Canada Overhauls Express Entry: High-Wage Points Restored and LMIA Requirement Scrapped from November 3
Updated: 1 hour ago
OTTAWA, October 25, 2026 — Canada will implement its most significant Express Entry reform since the system launched in 2015 on November 3, 2026, introducing a new points structure that rewards high-wage occupations while eliminating the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) requirement for qualifying job offers.
The changes, announced by Immigration Minister Lena Diab on 16 October, create a new Labour Market Integration Factor (LMIF) within the Comprehensive Ranking System. Candidates can earn up to 150 points — the largest single block of points available outside the core human capital factors.
For employers, the removal of the LMIA requirement is the headline: a job offer that previously required months of administrative processing and thousands of dollars in fees can now qualify for CRS points on company letterhead alone.
How the New Points System Works
The LMIF introduces a non-stacking rule. Candidates can receive points for either:
Experience working in Canada in a high-paying job, or
A qualifying job offer in a high-wage occupation
They cannot claim both. The system automatically awards whichever option produces the higher score.
The Points Tables
For Canadian work experience, the high-wage bonus sits on top of the existing work-length points (up to 80 without a spouse, 70 with one).
Wage Level | Additional High-Wage Points | Maximum Combined (without spouse) |
2× median wage | 70 | 150 (80 work-length + 70 high-wage) |
1.5× median wage | 40 | 120 (80 + 40) |
1.3× median wage | 20 | 100 (80 + 20) |
For a qualifying job offer, the points are awarded directly, with no underlying work-length component.
Wage Level | CRS Points |
2× median wage | 100 |
1.5× median wage | 70 |
1.3× median wage | 50 |
The maximum available under the LMIF is 150 points for candidates without an accompanying spouse and 140 points for those with one.
What "High-Wage" Actually Means
The definition is not based on what an individual earns. It is based on the median wage of everyone in Canada performing that occupation, as classified by National Occupational Classification (NOC) code.
A job is considered high-wage if that median is at least 1.3 times the average median wage of the overall Canadian workforce. IRCC uses wage data from 2023 to 2025 to set the tiers, and assigns each occupation to the highest level it reached during that period.
The practical consequence is that a highly paid software developer in a 1.3× occupation scores less than a moderately paid manager in a 2× occupation. The occupation, not the salary, determines the points.
IRCC has published a list of 186 eligible occupations:
Tier | Number of Occupations | Job Offer Points | Experience Bonus |
2× median | 31 | 100 | 70 |
1.5× median | 89 | 70 | 40 |
1.3× median | 66 | 50 | 20 |
The list includes senior managers, financial managers, engineering managers, computer and information systems managers, physicians, nurse practitioners, lawyers, university professors, and architects, among others.
The LMIA Is Gone for Qualifying Offers
The most operationally significant change is the removal of the LMIA requirement.
Previously, a job offer used to obtain CRS points — or to meet the job offer requirement under the Federal Skilled Worker Program and Federal Skilled Trades Program — generally required a positive LMIA. That process required employers to demonstrate that no Canadian worker was available, and could take months.
From November 3, that requirement disappears for qualifying offers. IRCC will instead assess whether the offer is genuine and whether the employer is a legitimate business. The test moves from a labour-market process to a documentary assessment by the visa officer.
Employers should be prepared to provide supporting documentation if requested. The removal of the LMIA does not mean the offer is taken on trust.
What Candidates Must Do Before November 3
Two different processes apply depending on how a candidate qualifies.
Points for Canadian work experience will be automatically recalculated for all candidates currently in the Express Entry pool. No action is needed.
Job offer points require the candidate to update their Express Entry profile before November 3 with the required information. IRCC has noted a quirk in the process: candidates will need to indicate that they have a positive LMIA when updating their job offer details, even though the LMIA is no longer required.
Invitation rounds will be paused for up to two weeks while IRCC completes the recalculation. Draws will resume once the process is complete.
What This Means for Employers
The change creates a narrow window for employers to retain key foreign staff.
Review occupation classifications. An employee's NOC code determines whether they qualify for the high-wage bonus. Employers should confirm that classifications are accurate before the deadline.
Prepare job offer documentation. For employees with qualifying offers, gather the evidence IRCC may request to verify genuineness and business legitimacy.
Coordinate profile updates. Employees requiring job offer points must update their profiles by November 3. HR and immigration counsel should collaborate to ensure accurate information entry.
Reassess permanent residence strategies. The LMIA barrier that previously deterred many employers from using Express Entry has been eliminated. Companies that depended on Provincial Nominee Programs or other pathways might now consider Express Entry as a viable option.
Fragomen notes that the changes "may improve eligible candidates' permanent residence selection prospects and alter rankings across the Express Entry pool". Employers should expect CRS cut-off scores to shift as high-wage candidates receive substantial point increases.
The Broader Context
The reform arrives amid a wider recalibration of Canada's immigration system. The draft 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan, reported earlier this month, proposes cutting temporary resident admissions while holding permanent residence at 380,000 — and setting aside 33,000 spaces for in-demand temporary workers to convert to PR.
The Express Entry changes align with that objective: retaining workers already in Canada, in occupations that command high wages, without requiring employers to navigate the LMIA process.
The government's stated rationale is economic. By tying points to wage multiples rather than NOC codes alone, Ottawa is signalling that earnings — a rough proxy for productivity and labour-market demand — will drive selection.
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Quick Reference Summary
Item | Detail |
Effective Date | November 3, 2026 |
New CRS Factor | Labour Market Integration Factor (LMIF) |
Maximum Points | 150 (without spouse); 140 (with spouse) |
Job Offer Points | 100 (2×), 70 (1.5×), 50 (1.3×) |
Work Experience Bonus | 70 (2×), 40 (1.5×), 20 (1.3×) |
High-Wage Definition | NOC median wage at least 1.3× Canadian average |
Eligible Occupations | 186 (31 at 2×, 89 at 1.5×, 66 at 1.3×) |
LMIA Requirement | Removed for qualifying Express Entry, FSW and FST offers |
Profile Updates | Required for job offer points; automatic for work experience |
Draw Pause | Up to two weeks from November 3 |
Official Source |
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