Canada Overhauls Express Entry Scoring to Prioritize High-Wage Workers
Effective November 3, 2026, Canada will award additional Express Entry points for eligible Canadian work experience or qualifying job offers in high-wage occupations, while removing the Labour Market Impact Assessment requirement for those offers.
On October 16, 2026, the Honourable Lena Metlege Diab, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced changes to the Express Entry Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) that will take effect on November 3, 2026. The updates are designed to better align immigration with Canada's economic and labour market needs by attracting and retaining skilled workers positioned to succeed.
Starting November 3, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will award additional points to candidates who possess eligible Canadian work experience or hold a qualifying job offer in a high-wage occupation. A high-wage occupation is defined as one with a median wage of at least 1.3 times the median wage of the overall Canadian workforce. Eligible high-wage occupations include jobs in health care, skilled trades, engineering, technology, and education.
To qualify under the Canadian work experience pathway, candidates must have a minimum of one year of eligible Canadian work experience in a high-wage occupation obtained within the previous 10 years. Up to 80 points are available for the duration of this eligible experience. Points for Canadian work experience and a job offer cannot be combined; candidates will qualify for whichever option provides more points.
Under the new rules, a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) will no longer be required for a qualifying job offer to receive the new Express Entry points or to meet program eligibility requirements. This change aims to reduce red tape for both candidates and employers. However, IRCC will continue to assess job offers to confirm they are genuine and meet program requirements, including verifying employer engagement and candidate qualifications.
The maximum number of points available under the labour market integration factor is 150 for candidates without an accompanying spouse or common-law partner, and 140 for those with one.
Candidates already in the Express Entry pool will have their CRS scores automatically recalculated under the new system. This recalculation process may take up to two weeks, during which invitation rounds will be temporarily paused. Candidates wishing to receive points for a qualifying job offer must update their profiles with the required information before November 3, 2026.