Express Entry High-Wage Occupation Points 2026, Explained Simply: NOC Examples and Calculator
Up to 150 new CRS points, no LMIA needed for job offers, and a deadline of November 3. Find your NOC code below and see exactly how many points you could gain.
Topics: Express Entry high-wage occupations · CRS points calculator 2026 · High-wage NOC list · Job offer points without LMIA · Express Entry from outside Canada · RCIC Mississauga · Sawubona Canada Immigration
On October 16, 2026, Canada announced a change to how Express Entry scores skilled workers. From November 3, 2026, if you work in, or have a job offer in, a high-wage occupation, you can earn extra CRS points. An LMIA is no longer needed for a job offer to count.
The whole change in four lines
- Your occupation matters. 186 NOC codes are "high-wage", split into Level 1, 2 and 3.
- Worked 12+ months in Canada in one of them? You get a bonus of +70, +40 or +20 points.
- Have a job offer in one of them? You get 100, 70 or 50 points. No LMIA needed.
- You get the higher of the two, never both. Maximum 150 points (140 with a spouse).
Inside Canada or Outside — Who Can Benefit?
| Your situation | How you can benefit |
|---|---|
| Working in Canada in a high-wage job for 12+ months | Work experience bonus (+20 / +40 / +70). Added automatically — you don't need to do anything. |
| Outside Canada with a genuine Canadian job offer in a high-wage job | Job offer points (50 / 70 / 100). Your employer does not need an LMIA. |
| Outside Canada now, but worked in Canada in a high-wage job in the last 10 years (for example, a former PGWP holder) | You may still get the work experience bonus. |
| Outside Canada, no Canadian experience and no job offer | No points from this change. Foreign work experience does not count for this bonus. |
| Your occupation is not on the high-wage list | No bonus. You keep your normal points for Canadian experience. |
The Calculation in Three Simple Steps
Start with your normal points for years worked in Canada.
1 year = 40 · 2 years = 53 · 3 years = 64 · 4 years = 72 · 5+ years = 80
(With an accompanying spouse: 35 · 46 · 56 · 63 · 70)
Add a bonus if 12+ months of that work was in a high-wage job.
Level 1 = +70 · Level 2 = +40 · Level 3 = +20
Compare with your job offer points (Level 1 = 100 · Level 2 = 70 · Level 3 = 50).
IRCC gives you whichever number is higher.
"High-wage" is about your occupation, not your salary
An occupation is high-wage if people in that NOC code across Canada typically earn at least 1.3 times the national median wage. A junior software developer qualifies because software developers as a group earn well. A highly paid person in an occupation that isn't on the list does not. Your NOC code decides.
Quick reference: your points at a glance (single applicant)
| Your occupation | 1 yr in Canada | 2 yrs | 3 yrs | 5+ yrs | Job offer only |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LEVEL 1 | 110 | 123 | 134 | 150 | 100 |
| LEVEL 2 | 80 | 93 | 104 | 120 | 70 |
| LEVEL 3 | 60 | 73 | 84 | 100 | 50 |
| NOT LISTED | 40 | 53 | 64 | 80 | 0 |
"Not listed" shows what everyone received before this change. The difference between your row and the grey row is your gain.
One thing most people miss
If you already have 12+ months in Canada in a high-wage job, a job offer in the same job won't add anything — your experience points are already higher. Job offers matter most for people outside Canada, or with less than 12 months of high-wage experience in Canada.
Ten Occupations, Calculated Step by Step
Each example uses a real NOC code from IRCC's high-wage list effective November 3, 2026. "Before" is the score under the old rules; "After" is the new score for this part of the CRS.
Works at a hospital in Ontario. 2 years of experience in Canada. Single.
| Points for 2 years in Canada | 53 |
| Level 2 high-wage bonus | + 40 |
| New total (before: 53) | 93 ▲ +40 |
Lives in Bengaluru, India. No Canadian experience. Has a permanent, full-time offer from a Toronto tech company.
| Points for Canadian experience | 0 |
| Level 2 job offer (no LMIA needed) | 70 |
| New total (before: 0) | 70 ▲ +70 |
Must add the job offer to the Express Entry profile before November 3.
