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On October 16, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) released details about the first major change to Express Entry. Now, instead of focusing on whether your employer got an LMIA, the system will look at how well paid your occupation is.
If you are in the Express Entry pool, have Canadian work experience, or have a job offer, these changes affect you. Some people could gain up to 100 points. Others should update their profiles before the deadline to avoid losing points if they have a qualifying job offer.
This post explains what is changing, how the new points system works, which occupations are included, what counts as a qualifying job offer, and how to add one to your profile. This is a general overview, not legal advice.
For advice about your own situation, book a consultation with Westdale Immigration.
The changes at a glance
All of the changes below start on November 3, 2026. Here’s a quick look at what’s different before and after that date.
Topic | Until November 2, 2026 | From November 3, 2026 |
|---|---|---|
CRS points for a job offer | None (removed in March 2025) | 50, 70 or 100 points, but only for high-wage occupations |
CRS points for Canadian work experience | Up to 80 points, based on years worked | Same duration points, plus up to 70 extra points for high-wage experience |
New CRS factor | Not applicable | "Labour Market Integration" factor, capped at 150 points (140 with an accompanying spouse) |
LMIA for a job offer | Required, unless a specific exemption applies | Not required for CRS points or for FSWP/FSTP eligibility |
Does an LMIA add value? | Yes, often essential | No extra points and no profile priority |
Who can make the offer | Usually your current employer on an LMIA-based or LMIA-exempt permit | Any employer, for an existing or new position |
How the offer is checked | Mainly through the LMIA | An IRCC officer assesses whether the offer is genuine |
Three more things to know:
There’ll be a pause in invitations. IRCC will recalculate all profiles in the pool, which could take up to two weeks. No draws will take place during this time.
You can only get points for either Canadian work experience or a job offer, not both. IRCC will compare the two and give you the higher score.
More points don’t guarantee an invitation. Each draw still has its own cut-off and requirements.
How the new points work
The new Labour Market Integration factor gives you points in one of two ways. IRCC will automatically use whichever option gives you more points.
What “high-wage” means
An occupation is considered high-wage if the median wage for that NOC in Canada is at least 1.3 times the national average. This is based on the occupation, not your own salary. For example, a software developer in a listed NOC counts even if they earn less than average, but someone in an unlisted NOC does not, even if they are well paid.
IRCC divides eligible NOCs into three tiers: Tier A is at least twice the median wage, Tier B is 1.5 to under 2 times, and Tier C is 1.3 to under 1.5 times. The list is based on Job Bank, Labour Force Survey, and Census data from 2023 to 2025.
Route 1: Canadian work experience
You keep the same points for your time working in Canada, and you get a bonus if at least 12 months (1,560 hours) of that work was in a high-wage occupation.
Years of Canadian work experience | Points, with spouse | Points, without spouse |
|---|---|---|
Less than 1 year | 0 | 0 |
1 year | 35 | 40 |
2 years | 46 | 53 |
3 years | 56 | 64 |
4 years | 63 | 72 |
5 years or more | 70 | 80 |
And then there’s the high-wage bonus.
High-wage bonus (12+ months) | Extra points |
|---|---|
Tier A occupation (2x median) | 70 |
Tier B or higher, combined | 40 |
Tier C or higher, combined | 20 |
The 12 months of experience can be continuous or split up, full-time or the equivalent in part-time, and can come from more than one listed job. If you worked two jobs at the same time, only up to 30 hours per week count. Your experience must still follow the usual rules: TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3, and must be gained in Canada within the last 10 years.
The maximum you can get is 150 points if you do not have a spouse (80 + 70), or 140 points if your spouse is coming with you (70 + 70).
Route 2: A qualifying job offer
Job offer occupation | Points |
|---|---|
Tier A (2x median or more) | 100 |
Tier B (1.5x to under 2x) | 70 |
Tier C (1.3x to under 1.5x) | 50 |
Not on the high-wage list | 0 |
Job offer points are the same whether or not you have a spouse.
Eligible high-wage occupations
IRCC’s list includes 186 NOC codes in the three tiers, starting November 3, 2026. Check below to see if your NOC is listed. If it is not, you cannot get the high-wage bonus or job offer points, but your experience and offer might still count for other purposes. Always check the official high-wage occupations list, as IRCC may update it.
Several familiar NOCs are not on the list, including construction electricians (72200), plumbers (72300), carpenters (72310), welders (72106), computer network and user support technicians (22220, 22221), and most administrative and sales roles. If your NOC sits close to a listed one, make sure your duties genuinely match before choosing a code.
What counts as a qualifying job offer
Starting November 3, a qualifying job offer does not need an LMIA, but it must still be real, in writing, full-time, and in the correct occupation.
The basics every offer must meet:
In writing and recent: A verbal promise or an old letter will not do.
Detailed: It should state your pay and deductions, your duties, and your conditions of employment, such as hours of work.
Full-time and continuous: At least 30 hours a week, non-seasonal, for at least one year after you become a permanent resident.
Paid, and from a real employer: It cannot come from an embassy, high commission or consulate in Canada.
In TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 for program eligibility, and on the high-wage list for CRS points.
