Express Entry Changes for High-Wage Occupations: New CRS Points From November 3, 2026
From November 3, 2026, Express Entry adds CRS points for high-wage work experience and job offers, and job offers no longer need an LMIA for these points. Full NOC wage list inside.
Category
Express Entry
At a glance
- Starts: November 3, 2026
- New CRS points: work experience or a job offer in a high-wage occupation
- Job offers: no LMIA needed for Express Entry points
- LMIA for hiring from abroad: still required (this is not a TFWP change)
- Pause: invitation rounds paused while profiles are recalculated (up to two weeks)
On October 16, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced big changes to Express Entry. Starting November 3, 2026, candidates can earn extra CRS points for Canadian work experience or a job offer in a "high-wage" occupation. Also, a job offer will no longer need an LMIA to count in Express Entry.
In this post, we explain the new rules in simple words, share the full list of high-wage occupations with median wages, and tell you what to do next.
What Is Changing?
IRCC announced two big changes to Express Entry, starting November 3, 2026:
- New CRS points for high-wage occupations. You can earn more points if your Canadian work experience, or your job offer, is in a high-wage occupation.
- No LMIA needed for the job offer. A valid job offer can give you CRS points without an LMIA. Having an LMIA will not give you extra points or any priority.
Until now, job offers needed an LMIA (or an exemption) to count in Express Entry. That requirement is being removed for Express Entry.
What Is a "High-Wage Occupation"?
An occupation is high-wage if the median wage of everyone in Canada working in that occupation is at least 1.3 times the average median wage of the whole Canadian workforce.
This is decided by the NOC code (the occupation), not by your own salary or job title. So if your NOC code is on the list, the occupation counts. If it is not on the list, it does not count, even if you personally earn a lot.
There are three levels:
- 1.3x: median wage is at least 1.3 times the average
- 1.5x: median wage is at least 1.5 times the average
- 2x: median wage is at least 2 times the average
The full list with wages is in the tables below.
The New Labour Market Integration Factor
Express Entry adds a new CRS factor. You can get points from either your Canadian work experience or a qualifying job offer. You cannot add them together. If you qualify for both, the system gives you whichever is higher.
| Option | With spouse / partner | Without spouse / partner |
|---|---|---|
| Canadian work experience | Up to 140 (70 for length + 70 for high-wage) | Up to 150 (80 for length + 70 for high-wage) |
| Qualifying job offer | Up to 100 | Up to 100 |
Option 1: Canadian Work Experience in a High-Wage Occupation
You need at least 12 months (1,560 hours) of eligible Canadian work experience in high-wage occupations. The experience can be:
- continuous or not continuous
- full-time, or the same amount of part-time work
- combined from more than one job
If you work two jobs at the same time, hours count only up to full-time (30 hours per week). The work must be in Canada, in the last 10 years, in a TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 occupation.
| Occupation level | Extra CRS points |
|---|---|
| 2x median or higher (12+ months) | 70 |
| 1.5x median or higher (12+ months combined) | 40 |
| 1.3x median or higher (12+ months combined) | 20 |
| Less than 12 months in high-wage jobs | 0 |
These points are added on top of the normal points for how long you worked in Canada:
| Years of Canadian experience | With spouse | Without spouse |
|---|---|---|
| Less than 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 year | 35 | 40 |
| 2 years | 46 | 53 |
| 3 years | 56 | 64 |
| 4 years | 63 | 72 |
| 5 or more years | 70 | 80 |
Example
A single candidate with 5 years of Canadian experience in a 2x occupation gets 80 (length) + 70 (high-wage) = 150 points.Option 2: Qualifying Job Offer in a High-Wage Occupation
| Job offer occupation level | CRS points |
|---|---|
| 2x median or higher | 100 |
| 1.5x to under 2x | 70 |
| 1.3x to under 1.5x | 50 |
| Not a high-wage occupation | 0 |
The job offer must be:
- for full-time, continuous work in Canada for at least one year after you become a permanent resident
- in an eligible high-wage occupation (check your NOC code in the table below)
- valid under Express Entry rules (special rules apply to skilled trades and physicians)
The offer can be from an existing or a new employer, and for an existing or a new position.
Note
Note: IRCC's summary table on one page shows a flat 100 points for job offers, but the detailed announcement shows the 100 / 70 / 50 levels. We have used the detailed levels above. Always confirm on the official IRCC page before you rely on the numbers.How Will IRCC Check the Job Offer?