Practising in Johannesburg, South Africa. Has an offer to provide publicly funded medical services in Nova Scotia.
| Points for Canadian experience | 0 |
| Level 1 job offer | 100 |
| New total (before: 0) | 100 ▲ +100 |
Works at a bank in Toronto. 3 years of experience in Canada. Single.
| Points for 3 years in Canada | 64 |
| Level 1 high-wage bonus | + 70 |
| New total (before: 64) | 134 ▲ +70 |
Works at an accounting firm in Mississauga. 2 years of experience in Canada. Applying with an accompanying spouse.
| Points for 2 years in Canada (with-spouse rate) | 46 |
| Level 3 high-wage bonus | + 20 |
| New total (before: 46) | 66 ▲ +20 |
Moved to Calgary 7 months ago on a work permit. Employer has offered a permanent position.
| Option A — Canadian experience (under 1 year, no bonus yet) | 0 |
| Option B — Level 2 job offer | 70 |
| Higher of the two (before: 0) | 70 ▲ +70 |
After 12 months, Option A becomes 40 + 40 = 80, which beats the job offer.
Studied and worked in Vancouver on a PGWP for 2 years (2023–2025), then moved to Dubai. Experience is within the last 10 years.
| Points for 2 years in Canada | 53 |
| Level 2 high-wage bonus | + 40 |
| New total (before: 53) | 93 ▲ +40 |
Living abroad today doesn't remove eligible Canadian experience from the last 10 years.
Works at a plant in Edmonton. 4 years of experience in Canada. Single.
| Points for 4 years in Canada | 72 |
| Level 3 high-wage bonus | + 20 |
| New total (before: 72) | 92 ▲ +20 |
IT manager in Ottawa with 5 years of experience in Canada. Single.
| Points for 5 years in Canada | 80 |
| Level 1 high-wage bonus | + 70 |
| New total (before: 80) | 150 ▲ +70 |
150 is the maximum for this part of the CRS.
Works in Brampton. 2 years of experience in Canada. Single.
| Points for 2 years in Canada | 53 |
| High-wage bonus (not listed) | + 0 |
| New total (before: 53) | 53 — no change |
Only industrial (72201) and power system (72202) electricians are on the list. For this occupation, trades category draws and PNPs are the better route.
High-Wage Points Calculator — All 186 NOC Codes
Search for your occupation by NOC code or job title, then choose your situation. Every occupation on IRCC's list is included.
| Points for years in Canada | — |
| High-wage experience bonus | — |
| Option A — experience total | — |
| Option B — job offer points | — |
| Your new points (higher of A or B) | — |
Occupation levels from IRCC's high-wage list effective November 3, 2026 (2023–2025 wage data). Assumes all your Canadian experience is in the selected occupation. Shows only the work experience / job offer part of your CRS score, not your full score. For a complete assessment, speak with an RCIC.
The Complete Express Entry High-Wage Occupations List
All 186 NOC codes, as published by IRCC. Tap a level to open it.
