When do the new Express Entry points start?

On November 3, 2026. IRCC will recalculate the scores of everyone already in the pool, which can take up to two weeks, and pauses invitation rounds while it does.

Do I need an LMIA for job offer points?

No. From November 3, 2026, a qualifying job offer doesn't need an LMIA to get CRS points or to meet Federal Skilled Worker or Federal Skilled Trades job offer requirements. Having an LMIA doesn't give extra points. An officer checks that the offer is genuine when you apply.

Is a high-wage occupation based on my own salary?

No. It's based on the median wage of everyone in Canada working in your NOC. If your NOC is on IRCC's list, it qualifies, whatever your own pay is.

Can I get points for both a job offer and Canadian experience?

No. IRCC compares the two options and gives you whichever is higher. The Labour Market Integration factor is capped at 150 points (140 with a spouse or partner).

Will my score go down?

Based on IRCC's published tables, no. Work-length points stay the same, they just move into the new factor, and skill transferability doesn't change. You only gain points if you have high-wage experience or a qualifying high-wage job offer.

How do I add a job offer without an LMIA to my profile?

From November 3, 2026, add it under "Work history" in your Express Entry profile. IRCC says its online form won't reflect the new rules at first, so it tells candidates with a qualifying offer to answer that a positive LMIA was issued and enter LMIA number 00000, issue date 2026-01-01 and expiry date 2029-01-01. Don't use these placeholder details before November 3, when the old rules still apply.

My job isn't on the high-wage list. Does my experience still count?

Yes. Skilled Canadian work experience in any TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 job still earns work-length points, as today. Only the extra high-wage points and job offer points need a job on the list.

When will Express Entry draws start again after November 3?

IRCC says recalculating every profile could take up to two weeks, and it pauses invitation rounds until that's done. It hasn't given an exact restart date, so check our Express Entry draws page, which we update after every round.

How much work experience do I need for high-wage points?

At least 1 year (12 months, or 1,560 hours) of skilled Canadian work in one or more high-wage occupations. It can be full-time or the same amount part-time, continuous or not, and combined across jobs. If you held two jobs at once, IRCC counts up to 30 hours a week.

Is the high-wage occupation list the same as a high-wage LMIA?

No. A "high-wage" LMIA is an employer's Temporary Foreign Worker Program application for a job paying at or above the provincial median wage. Express Entry's high-wage occupations are NOC codes whose national median wage is at least 1.3 times the average, and an LMIA isn't needed for the new job offer points.

Is there a new CRS calculator for the 2026 changes?

Yes. Our CRS calculator uses the November 3, 2026 rules, including the Labour Market Integration factor, high-wage experience points and job offer points.

What if IRCC updates the list after I'm invited?

IRCC keeps using the level that applied on the date it invited you, even if your job moves levels or comes off the list.

Express Entry Changes 2026: High-Wage Occupation List & CRS

The changes at a glance

A new Labour Market Integration factor

Your Canadian work experience points move into a new section, worth up to 150 points (140 with a spouse).

Extra points for high-wage experience

12+ months of Canadian work in a high-wage occupation adds 20, 40 or 70 points on top of your work-length points.

Job offers count again

A qualifying job offer in a high-wage occupation earns 50, 70 or 100 points, and it doesn't need an LMIA.

A short pause in draws

IRCC recalculates every profile in the pool, which can take up to two weeks. Invitation rounds pause until it's done.

What isn't changing: age, education, language, spouse factors, skill transferability and additional points such as a provincial nomination all work the same way.

How the new points work

IRCC works out two options and gives you whichever is higher. They're never added together.

Your Express Entry profile

Your skilled Canadian work experience, and any job offer you have.

Option A: Canadian experience

Work-length points (40 to 80 single, 35 to 70 with a spouse), plus 20, 40 or 70 if you have 12+ months in a high-wage occupation.

Option B: Job offer

50, 70 or 100 points for a qualifying job offer in a high-wage occupation. No LMIA needed.

IRCC compares the two

You get the option with more points. Points from A and B are never combined.

Your Labour Market Integration points

Up to 150 points (140 with a spouse or partner), added to the rest of your CRS score.

A high-wage occupation is about your NOC, not your paycheque

IRCC counts a NOC as high-wage if the median wage of everyone in Canada in that job is at least 1.3 times the average median wage. It uses Job Bank, Labour Force Survey and Census data from the last 3 years.

Try it: your Labour Market Integration points

Answer three quick questions. Type your job the way you'd describe it (like “cook”, “nurse” or “truck driver”) and we'll find its NOC code and check IRCC's high-wage list for you.

Have you worked in Canada in a skilled job?

Paid work, full-time or the same hours part-time, in the last 10 years. Work while you were a full-time student doesn't count.

Do you have a job offer from a Canadian employer?

Full-time work that lasts at least 1 year after you become a permanent resident.

Is your spouse or partner coming with you to Canada?

Answer No if they're a Canadian citizen or PR, or aren't coming.

Option A: Your Canadian experience

No skilled Canadian work yet

Option B: Your job offer

No job offer

Answer the questions to see your points

0 / 150

vs. today

No change

Work length: same points as today
Job offers: no LMIA needed
Never combined: the higher counts

For your full score, including age, education and language, use our CRS calculator, which uses the new rules by default.

