April 14, 2026: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (“IRCC”) has recently signaled a series of potential reforms to Canada’s Express Entry system. While these changes remain under consultation and have not yet been finalized, they provide important insight into the federal government’s evolving priorities in economic immigration.

Express Entry is the electronic case management system used to administer permanent residence applications under the following federal economic programs:

• Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) – for individuals with skilled work experience
• Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) – for individuals with experience in designated skilled trades
• Canadian Experience Class (CEC) – for individuals with skilled work experience obtained in Canada

Eligible candidates submit an online profile and enter the Express Entry pool, where they are ranked against one another under the Comprehensive Ranking System (“CRS”). CRS scores are determined by a range of human‑capital and adaptability factors, including:

• Education
• Official language proficiency
• Skilled work experience
• Additional economic selection factors

Candidates with the highest CRS scores are invited to apply for permanent residence through periodic invitation rounds.

IRCC has indicated that forthcoming reforms are intended to reshape both program eligibility and CRS scoring, guided by the following policy objectives:

• Emphasizing factors that most strongly predict long‑term economic success
• Reducing overlap and duplication across programs
• Simplifying the overall Express Entry framework
• Enhancing equity and program integrity

Proposed Structural Changes to Express Entry

One of the most significant reforms under consideration is the consolidation of the existing three federal programs into a single Federal High‑Skilled program administered through Express Entry.

Under the proposal, eligibility criteria could be standardized across applicants and may include:

• A minimum education level equivalent to a Canadian high school diploma
• Minimum language proficiency of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 6 or Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadien (NCLC) 6
• At least one cumulative year of skilled work experience in a TEER 0–3 occupation

IRCC is also considering eliminating certain long‑standing program‑specific requirements, including:

• The Federal Skilled Worker points grid; and
• The requirement for a certificate of qualification or job offer under the Federal Skilled Trades Program

If implemented, these changes would represent a significant streamlining of the federal economic immigration framework.

Proposed Reforms to the Comprehensive Ranking System

IRCC is also reviewing how CRS points are awarded, with a particular focus on aligning selection outcomes more closely with labour market needs and earnings potential.

A central proposal involves awarding additional CRS points for Canadian work experience or valid job offers in high‑wage occupations. Wage thresholds under consideration include:

• Two times the national median wage (e.g., physicians, university professors)
• 1.5 times the national median wage (e.g., engineers, teachers, transportation managers)
• 1.3 times the national median wage (e.g., financial analysts, bricklayers, heavy‑duty equipment operators)

Restricting additional CRS points to valid job offers in these higher‑wage occupations is intended to reduce the fraud risks that were historically associated with job‑offer‑based selection.

Additional Policy Changes Under Review

IRCC is also assessing a number of more targeted reforms, including:

• Limiting accepted trade credentials to Red Seal‑designated trades, and introducing additional points for apprenticeship experience to strengthen recognition of Canadian licensure in regulated occupations
• Maintaining existing CRS points for age, education, Canadian work experience, and first and second official language proficiency
• Removing or refining CRS points associated with spousal French proficiency, Canadian study history, siblings in Canada, and the spousal factors grid, which IRCC has identified as weaker predictors of economic outcomes
• Eliminating additional CRS points for French‑language ability within Express Entry, given the effectiveness of category‑based selection for French‑speaking candidates
• Awarding education‑based CRS points only to candidates who have completed graduate‑level studies in Canada

IRCC is also proposing to more narrowly define what constitutes qualifying Canadian work experience. Under the proposed framework, eligible experience would be limited to work that is:

• Performed in Canada
• Undertaken while holding temporary resident status
• Conducted in the Canadian labour market
• Compensated through wages or commission

The following categories of work would be excluded:

• Self‑employment (with a limited exception for physicians, reflecting the structure of Canada’s health‑care system)
• Work performed while studying full‑time
• Unauthorized employment
• Employment obtained while awaiting the outcome of an asylum claim
• Work remunerated by foreign sources or performed for a foreign government, organization, or business
• Employment with multilateral organizations or diplomatic missions, including high commissions, consulates, and embassies

Looking Ahead

All of the above reforms remain subject to stakeholder consultation and further policy development. Nevertheless, they signal a clear shift toward higher‑wage occupations, strong labour‑market attachment, and measurable economic outcomes as central pillars of federal economic immigration selection.

IRCC is also expected to continue prioritizing French‑language ability and targeted occupational selection through category‑based invitation rounds.

In this rapidly evolving immigration landscape, early and strategic planning is critical. Candidates and employers alike should seek comprehensive legal guidance to understand how proposed reforms may affect eligibility, CRS competitiveness, and long‑term immigration strategies.

If you have questions regarding Express Entry or your eligibility for permanent residence under the proposed framework, we invite you to contact us for tailored advice.