TORONTO (Kashmir English): The Canadian government has announced updates to its Express Entry immigration system that will give skilled workers with suitable Canadian work experience or job offers in high-paying professions extra points.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced that the new rules will be in effect on November 3rd, 2026.
The new Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) awards candidates as many as 20, 40 or 70 points for having at least one year of eligible Canadian work experience in a high-wage occupation, depending on the wage.
Those who receive a job offer that meets their qualifications may also receive 50, 70 or 100 points depending on the salary they are offered.
If a candidate is successful in both categories, he/she will be awarded points for the category that provides a higher score. Candidates who are successful in both categories will be awarded points for the category with the higher score – benefits cannot be added together.
There are also some changes to the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) requirements for eligible job offers that will be removed from the revised system.
IRCC will instead vet offers directly to ensure employers are legitimate, can fulfill employment terms, and are compliant with labour laws. Qualifications need to be met for applicants to be awarded the points, and revoked job offers will not be counted towards points.
Eligible candidates have been advised by IRCC to ensure they have updated their Express Entry profile before November 3.
