No LMIA, Up to 100 CRS Points: The 9 IRCC Checks Your Express Entry Job Offer Must Pass
By M A Immigration Associates Inc.
The LMIA is gone from Express Entry job offers, and offers can earn CRS points again. But an IRCC officer now tests every claimed offer, and a weak one can cost you far more than the points.
What Changed on November 3, 2026
Since November 3, 2026, a job offer no longer needs a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) to count for program eligibility or CRS points. The offer can be for an existing or new position, with an existing or new employer.
This matters because job offer points had disappeared in March 2025. They are now back through a new Labour Market Integration factor, worth up to 100 points for an offer.
There is one catch: fewer forms does not mean fewer questions. An LMIA used to give the offer a separate review by Employment and Social Development Canada. Now the Ministerial Instructions require an IRCC officer to decide that the offer is genuine.
Holding an LMIA gives you no extra points and no profile priority. What counts now is the quality of the offer and the evidence behind it.
How the New Points Work
A qualifying offer earns 50, 70 or 100 CRS points, based on your occupation's level on IRCC's high-wage occupations list. The list has 186 occupations, and any job outside it earns zero job offer points.
| Median wage of the occupation, compared with the Canadian workforce | Occupations on the list | Job offer points | Examples (NOC) |
|---|---|---|---|
| At least 2 times | 31 | 100 | Lawyers (41101), family physicians (31102) |
| At least 1.5 but under 2 times | 89 | 70 | Software engineers (21231), registered nurses (31301) |
| At least 1.3 but under 1.5 times | 66 | 50 | Accountants (11100), industrial electricians (72201) |
| Below 1.3 times | Not listed | 0 | Construction electricians (72200) |
Your own salary does not decide this. IRCC looks at the median wage of everyone in Canada working under that NOC. A $150,000 salary in an unlisted occupation still earns zero job offer points.
Work experience and job offer points do not stack. You receive the greater of the two, up to 150 points (140 with an accompanying spouse or partner). That means an offer can be genuine and still add nothing to your score:
| Candidate (no accompanying spouse or partner) | Work experience route | Job offer route | Points received |
|---|---|---|---|
| Living abroad, no Canadian experience, offer at the 2 times level | 0 | 100 | 100 |
| 2 years in Canada at the 1.5 times level, offer at the 2 times level | 93 | 100 | 100 |
| 2 years in Canada at the 1.5 times level, offer at the same level | 93 | 70 | 93 |
| 5 years in Canada at the 2 times level, offer at the same level | 150 | 100 | 150 |
For skilled workers outside Canada, this is a real opening. A strong offer can add up to 100 points with no Canadian experience at all. More points still do not guarantee an invitation, because each round sets its own requirements and cut-off.
The 9 Key IRCC Checks
Think of a job offer as a nine-stage test. IRCC does not publish a list called “the 9 checks”. We have grouped the requirements this way so they are easier to follow: checks 1 to 5 are the genuineness factors in subsection 15.2(4) of the Ministerial Instructions, and checks 6 to 9 are the other requirements for a valid offer and for points.
The genuineness test
1. Is the employer really operating the business?
The officer must consider whether the employer is actively engaged in the business behind the offer. A new company is not automatically disqualified, since new employers are allowed. A company that exists only on paper is the problem.
Red flag: a registered company with no customers, staff, premises or revenue.
2. Does the business actually need this role?
The offer must be consistent with the employer's reasonable employment needs. The role should make sense for the company's size, industry and activity.
Red flag: a small marketing agency suddenly hiring a full-time mechanical engineer.
3. Can the employer deliver what it promised?
The employer must be reasonably able to fulfil the terms of the offer, including the pay. An impressive offer letter means little if the business cannot sustain the salary.
Red flag: an annual salary that is out of proportion to the company's finances.
4. Are you the right person for the job?
The offer must be for work you are qualified for, able to perform, and likely to accept and carry out. The officer looks for this in your past work experience or education, measured against the lead statement and main duties of the NOC.
Red flag: a career in hospitality, followed by an offer as a software engineer with no related training or experience.
5. Has the employer followed the law?
The officer considers the employer's past compliance with federal or provincial employment and recruitment laws in the province where you will work. This includes laws on hiring foreign nationals.
This check has a sharper edge for Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) and Federal Skilled Trades (FST) candidates who rely on the temporary public policy for their LMIA exemption. For them, the employer must have no previous non-compliance. The same policy requires the offer to be in an occupation where you have past work experience or education.
Red flag: unpaid wage orders, or recruitment fees charged to workers.
The offer itself
6. Is the offer recent, written and complete?
The offer must be recent and in writing. It should set out your pay and deductions, your duties, and your conditions of employment, such as hours of work. A work permit is not a job offer.
Red flag: a verbal promise, or a letter that is several years old.
7. Is it full-time, continuous and long enough?
The work must be full-time, at least 30 hours a week, for a continuous period of at least one year from the day your permanent resident visa is issued. Seasonal jobs do not qualify under the FSW program.
A separate public policy relaxes the continuity and duration rules under the FSW program for physicians with offers to provide publicly funded medical services.