Points by wage level

Job offer points Extra points for Canadian experience

2× median wage: +100 points for a job offer
+70 points for a experience
1.5× median wage: +70 points for a job offer
+40 points for a experience
1.3× median wage: +50 points for a job offer
+20 points for a experience

Canadian work-length points
Years of skilled Canadian work	Single	With spouse
1 year	40	35
2 years	53	46
3 years	64	56
4 years	72	63
5 years or more	80	70

High-wage experience: 70 points if you have 12+ months in occupations at 2× the median wage; otherwise 40 for 12+ months combined at 1.5× or above; otherwise 20 for 12+ months combined at 1.3× or above.
12 months means 1,560 hours. The experience can be continuous or not, full-time or the same amount part-time, and combined across more than one high-wage job (up to 30 hours a week counted).
It must meet IRCC's existing rules for skilled Canadian work experience.

High-wage occupation list: find your NOC code

IRCC's list has 186 NOC codes: 31 at 2 times the average median wage, 89 at 1.5 times and 66 at 1.3 times. Search it by NOC code or job title, or filter by wage level, occupation category or TEER.

Search by NOC code or job titleOccupation categoryTEER

186 occupations found

NOC	Occupation	Level	Extra points for experience	Job offer points
00011	Senior government managers and officialsTEER 0 · Legislative and senior management	2×	+70	100
00012	Senior managers - financial, communications and other business servicesTEER 0 · Legislative and senior management	2×	+70	100
00013	Senior managers - health, education, social and community services and membership organizationsTEER 0 · Legislative and senior management	2×	+70	100
10010	Financial managersTEER 0 · Business, finance and administration	2×	+70	100
10011	Human resources managersTEER 0 · Business, finance and administration	2×	+70	100
10012	Purchasing managersTEER 0 · Business, finance and administration	2×	+70	100
10020	Insurance, real estate and financial brokerage managersTEER 0 · Business, finance and administration	2×	+70	100
10021	Banking, credit and other investment managersTEER 0 · Business, finance and administration	2×	+70	100
20010	Engineering managersTEER 0 · Natural and applied sciences	2×	+70	100
20011	Architecture and science managersTEER 0 · Natural and applied sciences	2×	+70	100
20012	Computer and information systems managersTEER 0 · Natural and applied sciences	2×	+70	100
21330	Mining engineersTEER 1 · Natural and applied sciences	2×	+70	100
21332	Petroleum engineersTEER 1 · Natural and applied sciences	2×	+70	100
31100	Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicineTEER 1 · Health	2×	+70	100
31101	Specialists in surgeryTEER 1 · Health	2×	+70	100
31102	General practitioners and family physiciansTEER 1 · Health	2×	+70	100
31103	VeterinariansTEER 1 · Health	2×	+70	100
31302	Nurse practitionersTEER 1 · Health	2×	+70	100
31303	Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionalsTEER 1 · Health	2×	+70	100
40010	Government managers - health and social policy development and program administrationTEER 0 · Education, law, social, community and government services	2×	+70	100

From IRCC's high-wage occupation list (based on data from 2023 to 2025)

Levels: 2× = the occupation's median wage is at least 2 times Canada's average median wage · 1.5× = the occupation's median wage is at least 1.5 times Canada's average median wage · 1.3× = the occupation's median wage is at least 1.3 times Canada's average median wage.

Job offers without an LMIA

From November 3, 2026:

You don't need an LMIA for a job offer to count for CRS points or for FSW / FST program eligibility.
Having an LMIA doesn't give extra points or priority.
The offer can be for an existing or a new position, with an existing or a new employer.
It must generally be for full-time, continuous work in Canada for at least 1 year after you become a permanent resident.
An officer checks that it's genuine: the employer is active, can meet the terms and follows employment and recruitment laws, and you're qualified and likely to take the job.

Not the same as a “high-wage” LMIA

Employers still use high-wage and low-wage LMIAs to hire temporary foreign workers, based on the wage they offer compared with the provincial median. Express Entry's high-wage occupations are different: they're NOC codes on IRCC's list, and the new job offer points don't need an LMIA at all.

FSW and FST job offers are different

For Federal Skilled Worker and Federal Skilled Trades eligibility, a job offer can be in any eligible TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 occupation. Only CRS job offer points are limited to high-wage occupations.

What to do now

Check your NOC codes. Make sure every job in your profile uses the right NOC, since high-wage points depend on it.
Have a job offer in a high-wage occupation? From November 3 (not before), add it under "Work history" in your profile. IRCC says its form won't show the change at first: answer that a positive LMIA was issued, and enter LMIA number 00000, issue date 2026-01-01 and expiry date 2029-01-01.
Recheck your score with the new rules in our CRS calculator, and plan your next step: a language retest, French, or a PNP.
Expect a short pause in draws while IRCC recalculates profiles (up to two weeks).

Sources: IRCC: 2026 changes to points for Canadian work experience and job offers and IRCC news release, October 16, 2026.

Express Entry changes on November 3, 2026, explained