Express Entry Changes (Effective November 3, 2026): What Employers and Workers Need to Know
On November 3, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) changed how Express Entry awards points for Canadian work experience and job offers. If you are an employer with skilled foreign workers, or a worker hoping to become a permanent resident, here is what changed, what did not, and what to do next.
The short version
- A job offer no longer needs an LMIA to count under Express Entry. It can count toward program eligibility and Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points without one.
- Job offer points are back, but only for high-wage occupations. The offer must be for a job on IRCC's high-wage list. It is worth 50, 70 or 100 points, depending on the occupation.
- There is a new "Labour Market Integration" factor worth up to 150 points, built on Canadian work experience or a qualifying job offer.
- IRCC will judge whether a job offer is genuine. An LMIA is no longer the test.
- This does not mean LMIAs are going away. These changes apply to Express Entry. A separate question remains: does the worker have authorization to work in Canada, and does that authorization need an LMIA?
An important distinction: permanent residence vs. permission to work
An Express Entry job offer is part of a permanent residence application. It is not a work permit. Whether an employer needs an LMIA to hire a foreign worker temporarily is a separate question, and IRCC's announcement about Express Entry does not change it. If a worker needs an LMIA-based work permit to start or continue working, that requirement still applies.
What changed, in plain language
1. No LMIA needed for Express Entry job offers
As of November 3, 2026, you do not need an LMIA for a job offer to qualify for program eligibility or CRS points. Having one also gives you no extra points and no priority in the queue. IRCC says job offers can now be:
- for an existing position or a new one, and
- from the worker's current employer or a new one.
2. IRCC now checks that the offer is genuine
An immigration officer reviews every qualifying job offer when the person applies for permanent residence. According to IRCC, the officer must be satisfied that the offer is genuine. This includes whether:
- the employer is active in the business and can fulfill the terms of the offer,
- the offer meets the employer's real needs,
- the employer is following employment and recruitment laws, and
- the worker is qualified, able to perform the job, and likely to accept it and do the work.
3. Job offer points only count for "high-wage" occupations
IRCC calls an occupation "high-wage" when the median wage of everyone in Canada working in that occupation (grouped by National Occupational Classification, or NOC, code) is at least 1.3 times the average median wage of the overall Canadian workforce. Two things to remember:
- It is about the occupation, not the individual's pay or specific job position.
- If the occupation is not on IRCC's list, the job offer earns 0 points, even if the salary is high.
| Job offer category | CRS points |
|---|---|
| Occupation with a median wage at least 2× the average median wage | 100 |
| At least 1.5× but less than 2× | 70 |
| At least 1.3× but less than 1.5× | 50 |
| Not a high-wage occupation | 0 |
IRCC's list is currently based on 2023–2025 data. If the list changes after someone receives an Invitation to Apply, IRCC keeps using the level that applied on the invitation date.
4. A new "Labour Market Integration" factor
This new factor is worth up to 150 points. IRCC compares the points you would get from your Canadian work experience with the points from a qualifying job offer, and gives you whichever is higher. They are not added together.
| Option | With spouse or partner | Without spouse or partner |
|---|---|---|
| Canadian work experience | up to 140 (70 work-length + 70 high-wage) | up to 150 (80 work-length + 70 high-wage) |
| Qualifying job offer | 100 | 100 |
5. Canadian work experience: a bonus for high-wage jobs
Points for how long someone has worked in Canada in a TEER 0–3 job still apply, and the eligibility rules for Canadian work experience are not changing. On top of that, there is now a bonus for at least 12 months (or 1,560 hours) of qualifying Canadian work in high-wage occupations:
| Qualifying Canadian experience | Bonus points |
|---|---|
| 12+ months in occupations at the 2× level | 70 |
| 12+ months at the 1.5× level (if not eligible for 70) | 40 |
| 12+ months at the 1.3× level (if not eligible for 40) | 20 |
The experience can be continuous or not, full-time or an equal amount of part-time, and combined across more than one eligible high-wage job.
Example: A worker with two years of Canadian experience and no spouse or partner gets 53 work-length points. If those two years were in a 1.3× high-wage occupation, they would add 20 bonus points for 73 in total under this factor.
6. Job offers can still matter outside the high-wage list
For the Federal Skilled Worker Program and Federal Skilled Trades Program, a valid job offer can still help a candidate meet program eligibility even if the job is not on the high-wage list. IRCC assesses CRS job offer points and program eligibility separately. So an offer might help someone qualify for a program without adding any CRS points.
7. Existing profiles are being recalculated
IRCC is recalculating points in existing Express Entry profiles. This could take up to two weeks, and invitation rounds are paused until it is finished. IRCC has also published temporary instructions for candidates with a job offer but no LMIA, because the online profile still asks for LMIA details. Follow IRCC's instructions on its official page rather than guessing.
Example: can a worker be "re-titled" to earn points?
Some occupations on the high-wage list are supervisory, such as NOC 72014 (contractors and supervisors, other construction trades, installers, repairers and servicers). A painting company with a genuine crew supervisor may be able to make a qualifying job offer in that occupation.
But the offer must reflect reality. Because IRCC officers assess whether an offer is genuine and whether the worker is qualified and able to perform the job, simply changing a job title will not do the work. If you are thinking of changing a worker's role, get advice first, especially if the worker is on an employer-specific work permit.
What this means for you
If you are an employer:
- You may be able to support a valued employee's permanent residence without getting an LMIA just for Express Entry.
- A qualifying offer must be in an eligible high-wage occupation to earn CRS points, and it must be genuine.
- If you need to hire a foreign worker who does not yet have authorization to work in Canada, or extend an existing work permit, you still need to identify the right work permit pathway, which may include an LMIA.
- Your obligations under any existing work permit or LMIA do not disappear because of these changes.
If you are a worker:
- Check whether your occupation (by NOC code) is on IRCC's high-wage list, and at which level.
- Your Canadian work experience may now earn extra points. Compare it with what a job offer would add, since you get the higher of the two.
- If you have a job offer and an Express Entry profile, make sure your profile is up to date.
How Foothills Immigration can help
Foothills Immigration continues to assist employers with LMIA and work permit applications. For questions about your individual Express Entry eligibility, CRS score or permanent residence options, we can point you to a trusted permanent residence specialist.
Not sure where you or your business stands? Book a free consultation with our team.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Immigration rules change, so always confirm details with IRCC or a licensed immigration professional.
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