Express Entry High-Wage Occupation Factor 2026: The 37 NOC Codes IRCC Is Targeting for Bonus CRS Points

By Dimple Verma, RCIC-IRB (R708308) — VG Immigration Services Inc.

Published June 15, 2026 · Brampton, Ontario

The High-Wage Occupation Factor: 37 NOC Codes That Could Win the Next CRS Cycle

IRCC has proposed the most consequential change to Express Entry since 2015: a new High-Wage Occupation factor on the Comprehensive Ranking System that would award bonus CRS points to candidates whose work experience or job offer falls within an occupation paying meaningfully above Canada’s national median wage. Of the 89 occupations currently prioritized through category-based selection, 37 are positioned to win additional points under the proposed framework — and the math could move a CRS in the 380s into ITA territory.

The proposal was published as part of IRCC’s sweeping Express Entry consultation that ran April 23 to May 24, 2026. Implementation is now pending the regulatory process. Officials have said the high-wage factor could roll out via ministerial instructions well before the broader Federal High-Skilled Class merger. Here is the verified list of priority occupations, the wage tiers, and what each tier means for your application strategy.

Key Highlights at a Glance

• Source: IRCC’s 2026 consultation on Express Entry reforms (canada.ca), April 23 – May 24, 2026.
• National median hourly wage: $30.77 (Statistics Canada, 2025 Labour Force Survey).
• Three tiers: 2.0×, 1.5×, and 1.3× the national median wage.
• 37 priority occupations currently positioned to benefit, out of 89 category-based selection occupations.
• Basis of qualification: the Job Bank median wage for the candidate’s occupation — not the candidate’s personal salary, location, gender, or any individual factor.
• Job offer points (removed March 2025) would return — but only for high-wage occupations.
• Point values: not yet published. IRCC has confirmed the tier structure but not the exact CRS amounts.
• Implementation: 12–18 month officials’ timeline; ministerial instructions could move faster.
• Recalculation: once ministerial instructions are issued, every candidate in the pool would see CRS automatically recalculated.

How the High-Wage Occupation Factor Works

The wage is the occupation’s — not yours

This is the single most important design choice in the proposal. IRCC will use the Job Bank median hourly wage for each NOC code to determine whether the occupation is high-wage. Your individual salary, your bonus structure, your regional pay differential — none of that matters. If you work in NOC 31301 (Registered Nurses and registered psychiatric nurses), the Job Bank median is $43.27/hour, which is 1.41× the national median — you fall in the 1.3× tier regardless of whether you personally earn $35/hour or $80/hour.

IRCC has stated this approach reduces fraud risk on job offers and treats all candidates in the same NOC equally — regardless of location, gender, or pay differences.

The three wage tiers

Based on a national median hourly wage of $30.77, the proposed tiers translate to:

Tier	Multiplier	Minimum Hourly Wage	Occupations Qualifying
Highest	2.0×	~$61.54	6 occupations
Middle	1.5×	~$46.16	15 occupations
Lowest qualifying	1.3×	~$40.00	16 occupations

Two ways to qualify: experience OR a job offer

A candidate can claim the high-wage factor in two ways: by having past work experience in a qualifying NOC, or by holding a valid job offer in a qualifying NOC. The reintroduction of job-offer points — removed in March 2025 amid LMIA fraud concerns — is restricted to high-wage roles only, where IRCC says the integrity risk is lower.

Tier 1: Jobs Paying 2× or More the National Median Wage

Six occupations qualify at the highest tier. Median hourly wage at or above $61.54.

NOC	Occupation	CBS Category	Median Hourly Wage
31101	Specialists in surgery	Healthcare / Physicians	$201.52
31100	Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine	Healthcare / Physicians	$149.66
31102	General practitioners and family physicians	Healthcare / Physicians	$111.64
00012	Senior managers — financial, communications & business services	Senior managers	$96.15
20011	Architecture and science managers	STEM	$62.56
31302	Nurse practitioners	Healthcare	$61.54

Tier 2: Jobs Paying 1.5× or More the National Median Wage

Fifteen occupations qualify at the middle tier. Median hourly wage at or above $46.16.

NOC	Occupation	CBS Category	Median Hourly Wage
31103	Veterinarians	Healthcare	$60.00
41200	University professors and lecturers	Researchers	$58.89
31120	Pharmacists	Healthcare	$55.49
40042	Commissioned officers, Canadian Armed Forces	Military	$55.03
31110	Dentists	Healthcare	$52.88
31200	Psychologists	Healthcare	$52.88
72600	Air pilots, flight engineers and flying instructors	Transport	$52.00
21310	Electrical and electronics engineers	STEM	$50.67
82021	Contractors and supervisors, oil and gas drilling	Trades	$50.00
21331	Geological engineers	STEM	$49.81
21220	Cybersecurity specialists	STEM	$49.52
70010	Construction managers	Trades	$48.72
21300	Civil engineers	STEM	$48.56
31303	Physician assistants, midwives and allied health	Healthcare	$46.81
31300	Nursing coordinators and supervisors	Healthcare	$46.43

Tier 3: Jobs Paying 1.3× or More the National Median Wage

Sixteen occupations qualify at the entry tier. Median hourly wage at or above ~$40.00.

