New Express Entry Rules: Help Graduates and Employees Build a Plan for Permanent Residence

• Starting November 3, 2026, candidates with Canadian work experience or a qualifying job offer in a high-wage occupation earn additional points, and qualifying job offers no longer need a labour market impact assessment (LMIA) to earn those points or, subject to conditions, to qualify for the Federal Skilled Worker and Federal Skilled Trades programs.

• A BorderPass Pathway Assessment shows each graduate or employee whether their occupation may qualify for the new high-wage points, alongside every other federal and provincial route open to them. For employers, BorderPass handles every immigration application, from that first assessment to permanent residence.

• An occupation counts as high-wage when its median wage is at least 1.3 times the median wage of the Canadian workforce. Individual pay does not change the result.

• Job offer points return for high-wage occupations only, worth 50 to 100 points, with no LMIA required.

• BorderPass Institution Hub shows DLI teams which international students and graduates are approaching the milestones that count.

A BorderPass Pathway Assessment shows each graduate or employee where their Express Entry score stands today, then builds a plan to reach a competitive score under the new rules. A licensed Canadian immigration lawyer reviews every assessment, so your people act on a plan they can trust.

The new rules reward people in high-wage occupations. One year of Canadian work experience in a high-wage occupation adds 20 to 70 Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points, while a qualifying job offer is worth 50 to 100 points. Candidates receive whichever option scores higher. CRS points decide who is invited to apply for permanent residence through Express Entry, the federal system for skilled workers settling outside Quebec.

High-wage occupations are those whose median wage is at least 1.3 times the median wage of the Canadian workforce. The test looks at the occupation, identified by its National Occupational Classification (NOC) code, rather than the person’s salary. Two people in the same occupation receive the same treatment, even when their pay differs by location.

Eligible occupations include jobs in health care, skilled trades, engineering, technology and education. Points rise with the occupation’s wage level, at 1.3, 1.5 or 2 times the median wage.

Because the test is occupational, a well-paid employee in a lower-wage NOC may not benefit, while a recent graduate in a high-wage NOC may. A BorderPass Pathway Assessment confirms where each person’s occupation falls and what that means for their score.

Designated learning institutions (DLIs) gain a concrete, program-linked answer for prospective students who ask where their credential could lead. Graduates who move into long-term, skilled employment in Canada also strengthen placement outcomes and the support systems institutions offer after graduation. Graduates in high-wage fields gain ground in Express Entry once they build at least one year of Canadian work experience in a TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 occupation.

BorderPass Institution Hub gives DLI teams real-time immigration visibility across every international student, including upcoming permit expiries and audit-ready compliance records. Teams can see which graduates are approaching the work experience that counts, and refer them for a Pathway Assessment at the right moment.

Employers with foreign workers in high-wage occupations gain a stronger retention story: those employees can earn up to 70 extra CRS points for their Canadian work experience, or up to 100 points for a qualifying job offer, whichever is higher. Stronger scores can mean a shorter wait for permanent residence and fewer work permit renewals to manage along the way. Invitation rounds will pause for up to two weeks while scores are recalculated, so employers timing permanent residence against work permit expiry dates should build that gap into their plans.

Job offer points, removed in March 2025, return for high-wage occupations only. From November 3, 2026, a qualifying job offer no longer needs an LMIA to earn the new points. A temporary public policy also exempts Federal Skilled Worker Program and Federal Skilled Trades Program candidates invited on or after November 3 from LMIA requirements for qualifying job offers used to qualify for those programs, provided they meet the policy’s conditions. Offers must generally be for full-time, continuous work for at least one year after the employee becomes a permanent resident, and each offer is reviewed to confirm it is genuine. Employees already in the Express Entry pool can update their job offer details on BorderPass before November 3, and BorderPass will add them to their Express Entry profile so they can receive job offer points. BorderPass handles your employees’ immigration applications from start to finish, from the first Pathway Assessment through the Express Entry profile and the permanent residence application, and keeps HR teams updated as requirements change.

The new high-wage factor gives graduates and skilled employees a stronger route to permanent residence. BorderPass will keep your team updated as the changes roll out, and BorderPass supports each person from a first Pathway Assessment through their Express Entry profile and permanent residence application, with a licensed Canadian immigration lawyer behind every step.

Institutions can learn more about BorderPass for institutions. Employers can learn more about BorderPass for employers. For ongoing updates, follow BorderPass news.