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Express Entry: job offers no longer need an LMIA

Published October 22, 2026 · 3 min read

Ilustración: Express Entry: la oferta de empleo ya no pide LMIA
Key pointsFrom November 3, 2026, Express Entry gives extra points for Canadian work or a job offer in a high-wage occupation, and a qualifying job offer no longer needs an LMIA. Candidates in the pool should act before that date.

📘 Related guide: 50/30/20 budget: a simple monthly plan for Canada

What happened

On October 16, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced changes to Express Entry, the online system that ranks people who want to become permanent residents. Each profile gets a score called the CRS. The changes start on November 3, 2026.

  • Extra CRS points for Canadian work experience or a qualifying job offer in a high-wage occupation.
  • A qualifying job offer no longer needs an LMIA.
  • Profiles already in the pool are recalculated, which can take up to two weeks. Invitation rounds are paused during that time.

An LMIA (Labour Market Impact Assessment) is a government approval that employers usually need to hire a foreign worker. It costs the employer $1,000 per position, with no refund if it is denied, and the employer cannot charge it to the worker (Employment and Social Development Canada, page updated September 18, 2026).

High-wage means the median pay of the occupation is at least 1.3 times the average median wage in Canada. IRCC places software engineers and registered nurses in the 1.5 to 2 times group, and accountants in the 1.3 to 1.5 times group.

How it affects you

You get points for Canadian work experience or for a job offer, not both. You receive whichever option gives more. According to IRCC's tables, the high-wage points are:

  • Canadian work in a high-wage job (at least 12 months): 70, 40 or 20 points, from the highest wage group to the lowest.
  • Job offer in a high-wage job: 100, 70 or 50 points, using the same groups.

Example (assumptions, not official data): a person without a partner has 3 years of Canadian work, all in an occupation in the 1.5 times group. IRCC's table gives 64 points for three years of work plus 40 for the wage group, so 64 + 40 = 104 points out of a maximum of 150. A job offer in the 1.3 times group would be worth 50 points, so the work experience is the option that counts.

Example for an employer: a small business that asks for an LMIA for 3 positions pays $1,000 × 3 = $3,000 in fees. A qualifying job offer for these Express Entry points no longer needs one. Salary and other hiring costs stay the same.

What you can do

  • Look up your occupation on IRCC's high-wage page to see its wage group.
  • If you are in the pool and have a job offer, update your profile before November 3 to be considered for job offer points. Points for Canadian work experience are added automatically.
  • Plan for the pause: during the recalculation, which can take up to two weeks, no invitations are issued.
  • The online form still asks about an LMIA. IRCC explains how to answer on its changes page.

What to keep in mind

  • More points do not guarantee an invitation. Each round has its own cut-off score.
  • An IRCC officer still checks that every job offer is genuine, and IRCC says it keeps watching for fraud. Never pay anyone to get a job offer.
  • The changes affect candidates in the Federal Skilled Worker, Federal Skilled Trades and Canadian Experience Class programs, and part of the Provincial Nominee Program.
  • This is general information, not legal advice. For your own case, ask IRCC or a regulated immigration consultant (RCIC) or a lawyer.

Sources

  1. IRCC: Canada refocusing Express Entry on top talent that drives economic growth
  2. IRCC: Changes to Express Entry for high-wage occupations
  3. IRCC: 2026 Changes to points for Canadian work experience and job offers in the Express Entry system
  4. IRCC: High-wage occupations and how we assess them
  5. Employment and Social Development Canada: Hire a skilled worker to support their permanent residency

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Information checked against the sources listed above on October 22, 2026. Educational information, not financial, tax or legal advice.

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