LEVEL 1 at least 2× the median wage31 NOCs · +70 experience bonus · 100 job offer
- 00011 Senior government managers and officials
- 00012 Senior managers - financial, communications and other business services
- 00013 Senior managers - health, education, social and community services and membership organizations
- 10010 Financial managers
- 10011 Human resources managers
- 10012 Purchasing managers
- 10020 Insurance, real estate and financial brokerage managers
- 10021 Banking, credit and other investment managers
- 20010 Engineering managers
- 20011 Architecture and science managers
- 20012 Computer and information systems managers
- 21330 Mining engineers
- 21332 Petroleum engineers
- 31100 Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine
- 31101 Specialists in surgery
- 31102 General practitioners and family physicians
- 31103 Veterinarians
- 31302 Nurse practitioners
- 31303 Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals
- 40010 Government managers - health and social policy development and program administration
- 40011 Government managers - economic analysis, policy development and program administration
- 40012 Government managers - education policy development and program administration
- 40019 Other managers in public administration
- 40040 Commissioned police officers and related occupations in public protection services
- 40041 Fire chiefs and senior firefighting officers
- 41100 Judges
- 41101 Lawyers and Quebec notaries
- 41200 University professors and lecturers
- 60010 Corporate sales managers
- 80010 Managers in natural resources production and fishing
- 90011 Utilities managers
LEVEL 2 1.5× to under 2× the median wage89 NOCs · +40 experience bonus · 70 job offer
- 00014 Senior managers - trade, broadcasting and other services
- 00015 Senior managers - construction, transportation, production and utilities
- 10019 Other administrative services managers
- 10022 Advertising, marketing and public relations managers
- 10029 Other business services managers
- 10030 Telecommunication carriers managers
- 11103 Securities agents, investment dealers and brokers
- 11201 Professional occupations in business management consulting
- 21100 Physicists and astronomers
- 21102 Geoscientists and oceanographers
- 21103 Meteorologists and climatologists
- 21109 Other professional occupations in physical sciences
- 21111 Forestry professionals
- 21120 Public and environmental health and safety professionals
- 21202 Urban and land use planners
- 21210 Mathematicians, statisticians and actuaries
- 21211 Data scientists
- 21220 Cybersecurity specialists
- 21221 Business systems specialists
- 21222 Information systems specialists
- 21223 Database analysts and data administrators
- 21230 Computer systems developers and programmers
- 21231 Software engineers and designers
- 21232 Software developers and programmers
- 21300 Civil engineers
- 21301 Mechanical engineers
- 21310 Electrical and electronics engineers
- 21311 Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers)
- 21320 Chemical engineers
- 21321 Industrial and manufacturing engineers
- 21322 Metallurgical and materials engineers
- 21331 Geological engineers
- 21390 Aerospace engineers
- 21399 Other professional engineers
- 22231 Engineering inspectors and regulatory officers
- 22312 Industrial instrument technicians and mechanics
- 30010 Managers in health care
- 31110 Dentists
- 31112 Audiologists and speech-language pathologists
- 31120 Pharmacists
- 31200 Psychologists
- 31202 Physiotherapists
- 31203 Occupational therapists
- 31300 Nursing coordinators and supervisors
- 31301 Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses
- 32111 Dental hygienists and dental therapists
- 40020 Administrators - post-secondary education and vocational training
- 40021 School principals and administrators of elementary and secondary education
- 40030 Managers in social, community and correctional services
- 40042 Commissioned officers of the Canadian Armed Forces
- 41210 College and other vocational instructors
- 41220 Secondary school teachers
- 41221 Elementary school and kindergarten teachers
- 41310 Police investigators and other investigative occupations
- 41311 Probation and parole officers
- 41320 Educational counsellors
- 41401 Economists and economic policy researchers and analysts
- 41402 Business development officers and market researchers and analysts
- 41404 Health policy researchers, consultants and program officers
- 41407 Program officers unique to government
- 42100 Police officers (except commissioned)
- 42101 Firefighters
- 50010 Library, archive, museum and art gallery managers
- 50011 Managers - publishing, motion pictures, broadcasting and performing arts
- 51100 Librarians
- 70010 Construction managers
- 70012 Facility operation and maintenance managers
- 70020 Managers in transportation
- 70021 Postal and courier services managers
- 72011 Contractors and supervisors, electrical trades and telecommunications occupations
- 72012 Contractors and supervisors, pipefitting trades
- 72023 Supervisors, railway transport operations
- 72103 Boilermakers
- 72202 Power system electricians
