Planning to move to Canada? Express Entry rules change from November 3, here’s how your CRS score may change

Canada is changing how it awards points to skilled workers under its Express Entry immigration system from November 3, 2026. Express Entry is Canada’s system for managing permanent residence applications from skilled workers. The changes affect applicants with Canadian work experience and job offers.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced the changes on October 16.

The new Labour Market Integration factor will award points for either Canadian work experience or a qualifying job offer, but not both. Existing profiles will be recalculated after the changes, which could take up to two weeks. Express Entry invitation rounds will be paused during this period.

The Comprehensive Ranking System, or CRS, gives applicants points based on factors such as age, education, language skills and work experience. Applicants with higher scores are more likely to receive an invitation to apply for permanent residence.

The new Labour Market Integration factor will offer a maximum of 150 points. Applicants will receive the higher score from either Canadian work experience or a qualifying job offer.

Canadian work experience points

The work-length points remain unchanged:

• 1 year: 35 points with a spouse or common-law partner, 40 without

• 2 years: 46 and 53 points

• 3 years: 56 and 64 points

• 4 years: 63 and 72 points

• 5 years or more: 70 and 80 points

The eligibility requirements for Canadian work experience are not changing.

Applicants can also get extra points for at least 12 months or 1,560 hours of qualifying Canadian work experience in eligible high-wage occupations:

• At least twice the average median wage: 70 points

• At least 1.5 times but less than twice: 40 points

• At least 1.3 times but less than 1.5 times: 20 points

• Less than 12 months: 0 points

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What is an LMIA

A Labour Market Impact Assessment, or LMIA, is a document used to assess whether hiring a foreign worker would have a positive, neutral or negative impact on Canada’s labour market.

From November 3, applicants will no longer need an LMIA for a job offer to qualify for programme eligibility or CRS points. Having an LMIA will also no longer provide extra CRS points or priority.

Job offer points return

Qualifying job offers will receive:

• At least twice the average median wage: 100 points

• At least 1.5 times but less than twice: 70 points

• At least 1.3 times but less than 1.5 times: 50 points

• Not a high-wage occupation: 0 points

Officers will still check whether the job offer is genuine and whether the employer and applicant meet the requirements.

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Canada’s online system will initially require applicants with an LMIA-free offer to select “Yes” for a positive LMIA and enter 00000 as the LMIA number.

CRS points and programme eligibility are separate. A job offer can help meet Federal Skilled Worker Program or Federal Skilled Trades Program eligibility even if it does not qualify for CRS points. Such offers can be in eligible TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 jobs and do not have to be high-wage.