As of November 7, 2026, Express Entry scores Canadian work experience and job offers through a new Labour Market Integration factor. It is worth up to 150 Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points for a candidate without a partner, or 140 with one. Job offers no longer need a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). IRCC is recalculating existing profiles, which could take up to 2 weeks; invitation rounds are paused until this is complete. The points follow the occupation code attached to a candidate's Canadian work or job offer, not the candidate's own salary.
At a glance
- Canadian work experience earns up to 80 points for length (70 with a partner), plus up to 70 points if at least 12 months were in a "high-wage" occupation.
- A job offer in a high-wage occupation earns 100, 70 or 50 points depending on its wage level. An offer outside the list earns 0. A profile gets points for work experience or a job offer, not both.
- LMIA and LMIA-exemption requirements are gone for all Express Entry job offers. IRCC's online form may ask for LMIA details; answer "Yes" to "Was a positive LMIA issued?" and enter LMIA 00000, issued 2026-01-01, expires 2029-01-01.
- IRCC is recalculating existing profiles, which could take up to 2 weeks, with no invitation rounds until it's done.
How the new factor fits into the CRS core score
The CRS is the points score IRCC uses to rank candidates in the Express Entry pool. According to IRCC's CRS criteria page, the Labour Market Integration factor now sits among the core factors:
| Core factor | With spouse or partner | Without spouse or partner |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 100 | 110 |
| Level of education | 140 | 150 |
| Official languages proficiency | 150 | 160 |
| Labour Market Integration factor | 140 | 150 |
| Core maximum | 530 | 570 |
Candidates are scored on the "without" column if their spouse or partner isn't coming to Canada, or is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
The factor has two routes. The first is Canadian work experience, scored in two parts:
| Length of Canadian work experience | With spouse or partner | Without spouse or partner |
|---|---|---|
| None or less than a 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 |
| Qualifying high-wage Canadian work experience | Points (with or without partner) |
|---|---|
| At least 12 months in one or more occupations at twice the median wage or more | 70 |
| Otherwise, at least 12 months combined in occupations at 1.5 times the median wage or more | 40 |
| Otherwise, at least 12 months combined in occupations at 1.3 times the median wage or more | 20 |
IRCC defines Canadian work experience as working for a Canadian employer in Canada. Remote work counts if the person was physically in Canada. Experience must meet Express Entry rules: it must be in a TEER 0–3 occupation and generally be within the last 10 years.
The second route is a high-wage job offer:
| Job offer category | Points |
|---|---|
| High-wage occupation, twice the median wage | 100 |
| High-wage occupation, 1.5 times the median wage | 70 |
| High-wage occupation, 1.3 times the median wage | 50 |
| Not a high-wage occupation | 0 |
The gaps between the routes are large. A candidate without a partner with 5 or more years of Canadian work, including 12 months in a top-tier occupation, reaches 80 + 70 = 150 points, 50 more than the best possible job offer. At the other end, exactly 1 year of Canadian work outside the list earns 40 points, 10 fewer than a job offer at the 1.3 tier.
How IRCC sets the high-wage list
A job counts as high-wage when the median wage of everyone in Canada working under that National Occupational Classification (NOC) code is at least 1.3 times the average median wage of the Canadian workforce. The NOC is the five-digit code Canada uses to group jobs. IRCC is explicit that the test isn't based on a person's own position or salary.
There are three levels: twice the average median wage or more; 1.5 times to under twice; and 1.3 times to under 1.5 times. IRCC uses Job Bank, Labour Force Survey and Census data over the last 3 years, and gives each NOC the highest level its median wage reached in that period. The list in effect from November 3, 2026 is based on 2023 to 2025 data.
Some examples:
| Level | Example NOCs |
|---|---|
| Twice the median or more | 20012 Computer and information systems managers; 31102 General practitioners and family physicians |
| 1.5 to under 2 times | 21231 Software engineers and designers; 31301 Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses |
| 1.3 to under 1.5 times | 11100 Financial auditors and accountants; 72201 Industrial electricians |
Who the new scoring touches, and who it doesn't
- Candidates in the pool with Canadian work experience. Scores are being recalculated automatically. Those whose Canadian jobs fall under a listed NOC may see the biggest change, since they can add 20, 40 or 70 high-wage points on top of length points.
- Candidates with a job offer. No LMIA is needed. The offer's value depends on the NOC tier, and an offer outside the list earns 0 CRS points.
- Candidates with a partner coming to Canada. The factor caps at 140 instead of 150, and work length at 70 instead of 80. The high-wage portion is 70 either way.