NOC	Occupation	CBS Category	Median Hourly Wage
31202	Physiotherapists	Healthcare	$46.15
31112	Audiologists and speech-language pathologists	Healthcare	$46.15
00015	Senior managers — construction, transportation, production & utilities	Senior managers	$46.04
31203	Occupational therapists	Healthcare	$46.00
21301	Mechanical engineers	STEM	$45.67
41220	Secondary school teachers	Education	$45.67
32111	Dental hygienists and dental therapists	Healthcare	$45.00
21321	Industrial and manufacturing engineers	STEM	$44.23
41221	Elementary school and kindergarten teachers	Education	$43.27
31301	Registered nurses & registered psychiatric nurses	Healthcare	$43.27
00014	Senior managers — trade, broadcasting and other services	Senior managers	$42.38
72201	Industrial electricians	Trades	$42.00
32122	Medical sonographers	Healthcare	$42.00
31121	Dietitians and nutritionists	Healthcare	$41.63
32103	Respiratory therapists & cardiopulmonary technologists	Healthcare	$41.00
22313	Aircraft instrument, electrical & avionics mechanics	Transport	$40.47

Strategic Implications: Five Actions for the Next 90 Days

1. Confirm your NOC code maps to the list

The first thing to check is whether your primary NOC — the one with at least 12 months of experience in the past three years — is one of the 37 on the proposed list. NOC code mapping is unforgiving: NOC 31301 (Registered Nurses) qualifies; NOC 33102 (Nurse aides) does not. Misclassification at the profile stage is the most common reason candidates miss eligibility.

2. If you are filing now, file now

When ministerial instructions take effect, every profile in the Express Entry pool will be recalculated. Candidates already in the pool with a qualifying NOC will get the bonus retroactively — but they also have the timestamp advantage. Earlier profile submission breaks ties; if you wait until after the announcement, you compete against tens of thousands of others who also just got the bump.

3. Restructure job offer arrangements

If you have a Canadian employer willing to support you, the NOC code on the LMIA or supporting job offer determines whether you qualify for the high-wage factor. We are already seeing employers willing to re-issue an offer under a more accurate, higher-wage NOC where the job duties genuinely fit. This is not gaming the system; it is correcting NOC assignments that were rushed during the LMIA process.

4. Consider Canadian work experience strategically

For TEER 0/1/2/3 candidates currently on a work permit — especially those in healthcare, STEM, or skilled trades — building Canadian experience in a high-wage NOC has just become more valuable than ever. The combined effect of CEC eligibility + category-based selection + the new high-wage factor could shift cut-offs in your category by 20–40 CRS in your favour.

5. Watch for the ministerial instruction announcement

IRCC has signaled the high-wage factor may roll out via ministerial instructions ahead of the full Federal High-Skilled Class merger. Watch the Canada Gazette and the IRCC ministerial instructions page in the second half of 2026. The actual CRS point values — still unconfirmed — will be published there first.

What This Means for You

• If you are a physician, surgeon, nurse practitioner, senior manager, or architecture/science manager: you are in the highest tier. Your CRS will see the largest bump under the proposed regime.
• If you are a STEM professional (engineer, cybersecurity specialist): you fall in Tier 2. The high-wage factor stacks with the existing STEM category-based selection — a powerful combination.
• If you are a registered nurse, teacher, physiotherapist, or skilled trade: you qualify in Tier 3. Combined with healthcare or education category-based selection, this materially improves your odds.
• If your NOC is not on the list: the proposed regime still helps you indirectly — candidates ahead of you in the queue will receive ITAs more quickly, shortening pool wait times for everyone.
• If you have a job offer in a non-high-wage occupation: the proposed regime removes the job offer bonus for your role. Filing before the regulation takes effect is strongly recommended.

Important Caveats

• This is a proposal, not a regulation. Final point values, qualifying criteria, and the official list of NOC codes will be published in the Canada Gazette before they take effect.
• The exact CRS point values have not been published by IRCC. The tier structure is confirmed; the point amounts are not.
• The official occupation list may change. IRCC has said the list will be maintained on its website and updated regularly, likely annually.
• Timing is uncertain. Officials have given a 12–18 month full-implementation window but signaled ministerial instructions may move faster.
• NOC 00013 (Senior managers — health, education, social/community services) was excluded from the analysis due to insufficient wage data.

How VG Immigration Can Help

Dimple Verma, RCIC-IRB (R708308) has tracked every iteration of the proposed Express Entry overhaul — from the April 1, 2026 forward regulatory plan, through the April 23 – May 24 consultation, to the June 2026 priority occupation analysis. We map your NOC against the proposed list, audit your Express Entry profile for the exact triggers that maximize your CRS under both the current and proposed regimes, restructure job offers where defensible, and time your filing to capture the timestamp advantage when ministerial instructions land.

If your NOC is on the list above, the next 90 days are the highest-value strategic window since the system launched in 2015. Book a Consultation to position your profile.

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VG Immigration Services Inc. · Brampton, Ontario · Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC-IRB) R708308 · Authorized to represent clients before IRCC and the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada.