Express Entry high-wage occupations list (from November 3, 2026)

An occupation is high-wage when the median wage of everyone in Canada doing that job is at least 1.3 times the average median wage of the whole Canadian workforce. IRCC builds the list from Job Bank, Labour Force Survey and Census data for the previous three years and gives each occupation the highest level it reached in that period. It is about the occupation, not your personal salary: a well-paid job in an occupation that is not on the list earns nothing.

From November 3, 2026, a valid job offer earns 100 points if the occupation is at level 1 (2× the median wage or more), 70 points at level 2 (1.5× to 2×) and 50 points at level 3 (1.3× to 1.5×). The points are the same whether or not you have a spouse. A job offer in an occupation that is not on the list earns 0 points.

No. From November 3, 2026, a Labour Market Impact Assessment is no longer required for a job offer to earn CRS points or to meet the job-offer requirement of the Federal Skilled Worker and Federal Skilled Trades programs. Having an LMIA does not add any points either. IRCC still checks that the offer is genuine when you apply, and the offer can be for a new or existing position with a new or existing employer.

If you have at least 12 months (1,560 hours) of skilled Canadian work experience in high-wage occupations, you get a bonus on top of the usual Canadian experience points: 70 points at level 1, 40 at level 2 and 20 at level 3. The experience can be spread across more than one high-wage occupation. The whole experience route is capped at 150 points without a spouse and 140 with one.

No. IRCC compares the two routes, your Canadian experience points plus the high-wage bonus against your job offer points, and counts whichever is higher. They are never added together. The CRS calculator does this comparison for you.

By the duties of the job, matched to a NOC 2021 code, not by the title on the offer letter. A “manager” title on a job whose duties match a non-management code does not earn management-level points. Use the NOC code that fits the main duties and check it against this list.

IRCC recalculates every profile automatically when the change takes effect on November 3, 2026, which can take up to two weeks, and holds no invitation rounds during the recalculation. Points for qualifying Canadian experience are applied from the information already in your profile. To get job offer points you must add the offer to your profile; IRCC asked candidates to do so before November 3.