- Candidates whose NOC isn't on the list. They can still earn work-length points, but no high-wage experience points or job-offer points.
- Federal Skilled Worker, Federal Skilled Trades and some provincial nominee applicants. Where a job offer is part of a program's requirements, IRCC says that hasn't changed. The offer can be in a high-wage or non-high-wage occupation, with no LMIA needed.
- People already invited. If the list changes after an Invitation to Apply (ITA), IRCC keeps the level that applied on the invitation date, whether the job moved levels, was removed or was added.
A provincial nomination is still worth 600 additional points, separate from this factor.
What to check in your profile while draws are paused
- Find your NOC on IRCC's high-wage list and note its tier. Confirm the code in your profile matches the duties you actually perform, since points follow the code, not the job title or salary.
- Check your Canadian work history dates. High-wage points need at least 12 months in listed occupations, and work-length points step up at full years, so a few months can matter.
- Confirm each Canadian job was for a Canadian employer while you were physically in Canada, including remote work.
- Add a valid job offer if you haven't. IRCC says candidates with an offer not yet in their profile should update the profile. The form may ask for LMIA information; answer "Yes" to "Was a positive LMIA issued?" and enter LMIA 00000, issued 2026-01-01, expires 2029-01-01.
- Keep non-high-wage job offers in your profile if you rely on them for Federal Skilled Worker, Federal Skilled Trades or a provincial stream. They earn no CRS points but may still matter for program requirements.
For help reviewing a profile before rounds restart, you can see how we support Express Entry candidates.
An example: how 3 years in a 1.5x occupation scores
Illustration only: a candidate without a partner has 3 years of Canadian work experience, including more than 12 months as a software engineer (NOC 21231, in the 1.5 times tier).
- Work length, 3 years, without partner: 64 points
- High-wage experience at the 1.5 times level: 40 points
- Labour Market Integration factor: 64 + 40 = 104 points
If the candidate's partner were coming to Canada, length points drop to 56, so the factor would be 56 + 40 = 96 points.
Suppose the candidate also holds a job offer in the same 1.5 times tier. That offer is worth 70 points, and IRCC awards whichever is worth more: the work-experience route or the job-offer route. Here the work-experience route is worth 104 - 70 = 34 more points without a partner, or 96 - 70 = 26 more with one. This doesn't assess the rest of the score, including age, education and language.
Common questions
Do I still need an LMIA for an Express Entry job offer?
No. As of November 3, 2026, IRCC removed LMIA and LMIA-exemption requirements for all Express Entry job offers, though the online system may still request LMIA details.
How many CRS points is Canadian work experience worth now?
Up to 150 without a partner (80 for length plus 70 for high-wage work) and up to 140 with one (70 plus 70). The high-wage portion is 70, 40 or 20 depending on the tier and needs at least 12 months.
How is a high-wage occupation defined?
By the NOC code, not your pay: the national median wage for that NOC must be at least 1.3 times the average median wage of Canada's workforce, measured over the last 3 years.
Can I get points for both Canadian work experience and a job offer?
No. IRCC awards whichever route is worth more—work experience or job offer. The job offer may still need to be in your profile if a program you're relying on requires one.
What happens if my occupation changes tiers after I get an ITA?
IRCC keeps using the level that applied on the date you were invited, whether the job moves levels, is removed or is added.
What we don't know yet
- The exact date invitation rounds resume. IRCC says only that recalculation could take up to 2 weeks.
- What cutoff scores will look like in the first rounds under the new scoring, and how individual scores compare with the old system.
- When the online form will stop asking for LMIA details.
How these changes play out depends on your NOC codes, work dates, family situation and the program you're aiming for, and an RCIC can assess your specific case. If you'd like a licensed consultant to go through your profile before rounds restart, book a consultation with Sherway.
Changes made:
- ✓ Deleted the "What we don't know yet" bullet about how the system chooses between work experience and job offer.
- ✓ FAQ "Can I get points for both...": changed to say IRCC awards whichever route is worth more.
- ✓ Opening paragraph and "At a glance": added that IRCC is recalculating profiles (up to 2 weeks) and rounds are paused until complete.
- ✓ LMIA wording in "At a glance" and "What to check" section: replaced "may still ask" language with instructions to answer "Yes" to LMIA question and enter LMIA 00000, issued 2026-01-01, expires 2029-01-01.
- ✓ "update the profile" link: changed to https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/documents/job-offer.html#update_profile
- ✓ Work history bullet: added that experience must meet Express Entry rules (TEER 0–3, generally within 10 years).
- ✓ Opening: changed date to "November 7, 2026" and removed mention of when rounds resume from that sentence.