- 72203 Electrical power line and cable workers
- 72301 Steamfitters, pipefitters and sprinkler system installers
- 72406 Elevator constructors and mechanics
- 72600 Air pilots, flight engineers and flying instructors
- 72601 Air traffic controllers and related occupations
- 72604 Railway traffic controllers and marine traffic regulators
- 73310 Railway and yard locomotive engineers
- 82020 Supervisors, mining and quarrying
- 82021 Contractors and supervisors, oil and gas drilling and services
- 83101 Oil and gas well drillers, servicers, testers and related workers
- 90010 Manufacturing managers
- 92011 Supervisors, petroleum, gas and chemical processing and utilities
- 92100 Power engineers and power systems operators
- 93100 Central control and process operators, mineral and metal processing
- 93101 Central control and process operators, petroleum, gas and chemical processing
LEVEL 3 1.3× to under 1.5× the median wage66 NOCs · +20 experience bonus · 50 job offer
- 00010 Legislators
- 11100 Financial auditors and accountants
- 11101 Financial and investment analysts
- 11102 Financial advisors
- 11109 Other financial officers
- 11200 Human resources professionals
- 12201 Insurance adjusters and claims examiners
- 12203 Assessors, business valuators and appraisers
- 21101 Chemists
- 21110 Biologists and related scientists
- 21112 Agricultural representatives, consultants and specialists
- 21200 Architects
- 21201 Landscape architects
- 21203 Land surveyors
- 21234 Web developers and programmers
- 22214 Technical occupations in geomatics and meteorology
- 22232 Occupational health and safety specialists
- 22233 Construction inspectors
- 22310 Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians
- 22313 Aircraft instrument, electrical and avionics mechanics, technicians and inspectors
- 31121 Dietitians and nutritionists
- 32102 Paramedical occupations
- 32103 Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists
- 32120 Medical laboratory technologists
- 32121 Medical radiation technologists
- 32122 Medical sonographers
- 41300 Social workers
- 41400 Natural and applied science policy researchers, consultants and program officers
- 41403 Social policy researchers, consultants and program officers
- 41405 Education policy researchers, consultants and program officers
- 41409 Other professional occupations in social science
- 43201 Correctional service officers
- 43203 Border services, customs, and immigration officers
- 50012 Recreation, sports and fitness program and service directors
- 51101 Conservators and curators
- 51102 Archivists
- 51111 Authors and writers (except technical)
- 51112 Technical writers
- 51120 Producers, directors, choreographers and related occupations
- 52112 Broadcast technicians
- 60020 Retail and wholesale trade managers
- 60031 Accommodation service managers
- 60040 Managers in customer and personal services
- 72010 Contractors and supervisors, machining, metal forming, shaping and erecting trades and related occupations
- 72013 Contractors and supervisors, carpentry trades
- 72014 Contractors and supervisors, other construction trades, installers, repairers and servicers
- 72020 Contractors and supervisors, mechanic trades
- 72021 Contractors and supervisors, heavy equipment operator crews
- 72102 Sheet metal workers
- 72105 Ironworkers
- 72201 Industrial electricians
- 72302 Gas fitters
- 72320 Bricklayers
- 72321 Insulators
- 72401 Heavy-duty equipment mechanics
- 72403 Railway carmen/women
- 72404 Aircraft mechanics and aircraft inspectors
- 72500 Crane operators
- 72602 Deck officers, water transport
- 72603 Engineer officers, water transport
- 73311 Railway conductors and brakemen/women
- 82010 Supervisors, logging and forestry
- 83100 Underground production and development miners
- 83120 Fishing masters and officers
- 92010 Supervisors, mineral and metal processing
- 93102 Pulping, papermaking and coating control operators
Common occupations that are not on the list
Construction electricians (72200), plumbers (72300), carpenters (72310), welders (72106), cooks (63200), chefs (62200), licensed practical nurses (32101), early childhood educators (42202), transport truck drivers (73300), administrative officers (13100), user support technicians (22221) and restaurant and food service managers (60030). These keep their normal Canadian experience points but get no high-wage bonus.
If the list changes after you get an ITA, IRCC uses the level that applied on your invitation date.
No LMIA Needed — What That Means
- Before: job offers earned 0 CRS points (since March 2025), and most needed an LMIA.
- From November 3: a high-wage job offer earns up to 100 points, with no LMIA. Having an LMIA gives no extra points.
- The offer can be for an existing or new position, with any employer.
- It must be genuine, in writing, full-time (30+ hours a week), continuous, and for at least 1 year after you get PR.
- An IRCC officer checks the employer is real, the job is needed, the employer can pay, and you can do the work.
Never pay for a job offer
Real employers don't sell jobs. A fake or purchased offer is misrepresentation and can lead to a five-year ban from applying to Canada.
