On November 3, 2026, recently announced changes by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to the Express Entry Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) took effect. Specifically, IRCC will reintroduce points for qualifying job offers and award additional points for qualifying work experience in certain high-wage occupations under a new “Labour Market Integration” factor. Based on the preliminary guidance released by IRCC, eligible candidates could see their current CRS score increase by up to 70 points (for work experience in certain high-wage occupations) or up to 100 points (for a qualifying job offer in certain high-wage occupations).

The changes

Under the Labour Market Integration factor, IRCC has indicated that additional points will be awarded as follows:

Work experience in eligible high-wage occupations

The CRS currently awards points for Canadian work experience. As of November 3, 2026, IRCC will also award additional points to candidates who have Canadian work experience in certain eligible high-wage occupations. For Express Entry purposes, IRCC has designated as high-wage those occupations in which “the median wage of all people in Canada performing that job is at least 1.3 times higher than the average median wage of the overall Canadian work force.”[1] IRCC has grouped these specific occupations into the following three levels:

  1. Certain occupations where the median wage is twice the average median wage
    • Includes occupations such as senior government managers and officials, financial managers, engineering managers, computer and information systems managers, veterinarians, nurse practitioners and lawyers
  2. Certain occupations where the median wage is at least 1.5 times but less than twice the average median wage
    • Includes occupations such as physicists, astronomers, advertising and marketing managers, securities agents, management consultants, data scientists and certain engineers
  3. Certain occupations where the median wage is at least 1.3 times but less than 1.5 times the average median wage
    • Includes occupations such as financial advisors, architects, occupational health and safety specialists, construction inspectors, web developers and programmers and social workers

The complete list of eligible occupations is available on IRCC’s website: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/check-score/high-wage.html#list.

Depending on the candidate’s years of experience and the level of the occupation held, a candidate may be awarded up to 70 additional points for work experience in an eligible high-wage occupation. These points are in addition to any points already awarded for Canadian work experience under the current CRS.

A qualifying job offer in an eligible high-wage occupation

IRCC is reintroducing job offer points to the CRS; however, based on its preliminary guidance, the eligibility criteria for such points will change. For example, IRCC has indicated that a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) will no longer be required for a job offer to qualify for CRS points, and that the previous LMIA-exemption rules for qualifying job offers will be removed.

Depending on the occupation level and duration of work experience, a candidate may receive up to 100 points for a qualifying job offer in an eligible high-wage occupation.

Where a candidate potentially qualifies for both high-wage work experience points and high-wage job offer points, IRCC will award whichever results in the higher score. For example, a single candidate (with no spouse or common-law partner) who has five years of Canadian work experience as an engineering manager (an occupation identified on the list as having a median wage at least twice the average median wage) and a qualifying job offer could potentially be awarded points as follows:

Labour Market Integration factor

Canadian work experience (under the current CRS)80
High-wage Canadian work experience (additional points for at least 12 months in an eligible high-wage occupation – based on occupation level)70
Total Canadian work experience points150
  
Qualifying job offer100

In this scenario, IRCC would award points for Canadian work experience, as that total (150 points) exceeds the points available for a qualifying job offer (100 points).

Impact of these changes

As of today, IRCC will automatically begin recalculating the CRS scores of all profiles currently in the Express Entry pool, which is expected to result in a temporary pause of approximately two weeks in Express Entry draws. While the full impact of these changes on the Express Entry system cannot yet be determined, they appear to reflect a continued prioritization of candidates with Canadian work experience and may result in an overall increase in the minimum CRS score required to receive an Invitation to Apply. In addition, given the changes to the job offer criteria, IRCC officers may, in certain circumstances, request additional employer documentation to verify job offers.

These changes form part of IRCC’s broader overhaul of the Express Entry system, which is intended to better align the selection of economic immigration candidates with Canada’s labour market needs. Further changes may be introduced as those needs evolve, and employers and candidates should continue to monitor IRCC announcements for updates.

If you have any questions regarding these changes or how they may affect you or your organization, please contact Helen Park or Denise Alba.

[1] https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/check-score/high-wage.html#list

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Helen Park

About Helen Park

Helen Park (She/Her/Hers) is the co-lead of Dentons National Immigration group and a member of the Dentons Canada Region Board. Helen practices immigration law with a focus on business immigration for corporate clients and businesses in Canada, the United States and worldwide. She has extensive experience in all categories of work permit applications and she works closely with clients to provide strategic advice to fulfill their specialized work force and labor shortage needs. She also advises business clients on the various options for permanent residence in Canada, including provincial nomination programs, the Canadian Experience Class, the Federal Skilled Worker program and Family Class sponsorship applications. In addition, Helen is a leading expert on immigration matters in relation to productions in the entertainment and media industry, and often advises clients on various issues for foreign workers who must urgently work on film productions in Canada. Immigration law is a constantly evolving area with frequent changes made to statutes and government policies to reflect the economic and labor environment in Canada. Helen believes it is important to keep clients updated on developments in immigration law so that they can effectively plan for their immediate and future workforce needs, while ensuring they stay compliant with immigration laws. Helen started practicing law in 2003, and was called to the bar in both British Columbia and Alberta. Prior to joining Dentons, she practiced in the areas of immigration law and corporate/commercial law at a boutique immigration law firm, a leading national law firm in Vancouver as well as a full service regional law firm in Edmonton. She is a member of the Canadian Bar Association Immigration subsection, and has organized and presented at immigration conferences in Vancouver and nationally. She has been the Chair of the CBABC Immigration Subsection from 2019-2021, and a member of the National CBA Immigration section executive for the same term.

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Denise Alba

About Denise Alba

Denise Alba is a senior associate in Dentons’ Immigration group. Based in Vancouver, Denise’s practice focuses on business immigration for corporate and individual clients, with respect to both temporary and permanent residence matters. She assists clients within various industries, including pharmaceuticals, technology/artificial intelligence, and consulting, and works closely with clients to provide strategic advice on a number of work permit categories, including Significant Benefit, Intra-company Transfer, NAFTA Professional, and Reciprocal Employment. She has navigated clients through the process of obtaining Temporary Resident Visas, Open Spousal Work Permits and Study Permits, and has provided legal counsel to clients on entering Canada under the Global Skills Strategy Short-term Work Permit exemption. Denise also advises both business and individual clients on permanent residence matters, and is familiar with Express Entry and Spousal Sponsorship, as well as Citizenship and Proof of Citizenship applications.

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