Express Entry High-Wage Points from November 3, 2026: Step-by-Step Guide
On this page:
From November 3, 2026, Express Entry will award extra CRS points for Canadian work experience or a qualifying job offer in a high-wage occupation. Job offers in these occupations will also earn points again, and an LMIA is no longer required for a qualifying job offer. This guide explains how the points are calculated, based on the official IRCC release and backgrounder dated October 16, 2026.
What "median wage" means
The median is the middle value. Line up the hourly wages of everyone in a job from lowest to highest, and the median is the wage in the middle: half earn more, and half earn less.
The median is different from the average. The average adds all wages and divides by the number of people, so a few very high salaries raise it. The median is much less affected by those salaries. That is why IRCC uses the median to measure the typical wage for a job.
How IRCC decides whether a job is high-wage
According to the official IRCC page:
A job is high-wage if the median wage of all people in Canada working under the same National Occupational Classification (NOC) code is at least 1.3 times the average median wage of the overall Canadian workforce.
The test is based on everyone in Canada with that NOC code. It is not based on your specific position or your salary.
IRCC uses data from the Job Bank, the Labour Force Survey, and the Census of Population over the last three years.
Each NOC receives the highest level its median reached during those three years.
The current list is based on data from 2023 to 2025 and takes effect on November 3, 2026.
If the list changes after an Invitation to Apply (ITA) is issued, IRCC keeps the level that applied on the invitation date.
Each high-wage NOC is placed in one of three levels:
Level | Median wage compared with the average median wage of the overall Canadian workforce |
|---|---|
2 times | At least 2 times |
1.5 times | At least 1.5 times, but less than 2 times |
1.3 times | At least 1.3 times, but less than 1.5 times |
Example from the official list: NOC 21231, Software engineers and designers, is in the 1.5 times level.
<a id="step-by-step"></a>
Step-by-step: how to calculate your points
Step 1: Find your NOC code.
Your NOC is a five-digit code based on your job duties, not your job title. Use the official NOC description that matches your work.
Step 2: Check the official list.
Find your NOC in the full list at the bottom of this page and note its level. IRCC sets the level, and your salary does not change it. If your NOC is not on the list, you receive zero high-wage points.
Step 3: Choose your path.
You can use one or both paths. Each has its own requirements.
Path A: Canadian work experience
At least 12 months of eligible work experience
Gained in Canada within the last 10 years
In TEER category 0, 1, 2, or 3
Path B: Qualifying job offer
Generally full-time and continuous
For at least one year after you become a permanent resident
Genuine: IRCC checks that the employer is active, the need is reasonable, the employer can meet the terms, and the candidate is qualified and likely to accept and perform the job
Step 4: Calculate high-wage points for each path.
Path A, Canadian work experience:
Experience in high-wage occupations | High-wage points |
|---|---|
12+ months in occupations at the 2 times level | 70 |
Not 70, but 12+ months combined at the 1.5 times level or higher | 40 |
Not 40 or 70, but 12+ months combined at the 1.3 times level or higher | 20 |
Path B, qualifying job offer:
Job offer NOC level | High-wage points |
|---|---|
2 times | 100 |
1.5 times | 70 |
1.3 times | 50 |
Step 5: Use the higher result.
Path A and Path B are not added together. You receive whichever gives more high-wage points.
Step 6: Add duration points.
Canadian work experience also earns duration points under the existing CRS table, up to 80 points for 5 years. These are added on top of the high-wage points.
Step 7: Check the cap.
The labour market integration factor allows up to 150 points without a spouse or common-law partner, and 140 points with one.
Examples (fictional, for illustration only)
Case | Situation | High-wage points | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
A | 12 months at the 2 times level | 70 | Meets the top experience tier |
B | 12 months at the 1.5 times level | 40 | Middle experience tier |
C | 6 months at 2 times + 6 months at 1.3 times | 20 | Only 6 months at 1.5 or higher, but 12 months at 1.3 or higher |
D | 8 months at 1.5 times | 0 | Under 12 months |
E | Job offer at the 1.5 times level + 2 years of experience at 1.3 times | 70 | Job offer (70) beats experience (20) |
F | Job offer at the 1.3 times level + 1 year of experience at 2 times | 70 | Experience (70) beats job offer (50) |
G | Job offer in a NOC that is not on the list | 0 | Only duration points apply |
Before November 3
If you have a qualifying job offer, update your Express Entry profile with the job offer details before November 3 to receive job offer points.
