What is the Express Entry high-wage occupations list?
It is IRCC’s list of occupations (NOC codes) where the median wage of everyone in Canada doing that job is at least 1.3 times the average median wage of the Canadian workforce. The list comes into effect on November 3, 2026.
From that date, a qualifying job offer in a listed occupation can earn up to 100 CRS points, and at least 12 months of Canadian work in one can earn up to 70 extra points. What counts is your occupation, not your own salary.
Key facts about the high-wage list
How many CRS points does each high-wage level give?
Each level has its own points for a job offer and for Canadian work experience. You receive whichever option gives you more points. The two are never added together.
| Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median wage of the occupation | At least 2 times the average | 1.5 to under 2 times | 1.3 to under 1.5 times |
| Job offer points | 100 | 70 | 50 |
| Extra points for 12 months of Canadian work | 70 | 40 | 20 |
| Occupations on the list | 31 | 89 | 66 |
How the work experience points add up
- For 70 extra points you need at least 12 months in Level 1 occupations.
- For 40, you need 12 months combined in Level 1 or 2 occupations.
- For 20, you need 12 months combined in any listed occupation.
These points come on top of the regular points for Canadian work experience (up to 80 for 5 years). The maximum is 150 points, or 140 if your spouse or partner comes with you.
Search all 186 high-wage occupations by NOC code
Type your five-digit NOC code or a job title in the search box. The list is based on wage data from 2023 to 2025 and is copied from IRCC’s official high-wage occupations list.
| NOC code | Occupation | Level · job offer points |
|---|---|---|
| 00010 | Legislators | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 00011 | Senior government managers and officials | Level 1 · 100 pts |
| 00012 | Senior managers – financial, communications and other business services | Level 1 · 100 pts |
| 00013 | Senior managers – health, education, social and community services and membership organizations | Level 1 · 100 pts |
| 00014 | Senior managers – trade, broadcasting and other services | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 00015 | Senior managers – construction, transportation, production and utilities | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 10010 | Financial managers | Level 1 · 100 pts |
| 10011 | Human resources managers | Level 1 · 100 pts |
| 10012 | Purchasing managers | Level 1 · 100 pts |
| 10019 | Other administrative services managers | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 10020 | Insurance, real estate and financial brokerage managers | Level 1 · 100 pts |
| 10021 | Banking, credit and other investment managers | Level 1 · 100 pts |
| 10022 | Advertising, marketing and public relations managers | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 10029 | Other business services managers | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 10030 | Telecommunication carriers managers | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 11100 | Financial auditors and accountants | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 11101 | Financial and investment analysts | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 11102 | Financial advisors | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 11103 | Securities agents, investment dealers and brokers | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 11109 | Other financial officers | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 11200 | Human resources professionals | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 11201 | Professional occupations in business management consulting | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 12201 | Insurance adjusters and claims examiners | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 12203 | Assessors, business valuators and appraisers | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 20010 | Engineering managers | Level 1 · 100 pts |
| 20011 | Architecture and science managers | Level 1 · 100 pts |
| 20012 | Computer and information systems managers | Level 1 · 100 pts |
| 21100 | Physicists and astronomers | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 21101 | Chemists | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 21102 | Geoscientists and oceanographers | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 21103 | Meteorologists and climatologists | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 21109 | Other professional occupations in physical sciences | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 21110 | Biologists and related scientists | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 21111 | Forestry professionals | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 21112 | Agricultural representatives, consultants and specialists | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 21120 | Public and environmental health and safety professionals | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 21200 | Architects | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 21201 | Landscape architects | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 21202 | Urban and land use planners | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 21203 | Land surveyors | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 21210 | Mathematicians, statisticians and actuaries | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 21211 | Data scientists | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 21220 | Cybersecurity specialists | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 21221 | Business systems specialists | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 21222 | Information systems specialists | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 21223 | Database analysts and data administrators | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 21230 | Computer systems developers and programmers | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 21231 | Software engineers and designers | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 21232 | Software developers and programmers | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 21234 | Web developers and programmers | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 21300 | Civil engineers | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 21301 | Mechanical engineers | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 21310 | Electrical and electronics engineers | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 21311 | Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers) | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 21320 | Chemical engineers | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 21321 | Industrial and manufacturing engineers | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 21322 | Metallurgical and materials engineers | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 21330 | Mining engineers | Level 1 · 100 pts |
| 21331 | Geological engineers | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 21332 | Petroleum engineers | Level 1 · 100 pts |
| 21390 | Aerospace engineers | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 21399 | Other professional engineers | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 22214 | Technical occupations in geomatics and meteorology | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 22231 | Engineering inspectors and regulatory officers | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 22232 | Occupational health and safety specialists | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 22233 | Construction inspectors | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 22310 | Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 22312 | Industrial instrument technicians and mechanics | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 22313 | Aircraft instrument, electrical and avionics mechanics, technicians and inspectors | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 30010 | Managers in health care | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 31100 | Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine | Level 1 · 100 pts |
