Canada · Kitchener, Ont. · Elections hub
Express Entry Changes: Extra CRS Points for High-Wage Jobs From Nov. 3
In brief
Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab announced on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, that Express Entry’s Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) will change on Nov. 3. Candidates with eligible Canadian work experience or a qualifying job offer in a high-wage occupation will get additional points, and a labour market impact assessment (LMIA) will no longer be needed for a qualifying job offer.
What is changing?
According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), extra CRS points will go to candidates with eligible Canadian work experience, Canadian work experience in a high-wage occupation, or a qualifying job offer in a high-wage occupation. IRCC defines a high-wage occupation as one whose median wage is at least 1.3 times the median wage of the whole Canadian workforce. The test looks at the typical pay of the occupation, not the candidate’s own salary, and IRCC says it will publish the list on its website using Job Bank, Labour Force Survey and census data from the previous three years.
From the same date, an LMIA will no longer be required for a qualifying job offer to earn the new points or to meet the job-offer rules of the Federal Skilled Worker and Federal Skilled Trades programs. IRCC says it will still check that job offers are genuine.
What candidates should know
Profiles already in the Express Entry pool will be rescored automatically. Candidates who want points for a qualifying job offer must update their profile before Nov. 3. IRCC says the recalculation may take up to two weeks and that invitation rounds will be paused during that time.
The government did not publish the exact number of points in Friday’s release. Applicants should rely on the official IRCC pages rather than unofficial point tables. ViralScopeHub is not affiliated with IRCC or the Government of Canada, and this summary is general information, not immigration advice.
New to the points system? Our Express Entry CRS guide explains how scores work, and the salary calculator turns hourly pay into an annual figure.
Why it matters
Express Entry is Canada’s main route to permanent residence for skilled workers, so the change affects many applicants already in Canada on work permits, including large numbers from India.
Related free tools: Salary & Hourly Wage Calculator
Sources
Every ViralScopeHub news item is an original summary written in our own words. We link to the original reporting so you can read the full story from the publisher.