Because there is no LMIA, an IRCC officer must decide that the offer is genuine. The officer will look at whether:
- the employer is really operating in that business
- the offer matches the employer's real hiring need
- the employer can actually meet the terms of the offer
- you are qualified, able to do the job, and likely to accept it
- the employer follows federal and provincial employment and recruitment laws
If the offer is later withdrawn, it no longer counts. IRCC will keep checking for fraud and misrepresentation. Fake or "paid" job offers can lead to refusal and a ban.
Federal Skilled Worker and Skilled Trades Programs
A candidate invited on or after November 3, 2026 does not need an LMIA or LMIA-exemption for a job offer used to meet eligibility under the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) or Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP), if the conditions of the temporary public policy are met. For these two programs, program eligibility and CRS job offer points are checked separately. A job offer can meet program eligibility even if it is not in a high-wage occupation (any eligible TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 job).
What Should Candidates Do Now?
- Find your NOC code in the table below (or download the Excel list) and see which tier it is in.
- Check how many months of Canadian experience you have in high-wage occupations.
- Before November 3, 2026, review your Express Entry profile. Make sure job offer and work history details are complete and correct.
- Expect a pause. All profiles will be recalculated under the new rules, which can take up to two weeks. Invitation rounds are paused during that time.
- Remember: extra points do not guarantee an invitation. It still depends on the CRS cut-off of each draw.
Profile note from IRCC
The online system has not been updated yet. If you have a job offer without an LMIA, you must still answer "Yes" to the LMIA question and enter LMIA details in the work history section, using the placeholder values IRCC gives on its page. Please get help from a licensed professional so this is done correctly.What This Means for Employers
- A job offer can now help a candidate in Express Entry without an LMIA, but only for the PR (Express Entry) process.
- Do not promise a job offer to get PR points. Offers must be real, and officers will check.
High-Wage Occupations List (NOC) With Median Wages
Below is the full list of 186 occupations with their tier and median wage in Canada. Wages were updated on November 19, 2025 (source: Job Bank, Canada median wage). Tier means how many times the average median wage of the Canadian workforce.
Download the full list (Excel)
Download NOC high-wage occupations and median wages (.xlsx) | View online
2x or more (highest tier): 31 occupations
| NOC code | Occupation | Tier | Median wage (Canada) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 31303 | Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals | 2x | $46.81/hour |
| 10012 | Purchasing managers | 2x | $56.11/hour |
| 10021 | Banking, credit and other investment managers | 2x | $57.14/hour |
| 10011 | Human resources managers | 2x | $57.69/hour |
| 41200 | University professors and lecturers | 2x | $58.89/hour |
| 10020 | Insurance, real estate and financial brokerage managers | 2x | $59.23/hour |
| 10010 | Financial managers | 2x | $59.48/hour |
| 41101 | Lawyers and Quebec notaries | 2x | $59.76/hour |
| 21330 | Mining engineers | 2x | $60.00/hour |
| 31103 | Veterinarians | 2x | $60.00/hour |
| 60010 | Corporate sales managers | 2x | $60.10/hour |
| 40019 | Other managers in public administration | 2x | $60.51/hour |
| 90011 | Utilities managers | 2x | $61.00/hour |
| 31302 | Nurse practitioners | 2x | $61.54/hour |
| 40010 | Government managers - health and social policy development and program administration | 2x | $61.54/hour |
| 20011 | Architecture and science managers | 2x | $62.56/hour |
| 40041 | Fire chiefs and senior firefighting officers | 2x | $62.64/hour |
| 40011 | Government managers - economic analysis, policy development and program administration | 2x | $63.40/hour |
| 40012 | Government managers - education policy development and program administration | 2x | $63.74/hour |
| 21332 | Petroleum engineers | 2x | $64.90/hour |
| 00011 | Senior government managers and officials | 2x | $65.38/hour |
