New immigration rules will award additional CRS points for qualifying high-wage employment as Ottawa prioritizes skilled workers and economic immigration
Ottawa (Rajeev Sharma): Canada is introducing significant changes to its Express Entry immigration system, including a temporary policy to remove the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) requirement for qualifying high-wage job offers to receive additional Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points. The changes are scheduled to take effect on November 3, 2026, and are intended to attract skilled professionals in high-paying occupations, including engineering and other fields facing demand for specialized talent.
Under the proposed framework, eligible job offers will receive points according to the wage level of the occupation, with higher-paying positions potentially earning more CRS points. The government defines a high-wage job for this policy as one paying at least 1.3 times Canada’s national median wage. Statistics Canada reported a median annual income of $46,300 in 2024, although the applicable wage threshold and eligibility criteria must be assessed under the government’s official rules.
The removal of the LMIA requirement is intended to simplify the immigration process for qualifying candidates and employers. An LMIA is a document generally used to assess whether hiring a foreign worker is likely to have a positive or neutral impact on Canada’s labour market. Under the temporary policy, qualifying job offers in eligible high-wage occupations will no longer need an LMIA to earn the new Express Entry job-offer points or satisfy the specified job-offer requirements under the Federal Skilled Worker and Federal Skilled Trades programs. The change does not eliminate other immigration eligibility requirements or automatically guarantee permanent residency.
The revised system builds on Canada’s broader efforts to attract skilled workers in sectors such as healthcare, skilled trades, transportation, engineering and research. Candidates who already have Canadian work experience or qualifying employment offers may benefit, depending on their individual circumstances and the final eligibility rules.
Applicants already in the Express Entry pool are expected to have their CRS scores recalculated under the updated framework. Immigration authorities have indicated that recalculation could take up to two weeks, during which invitations to apply for permanent residency may be paused. Candidates should review their profiles and ensure their employment and other relevant information is accurate before the changes take effect.
The policy comes amid Canada’s efforts to manage immigration levels while addressing labour-market needs. The government has set permanent resident admissions targets of 380,000 for 2026 and 365,000 for 2027, while aiming to increase the share of economic immigration in future admissions. Ottawa has also announced measures to reduce temporary residents to below five per cent of Canada’s population by the end of 2027.
For skilled professionals hoping to settle permanently in Canada, the proposed changes could make qualifying high-wage employment a more important factor in the Express Entry selection process. However, candidates should confirm their eligibility through official Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) guidance before making employment or immigration decisions.