Red flag: a contract that may end soon after your visa is issued.
8. Are the NOC, employer and program a correct fit?
The rules depend on the program:
- FSW: one employer, in a NOC TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 job.
- FST: up to two employers, in an eligible skilled trade occupation.
- All offers: no embassy, high commission or consulate in Canada, and no employer excluded under the regulations.
Your NOC must match the real duties, not the job title. This is the check where a small overstatement becomes dangerous, because one digit can be worth up to 100 points.
Red flag: an administrative assistant whose letter says “project manager”.
The points
9. Is the occupation on the high-wage list?
This is the check that separates a valid offer from a points-earning offer. To earn CRS points, the offer must pass the checks above and be in a listed occupation.
The level is the one shown on the list when your invitation is issued. If the list changes afterward, IRCC keeps using that level for your application.
A valid offer outside the list still has value. It earns no points, but it can still support FSW or FST eligibility in any eligible TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 job.
Red flag: choosing a neighbouring NOC because it appears on the list.
4 Myths That Could Cost You
“No LMIA means employers can hire foreign workers more easily.”
False. This change applies to Express Entry. An employer hiring on a temporary work permit must still meet the LMIA or LMIA-exemption rules for that permit.
“I must have an LMIA number to fill out my profile.”
False. IRCC's system has not caught up yet, so it tells candidates without an LMIA to answer “Yes” and enter LMIA number 00000, issued January 1, 2026, expiring January 1, 2029. Use these values only for a real job offer.
“A high salary guarantees points.”
False. The occupation decides, not your pay cheque.
“A job offer gets me permanent residence.”
False. The officer assesses the offer again when you apply. If the employer revokes it, it stops qualifying.
Never pay for a job offer. If you provide false or misleading information, you risk a misrepresentation finding, which can bring a five-year ban.
What to Do Now
IRCC paused invitation rounds while it recalculates profiles, a process that may take up to two weeks. If you have an offer that is not in your profile, update it now.
Candidates
- Confirm your NOC against the official duties.
- Check its level on the high-wage list.
- Compare your work experience score with your job offer score.
- Add any valid offer to your profile, even if it earns no points. IRCC says offers should stay in your profile so you remain eligible for programs that require one.
- Prepare your evidence before an invitation arrives, since you get 60 days to apply.
Employers
- Write an offer that reflects the real role, pay, hours and duties.
- Make sure the job can continue for at least one year after the visa is issued.
- Review your compliance record in the province of work.
- Keep your business records organized, because an officer can ask you for information.
IRCC does not publish a fixed document list for this assessment. In our view, a well-prepared file would include:
| Check area | Evidence worth preparing |
|---|---|
| Active business | Business registration, licences, lease, tax filings, payroll records |
| Staffing need | Organizational chart, business plan, job description, recruitment records |
| Ability to pay | Financial statements, corporate tax assessments, bank statements |
| Candidate fit | Degrees, reference letters, licences or proof of progress toward licensing |
| Compliance | Records of employment standards, health and safety, and recruitment compliance |
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I still need an LMIA for Express Entry?
No. Since November 3, 2026, a qualifying offer does not need one. FSW and FST candidates invited on or after that date rely on a temporary public policy and must meet its conditions.
How many CRS points is a job offer worth?
50, 70 or 100 points, depending on the occupation's level. An occupation that is not on the list earns zero.
Can I combine job offer points with Canadian work experience points?
No. You receive whichever is higher under the Labour Market Integration factor.
Can the offer come from a new employer?
Yes. It can be from a new or existing employer, for a new or existing position, as long as it is genuine and meets the requirements.
When is the offer assessed?
Your profile is scored on what you enter. An officer then assesses the offer when you apply for permanent residence, so it must be accurate from the start.
What if my employer withdraws the offer?
A revoked offer no longer qualifies. Update your profile if you are in the pool, and tell IRCC if you have already applied.
Is Your Job Offer Ready for an Officer's Review?
The LMIA is gone, but the scrutiny is not. A well-documented offer can transform your CRS score, while a weak one can put your whole application at risk.
M A Immigration Associates Inc. helps candidates and Canadian employers review job offers against these requirements before they are relied on. Book a consultation before you change your Express Entry profile.
M A Immigration Associates Inc. | Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant, Licence No. R509156 | maimmigration.ca
Sources
- Express Entry: Job offer, IRCC, updated November 3, 2026
- Ministerial Instructions respecting the Express Entry system, IRCC, updated November 3, 2026
- 2026 changes to points for Canadian work experience and job offers, IRCC
- High-wage occupations and how we assess them, IRCC
- Changes to Express Entry for high-wage occupations, IRCC backgrounder
- Temporary public policy to exempt LMIAs for qualifying Express Entry job offers, IRCC
Disclaimer: This article is for general information only, current as of November 4, 2026. It is not legal advice or immigration advice, and reading it does not create a client relationship with M A Immigration Associates Inc. Immigration rules, the high-wage occupation list and processing can change. Your circumstances should be assessed individually by a qualified professional before you act, and no outcome can be guaranteed.