| 20012 | Computer and information systems managers | 2x | $66.67/hour |
| 40040 | Commissioned police officers and related occupations in public protection services | 2x | $68.75/hour |
| 20010 | Engineering managers | 2x | $71.79/hour |
| 80010 | Managers in natural resources production and fishing | 2x | $72.12/hour |
| 00012 | Senior managers - financial, communications and other business services | 2x | $96.15/hour |
| 31102 | General practitioners and family physicians | 2x | $232,227/year |
| 31100 | Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine | 2x | $311,297/year |
| 41100 | Judges | 2x | $387,006/year |
| 31101 | Specialists in surgery | 2x | $419,180/year |
| 00013 | Senior managers - health, education, social and community services and membership organizations | 2x | Not published |
1.5x tier: 89 occupations
| NOC code | Occupation | Tier | Median wage (Canada) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22231 | Engineering inspectors and regulatory officers | 1.5x | $36.10/hour |
| 72023 | Supervisors, railway transport operations | 1.5x | $40.00/hour |
| 41311 | Probation and parole officers | 1.5x | $40.35/hour |
| 41320 | Educational counsellors | 1.5x | $40.84/hour |
| 21223 | Database analysts and data administrators | 1.5x | $40.87/hour |
| 72604 | Railway traffic controllers and marine traffic regulators | 1.5x | $41.00/hour |
| 51100 | Librarians | 1.5x | $41.21/hour |
| 00014 | Senior managers - trade, broadcasting and other services | 1.5x | $42.38/hour |
| 11103 | Securities agents, investment dealers and brokers | 1.5x | $42.56/hour |
| 21109 | Other professional occupations in physical sciences | 1.5x | $43.00/hour |
| 92011 | Supervisors, petroleum, gas and chemical processing and utilities | 1.5x | $43.00/hour |
| 41404 | Health policy researchers, consultants and program officers | 1.5x | $43.08/hour |
| 21230 | Computer systems developers and programmers | 1.5x | $43.27/hour |
| 31301 | Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses | 1.5x | $43.27/hour |
| 41221 | Elementary school and kindergarten teachers | 1.5x | $43.27/hour |
| 41407 | Program officers unique to government | 1.5x | $43.71/hour |
| 72301 | Steamfitters, pipefitters and sprinkler system installers | 1.5x | $43.89/hour |
| 40030 | Managers in social, community and correctional services | 1.5x | $43.96/hour |
| 41402 | Business development officers and market researchers and analysts | 1.5x | $44.00/hour |
| 11201 | Professional occupations in business management consulting | 1.5x | $44.10/hour |
| 21321 | Industrial and manufacturing engineers | 1.5x | $44.23/hour |
| 70021 | Postal and courier services managers | 1.5x | $44.23/hour |
| 93100 | Central control and process operators, mineral and metal processing | 1.5x | $44.50/hour |
| 72011 | Contractors and supervisors, electrical trades and telecommunications occupations | 1.5x | $44.79/hour |
| 21120 | Public and environmental health and safety professionals | 1.5x | $45.00/hour |
| 32111 | Dental hygienists and dental therapists | 1.5x | $45.00/hour |
| 41210 | College and other vocational instructors | 1.5x | $45.00/hour |
| 50010 | Library, archive, museum and art gallery managers | 1.5x | $45.00/hour |
| 72406 | Elevator constructors and mechanics | 1.5x | $45.00/hour |
| 21221 | Business systems specialists | 1.5x | $45.13/hour |
| 70012 | Facility operation and maintenance managers | 1.5x | $45.20/hour |
| 21301 | Mechanical engineers | 1.5x | $45.67/hour |
| 41220 | Secondary school teachers | 1.5x | $45.67/hour |
| 42101 | Firefighters | 1.5x | $45.79/hour |
| 22312 | Industrial instrument technicians and mechanics | 1.5x | $46.00/hour |
| 31203 | Occupational therapists | 1.5x | $46.00/hour |
| 72203 | Electrical power line and cable workers | 1.5x | $46.00/hour |
| 00015 | Senior managers - construction, transportation, production and utilities | 1.5x | $46.04/hour |
| 21202 | Urban and land use planners | 1.5x | $46.15/hour |
| 21211 | Data scientists | 1.5x | $46.15/hour |
| 21222 | Information systems specialists | 1.5x | $46.15/hour |
| 31112 | Audiologists and speech-language pathologists | 1.5x | $46.15/hour |
| 31202 | Physiotherapists | 1.5x | $46.15/hour |
| 31300 | Nursing coordinators and supervisors | 1.5x | $46.43/hour |
| 72202 | Power system electricians | 1.5x | $46.55/hour |
| 21111 | Forestry professionals | 1.5x | $47.00/hour |
