- New CRS points take effect (announced)
- 3 Nov 2026
- Maximum for the new Labour Market Integration factor
- 150
- Points for a high-wage job offer, no LMIA needed
- 100 / 70 / 50
- Pause in invitation rounds while scores are recalculated
- Up to 2 weeks
On 16 October 2026, IRCC announced that from 3 November 2026 the CRS will score Canadian work experience and job offers through a new Labour Market Integration factor. Job offers in high-wage occupations earn points again, without an LMIA. IRCC's announcement says nothing about French points.
What changed
The change is announced with a date. The new factor gives points for either Canadian work experience or a qualifying job offer, not both. If you qualify for both, you get whichever is higher. The maximum is 150 points without a spouse or common-law partner and 140 with one (see how a spouse changes your CRS points).
Route 1: Canadian work experience
IRCC calls the length-based part "work-length points". They are the same points the CRS gives today for Canadian experience in TEER 0 to 3 jobs (up to 80, or 70 with a spouse), so those points are not lost. On top, you can add high-wage points if you have at least 12 months (1,560 hours) of qualifying Canadian experience in high-wage occupations:
| Your Canadian experience | Without spouse | With spouse |
|---|---|---|
| 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5+ years (work-length) | 40 / 53 / 64 / 72 / 80 | 35 / 46 / 56 / 63 / 70 |
| 12+ months, occupations at 2× the average median wage | +70 | +70 |
| 12+ months, at 1.5× or more | +40 | +40 |
| 12+ months, at 1.3× or more | +20 | +20 |
Experience can be combined across more than one high-wage job, but hours count only up to 30 a week. The rules for skill transferability do not change: Canadian experience is still assessed there by length, not by wage.
Route 2: a qualifying job offer
| Job offer occupation | CRS points |
|---|---|
| At least 2× the average median wage | 100 |
| 1.5× to less than 2× | 70 |
| 1.3× to less than 1.5× | 50 |
| Not a high-wage occupation | 0 |
A high-wage occupation is a NOC whose national median wage is at least 1.3 times the average median wage of the Canadian workforce. It depends on the occupation, not your own salary. IRCC publishes the list, based on 2023 to 2025 data; its examples include engineers and electricians. The offer must generally be full-time, continuous work for at least one year after you become a permanent resident, and an officer checks that it is genuine.
No LMIA: from 3 November, an LMIA is not needed for job-offer points, and having one adds nothing. For Federal Skilled Worker and Federal Skilled Trades eligibility, a valid offer in any TEER 0 to 3 job still counts, even outside the high-wage list.
Who it affects
- Candidates with Canadian experience in high-wage jobs. By our arithmetic from IRCC's tables, one year in an occupation at 2× gives 110 points without a spouse (40 + 70), against 40 today.
- Candidates with a high-wage job offer. Someone abroad with a 2× offer goes from 0 to 100. With five years of Canadian experience (80), the same offer adds only 20, because the two routes don't stack.
- French speakers. Neither the news release, the backgrounder nor the changes page mentions French or second-language points. The CRS criteria page, updated 16 October 2026, still lists the French bonus: 25 points for NCLC 7 in all four abilities, 50 with CLB 5+ in English. The announcement doesn't change the French category either: it still needs NCLC 7 in all four skills. Because everyone's score is recalculated, compare new French cut-offs with the French-category draw history once rounds restart.
- Everyone in the pool. Profiles are recalculated automatically, which may take up to two weeks. IRCC will pause invitation rounds until it is done.
Separately, IRCC's final report on its 2026 consultation (page dated 15 October 2026) records feedback on the French bonus but announces no decision. The bonus is in force; see what we know about the French bonus.
What to do now
- Add your job offer before 3 November. IRCC asks candidates who may qualify to complete the job-offer details in their profile now. Until the form is updated, it still asks you to select a positive LMIA; follow the instructions on IRCC's changes page.
- Look up your NOC on IRCC's high-wage list and record your exact months and hours.
- Recalculate: check your CRS score today. It uses the rules in force until 2 November; our CRS score breakdown explains each line, the full draw history shows recent cut-offs, and the Express Entry ITA odds estimator compares your score with them.
- Keep working on French. If your score is still short, our guide to PR routes for a low CRS score lists the alternatives. French is unaffected and still adds up to 50 bonus points. Check if you meet NCLC 7 and read French for Express Entry.
This item follows our report on the French CRS bonus proposal, and it replaces the rule described in job-offer CRS points from 3 November.