Recalculation of profiles may take up to two weeks. During that time, invitation rounds may be paused.
<a id="important-notes"></a>
Important notes
More points do not guarantee an invitation. Invitations depend on the requirements and the CRS cut-off of each draw.
Salary does not determine your points. The occupation's median does.
Check your own profile with the official CRS tool and the official high-wage list.
<a id="sources"></a>
Sources
IRCC News Release, October 16, 2026: Canada refocusing Express Entry on top talent that drives economic growth
IRCC Backgrounder, October 16, 2026: Changes to Express Entry for high-wage occupations
This article is general information and not legal advice. Eligibility depends on each person's situation.
Full list of high-wage occupations
Comes into effect November 3, 2026. Based on data from 2023 to 2025. Last checked: [date].
Level 2× (median wage at least twice the average median wage)
NOC code | NOC description |
|---|---|
00011 | Senior government managers and officials |
00012 | Senior managers - financial, communications and other business services |
00013 | Senior managers - health, education, social and community services and membership organizations |
10010 | Financial managers |
10011 | Human resources managers |
10012 | Purchasing managers |
10020 | Insurance, real estate and financial brokerage managers |
10021 | Banking, credit and other investment managers |
20010 | Engineering managers |
20011 | Architecture and science managers |
20012 | Computer and information systems managers |
21330 | Mining engineers |
21332 | Petroleum engineers |
31100 | Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine |
31101 | Specialists in surgery |
31102 | General practitioners and family physicians |
31103 | Veterinarians |
31302 | Nurse practitioners |
31303 | Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals |
40010 | Government managers - health and social policy development and program administration |
40011 | Government managers - economic analysis, policy development and program administration |
40012 | Government managers - education policy development and program administration |
40019 | Other managers in public administration |
40040 | Commissioned police officers and related occupations in public protection services |
40041 | Fire chiefs and senior firefighting officers |
41100 | Judges |
41101 | Lawyers and Quebec notaries |
41200 | University professors and lecturers |
60010 | Corporate sales managers |
80010 | Managers in natural resources production and fishing |
90011 | Utilities managers |
Level 1.5× (median wage at least 1.5 times, but less than twice, the average median wage)
NOC code | NOC description |
|---|---|
00014 | Senior managers - trade, broadcasting and other services |
00015 | Senior managers - construction, transportation, production and utilities |
10019 | Other administrative services managers |
10022 | Advertising, marketing and public relations managers |
10029 | Other business services managers |
10030 | Telecommunication carriers managers |
11103 | Securities agents, investment dealers and brokers |
11201 | Professional occupations in business management consulting |
21100 | Physicists and astronomers |
21102 | Geoscientists and oceanographers |
21103 | Meteorologists and climatologists |
21109 | Other professional occupations in physical sciences |
21111 | Forestry professionals |
21120 | Public and environmental health and safety professionals |
21202 | Urban and land use planners |
21210 | Mathematicians, statisticians and actuaries |
21211 | Data scientists |
21220 | Cybersecurity specialists |
21221 | Business systems specialists |
21222 | Information systems specialists |
21223 | Database analysts and data administrators |
21230 | Computer systems developers and programmers |
21231 | Software engineers and designers |
21232 | Software developers and programmers |
21300 | Civil engineers |
21301 | Mechanical engineers |
21310 | Electrical and electronics engineers |
21311 | Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers) |
21320 | Chemical engineers |
21321 | Industrial and manufacturing engineers |
21322 | Metallurgical and materials engineers |
21331 | Geological engineers |
21390 | Aerospace engineers |
21399 | Other professional engineers |
22231 | Engineering inspectors and regulatory officers |
22312 | Industrial instrument technicians and mechanics |
30010 | Managers in health care |
31110 | Dentists |
31112 | Audiologists and speech-language pathologists |
31120 | Pharmacists |
31200 | Psychologists |
31202 | Physiotherapists |
31203 | Occupational therapists |
31300 | Nursing coordinators and supervisors |
31301 | Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses |
32111 | Dental hygienists and dental therapists |
40020 | Administrators - post-secondary education and vocational training |
40021 | School principals and administrators of elementary and secondary education |
40030 | Managers in social, community and correctional services |
40042 | Commissioned officers of the Canadian Armed Forces |
41210 | College and other vocational instructors |
41220 | Secondary school teachers |
41221 | Elementary school and kindergarten teachers |