| 83101 | Oil and gas well drillers, servicers, testers and related workers | 1.5x | $47.12/hour |
| 21232 | Software developers and programmers | 1.5x | $48.08/hour |
| 21322 | Metallurgical and materials engineers | 1.5x | $48.08/hour |
| 41401 | Economists and economic policy researchers and analysts | 1.5x | $48.08/hour |
| 72012 | Contractors and supervisors, pipefitting trades | 1.5x | $48.10/hour |
| 21300 | Civil engineers | 1.5x | $48.56/hour |
| 70010 | Construction managers | 1.5x | $48.72/hour |
| 72103 | Boilermakers | 1.5x | $49.00/hour |
| 10029 | Other business services managers | 1.5x | $49.23/hour |
| 92100 | Power engineers and power systems operators | 1.5x | $49.23/hour |
| 21220 | Cybersecurity specialists | 1.5x | $49.52/hour |
| 10030 | Telecommunication carriers managers | 1.5x | $49.74/hour |
| 21331 | Geological engineers | 1.5x | $49.81/hour |
| 10019 | Other administrative services managers | 1.5x | $50.00/hour |
| 21102 | Geoscientists and oceanographers | 1.5x | $50.00/hour |
| 21390 | Aerospace engineers | 1.5x | $50.00/hour |
| 21399 | Other professional engineers | 1.5x | $50.00/hour |
| 42100 | Police officers (except commissioned) | 1.5x | $50.00/hour |
| 73310 | Railway and yard locomotive engineers | 1.5x | $50.00/hour |
| 82021 | Contractors and supervisors, oil and gas drilling and services | 1.5x | $50.00/hour |
| 93101 | Central control and process operators, petroleum, gas and chemical processing | 1.5x | $50.00/hour |
| 50011 | Managers - publishing, motion pictures, broadcasting and performing arts | 1.5x | $50.48/hour |
| 82020 | Supervisors, mining and quarrying | 1.5x | $50.62/hour |
| 21310 | Electrical and electronics engineers | 1.5x | $50.67/hour |
| 21210 | Mathematicians, statisticians and actuaries | 1.5x | $51.00/hour |
| 21320 | Chemical engineers | 1.5x | $51.92/hour |
| 72600 | Air pilots, flight engineers and flying instructors | 1.5x | $52.00/hour |
| 21311 | Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers) | 1.5x | $52.50/hour |
| 90010 | Manufacturing managers | 1.5x | $52.82/hour |
| 31200 | Psychologists | 1.5x | $52.88/hour |
| 70020 | Managers in transportation | 1.5x | $52.88/hour |
| 21103 | Meteorologists and climatologists | 1.5x | $53.94/hour |
| 72601 | Air traffic controllers and related occupations | 1.5x | $54.88/hour |
| 40042 | Commissioned officers of the Canadian Armed Forces | 1.5x | $55.03/hour |
| 10022 | Advertising, marketing and public relations managers | 1.5x | $55.29/hour |
| 30010 | Managers in health care | 1.5x | $55.29/hour |
| 40021 | School principals and administrators of elementary and secondary education | 1.5x | $55.29/hour |
| 31120 | Pharmacists | 1.5x | $55.49/hour |
| 41310 | Police investigators and other investigative occupations | 1.5x | $55.77/hour |
| 40020 | Administrators - post-secondary education and vocational training | 1.5x | $56.41/hour |
| 21100 | Physicists and astronomers | 1.5x | $56.49/hour |
| 21231 | Software engineers and designers | 1.5x | $56.49/hour |
| 31110 | Dentists | 1.5x | $110,000/year |
1.3x tier: 66 occupations
| NOC code | Occupation | Tier | Median wage (Canada) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60040 | Managers in customer and personal services | 1.3x | $34.00/hour |
| 72102 | Sheet metal workers | 1.3x | $34.07/hour |
| 82010 | Supervisors, logging and forestry | 1.3x | $34.85/hour |
| 12201 | Insurance adjusters and claims examiners | 1.3x | $35.00/hour |
| 12203 | Assessors, business valuators and appraisers | 1.3x | $35.00/hour |
| 22310 | Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians | 1.3x | $35.58/hour |
| 92010 | Supervisors, mineral and metal processing | 1.3x | $36.00/hour |
| 11102 | Financial advisors | 1.3x | $36.06/hour |
| 51112 | Technical writers | 1.3x | $36.06/hour |
| 43201 | Correctional service officers | 1.3x | $36.15/hour |
| 51101 | Conservators and curators | 1.3x | $36.36/hour |
| 50012 | Recreation, sports and fitness program and service directors | 1.3x | $36.63/hour |
| 51111 | Authors and writers (except technical) | 1.3x | $36.81/hour |
| 72603 | Engineer officers, water transport | 1.3x | $37.00/hour |
| 52112 | Broadcast technicians | 1.3x | $37.09/hour |
| 72401 | Heavy-duty equipment mechanics | 1.3x | $37.12/hour |
| 72014 | Contractors and supervisors, other construction trades, installers, repairers and servicers | 1.3x | $37.50/hour |