| 31101 | Specialists in surgery | Level 1 · 100 pts |
| 31102 | General practitioners and family physicians | Level 1 · 100 pts |
| 31103 | Veterinarians | Level 1 · 100 pts |
| 31110 | Dentists | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 31112 | Audiologists and speech-language pathologists | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 31120 | Pharmacists | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 31121 | Dietitians and nutritionists | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 31200 | Psychologists | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 31202 | Physiotherapists | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 31203 | Occupational therapists | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 31300 | Nursing coordinators and supervisors | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 31301 | Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 31302 | Nurse practitioners | Level 1 · 100 pts |
| 31303 | Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals | Level 1 · 100 pts |
| 32102 | Paramedical occupations | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 32103 | Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 32111 | Dental hygienists and dental therapists | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 32120 | Medical laboratory technologists | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 32121 | Medical radiation technologists | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 32122 | Medical sonographers | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 40010 | Government managers – health and social policy development and program administration | Level 1 · 100 pts |
| 40011 | Government managers – economic analysis, policy development and program administration | Level 1 · 100 pts |
| 40012 | Government managers – education policy development and program administration | Level 1 · 100 pts |
| 40019 | Other managers in public administration | Level 1 · 100 pts |
| 40020 | Administrators – post-secondary education and vocational training | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 40021 | School principals and administrators of elementary and secondary education | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 40030 | Managers in social, community and correctional services | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 40040 | Commissioned police officers and related occupations in public protection services | Level 1 · 100 pts |
| 40041 | Fire chiefs and senior firefighting officers | Level 1 · 100 pts |
| 40042 | Commissioned officers of the Canadian Armed Forces | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 41100 | Judges | Level 1 · 100 pts |
| 41101 | Lawyers and Quebec notaries | Level 1 · 100 pts |
| 41200 | University professors and lecturers | Level 1 · 100 pts |
| 41210 | College and other vocational instructors | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 41220 | Secondary school teachers | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 41221 | Elementary school and kindergarten teachers | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 41300 | Social workers | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 41310 | Police investigators and other investigative occupations | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 41311 | Probation and parole officers | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 41320 | Educational counsellors | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 41400 | Natural and applied science policy researchers, consultants and program officers | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 41401 | Economists and economic policy researchers and analysts | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 41402 | Business development officers and market researchers and analysts | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 41403 | Social policy researchers, consultants and program officers | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 41404 | Health policy researchers, consultants and program officers | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 41405 | Education policy researchers, consultants and program officers | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 41407 | Program officers unique to government | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 41409 | Other professional occupations in social science | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 42100 | Police officers (except commissioned) | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 42101 | Firefighters | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 43201 | Correctional service officers | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 43203 | Border services, customs, and immigration officers | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 50010 | Library, archive, museum and art gallery managers | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 50011 | Managers – publishing, motion pictures, broadcasting and performing arts | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 50012 | Recreation, sports and fitness program and service directors | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 51100 | Librarians | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 51101 | Conservators and curators | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 51102 | Archivists | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 51111 | Authors and writers (except technical) | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 51112 | Technical writers | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 51120 | Producers, directors, choreographers and related occupations | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 52112 | Broadcast technicians | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 60010 | Corporate sales managers | Level 1 · 100 pts |
| 60020 | Retail and wholesale trade managers | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 60031 | Accommodation service managers | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 60040 | Managers in customer and personal services | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 70010 | Construction managers | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 70012 | Facility operation and maintenance managers | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 70020 | Managers in transportation | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 70021 | Postal and courier services managers | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 72010 | Contractors and supervisors, machining, metal forming, shaping and erecting trades and related occupations | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 72011 | Contractors and supervisors, electrical trades and telecommunications occupations | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 72012 | Contractors and supervisors, pipefitting trades | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 72013 | Contractors and supervisors, carpentry trades | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 72014 | Contractors and supervisors, other construction trades, installers, repairers and servicers | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 72020 | Contractors and supervisors, mechanic trades | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 72021 | Contractors and supervisors, heavy equipment operator crews | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 72023 | Supervisors, railway transport operations | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 72102 | Sheet metal workers | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 72103 | Boilermakers | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 72105 | Ironworkers | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 72201 | Industrial electricians | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 72202 | Power system electricians | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 72203 | Electrical power line and cable workers | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 72301 | Steamfitters, pipefitters and sprinkler system installers | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 72302 | Gas fitters | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 72320 | Bricklayers | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 72321 | Insulators | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 72401 | Heavy-duty equipment mechanics | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 72403 | Railway carmen/women | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 72404 | Aircraft mechanics and aircraft inspectors | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 72406 | Elevator constructors and mechanics | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 72500 | Crane operators | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 72600 | Air pilots, flight engineers and flying instructors | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 72601 | Air traffic controllers and related occupations | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 72602 | Deck officers, water transport | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 72603 | Engineer officers, water transport | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 72604 | Railway traffic controllers and marine traffic regulators | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 73310 | Railway and yard locomotive engineers | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 73311 | Railway conductors and brakemen/women | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 80010 | Managers in natural resources production and fishing | Level 1 · 100 pts |
| 82010 | Supervisors, logging and forestry | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 82020 | Supervisors, mining and quarrying | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 82021 | Contractors and supervisors, oil and gas drilling and services | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 83100 | Underground production and development miners | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 83101 | Oil and gas well drillers, servicers, testers and related workers | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 83120 | Fishing masters and officers | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 90010 | Manufacturing managers | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 90011 | Utilities managers | Level 1 · 100 pts |
| 92010 | Supervisors, mineral and metal processing | Level 3 · 50 pts |
| 92011 | Supervisors, petroleum, gas and chemical processing and utilities | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 92100 | Power engineers and power systems operators | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 93100 | Central control and process operators, mineral and metal processing | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 93101 | Central control and process operators, petroleum, gas and chemical processing | Level 2 · 70 pts |
| 93102 | Pulping, papermaking and coating control operators | Level 3 · 50 pts |
If the list changes
IRCC may update the list. If your occupation moves level, is added or is removed after you receive an invitation to apply (ITA), IRCC keeps using the level that applied on the date you were invited.
How do you check if your job qualifies?
-
Step 01
Find your NOC code
Match your main duties to the NOC 2021 description, not just your job title.
-
Step 02
Search the list
Enter the five-digit code in the table above and note its level.
-
Step 03
Check which points apply
A job offer must be full-time, continuous and last at least 1 year after you become a permanent resident. Work experience must be 12 months in Canada, in TEER 0 to 3, within the last 10 years.
-
Step 04
Update your profile
Make sure the NOC code and job offer details in your Express Entry profile are complete and accurate.
Is a high-wage occupation the same as a high-wage LMIA?
No. The Express Entry high-wage list is IRCC’s list of occupations used for CRS points. A high-wage LMIA is an application a Canadian employer makes to ESDC to hire a foreign worker. From November 3, 2026, a qualifying Express Entry job offer no longer needs an LMIA.
| Express Entry high-wage occupation | High-wage LMIA | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it is for | Express Entry candidates | Employers hiring a foreign worker |
| Run by | IRCC | ESDC |
| Wage test | The occupation’s Canada-wide median wage | The wage offered for the job, compared with the provincial threshold |
| What it gives you | CRS points | A work permit route for the worker |
What mistakes can cost you high-wage points?
Picking a NOC by job title
Why it hurts
Officers compare your actual duties with the NOC description. A mismatch can lead to a refusal.
What works instead
Match the main duties, and make sure your reference letters say the same.
Relying on your salary
Why it hurts
The list looks at the occupation’s median wage. A high salary in an unlisted NOC earns no high-wage points.
What works instead
Check your NOC code in the list before you plan around these points.
Counting points twice
Why it hurts
Job offer points and Canadian work points are not added together. Your score may be lower than you expect.
What works instead
Plan with the higher of the two options only.
A job offer that can’t be proven
Why it hurts
An officer checks that the employer is active, needs the role, can pay it and follows employment law. A revoked offer no longer counts.
What works instead
Have the employer’s supporting documents ready before you claim the points.
High-wage occupations list: frequently asked questions
On November 3, 2026. The current list is based on data from 2023 to 2025, from the Job Bank, the Labour Force Survey and the Census.
186: 31 at Level 1, 89 at Level 2 and 66 at Level 3.
No. IRCC looks at the median wage of everyone in Canada working in your NOC, not at your pay. Your job offer must still meet all the other job offer rules.
No. From November 3, 2026, a qualifying job offer does not need an LMIA to earn the new points. A temporary public policy also removes LMIA requirements for job offers used to qualify for the Federal Skilled Worker and Federal Skilled Trades programs, for candidates invited on or after that date who meet its conditions.
No. If you qualify for both, you get whichever gives more points. The maximum is 150 points, or 140 if your spouse or partner comes with you.
At least 12 months of eligible work in Canada, in a TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 occupation, within the last 10 years. The level you reach depends on how many of those months were in Level 1, Level 2 or Level 3 occupations.
Nothing changes for you. IRCC keeps the level that applied on the date you were invited.
Sources and related guides
Official sources
- High-wage occupations and how we assess them (IRCC)
- Changes to Express Entry for high-wage occupations (IRCC backgrounder, October 16, 2026)
- Canada refocusing Express Entry on top talent that drives economic growth (IRCC news release)
Related guides
