Canada is changing how job offers count in Express Entry. From 3 November 2026, eligible candidates will be able to use a qualifying job offer without a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) for certain Express Entry eligibility and ranking purposes, under instructions published by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) on 16 October 2026 and reported this week. The change matters because the LMIA has long been one of the slowest and most employer-dependent steps between a foreign worker and a Canadian permanent residence application. A genuine, well-paid job offer will now carry weight on its own, although not every offer will earn points, and LMIA rules still apply to most Canadian work permits.
What happened
An LMIA is a document a Canadian employer usually obtains to show that hiring a foreign worker will not harm Canada’s labour market. Until now, it has also been closely tied to how job offers work inside Express Entry, the system Canada uses to manage applications for its main skilled immigration programs. Under the revised arrangements taking effect on 3 November 2026, eligible job offers will no longer need an LMIA for the relevant Express Entry program eligibility or for Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) job-offer points.
Profiles already in the pool will be recalculated automatically under the new rules, a process IRCC says could take up to two weeks, and invitation rounds will be paused while that happens. Because its online system does not yet reflect the changes, IRCC has also published a temporary workaround for candidates updating their profiles from 3 November, covered below.
Who this affects
Candidates with a job offer but no LMIA
This is the group that gains the most. If your Canadian job offer meets the new requirements but your employer has not obtained an LMIA, that offer can now support your Express Entry eligibility and, depending on the wage, your CRS score. The offer must still be genuine, and you must still meet every other requirement of the program you are applying through.
Higher-wage candidates
Job-offer points are not automatic. Under the new guidance, points are linked to eligible occupations and to how the offered wage compares with the median wage: a qualifying offer paying at least twice the median wage can attract 100 points; at least 1.5 times but less than twice the median wage, 70 points; and at least 1.3 times but less than 1.5 times, 50 points. Offers below that level receive no CRS points under this structure, although a qualifying offer may still help establish program eligibility even when it earns no points.
Candidates who already have an LMIA
Nothing about your position weakens. If you hold a valid LMIA, you continue to provide the genuine details exactly as requested. The new rules simply remove the LMIA as a condition for candidates whose offers qualify without one.
What job seekers should do now
- Know your wage band. Check where your offered wage sits against the median wage for your occupation, so you know whether your offer is likely to be worth 100, 70, 50 or no CRS points under the new structure.
- Use the official placeholder correctly, and only from 3 November. Eligible candidates with a qualifying offer but no LMIA are instructed to answer “Yes” when asked whether a positive LMIA has been issued and to enter the placeholder LMIA number 00000, with an issue date of 1 January 2026 and an expiry date of 1 January 2029. This is a technical measure authorised by IRCC so its system can process eligible profiles. It is not a real LMIA: never use it early and never submit a fabricated document.
- Expect a short pause in invitations. While profiles are recalculated over the first two weeks, invitation rounds will be paused. Keep your profile accurate so your score is right when draws resume.
- Keep applying for genuine Canadian jobs. An offer that establishes your eligibility is valuable even when it earns no points. Browse current openings on our Jobs in Canada page, or search every vacancy on the Find Jobs page.
A big week for invitations, too
The change landed in an active week for Express Entry. On 16 October, IRCC invited 5,000 French-language candidates to apply for permanent residence, with a CRS cut-off of 435 — the highest cut-off for a French-language draw in 2026 — while a Canadian Experience Class draw a day earlier invited 2,500 candidates at 519. Canada has now held 62 Express Entry draws in 2026 and issued 143,467 invitations, 55,500 of them to French-language candidates: a clear signal that language skills, Canadian experience and genuine job offers are the levers that matter most this year.
Frequently asked questions
Does this mean LMIAs have been abolished in Canada?
No. The change applies only to the specified Express Entry eligibility and points arrangements. LMIAs have not been abolished for all Canadian work permits or other immigration processes.
Will any job offer now give me CRS points?
No. Points depend on the occupation being eligible and on the wage offered: 100 points at twice the median wage or more, 70 points at 1.5 times or more, 50 points at 1.3 times or more, and no points below that.
What is the 00000 LMIA number?
It is a temporary placeholder authorised by IRCC from 3 November 2026 so candidates with a qualifying offer but no LMIA can complete the relevant section of their Express Entry profile. It is not an actual LMIA and must not be used before that date or presented as a genuine document.
I already have a valid LMIA. What should I do?
Continue as before and provide your genuine LMIA details. The reform is aimed at eligible candidates whose job offers qualify without one.
When do the new rules start?
On 3 November 2026. Existing profiles will then be recalculated automatically — IRCC says this could take up to two weeks, with invitation rounds paused in the meantime.
Sources: The Economic Times, “Canada drops LMIA requirement for eligible Express Entry job offers”, published 20 October 2026: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/nri/latest-updates/canada-drops-lmia-requirement-for-eligible-express-entry-job-offers/articleshow/135064392.cms — Express Entry draw figures from CIC News, “Canada invites 5,000 French-speaking workers to apply for permanent residence”, published 16 October 2026: https://www.cicnews.com/2026/10/canada-invites-5000-french-speaking-workers-to-apply-for-permanent-residence-1081461.html
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