| 72321 | Insulators | 1.3x | $37.61/hour |
| 32102 | Paramedical occupations | 1.3x | $38.00/hour |
| 60031 | Accommodation service managers | 1.3x | $38.00/hour |
| 72013 | Contractors and supervisors, carpentry trades | 1.3x | $38.00/hour |
| 22214 | Technical occupations in geomatics and meteorology | 1.3x | $38.10/hour |
| 11109 | Other financial officers | 1.3x | $38.46/hour |
| 21101 | Chemists | 1.3x | $38.46/hour |
| 21234 | Web developers and programmers | 1.3x | $38.46/hour |
| 22233 | Construction inspectors | 1.3x | $38.46/hour |
| 41300 | Social workers | 1.3x | $38.46/hour |
| 72021 | Contractors and supervisors, heavy equipment operator crews | 1.3x | $38.46/hour |
| 21200 | Architects | 1.3x | $38.94/hour |
| 32120 | Medical laboratory technologists | 1.3x | $39.00/hour |
| 72404 | Aircraft mechanics and aircraft inspectors | 1.3x | $39.00/hour |
| 51102 | Archivists | 1.3x | $39.24/hour |
| 21110 | Biologists and related scientists | 1.3x | $40.00/hour |
| 21112 | Agricultural representatives, consultants and specialists | 1.3x | $40.00/hour |
| 32121 | Medical radiation technologists | 1.3x | $40.00/hour |
| 41409 | Other professional occupations in social science | 1.3x | $40.00/hour |
| 72010 | Contractors and supervisors, machining, metal forming, shaping and erecting trades and related occupations | 1.3x | $40.00/hour |
| 72020 | Contractors and supervisors, mechanic trades | 1.3x | $40.00/hour |
| 72302 | Gas fitters | 1.3x | $40.00/hour |
| 72320 | Bricklayers | 1.3x | $40.00/hour |
| 93102 | Pulping, papermaking and coating control operators | 1.3x | $40.00/hour |
| 43203 | Border services, customs, and immigration officers | 1.3x | $40.10/hour |
| 83120 | Fishing masters and officers | 1.3x | $40.26/hour |
| 11100 | Financial auditors and accountants | 1.3x | $40.36/hour |
| 22313 | Aircraft instrument, electrical and avionics mechanics, technicians and inspectors | 1.3x | $40.47/hour |
| 11200 | Human resources professionals | 1.3x | $40.87/hour |
| 21201 | Landscape architects | 1.3x | $40.87/hour |
| 22232 | Occupational health and safety specialists | 1.3x | $40.98/hour |
| 32103 | Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists | 1.3x | $41.00/hour |
| 51120 | Producers, directors, choreographers and related occupations | 1.3x | $41.03/hour |
| 72602 | Deck officers, water transport | 1.3x | $41.36/hour |
| 41405 | Education policy researchers, consultants and program officers | 1.3x | $41.52/hour |
| 31121 | Dietitians and nutritionists | 1.3x | $41.63/hour |
| 32122 | Medical sonographers | 1.3x | $42.00/hour |
| 72201 | Industrial electricians | 1.3x | $42.00/hour |
| 72403 | Railway carmen/women | 1.3x | $42.00/hour |
| 83100 | Underground production and development miners | 1.3x | $42.00/hour |
| 21203 | Land surveyors | 1.3x | $42.20/hour |
| 41403 | Social policy researchers, consultants and program officers | 1.3x | $42.56/hour |
| 60020 | Retail and wholesale trade managers | 1.3x | $42.74/hour |
| 72500 | Crane operators | 1.3x | $42.77/hour |
| 72105 | Ironworkers | 1.3x | $43.00/hour |
| 11101 | Financial and investment analysts | 1.3x | $43.27/hour |
| 41400 | Natural and applied science policy researchers, consultants and program officers | 1.3x | $43.27/hour |
| 73311 | Railway conductors and brakemen/women | 1.3x | $43.27/hour |
| 00010 | Legislators | 1.3x | $84,000/year |
Final Note: This Does Not Replace LMIA for Hiring Foreign Workers
Important
Some people may read this news and think "LMIA is gone." That is not correct. Please remember:- This change is only for PR points in Express Entry. It affects CRS points and the job offers used in an Express Entry profile.
- If a Canadian employer wants to hire a foreign worker on a work permit (Temporary Foreign Worker Program), the normal rules stay the same. An LMIA is still required, unless the worker is covered by an LMIA-exempt category.
- Employers cannot skip LMIA to recruit a worker from abroad because of this announcement.
Need Help?
Every profile is different. If you want to check your CRS score under the new rules, or you are an employer with questions about LMIA or hiring, contact Balram's Immigration Consultancy at 437-452-0000 or [email protected].
Official References
This post is general information only and is not legal advice. Rules can change; please confirm on canada.ca.