Immigration
On November 3, 2026, IRCC changes how Express Entry points are calculated. Canadian work experience in a well-paid occupation will be worth more, job offers earn points again, and an LMIA is no longer needed for an offer to count. Here is what changes, who gains, and what to do before the date.
What changes, in short
- A new “labour market integration” factor awards points for Canadian work experience or a qualifying job offer — never both.
- Up to 70 extra points for at least one year of Canadian experience in a high-wage occupation.
- Job offer points are back: 50, 70 or 100 points, only in a high-wage occupation.
- An LMIA is no longer needed for a job offer to count.
- Invitation rounds will be paused for up to two weeks while profiles are recalculated.
What is a “high-wage occupation”?
It is an occupation, under the National Occupational Classification (NOC), whose median wage across everyone doing that job in Canada is at least 1.3 times the median wage of the overall workforce. So it is not your salary that counts, but your job’s NOC code. IRCC has published a list in three levels:
- Level 1 (at least twice the median): including family physicians, nurse practitioners, lawyers and Quebec notaries, university professors, financial managers and computer systems managers.
- Level 2 (1.5 to 2 times): including software engineers and developers, civil, mechanical and electrical engineers, registered nurses, pharmacists, elementary and secondary teachers, police officers and pilots.
- Level 3 (1.3 to 1.5 times): including accountants, financial analysts, human resources professionals, web developers, architects, social workers, medical laboratory technologists and industrial electricians.
The list is based on 2023–2025 data. If it changes after you receive an invitation to apply, IRCC keeps the level that applied on the date you were invited.
The new points, by the numbers
Canadian work experience
Points for the length of your experience do not change: up to 80 points without a spouse (70 with a spouse) for five years or more in a TEER 0–3 job. On top of that, with at least 12 months (1,560 hours) of experience in one or more high-wage occupations:
- 70 points at level 1;
- 40 points at level 2;
- 20 points at level 3.
In total, this factor can reach 150 points without a spouse and 140 points with one.
Job offer
- 100 points for an offer in a level 1 occupation;
- 70 points at level 2;
- 50 points at level 3;
- 0 points if the occupation is not on the list.
The offer must generally be full-time, continuous and last at least one year after you become a permanent resident. It can come from your current employer or a new one. If you qualify under both options, IRCC automatically gives you whichever earns more points.
The end of the LMIA for job offers
From November 3, a job offer no longer needs a labour market impact assessment to earn points. A temporary public policy also removes that requirement for establishing eligibility under the Federal Skilled Worker Program and the Federal Skilled Trades Program. Having an LMIA no longer gives any advantage.
In exchange, the officer checks that the offer is genuine: the employer is actually operating, has a reasonable need, can meet the terms offered and complies with employment and recruitment laws; and you are qualified for the job and likely to take it.
Beware of “job offers for sale”. A fake or purchased offer is misrepresentation, which can lead to a refusal and a five-year inadmissibility. If anyone asks you to pay to get a job offer, treat it as a red flag.
What to do before November 3
- Have a qualifying job offer? IRCC asks candidates to review and update their Express Entry profile before November 3 so that all job offer information is complete and accurate.
- The online system will not immediately reflect the end of the LMIA requirement: IRCC publishes specific values to enter for an offer without an LMIA. Follow its instructions exactly — do not improvise.
- Check the NOC code of each of your Canadian jobs: that code, not your job title, determines the level.
- For Canadian experience, nothing to do: IRCC automatically recalculates existing profiles.
- Plan for the pause: no invitation rounds during the recalculation, which can take up to two weeks.
Who gains, and who does not
The big winners are temporary workers already in Canada in well-paid skilled jobs — IT, engineering, health care, teaching, finance — and candidates with a firm offer in those occupations.
For many others, nothing changes. Experience in a job that is not on the list keeps earning length points, with no bonus. An offer outside the list earns no points, although it can still help establish eligibility for the Federal Skilled Worker Program. And more points do not guarantee an invitation: it all depends on each round’s cut-off.
The reform is about Canadian experience and job offers. Points for French and French-language rounds remain: for many candidates, French is still the most powerful lever.
What about Quebec?
Express Entry is for immigrating anywhere except Quebec. If you work in Quebec and want to stay, these changes do not affect your file: your route is Quebec selection, through the PSTQ via Arrima, or the PEQ, open until October 31 — that is, this week.
Sources
- IRCC — 2026 changes to points for Canadian work experience and job offers in the Express Entry system, October 16, 2026
- IRCC — Backgrounder, “Changes to Express Entry for high-wage occupations”, October 16, 2026
- IRCC — High-wage occupations and the list in effect November 3, 2026
- IRCC — News release, October 16, 2026, on refocusing Express Entry
This article provides general information and is not legal advice.
Do these changes affect you?
We check the NOC codes of your jobs, recalculate your score and tell you whether your profile needs an update before November 3.
