By Victor Ing,
Special to The Post

On October 16, 2026 the Honourable Lena Diab, Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship, announced changes to the Express Entry System scoring system that will award bonus Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points to candidates who have Canadian work experience and qualifying job offers in “high-wage” occupations. The Minister teased these changes earlier this year, citing strong statistics linking candidate earnings to stronger economic outcomes, but the details about how these CRS points will be awarded remain unclear. Here is what we know so far in advance of the November 3, 2026 implementation date.

For at least the past two years, the Express Entry system has become very competitive for permanent resident hopefuls as immigration target levels suddenly fell, resulting in higher CRS points needed to receive an invitation to apply (ITA) for permanent residence. In this environment, candidates are looking for any competitive advantage to boost their points, including studying French. It’s no surprise then why the Minister’s latest announcement has created such a buzz but also uncertainty about what this really means, as well as concern that bad actors might seek to exploit desperate candidates looking for any good news about their immigration prospects.

What are “High-Wage” occupations?

First, the Minister’s announcement will only affect high earners. The government defines “high-wage” occupations as those in which the median wage of Canadians performing that job is at least 1.3 times higher than the average median wage of the overall Canadian workforce. Still not sure what that means? That’s okay because the government has published a detailed list of 186 qualifying occupations.

As you will see, the list is divided into three groups: High earning occupations where workers earn 1.3 times (66 occupations), 1.5 times (89 occupations), or 2 times (31 occupations) the Canadian average.

How can I earn more CRS points based on these changes?

Starting November 3, 2026, permanent resident candidates will earn additional CRS points based on having at least one year of Canadian work experience in one or more high-wage occupations or a qualifying Canadian job offer in a high-wage occupation. You cannot claim points for both. Candidates who qualify under both categories will receive points based on whichever option provides them with the most points.

How many CRS points can I earn for having Canadian Work Experience in a High-Wage Occupation?

Bonus points for experience will be awarded as follows:

1.3× Canadian average: 20 points

1.5× Canadian average: 40 points

2.0× Canadian average: 70 points

If you are already in the Express Entry pool, you do not need to update your profile. These points will be applied automatically based on your declared work experience.

How many CRS points can I earn for having a qualifying Canadian job offer in a High-Wage Occupation?

Bonus points for a job offer will be awarded as follows:

1.3× Canadian average: 50 points

1.5× Canadian average: 70 points

2.0× Canadian average: 100 points

To claim these points starting November 3, 2026, eligible candidates must manually update their Express Entry profile with their qualifying job offer details per IRCC guidelines.

Presently, the IRCC webpage states that a job offer may be for an existing or even a new position, and that a Labour Market Impact Assessment will not be required to claim these points because immigration officers will assume the responsibility for assessing whether a job offer is genuine. Unfortunately, there is currently no clear guidance about how such an offer must be documented to successfully claim CRS points at the permanent residency application stage.

As you can see, these CRS points are significant and can become the difference between receiving an ITA or not. Without an ITA you cannot apply for permanent residence through the Express Entry System. While the eligibility criteria for earning additional work experience points are clear, the Minister has not yet issued a formal definition of what constitutes a “qualifying job offer”. Until the Minister releases new “Ministerial Instructions”, which legally establish the requirements to score CRS points, candidates should proceed with caution.

History teaches us that there will be an uptick in fraudulent activity whenever an opportunity like this presents itself to boost a person’s eligibility for permanent residency. IRCC should be aware that bad actors will attempt to fraudulently claim job offer points, including misleading potential candidates about requirements and brokering fake job offers for a price.

Frankly, the Minister’s announcement is inviting exactly this sort of behaviour by creating a perk without clearly defining how a person qualifies for it. Additionally, leaving immigration officers solely responsible for deciding whether a job offer is genuine is a recipe for disaster – not only are they already overworked but it is entirely foreseeable that there will be an increase in litigation based on their assessments. For all these reasons, I strongly recommend that you speak to an immigration professional before making any decisions about claiming additional points for a job offer under the new rules.

Victor Ing is a lawyer of Sas & Ing Immigration Law Centre. He provides a full range of immigration services. For more information go to canadian-visa-lawyer.com or email victor@sasanding.com.