A common mistake is thinking a work permit counts as a job offer, even if it is closed or open. You still need a separate written offer from your employer.
What the officer will check
Now that an LMIA is not needed, IRCC relies more on officer review. When you apply for permanent residence, an officer must be sure your job offer is genuine. They will look at whether:
the employer is actively running the business the offer relates to
the role fits the employer's reasonable needs
the employer can actually meet the terms, including pay
you are qualified, able and likely to accept and do the job
the employer follows federal and provincial employment and recruitment laws
You also need to show you can do the job. For regulated jobs, you must show you are likely to get licensed or certified in Canada. If your offer is withdrawn, it will no longer count.
Special cases
Physicians with offers to provide publicly funded medical services are subject to separate rules under a temporary public policy. Their offers do not have to be continuous or last one year.
Skilled trades offers for FSTP must fall within the eligible NOC groups and meet that program's conditions.
How to add a job offer to your Express Entry profile
IRCC asks that you enter your job offer before November 3, 2026, so it is included when profiles are recalculated. However, the online form still asks for a positive LMIA, even though the rules have changed.
Step-by-step:
Sign in to your IRCC secure account and open your Express Entry profile.
Go to "Work history" and indicate that you have a job offer.
Enter the offer details: start date, employer name and address, and the NOC code for the job offered.
Answer the LMIA questions. If you have a real LMIA, enter its actual details. If you don't, IRCC's instructions are to enter the placeholder values in the table below.
Review the whole profile for accuracy, then submit the changes.
Check your score after recalculation. It may take up to two weeks after November 3 for the new points to show.
Profile field | If you have no LMIA, enter |
|---|---|
Was there a positive LMIA issued for the job offer in Canada? | Yes |
LMIA Number | 00000 |
LMIA Issuance Date | 2026-01-01 |
LMIA Expiry Date | 2029-01-01 |
These placeholders come directly from IRCC's own guidance. They are a workaround for the form, not a claim that an LMIA exists. Save a copy of IRCC's job offer page showing the instruction, in case you are asked about it later.
Before you hit submit:
Choose the correct NOC code: It should match the duties listed in your offer letter, not just your job title. Your points depend on this, and an officer will check both.
Keep the actual offer letter: Your profile is self-reported, but you will need to prove every detail when you apply for permanent residence.
Keep non-high-wage offers as well: If your offer makes you eligible for FSWP, FSTP, or a provincial program, include it in your profile even if it does not give you points.
Update your profile if anything changes: If you get a new employer, your offer is withdrawn, or your role changes, edit your profile as soon as possible.
Who wins, who should act, and what to watch out for
The people who benefit most are those in listed occupations who have at least one year of Canadian experience or a written job offer, especially in Tier A.
Likely to gain
Workers in Canada in listed tech, engineering, health, finance, and management jobs can add 20 to 70 points without doing anything extra.
Little or no change
Candidates in occupations not on the list keep the same Canadian experience points as before.
Candidates who already have a lot of Canadian experience may not get extra points from a job offer, since they will get the higher score automatically.
Red flags to avoid
Don’t pay for a job offer: Now that an LMIA is not needed, job offers are more valuable and may attract fraud. Buying an offer or accepting one for a job that does not really exist is illegal and can lead to a misrepresentation finding and a five-year ban.
Stretching the NOC: Choosing a listed NOC that doesn't match your real duties is risky. Officers will compare the offer letter, your experience letters and the NOC description.
Don't assume more points mean you will get an invitation: Category draws, cut-offs, and pool size still decide who is invited.
Don’t wait until after the pause: Update your profile before November 3 so IRCC includes your offer when it recalculates profiles.
Frequently asked questions
Does my salary need to be 1.3 times the median? No. The test is whether your NOC is on the list. Your individual pay does not decide the tier.
I already have an LMIA-backed offer. Do I get extra points for it? No. From November 3, an LMIA adds no points and no priority. Points depend only on the occupation's tier.
Can I combine job offer points with my Canadian experience points? No. IRCC calculates both and gives you the higher one. “Candidates who qualify under both will receive whichever option provides more points. The points for Canadian work experience and a job offer will not be combined.”
My offer is from a new employer I haven't worked for yet. Does it count? Yes, as long as it meets the requirements and an officer finds it genuine. Offers can be for a new or existing position with any employer.
I'm in the CEC with no job offer. Does any of this affect me? Possibly. If at least 12 months of your Canadian experience was in a listed NOC, you may automatically gain 20 to 70 bonus points.
What happens if the list changes after I'm invited? IRCC uses the tier that applied on the date of your invitation.
Will there be draws in early November? IRCC says invitations will pause while profiles are recalculated, which may take up to two weeks after November 3.
Do I need to do anything if my offer is already in my profile? Review it. Confirm the NOC, employer details, and dates are correct, and if you have a job offer, confirm the information in the outdated LMIA fields (which you will need to fill out anyway) follows IRCC's guidance.
Sources
Changes to Express Entry for high-wage occupations, IRCC backgrounder, October 16, 2026
Express Entry: Job offer, IRCC
This article is general information based on IRCC guidance published October 16, 2026, and is not legal advice. Rules and the occupation list can change. For advice on your own situation, speak with a licensed immigration professional.
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