Canada is changing how Express Entry candidates earn Comprehensive Ranking System points from November 3, 2026, with a new Labour Market Integration factor that can add up to 150 CRS points.
The new system will reward eligible Canadian work experience and qualifying job offers in high-wage occupations. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada is also removing the Labour Market Impact Assessment requirement for qualifying job offers used for CRS points and certain program eligibility requirements.
Candidates already in the Express Entry pool will have their CRS scores recalculated automatically. IRCC says the process could take up to two weeks, and Express Entry invitation rounds will pause until the recalculation is complete.
What Changes Under Express Entry From November 3
The November 3 changes affect three important parts of the Express Entry system.
Candidates will be assessed under a new Labour Market Integration factor, qualifying Canadian work experience can receive additional points when it was gained in eligible high-wage occupations, and qualifying high-wage job offers can once again contribute CRS points.
An LMIA will also no longer be required for a qualifying job offer to receive CRS points or satisfy applicable job-offer requirements under the Federal Skilled Worker Program and Federal Skilled Trades Program.
These changes do not mean every candidate with Canadian experience or a job offer will receive the maximum points. The number of points available depends on the candidate’s work history, occupation and the wage classification attached to that occupation.
The New Labour Market Integration Factor Is Worth Up to 150 CRS Points
The Labour Market Integration factor will become part of the CRS from November 3.
Candidates can receive points through one of two routes. The first is qualifying Canadian work experience, with additional points available for experience gained in eligible high-wage occupations. The second is a qualifying job offer in an eligible high-wage occupation.
These two routes cannot be combined. IRCC will compare the points available through Canadian work experience with the points available through a qualifying job offer and use the option that gives the candidate the higher score.
The maximum available under the Labour Market Integration factor is 150 points.
Candidates with a spouse or common-law partner can receive up to 140 points through Canadian work experience. This consists of up to 70 points for length of Canadian work experience and up to 70 additional points for eligible high-wage experience.
Candidates without a spouse or common-law partner can receive up to 150 points, including a maximum of 80 work-length points and 70 high-wage occupation points.
A qualifying high-wage job offer can provide up to 100 points.
High-Wage Occupations Will Be Determined by NOC Classification
Under the revised Express Entry system, an occupation is considered high-wage when its median wage across Canada is at least 1.3 times the average median wage of the Canadian workforce.
The assessment is based on the National Occupational Classification for the occupation, not the individual worker’s personal salary.
This distinction matters because earning a high salary does not automatically place a candidate in a qualifying high-wage occupation. The occupation itself must appear within one of IRCC’s eligible high-wage levels.
Only occupations included in those levels can receive additional high-wage Canadian work experience points or qualifying job offer points under the Labour Market Integration factor.
The occupation attached to a candidate’s experience will therefore become even more important under the new system. Understanding how to choose the correct NOC code for Express Entry can provide useful context when reviewing work history.
Canadian Work Experience Points Will Have Two Parts
Canadian work experience points will combine the existing points awarded for length of work experience with the new high-wage occupation points.
The eligibility requirements used to determine qualifying Canadian work experience are not changing. Eligible experience in TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 occupations will continue to earn work-length points.
| Canadian work experience | With spouse or common-law partner | Without spouse or common-law partner |
|---|---|---|
| None or less than 1 year | 0 | 0 |
| 1 year | 35 | 40 |
| 2 years | 46 | 53 |
| 3 years | 56 | 64 |
| 4 years | 63 | 72 |
| 5 years or more | 70 | 80 |
The maximum work-length score is 70 points for candidates with a spouse or common-law partner and 80 points for candidates without one.
High-Wage Canadian Work Experience Can Add Another 70 Points
Candidates with at least 12 months or 1,560 hours of qualifying Canadian work experience in one or more eligible high-wage occupations can receive additional CRS points.
The experience can be continuous or non-continuous and may come from full-time employment or an equivalent amount of part-time work. Qualifying experience can also be combined across more than one eligible high-wage occupation.
Where a candidate held more than one job at the same time, IRCC will count hours only up to the equivalent of full-time employment, which is 30 hours per week.
| Qualifying Canadian work experience in high-wage occupations | Additional CRS points |
|---|---|
| At least 12 months in occupations with median wages at least 2 times the average median wage | 70 |
| At least 12 months in occupations with median wages at least 1.5 times but below 2 times the average median wage | 40 |
| At least 12 months in occupations with median wages at least 1.3 times but below 1.5 times the average median wage | 20 |
| Less than 12 months of qualifying high-wage experience | 0 |
These points are added to the candidate’s existing work-length points.
The skills transferability rules are not changing. Canadian work experience used for skills transferability will continue to be assessed under the existing work-length requirements without applying the new high-wage occupation points.
Job Offer Points Are Returning to Express Entry
Qualifying job offers will once again contribute CRS points from November 3.