Your Checklist Before November 3, 2026
- Now → November 2Have a job offer that isn't in your profile? Add it now. Experience points update automatically; job offers don't.
- November 3New rules start. IRCC recalculates every profile.
- Up to 2 weeks afterDraws are paused during recalculation, then restart.
How to enter a job offer without an LMIA
IRCC's online form won't be updated straight away, so it will still ask about an LMIA. IRCC says to enter:
| Profile question | Enter |
|---|---|
| Was a positive LMIA issued for the job offer? | Yes |
| LMIA number | 00000 |
| LMIA issuance date | 2026-01-01 |
| LMIA expiry date | 2029-01-01 |
Source: IRCC Express Entry "Job offer" page, October 16, 2026. Also add the start date, employer name and address, and the job's NOC code.
Common Myths vs Facts
| Myth | Fact |
|---|---|
| "I need a high salary." | Your NOC code decides, not your pay. |
| "All electricians qualify." | Only industrial (72201) and power system (72202) electricians. |
| "My experience abroad counts." | The bonus is only for experience in Canada. People abroad benefit through job offers. |
| "Job offer + experience points add up." | You get the higher one. Maximum 150 (140 with a spouse). |
| "Working in Canada means I have a job offer." | A work permit — even an open one — is not a job offer. A job offer is a written offer of full-time work for at least 1 year after PR. |
| "More points means a guaranteed invitation." | Many profiles gain points at once, so cut-off scores may rise. |
Why Canada Made This Change
IRCC's September 2026 research found that immigrants who earned well in skilled jobs before getting PR did best in Canada afterwards. Its spring 2026 consultation drew about 17,500 survey responses, with employers strongly in favour of rewarding high-wage experience. The new points follow that evidence.
This is the latest step in a year of Express Entry changes: a category for doctors (December 2025), updated categories for healthcare, trades, research, transport and education (February 2026), and now high-wage points (October 2026).
Still only proposals: merging FSW, CEC and FST into one program, removing spouse and sibling points, and changing age and study-in-Canada points. None of these are in effect yet.
Quick Answers
When do the new points start?
November 3, 2026. Profiles are recalculated automatically, which may take up to two weeks. Draws are paused during that time.
Does this help people outside Canada?
Yes — through a genuine high-wage job offer (50, 70 or 100 points, no LMIA). If you worked in Canada in a high-wage job in the last 10 years, you may also get the experience bonus.
How many occupations are on the high-wage list?
186 NOC codes: 31 at Level 1, 89 at Level 2 and 66 at Level 3. The full list is above.
Do I need to do anything if I only have Canadian experience?
No. Your points update automatically. Just make sure your NOC code and work history are correct.
Can I get both job offer and experience points?
No. You get the higher of the two.
I already have an LMIA. Does it help?
No extra points. What matters is that the offer is genuine and in a high-wage occupation.
My job offer isn't in a high-wage occupation. Is it useless?
It won't earn the new points, but it can still help you qualify for the Federal Skilled Worker or Federal Skilled Trades programs, or some PNP streams. Keep it in your profile.
Do plumbers, carpenters or construction electricians get the bonus?
No. These occupations are not on the November 2026 list.
Let's check your new score.
Not sure which NOC you fall under, or whether your job offer qualifies? Our RCIC-licensed team will confirm your level, calculate your new CRS score, and make sure your profile is ready before November 3.
Book Your Consultation+1 647-558-9000 · info@sawubonacanada.com · Canada · India · South Africa · Middle East
Reviewed by a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant
Vishal Kapoor, RCIC — Founder & Principal Consultant, Sawubona Canada Immigration Inc., Mississauga, Ontario. RCIC No. R707177 · Member, College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC).
- IRCC News Release — Canada refocusing Express Entry on top talent (Oct 16, 2026)
- IRCC Backgrounder — Changes to Express Entry for high-wage occupations
- IRCC — High-wage occupations and how we assess them (full NOC list)
- IRCC — Express Entry: Job offer
- IRCC — 2026 consultations on Express Entry reforms: Final report
- IRCC — Express Entry and Labour Market Outcomes of Economic Immigrants (Sept 2026)