2026 consultations on potential Express Entry reforms
Current status: Open
April 23, 2026 to May 24, 2026
We’re looking to update program requirements for Express Entry and the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS).
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will review Express Entry (the online system to manage applications from skilled workers) and the CRS to:
- simplify them
- ensure they are based on the latest research on economic outcomes
We are now looking for feedback from organizations and the public on the proposed changes.
On this page
- We want to hear from you
- Background on Express Entry and the CRS
- Overview of proposed changes
- What’s next
- Contact us
We want to hear from you
You don’t need experience or detailed knowledge of Express Entry to complete our online survey. You’ll find some background to inform your participation below. You may also refer to our discussion paper, Express Entry webpage or the latest year-end report for more context.
If you’d like to include other perspectives from within your organization, you can consult with your colleagues and submit one response on behalf of your organization.
We kindly ask that you submit your responses by May 24, 2026.
Your advice will help us deliver better policies, programs and services. We appreciate your time and input in this engagement process, and we thank you in advance for sharing the views of your organization with us!
Background on Express Entry and the CRS
What is Express Entry?
Express Entry is an online system that is used to manage economic immigration applications for permanent residence from skilled workers who want to live outside Quebec.
How does it work?
To enter the Express Entry pool, candidates need to meet the minimum requirements of one of Canada’s 3 skilled worker programs:
We use the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) to assess and score the profiles of candidates and rank them in the Express Entry pool. Candidates are given a CRS score based on the information they enter on their online profile. This includes:
- age
- level of education
- language skills
- skilled work experience
- other factors
Candidates with the highest scores are invited to apply for permanent residence.
In 2023, we also introduced category-based selection in Express Entry. This allows us to prioritize candidates in the pool who are eligible under categories established by the Minister to meet identified economic goals. Their selection is also based on their score.
Overview of proposed changes
Simplifying program requirements
Candidates must meet program requirements for any of the 3 programs to enter the pool of eligible candidates before we consider inviting them to apply for permanent residence. We’ll invite top-ranking candidates to apply based on their score. If invited to apply, the candidate must show that they meet the program requirements.
To simplify the process, we propose replacing the 3 current programs with one program. To be eligible for this program, a candidate would need to meet the following minimum requirements:
- Education: Canadian high school or foreign equivalent
- Official language skills: intermediate language ability in reading, writing, speaking, and listening – Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) / Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadien (NCLC) 6.
- Work experience: 1 year of skilled work experience in Canada or elsewhere in the past three years – skilled work experience is at the training, education, experience and responsibilities (TEER) 0–3 level of the National Occupational Classification (NOC).
Reflecting the latest evidence for CRS factors
The factors affecting CRS scores are based on employment and earnings outcomes for newcomers outside Quebec.
We’re proposing to update the CRS to better reflect the latest data on these outcomes, which shows that some factors are stronger predictors of economic success than others:
| Strongest predictors | Moderate predictors | Weaker predictors |
|---|---|---|
|
|
|
Introducing a high-wage occupation factor to the CRS
We’re considering introducing new points for candidates with Canadian work experience or a job offer in a high-wage occupation, to reflect the evidence that these candidates tend to have stronger economic outcomes in Canada.
High-wage occupations would be those for which the median wage (the middle point in the wage range) is higher than the median wage of all Canadians. Everyone with work experience in the same occupation would be treated the same, even if their pay is different because of location, gender, or other reasons.
This proposal would also reintroduce job offer points (removed in March 2025), but only for job offers in high-wage occupations. Since many high-wage jobs require specialized skills and experience, it easier to verify that a candidate is qualified, reducing the risk of job offer fraud.
What’s next
Your input will help us develop options for consideration on how to implement changes to Express Entry programs and the CRS. Any program changes will be published in the Canada Gazette.
In addition, we regularly consult on economic priorities and categories for category-based selection in Express Entry. The next consultations are expected to take place later this year.
Contact us
If you have any comments or questions, please do not hesitate to email our engagement team.