Express Entry changes on November 3: what to do now, who is affected and what not to mix up

Key takeaways

IRCC has published the high-wage occupation list. It starts November 3, 2026 and uses 2023 to 2025 data
Look up your NOC on the official list. High-wage is about your occupation, not your own pay
If you have a job offer, update your profile under “Work history” before November 3
Everyone else does nothing: existing profiles are recalculated automatically
You get points for work experience or a job offer, whichever is higher, never both
Recalculation could take up to two weeks. IRCC says invitation rounds will pause until it is done

What to do before November 3

Look up your NOC. Find your occupation on IRCC’s high-wage occupations page. IRCC says the list “comes into effect on November 3, 2026” and is currently based on data from 2023 to 2025. It may be updated, so use the official page and not a copy.
If you have a job offer, update your profile. IRCC says: “Candidates who may qualify for job offer points should review and update their Express Entry profiles before November 3.” See the steps below.
If you do not have a job offer, do nothing. IRCC says it recalculates the profiles in the pool automatically when the changes take effect.

What “high-wage” means

IRCC says high-wage is based on “all the people in Canada working under the same National Occupational Classification (NOC)”. It adds: “It is not determined based on a person’s specific job position or salary.” So a high salary does not make your job high-wage, and a lower salary does not rule it out.

Each NOC gets the highest level its median wage met in the last three years. If the list changes after you get an invitation to apply (ITA), IRCC says “we’ll keep using the level that applied on the date we invited you.”

How to enter a job offer without an LMIA

From November 3, IRCC says no LMIA is needed for program eligibility or CRS points. It also says “having an LMIA will not give you more CRS points or give your profile priority”. The offer can be for an existing or a new position or employer.

But IRCC says its online system “will not yet reflect that change”. In your profile you will still need to say you have a positive LMIA. IRCC gives these entries under “Work history”:

Question	What IRCC says to enter
Positive LMIA issued?	Yes
LMIA number	00000
Issuance date	2026-01-01
Expiry date	2029-01-01

These are placeholder entries that IRCC tells you to use. Check IRCC’s changes page for the current wording before you submit.

What counts as a qualifying offer or experience

Job offer: it must generally be for full-time, continuous work in Canada for at least one year after you become a permanent resident.
Genuine offer: officers still check that the employer is active, can meet the terms, has a real need and follows the law, and that you are qualified and likely to accept.
Work experience: at least 1 year (12 months or 1,560 hours) of qualifying Canadian work experience in one or more listed high-wage occupations. It can be continuous or not, full-time or equal part-time, and combined across jobs. Concurrent jobs count only up to 30 hours a week.
How recent: eligible Canadian work experience “generally must have been acquired in Canada within the previous 10 years” in TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3.

Details are in IRCC’s changes page and backgrounder.

Work experience or job offer points, not both

IRCC says: “You can only receive points for Canadian work experience or an eligible job offer, not both.” You get whichever option gives more points.

For the points tables, see our article on the Express Entry changes on November 3.

Federal Skilled Worker and Trades: eligibility is separate

For the Federal Skilled Worker and Federal Skilled Trades programs, a job offer can still count for program eligibility even if it is not on the high-wage list. Any eligible TEER 0 to 3 job offer works for eligibility. It just will not earn CRS job offer points. IRCC assesses the two separately. It says skills-transferability rules are not changing.

The recalculation and the pause

IRCC says pool profiles are recalculated automatically “when the changes take effect, which could take up to two weeks. During this time we’ll pause invitation rounds and will start again when it’s complete.”

What IRCC has not said

Rounds before November 3: IRCC has not said whether there will be rounds before then, or the exact pause dates.
Declining an ITA to wait: IRCC has not said. We do not advise either way.
Category-based rounds: no new categories are announced in these IRCC pages. IRCC has not said how the changes affect category-based rounds.
Existing ITAs and applications: IRCC has not said in general. It does say the list level is locked on your ITA date, and the LMIA public policy for these programs covers candidates invited on or after November 3.

What to do next

Look up your NOC on the official IRCC list.
If you have a job offer, update your profile before November 3.
Read our article on the points and the pause.
See our CRS calculator, CRS improvement simulator, category checker, draw history and Express Entry guide. Our tools do not include the new points yet.

Frequently asked questions

Is the high-wage list published?

Yes. IRCC published it. It takes effect on November 3, 2026 and is based on 2023 to 2025 data.

Does my own salary decide if my job is high-wage?

No. IRCC says it is based on everyone working under the same NOC, not on your position or salary.

Do I need to update my profile if I have no job offer?

No. IRCC recalculates existing profiles automatically.

What do I enter for the LMIA question?

IRCC says to answer Yes, use LMIA number 00000, issuance date 2026-01-01 and expiry date 2029-01-01, because its online system does not yet reflect the no-LMIA change.

Can I get both work experience points and job offer points?

No. You get the higher of the two.

Sources

Facts as provided in our research brief dated October 16, 2026.

This is general information, not legal or immigration advice. For your situation, consult a licensed immigration consultant (RCIC) or lawyer.