List High-Wage Occupations for Express Entry

IRCC has published 186 NOC codes on its Express Entry high-wage occupations list. The list takes effect on November 3, 2026, not before. From that date, eligible Canadian work experience or a qualifying job offer in a listed occupation may add CRS points, but a listed NOC does not by itself guarantee Express Entry eligibility, an invitation to apply, or permanent residence.

What the high-wage occupation list means

For Express Entry purposes, a high-wage occupation is a National Occupational Classification (NOC) whose Canada-wide median wage is at least 1.3 times the average median wage for the overall Canadian workforce. IRCC assesses the NOC group, not the wage paid to one individual worker. A higher personal salary therefore does not move an occupation onto the list, and a listed occupation does not mean every worker in that occupation earns the same wage.

The first list is based on 2023 to 2025 data from Job Bank, the Labour Force Survey and the Census of Population. IRCC assigns each NOC the highest high-wage level reached during that three-year period. The 186 occupations are divided into three wage levels: at least twice the workforce median, at least 1.5 times but less than twice the median, and at least 1.3 times but less than 1.5 times the median.

This is a new CRS-scoring measure within Express Entry. It is not a separate immigration program, a new category-based selection category, or the same thing as the Temporary Foreign Worker Program's high-wage stream. The latter uses an employer's offered wage and provincial or territorial wage thresholds for Labour Market Impact Assessment purposes.

• Effective date: November 3, 2026.
• List basis: national NOC-level wage data from 2023 to 2025.
• Key distinction: IRCC classifies the occupation, not an applicant's individual pay rate.
• Important: category-based selection occupation lists and the high-wage occupation list are separate lists with separate eligibility rules.

NOCs at least twice the median wage

This highest level contains 31 NOCs. Subject to the separate qualification rules, at least 12 months of eligible Canadian work experience in one or more occupations at this level can lead to an additional 70 CRS points. A qualifying job offer in an occupation at this level can be worth 100 CRS points.

• 00011 — Senior government managers and officials; 00012 — Senior managers – financial, communications and other business services; 00013 — Senior managers – health, education, social and community services and membership organizations.
• 10010 — Financial managers; 10011 — Human resources managers; 10012 — Purchasing managers; 10020 — Insurance, real estate and financial brokerage managers; 10021 — Banking, credit and other investment managers.
• 20010 — Engineering managers; 20011 — Architecture and science managers; 20012 — Computer and information systems managers.
• 21330 — Mining engineers; 21332 — Petroleum engineers.
• 31100 — Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine; 31101 — Specialists in surgery; 31102 — General practitioners and family physicians; 31103 — Veterinarians.
• 31302 — Nurse practitioners; 31303 — Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals.
• 40010 — Government managers – health and social policy development and program administration; 40011 — Government managers – economic analysis, policy development and program administration; 40012 — Government managers – education policy development and program administration; 40019 — Other managers in public administration.
• 40040 — Commissioned police officers and related occupations in public protection services; 40041 — Fire chiefs and senior firefighting officers.
• 41100 — Judges; 41101 — Lawyers and Quebec notaries; 41200 — University professors and lecturers.
• 60010 — Corporate sales managers; 80010 — Managers in natural resources production and fishing; 90011 — Utilities managers.

NOCs at 1.5 to below twice the median wage

This middle level contains 89 NOCs. Candidates who are not eligible for the 70-point high-wage Canadian work experience award may receive 40 additional points if they have at least 12 months of combined eligible Canadian experience in occupations at this level or above. A qualifying job offer in this level can be worth 70 CRS points.

