Canada has unveiled a list of high-paying occupations that could help eligible skilled workers secure additional points under its Express Entry immigration system, with the changes scheduled to take effect on November 3, 2026.
The reforms, announced by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) on October 16, are designed to attract and retain skilled professionals whose experience and job offers match the country’s economic priorities and labour market needs.
Under the revised Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), eligible candidates could receive up to 100 additional points for a qualifying job offer in a high-wage occupation. Applicants with qualifying Canadian work experience could also earn additional points based on their occupation’s wage level.
The government has also removed the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) requirement for qualifying job offers to attract the new Express Entry points or meet job offer requirements under the Federal Skilled Worker Program and Federal Skilled Trades Program.
However, IRCC said it would continue to verify job offers to ensure they are genuine and comply with immigration requirements.
According to the department, the changes will make the immigration system more responsive to labour market demands while simplifying the process for employers and applicants.
“Canada is competing globally for people with the skills we need to build a prosperous economy and stronger public services,” Lena Metlege Diab, Canada’s Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, said.
“These changes will help us identify, attract and retain the skilled newcomers who are best positioned to succeed in Canada, while making the Express Entry system more targeted and responsive to our labour market needs,” she added.
IRCC has grouped eligible occupations into three wage levels, using Canadian wage data covering 2023 to 2025. The classification is based on the median wage for each occupation across the country, rather than the salary earned by an individual applicant.
The highest wage category covers occupations with median wages at least twice the median wage of the overall Canadian workforce.
Occupations on the list include senior government managers and officials; financial managers; human resources managers; purchasing managers; insurance, real estate and financial brokerage managers; banking, credit and investment managers; engineering managers; and computer and information systems managers.
Other eligible roles include mining engineers, petroleum engineers, specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine, surgeons, general practitioners, family physicians, veterinarians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants.
The list also includes midwives and allied health professionals, government managers responsible for health and social policy, economic analysis and education policy, as well as other managers in public administration.
Additional occupations in the highest wage category include commissioned police officers, fire chiefs and senior firefighting officers, judges, lawyers and Quebec notaries, university professors and lecturers, corporate sales managers, managers in natural resources production and fishing, and utilities managers.
The revised system is expected to place greater emphasis on occupations that command higher median wages in Canada, although eligibility for additional points will depend on the applicable requirements under the new rules.
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