On November 3, 2026, IRCC changed how the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores Canadian work experience and job offers. Here's what's different, using IRCC's own published tables.
The short version
- A new Labour Market Integration factor (max 150 points) replaces the old Canadian work experience core factor.
- Canadian work in an eligible high-wage occupation earns 20, 40 or 70 extra points on top of work-length points.
- Job offer points are back — 50, 70 or 100 — but only for jobs on the high-wage list. They were removed on March 25, 2025.
- No LMIA is required for a job offer to count, and having one gives no advantage.
- You get the higher of your work points or your job offer points — never both.
- IRCC will recalculate existing profiles, which could take up to two weeks, and has paused invitation rounds during that time.
How the Labour Market Integration factor works
| Option | Single | With spouse |
|---|---|---|
| Canadian work experience (work-length + high-wage) | up to 150 (80 + 70) | up to 140 (70 + 70) |
| Qualifying job offer | up to 100 | up to 100 |
Work-length points (unchanged values)
| Canadian work | Single | With spouse |
|---|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 0 | 0 |
| 1 year | 40 | 35 |
| 2 years | 53 | 46 |
| 3 years | 64 | 56 |
| 4 years | 72 | 63 |
| 5+ years | 80 | 70 |
High-wage occupation points (new)
You need at least 12 months (1,560 hours) of qualifying Canadian work experience in one or more eligible high-wage occupations. It can be continuous or not, full- or part-time, and combined across jobs (capped at 30 hours a week if jobs overlap).
| 12+ months in | Points |
|---|---|
| Occupations with median wage ≥ 2× the national average (Level 1) | 70 |
| Otherwise, ≥ 1.5× (Level 2) | 40 |
| Otherwise, ≥ 1.3× (Level 3) | 20 |
Job offer points (reintroduced)
| Job offer in | Points |
|---|---|
| Level 1 high-wage occupation | 100 |
| Level 2 high-wage occupation | 70 |
| Level 3 high-wage occupation | 50 |
| Any other occupation | 0 |
What didn't change
- Age, education, language, spouse and additional-points tables are the same.
- Skill transferability still uses your total Canadian work length — not high-wage points.
- Job offers still count for program eligibility (Federal Skilled Worker, Federal Skilled Trades, some PNP streams) even if the job isn't on the high-wage list.
Worked examples
Software developer, single, 2 years in Canada (NOC 21232, Level 2): work-length 53 + high-wage 40 = 93 points, versus 70 for a job offer in the same NOC. IRCC uses 93. Under the old rules, the same person got 53.
Retail supervisor, single, 2 years in Canada (not on the list): work-length 53, no high-wage points, no job offer points. Score unchanged.
Engineer abroad with a job offer as an engineering manager (NOC 20010, Level 1), no Canadian work: 100 job offer points — none under the March 2025–November 2026 rules.
The LMIA profile workaround IRCC describes
IRCC says its online profile system won't immediately reflect the change. If you have a job offer without an LMIA, IRCC's changes page explains which placeholder values to enter in the "Work history" section. Follow the exact instructions on IRCC's changes page rather than any third-party summary.
Try the updated CRS calculator →
Sources: IRCC — 2026 changes to points for Canadian work experience and job offers, IRCC — CRS criteria.