IRCC has announced the biggest Express Entry change in years, taking effect on November 3, 2026. Here is what every candidate needs to know.
A new Labour Market Integration factor: candidates can now earn up to 150 additional CRS points — the better of two paths, not both:
– Canadian work experience: up to 140 points with a spouse or common-law partner, up to 150 without one. A high-wage bonus of 20, 40 or 70 points applies depending on the occupation’s median-wage tier (1.3x, 1.5x or 2x the median), with 12 months in the occupation required.
– Qualifying job offer: 50, 70 or 100 points depending on the wage tier.
No LMIA required: a qualifying job offer no longer needs a Labour Market Impact Assessment to earn CRS points or to meet the job-offer requirements of the Federal Skilled Worker and Federal Skilled Trades programs. Officers will still assess whether the offer is genuine.
What candidates must do: existing Express Entry profiles will recalculate automatically, but anyone who wants points for a job offer must update their profile before November 3. Invitation rounds will pause during the recalculation, potentially for up to two weeks.
What this means: these changes reward real Canadian work experience and genuine high-wage job offers more than ever. If you are working in Canada or hold a qualifying offer, review your profile now — the points on offer are the largest single factor ever added to the CRS.
Contact ImmiQuest for a personalized assessment before the November 3 changeover.
Vikas Tulashyam, RCIC #R709710 | +1 778-855-4155 | info@immiquest.ca | https://immiquest.ca