• 00014 — Senior managers – trade, broadcasting and other services; 00015 — Senior managers – construction, transportation, production and utilities.
• 10019 — Other administrative services managers; 10022 — Advertising, marketing and public relations managers; 10029 — Other business services managers; 10030 — Telecommunication carriers managers.
• 11103 — Securities agents, investment dealers and brokers; 11201 — Professional occupations in business management consulting.
• 21100 — Physicists and astronomers; 21102 — Geoscientists and oceanographers; 21103 — Meteorologists and climatologists; 21109 — Other professional occupations in physical sciences; 21111 — Forestry professionals; 21120 — Public and environmental health and safety professionals.
• 21202 — Urban and land use planners; 21210 — Mathematicians, statisticians and actuaries; 21211 — Data scientists; 21220 — Cybersecurity specialists; 21221 — Business systems specialists; 21222 — Information systems specialists; 21223 — Database analysts and data administrators.
• 21230 — Computer systems developers and programmers; 21231 — Software engineers and designers; 21232 — Software developers and programmers.
• 21300 — Civil engineers; 21301 — Mechanical engineers; 21310 — Electrical and electronics engineers; 21311 — Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers); 21320 — Chemical engineers; 21321 — Industrial and manufacturing engineers; 21322 — Metallurgical and materials engineers; 21331 — Geological engineers; 21390 — Aerospace engineers; 21399 — Other professional engineers.
• 22231 — Engineering inspectors and regulatory officers; 22312 — Industrial instrument technicians and mechanics.
• 30010 — Managers in health care; 31110 — Dentists; 31112 — Audiologists and speech-language pathologists; 31120 — Pharmacists; 31200 — Psychologists; 31202 — Physiotherapists; 31203 — Occupational therapists.
• 31300 — Nursing coordinators and supervisors; 31301 — Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses; 32111 — Dental hygienists and dental therapists.
• 40020 — Administrators – post-secondary education and vocational training; 40021 — School principals and administrators of elementary and secondary education; 40030 — Managers in social, community and correctional services; 40042 — Commissioned officers of the Canadian Armed Forces.
• 41210 — College and other vocational instructors; 41220 — Secondary school teachers; 41221 — Elementary school and kindergarten teachers; 41310 — Police investigators and other investigative occupations; 41311 — Probation and parole officers; 41320 — Educational counsellors.
• 41401 — Economists and economic policy researchers and analysts; 41402 — Business development officers and market researchers and analysts; 41404 — Health policy researchers, consultants and program officers; 41407 — Program officers unique to government.
• 42100 — Police officers (except commissioned); 42101 — Firefighters.
• 50010 — Library, archive, museum and art gallery managers; 50011 — Managers – publishing, motion pictures, broadcasting and performing arts; 51100 — Librarians.
• 70010 — Construction managers; 70012 — Facility operation and maintenance managers; 70020 — Managers in transportation; 70021 — Postal and courier services managers.
• 72011 — Contractors and supervisors, electrical trades and telecommunications occupations; 72012 — Contractors and supervisors, pipefitting trades; 72023 — Supervisors, railway transport operations; 72103 — Boilermakers.
• 72202 — Power system electricians; 72203 — Electrical power line and cable workers; 72301 — Steamfitters, pipefitters and sprinkler system installers; 72406 — Elevator constructors and mechanics.
• 72600 — Air pilots, flight engineers and flying instructors; 72601 — Air traffic controllers and related occupations; 72604 — Railway traffic controllers and marine traffic regulators; 73310 — Railway and yard locomotive engineers.
• 82020 — Supervisors, mining and quarrying; 82021 — Contractors and supervisors, oil and gas drilling and services; 83101 — Oil and gas well drillers, servicers, testers and related workers.
• 90010 — Manufacturing managers; 92011 — Supervisors, petroleum, gas and chemical processing and utilities; 92100 — Power engineers and power systems operators; 93100 — Central control and process operators, mineral and metal processing; 93101 — Central control and process operators, petroleum, gas and chemical processing.

NOCs at 1.3 to below 1.5 times the median wage

This entry level contains 66 NOCs. Candidates who do not qualify for either the 70-point or 40-point high-wage Canadian work experience awards may receive 20 additional CRS points after accumulating at least 12 months of combined eligible Canadian work experience across listed high-wage occupations. A qualifying job offer in this level can be worth 50 CRS points.

• 00010 — Legislators.
• 11100 — Financial auditors and accountants; 11101 — Financial and investment analysts; 11102 — Financial advisors; 11109 — Other financial officers; 11200 — Human resources professionals.
• 12201 — Insurance adjusters and claims examiners; 12203 — Assessors, business valuators and appraisers.
• 21101 — Chemists; 21110 — Biologists and related scientists; 21112 — Agricultural representatives, consultants and specialists.
• 21200 — Architects; 21201 — Landscape architects; 21203 — Land surveyors; 21234 — Web developers and programmers.
• 22214 — Technical occupations in geomatics and meteorology; 22232 — Occupational health and safety specialists; 22233 — Construction inspectors; 22310 — Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians; 22313 — Aircraft instrument, electrical and avionics mechanics, technicians and inspectors.
• 31121 — Dietitians and nutritionists; 32102 — Paramedical occupations; 32103 — Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists; 32120 — Medical laboratory technologists; 32121 — Medical radiation technologists; 32122 — Medical sonographers.
• 41300 — Social workers; 41400 — Natural and applied science policy researchers, consultants and program officers; 41403 — Social policy researchers, consultants and program officers; 41405 — Education policy researchers, consultants and program officers; 41409 — Other professional occupations in social science.
• 43201 — Correctional service officers; 43203 — Border services, customs, and immigration officers.
• 50012 — Recreation, sports and fitness program and service directors; 51101 — Conservators and curators; 51102 — Archivists; 51111 — Authors and writers (except technical); 51112 — Technical writers; 51120 — Producers, directors, choreographers and related occupations; 52112 — Broadcast technicians.
• 60020 — Retail and wholesale trade managers; 60031 — Accommodation service managers; 60040 — Managers in customer and personal services.
• 72010 — Contractors and supervisors, machining, metal forming, shaping and erecting trades and related occupations; 72013 — Contractors and supervisors, carpentry trades; 72014 — Contractors and supervisors, other construction trades, installers, repairers and servicers; 72020 — Contractors and supervisors, mechanic trades; 72021 — Contractors and supervisors, heavy equipment operator crews.
• 72102 — Sheet metal workers; 72105 — Ironworkers; 72201 — Industrial electricians; 72302 — Gas fitters; 72320 — Bricklayers; 72321 — Insulators.
• 72401 — Heavy-duty equipment mechanics; 72403 — Railway carmen/women; 72404 — Aircraft mechanics and aircraft inspectors; 72500 — Crane operators.
• 72602 — Deck officers, water transport; 72603 — Engineer officers, water transport; 73311 — Railway conductors and brakemen/women.
• 82010 — Supervisors, logging and forestry; 83100 — Underground production and development miners; 83120 — Fishing masters and officers; 92010 — Supervisors, mineral and metal processing; 93102 — Pulping, papermaking and coating control operators.

