Canada to grant extra Express Entry points for high-wage jobs and drop LMIA rule
The federal government will add new points to the Express Entry system for applicants in high-wage occupations and will temporarily suspend the Labour Market Impact Assessment requirement for those jobs.
Canada is expanding its Express Entry immigration program to favor skilled workers in high-wage sectors. Beginning on Nov. 3, applicants who already hold Canadian work experience or who have a job offer in occupations that pay at least 1.3 times the median hourly wage will earn extra points, with the amount of points tied to how far the wage exceeds the threshold. The median wage cited by the Canada Job Bank is $55.03 per hour.
In parallel, the government will temporarily remove the requirement for employers to submit a Labour Market Impact Assessment for these qualifying jobs, aiming to simplify the process. Lena Diab, the immigration minister, said the adjustments are part of a broader effort to attract more high-paying talent, complementing recent measures that boosted points for medicine, skilled trades, transportation and research. All candidates currently in the Express Entry pool will have their scores updated, and the system will pause invitations for up to two weeks while the new totals are calculated.
Why it matters
The changes could speed up permanent residency for high-earning workers, addressing labour shortages in key Canadian industries.
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