IRCC to Bring Back Job Offer Points in Express Entry, Reversing Year-Old Decision

One year after stripping job offer points from the Express Entry system, Canada's immigration department has announced plans to bring them back.

IRCC's 2026-27 Departmental Plan, published March 13, 2026, confirms the department's intention to award CRS points to candidates with job offers and Canadian work experience in high-wage occupations. The plan also signals consideration of how to reward candidates certified in regulated occupations.

Why Points Were Removed in the First Place

In March 2025, IRCC eliminated the 50 and 200 CRS bonus points previously awarded for valid job offers, including those backed by Labour Market Impact Assessments. The rationale was fraud: a booming black market had emerged in which candidates were paying third parties for LMIAs to artificially inflate their scores. Removing the points incentive was meant to cut off that market entirely.

Thousands of candidates saw their CRS scores drop overnight by 50 or 200 points. Some who had been on the edge of receiving an invitation fell out of competitive range entirely.

What Changes Are Coming

IRCC has not released implementation timelines or exact scoring details. The plan references a broader suite of Express Entry reforms as part of Canada's Talent Attraction Strategy, a priority of Prime Minister Mark Carney's government.

Based on existing definitions in the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, a position is generally considered high-wage if the offered hourly rate meets or exceeds the median wage for the province where the work is located. Ontario, Alberta, and BC thresholds currently sit at $36.00 to $36.60 per hour.

Who Benefits

Skilled foreign nationals with Canadian job offers, particularly in regulated professions like nursing, engineering, and trades, stand to gain most from the reinstatement. The reform also creates a stronger incentive for Canadian employers to hire internationally and formalize those offers through the Express Entry system.