How the new CRS points work

Beginning November 3, 2026, IRCC will assess a candidate under either the eligible Canadian work experience route or the qualifying job offer route and use the option that produces the higher score. The two routes do not stack. A candidate cannot add high-wage Canadian experience points to high-wage job offer points.

For the Canadian work experience route, the high-wage award is added to CRS points normally available for the length of eligible Canadian work experience. The maximum combined amount for Canadian work experience under the labour market integration factor is 150 points for a candidate without an accompanying spouse or common-law partner, or 140 points for a candidate with an accompanying spouse or partner.

The 12-month high-wage experience requirement can be met through one or more eligible occupations, depending on the wage level. The award at the highest level requires at least 12 months in occupations at least twice the median. The middle-level award allows combined experience in occupations at least 1.5 times the median, if the candidate does not qualify for the 70-point award. The 20-point award can be based on combined experience across eligible listed occupations, if the candidate does not qualify for either higher award.

• At least twice the median wage: 70 additional CRS points for qualifying Canadian work experience, or 100 CRS points for a qualifying job offer.
• At least 1.5 to below twice the median wage: 40 additional CRS points for qualifying Canadian work experience, if not eligible for 70 points, or 70 CRS points for a qualifying job offer.
• At least 1.3 to below 1.5 times the median wage: 20 additional CRS points for qualifying Canadian work experience, if not eligible for 40 or 70 points, or 50 CRS points for a qualifying job offer.
• A high-wage occupation does not create automatic CRS points. The applicant must satisfy the applicable experience or job-offer requirements and all relevant Express Entry rules.

Canadian work experience and job offer requirements

Eligible Canadian work experience for the new high-wage award generally must have been acquired in Canada within the previous 10 years in a NOC TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 occupation. IRCC has specific rules for certain physicians providing publicly funded medical services. The listed NOC must match the work actually performed, especially the lead statement and most main duties in the NOC description; selecting a code because it attracts more points is not enough.

A qualifying job offer for high-wage offer points will generally need to be for full-time, continuous work in Canada for at least one year after the applicant becomes a permanent resident. IRCC will assess whether the offer is genuine, including whether the employer is actively operating, has a reasonable need for the role, can meet the offer's terms, and is compliant with applicable employment and recruitment laws.

From November 3, 2026, an LMIA will not be required for a qualifying job offer used for these Express Entry points. This does not mean all Canadian work permits are LMIA-exempt or that a job offer automatically provides authority to work in Canada. Work authorization, program eligibility, CRS ranking and permanent residence assessment remain distinct issues.

• The high-wage Canadian experience route does not give points for foreign work experience merely because the foreign occupation has a listed NOC.
• A listed occupation can still be ineligible for a particular Express Entry program if the applicant does not meet that program's language, work experience, education, job offer or other requirements.
• A qualifying offer may affect Federal Skilled Worker Program or Federal Skilled Trades Program requirements, but those program rules should be checked separately.
• Receiving high-wage points does not guarantee an invitation to apply. The CRS cut-off and criteria for the particular round still control.

How to use the list without making a NOC error

Start by identifying the NOC that best fits the applicant's actual employment duties, rather than relying on a job title. Titles can be misleading: a role called manager, engineer, analyst or technician may fall under a different NOC if the core duties and employment context differ. Retain employer letters, contracts, pay records, tax documents and other evidence that can support the claimed position and work period.

Then separate Canadian and foreign experience, calculate the relevant work periods, and review whether the Canadian work falls within a qualifying TEER category. Applicants relying on a job offer should ensure the Express Entry profile and offer documentation consistently describe the employer, duties, wage, hours, location and expected duration of employment.

The list can change in a future update. However, IRCC says that if it updates the list after issuing an invitation to apply, it will continue to use the occupation level that applied on the date of invitation, including where a NOC later moves levels, is removed or is added. Applicants should keep a dated copy of the applicable list and their invitation records.

• Confirm the correct six-digit NOC before claiming points.
• Do not treat a personal salary as the test for inclusion on the high-wage list.
• Keep the high-wage list separate from Express Entry category-based selection lists.
• Recheck current IRCC instructions before submitting or updating a profile, particularly during the transition beginning November 3, 2026.

Source: High-wage occupations and how we assess them