Quick reminder, in case you’re new. Express Entry is Canada’s main online system for skilled workers who want permanent residence. Everyone in it gets a score out of 1,200. And that score is called CRS. The higher your score, the better your chance of being invited to apply for PR. And an LMIA is a document an employer used to need from the government, to prove they really needed to hire a foreign worker. It typically takes time, it costs money, and many employers didn’t want to deal with it.
What is changing in Express Entry on November 3, 2026?
Two things happen on the same day. First, a new CRS section called the Labour Market Integration factor starts awarding points for either your Canadian work experience or a qualifying job offer in an eligible high-wage occupation. Second, a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) is no longer needed for a job offer to count for program eligibility or for CRS points.
You cannot stack the two. IRCC compares what you would get from your work experience with what you would get from a job offer and gives you the higher number. The maximum for this factor is 150 points.
How high-wage Canadian work experience points work
You still get the usual work-length points for Canadian experience in a TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 job. Those rules are not changing. What is new is a bonus on top, if you have at least 12 months (or 1,560 hours) of qualifying Canadian experience in an eligible high-wage occupation:
- 70 points if your type of job usually pays double the typical Canadian wage.
- 40 points if it pays about one and a half times the typical wage.
- 20 points if it pays about a third more.
The experience can be continuous or not, full-time or the equivalent in part-time, and you can combine it across more than one eligible job. If you hold two jobs at once, IRCC only counts hours up to full-time (30 hours a week).
Put together, a candidate without a partner can reach up to 150 points (80 for five years of work plus 70 for high-wage experience). With an accompanying partner, the ceiling is 140 (70 plus 70).
Job offer points are back: 100, 70 or 50
Job offer points return to the CRS, but only for offers in eligible high-wage occupations:
- 100 points for a job at least twice the average median wage.
- 70 points for a job at 1.5 times, but under twice, the average median wage.
- 50 points for a job at 1.3 times, but under 1.5 times, the average median wage.
- 0 points if the job is not on the high-wage list.
An important detail: high-wage status depends on the National Occupational Classification (NOC) code, not on your specific position or salary. IRCC publishes the list of eligible occupations, so check your code there first.
No more LMIA for Express Entry job offers
This is a big relief for many candidates and employers. From November 3, you do not need an LMIA for a job offer to meet Federal Skilled Worker or Federal Skilled Trades eligibility, or to get CRS points. Having an LMIA will not earn you extra points or priority. Offers can be for an existing or a new position, and with an existing or a new employer.
That does not mean offers go unchecked. An officer will assess whether the offer is genuine when you apply for permanent residence. They look at whether the employer is active in the business, can meet the terms of the offer, made an offer that fits its real needs, and is following employment and recruitment laws. They also look at whether you are qualified and likely to accept and carry out the job. A revoked offer no longer counts.
One quirk to know about: IRCC says the online profile system will not yet reflect the new rules on day one. If you have an offer without an LMIA, the profile still asks about a positive LMIA, and IRCC's own instructions explain what to select and enter. Follow the instructions on the official page exactly rather than guessing.
What happens to draws and your current score?
Candidates already in the pool will have their CRS scores recalculated automatically. That process can take up to two weeks, and Canada will also stop sending out invitations for up to two weeks while it updates everyone’s scores
They will restart once it is done. Recent official rounds show where things stand right now: on October 15, 2,500 Canadian Experience Class candidates were invited at a cut-off of 519, and on October 16, 5,000 candidates were invited in a French-language proficiency round at 435.
Extra points never guarantee an invitation. Invitations still depend on each round's requirements and cut-off score, and cut-offs may shift as scores are recalculated.
Your action plan before November 3
- Check your NOC code against IRCC's high-wage occupation list and note which of the three levels it falls under.
- Add up your Canadian work history in months or hours and see whether you reach the 12-month high-wage threshold.
- Update your profile before November 3 if you have a qualifying job offer, because the official guidance says job offer details must be in your profile to count.
- Talk to employers now. Without the LMIA hurdle, a job offer in a high-wage job is now much easier for them to give or secure.
- Keep your documents ready, including reference letters and pay records, as officers will verify them.
Final thoughts from Ammy
These changes reward people who are already working in Canada in higher-paying skilled jobs, so they will help some candidates a lot and others very little. Do not panic if your occupation is not on the list. Your existing points do not disappear, and other routes, including category draws and provincial nominations, remain open. The key is knowing exactly where you stand before November 3.
Want a personal plan? Every profile is different. Book a one-on-one consultation and we will map out your CRS score, your best strategy, and your next steps together.
Sources: IRCC: 2026 changes to points for Canadian work experience and job offers; IRCC news release: Canada refocusing Express Entry on top talent; IRCC Express Entry rounds data; secondary context: Immigration News Canada.
Disclaimer: This post is general information based on current official rules and may change. Always confirm details with IRCC (canada.ca) before making decisions about your application.