To receive these points, the job offer must satisfy the Express Entry requirements for a valid offer and must be in an occupation included on IRCC’s eligible high-wage occupation list.
| Qualifying job offer | CRS points |
|---|---|
| High-wage occupation at least 2 times the average median wage | 100 |
| High-wage occupation at least 1.5 times but below 2 times the average median wage | 70 |
| High-wage occupation at least 1.3 times but below 1.5 times the average median wage | 50 |
| Occupation not classified as high-wage | 0 |
Job offer points cannot be added to Canadian work experience points under the Labour Market Integration factor. IRCC will use the option that produces the higher score for the candidate.
Qualifying Express Entry Job Offers Will No Longer Require an LMIA
Another major November 3 change is the removal of the LMIA requirement for qualifying Express Entry job offers.
Candidates will no longer need a Labour Market Impact Assessment for a qualifying job offer to receive CRS points. Having an LMIA will also not give a candidate additional CRS points or priority within the Express Entry pool.
Qualifying offers can be for a new or existing position and can come from a new or existing employer.
Removing the LMIA requirement does not mean every Canadian job offer will qualify. IRCC officers will continue to assess job offers during the permanent residence application to confirm that they are genuine and meet the relevant requirements.
The assessment can include the employer’s active involvement in the business, ability to fulfil the terms of the offer, genuine need for the position and compliance with employment and recruitment laws. IRCC will also consider whether the candidate is qualified to perform the work and is likely to accept and carry out the employment.
Candidates With Job Offers Need to Review Their Express Entry Profiles
IRCC has confirmed that the online Express Entry system will not immediately reflect the removal of the LMIA requirement when the new rules take effect.
Candidates with a qualifying job offer but no LMIA will therefore still encounter LMIA-related fields when updating their Express Entry profiles.
IRCC has instructed affected candidates to enter the following information under the Work History section:
| Profile field | Information to enter |
|---|---|
| Was a positive LMIA issued for the job offer in Canada? | Yes |
| LMIA Number | 00000 |
| LMIA Issuance Date | 2026-01-01 |
| LMIA Expiry Date | 2029-01-01 |
Candidates with qualifying job offers that are not already included in their profiles should update the required information before November 3 so the new CRS calculation can take it into account.
FSWP and FSTP Job Offer Eligibility Will Remain Separate From CRS Points
The rules for earning CRS job offer points are different from the requirements used to determine eligibility under the Federal Skilled Worker Program and Federal Skilled Trades Program.
A job offer can therefore support program eligibility without earning Labour Market Integration points.
For these two programs, qualifying job offers are not limited to occupations on the high-wage list. An eligible offer can still be in a TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 occupation if it meets the applicable program requirements.
This means a candidate can receive zero CRS points for a job offer under the new Labour Market Integration factor while the same offer continues to support eligibility for the Federal Skilled Worker Program or Federal Skilled Trades Program.
Express Entry Draws Will Pause While CRS Scores Are Recalculated
Candidates already in the Express Entry pool do not need to create new profiles because of the November 3 changes.
IRCC will automatically recalculate existing CRS scores under the new system. The process could take up to two weeks, and invitation rounds will pause until the recalculation is complete.
Once draws resume, candidates who receive an invitation can review what happens after receiving an Invitation to Apply for permanent residence before preparing the next stage of their application.
What the New Express Entry Points Mean for Candidates
The Express Entry Canadian work experience points introduced from November 3 place greater emphasis on labour market connection.
Candidates with several years of qualifying Canadian experience may benefit from the existing work-length points, while those whose experience falls within eligible high-wage occupations may receive additional points.
Candidates with qualifying high-wage job offers may also gain substantial CRS points even without an LMIA.
The important distinction is that Canadian work experience points and qualifying job offer points will not be added together under the Labour Market Integration factor. IRCC will use the option that produces the stronger score.
Candidates should therefore review their work history, NOC classification and any qualifying job offer before the new system takes effect.
Conclusion
The new Express Entry points system taking effect on November 3, 2026 will change how Canadian work experience and qualifying job offers contribute to CRS rankings.
The Labour Market Integration factor will provide up to 150 points through either qualifying Canadian work experience or an eligible high-wage job offer. Canadian experience will continue to earn points based on length, with up to 70 additional points available for qualifying high-wage experience.
Job offer points are also returning, with as many as 100 CRS points available for qualifying high-wage occupations. At the same time, an LMIA will no longer be required for eligible job offers used for CRS points or relevant program eligibility.
Candidates already in the Express Entry pool should review their profiles before November 3, particularly if they have a qualifying job offer that has not yet been added. IRCC will then pause invitation rounds for up to two weeks while scores are recalculated.
Candidates assessing the changes alongside other immigration options can also review how Canada’s permanent residence, work and study pathways fit together.
For professional support assessing how the new Express Entry points may affect your profile, book an appointment with Sehli Global.
Leave a Comment