From November 3, 2026, a new CRS factor rewards high-wage Canadian experience or job offers, and job offers no longer need an LMIA.
What happened
On October 16, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced changes to the Express Entry Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) that take effect on November 3, 2026. A new Labour Market Integration factor, worth up to 150 points, awards points for either Canadian work experience or a qualifying job offer in an eligible high-wage occupation, but not both. Candidates receive whichever option gives them more points.
An occupation counts as high-wage if the median wage of all workers in Canada in that NOC is at least 1.3 times the average median wage of the overall workforce. The test is based on the occupation, not on the candidate's own salary.
The new points
Canadian work experience: the existing work-length points stay the same (TEER 0 to 3, up to 80 points without a spouse or 70 with one). Candidates with at least 12 months (1,560 hours) of Canadian experience in eligible high-wage occupations earn an extra 20, 40 or 70 points, depending on whether the occupation's median wage is at least 1.3, 1.5 or 2 times the average. The maximum is 150 points without a spouse and 140 with one.
Job offers: a valid Express Entry job offer in an eligible high-wage occupation earns 50, 70 or 100 points at the same three wage levels. Job offers outside high-wage occupations earn no CRS points.
As of November 3, a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) is no longer required for a job offer to count toward program eligibility or CRS points. An LMIA gives no extra points or priority. Officers will still check that each offer is genuine when the permanent residence application is assessed.
Who is affected and what to expect
IRCC will recalculate the scores of all profiles in the pool once the changes take effect, which could take up to two weeks; invitation rounds will pause during that time. Because the online profile has not yet been updated, candidates with a job offer without an LMIA must follow IRCC's posted instructions and enter the placeholder LMIA details shown on its website. Candidates who already hold an invitation are assessed under the occupation list in effect on the date of their invitation. Skills transferability points are unchanged.
Key points
- The new rules take effect November 3, 2026; draws pause for up to two weeks
- High-wage means the occupation's median wage is at least 1.3 times the average
- Job offers are worth up to 100 points and Canadian experience up to 150, but not both
- Job offers no longer need an LMIA but must still be genuine
Sources
Based on official information available at the time of the announcement. General information only, not legal advice. Immigration rules change often; IRCC and provincial websites prevail.