41310 | Police investigators and other investigative occupations |
41311 | Probation and parole officers |
41320 | Educational counsellors |
41401 | Economists and economic policy researchers and analysts |
41402 | Business development officers and market researchers and analysts |
41404 | Health policy researchers, consultants and program officers |
41407 | Program officers unique to government |
42100 | Police officers (except commissioned) |
42101 | Firefighters |
50010 | Library, archive, museum and art gallery managers |
50011 | Managers - publishing, motion pictures, broadcasting and performing arts |
51100 | Librarians |
70010 | Construction managers |
70012 | Facility operation and maintenance managers |
70020 | Managers in transportation |
70021 | Postal and courier services managers |
72011 | Contractors and supervisors, electrical trades and telecommunications occupations |
72012 | Contractors and supervisors, pipefitting trades |
72023 | Supervisors, railway transport operations |
72103 | Boilermakers |
72202 | Power system electricians |
72203 | Electrical power line and cable workers |
72301 | Steamfitters, pipefitters and sprinkler system installers |
72406 | Elevator constructors and mechanics |
72600 | Air pilots, flight engineers and flying instructors |
72601 | Air traffic controllers and related occupations |
72604 | Railway traffic controllers and marine traffic regulators |
73310 | Railway and yard locomotive engineers |
82020 | Supervisors, mining and quarrying |
82021 | Contractors and supervisors, oil and gas drilling and services |
83101 | Oil and gas well drillers, servicers, testers and related workers |
90010 | Manufacturing managers |
92011 | Supervisors, petroleum, gas and chemical processing and utilities |
92100 | Power engineers and power systems operators |
93100 | Central control and process operators, mineral and metal processing |
93101 | Central control and process operators, petroleum, gas and chemical processing |
Level 1.3× (median wage at least 1.3 times, but less than 1.5 times, the average median wage)
NOC code | NOC description |
|---|---|
00010 | Legislators |
11100 | Financial auditors and accountants |
11101 | Financial and investment analysts |
11102 | Financial advisors |
11109 | Other financial officers |
11200 | Human resources professionals |
12201 | Insurance adjusters and claims examiners |
12203 | Assessors, business valuators and appraisers |
21101 | Chemists |
21110 | Biologists and related scientists |
21112 | Agricultural representatives, consultants and specialists |
21200 | Architects |
21201 | Landscape architects |
21203 | Land surveyors |
21234 | Web developers and programmers |
22214 | Technical occupations in geomatics and meteorology |
22232 | Occupational health and safety specialists |
22233 | Construction inspectors |
22310 | Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians |
22313 | Aircraft instrument, electrical and avionics mechanics, technicians and inspectors |
31121 | Dietitians and nutritionists |
32102 | Paramedical occupations |
32103 | Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists |
32120 | Medical laboratory technologists |
32121 | Medical radiation technologists |
32122 | Medical sonographers |
41300 | Social workers |
41400 | Natural and applied science policy researchers, consultants and program officers |
41403 | Social policy researchers, consultants and program officers |
41405 | Education policy researchers, consultants and program officers |
41409 | Other professional occupations in social science |
43201 | Correctional service officers |
43203 | Border services, customs, and immigration officers |
50012 | Recreation, sports and fitness program and service directors |
51101 | Conservators and curators |
51102 | Archivists |
51111 | Authors and writers (except technical) |
51112 | Technical writers |
51120 | Producers, directors, choreographers and related occupations |
52112 | Broadcast technicians |
60020 | Retail and wholesale trade managers |
60031 | Accommodation service managers |
60040 | Managers in customer and personal services |
72010 | Contractors and supervisors, machining, metal forming, shaping and erecting trades and related occupations |
72013 | Contractors and supervisors, carpentry trades |
72014 | Contractors and supervisors, other construction trades, installers, repairers and servicers |
72020 | Contractors and supervisors, mechanic trades |
72021 | Contractors and supervisors, heavy equipment operator crews |
72102 | Sheet metal workers |
72105 | Ironworkers |
72201 | Industrial electricians |
72302 | Gas fitters |
72320 | Bricklayers |
72321 | Insulators |
72401 | Heavy-duty equipment mechanics |
72403 | Railway carmen/women |
72404 | Aircraft mechanics and aircraft inspectors |
72500 | Crane operators |
72602 | Deck officers, water transport |
72603 | Engineer officers, water transport |
73311 | Railway conductors and brakemen/women |
82010 | Supervisors, logging and forestry |
83100 | Underground production and development miners |
83120 | Fishing masters and officers |
92010 | Supervisors, mineral and metal processing |
93102 | Pulping, papermaking and coating control operators |