIA is needed. Having one gives no extra points and no priority.
  • The job can be a new or existing position, with a new or existing employer. An officer checks that the offer is genuine when you apply for permanent residence.
  • From November 3, IRCC’s online profile will not reflect this yet. IRCC says to answer Yes to the positive-LMIA question and enter LMIA number 00000, issue date 2026-01-01 and expiry date 2029-01-01.
  • For Federal Skilled Worker and Federal Skilled Trades eligibility, an offer can still be in any TEER 0–3 job. It just will not earn CRS points unless the occupation is on the high-wage list.

What is not changing

  • The requirements for qualifying Canadian work experience stay the same.
  • Skills transferability points keep using the existing rules, without the high-wage requirement.

Three examples

Only the Canadian experience and job offer part of the score is shown. Points for age, education, language and skills transferability do not change.

  • A. Software engineer, single. 2 years of Canadian experience as a software engineer (NOC 21231, 1.5× level).
  • B. Food service supervisor, married. 3 years of Canadian experience as a food service supervisor (NOC 62020, not on the list).
  • C. Engineering manager outside Canada, single. No Canadian experience, but a valid job offer from a Canadian employer as an engineering manager (NOC 20010, 2× level).
ExampleTodayFrom November 3Change
A5353 + 40 = 93+40
B5656 + 0 = 560
C0 (job offers earn no points today)100+100

B’s own score does not move, but A and C jump ahead, so B is likely to fall in the ranking. Experience and a job offer do not add up: if C also had Canadian experience, IRCC would count only whichever gives more.

What this may mean (our analysis)

Many candidates will gain points at the same moment, so cut-off scores, especially in Canadian Experience Class draws, are likely to rise once draws resume. If your occupation is not on the list, your own points do not change, but you may rank lower as others move up.

Which high-wage occupation are you in? We are running a poll to see who this change affects. Vote, then see how other readers answered. Vote and see results →

Official sources: IRCC [1] IRCC [2]

General information, not legal or immigration advice. If anything here differs from IRCC, the IRCC pages govern.