The high-wage occupations list that IRCC published on October 16, 2026 decides who gets the new Express Entry CRS points from November 3. It holds 186 NOC codes in three levels. For tradespeople and healthcare workers the results are uneven: some jobs sit near the top, and some of the most common ones are missing.
The short answer
- Physicians and nurse practitioners are in Level 1 of the high-wage occupations list, worth up to 70 extra points for Canadian work or 100 for a job offer.
- Registered nurses, pharmacists and physiotherapists are in Level 2, worth 40 or 70.
- No hands-on trade reaches Level 1. Power system electricians, pipefitters and boilermakers lead the trades in Level 2.
- Ontario 309A electricians, plumbers, carpenters, welders, PSWs and Ontario RPNs are not on the high-wage occupations list.
How the high-wage occupations list works
An occupation makes the high-wage occupations list when the median wage of everyone in Canada working under that NOC code is at least 1.3 times the national average median wage. IRCC built the current list from Job Bank, Labour Force Survey and Census data for 2023 to 2025.
Your own paycheque does not decide anything here. A construction electrician earning $50 an hour gets no high-wage points, because the NOC code as a whole is not on the list.
| Level | Median wage of the NOC | NOC codes |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | At least 2 times the average median | 31 |
| Level 2 | 1.5 to under 2 times | 89 |
| Level 3 | 1.3 to under 1.5 times | 66 |
CRS points at each level of the list
Once your NOC code is on the high-wage occupations list, you can earn points through Canadian work experience or a qualifying job offer, whichever gives you more. IRCC never combines the two.
| Level | Extra points for 12+ months of Canadian work | Qualifying job offer |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | +70 | 100 |
| Level 2 | +40 | 70 |
| Level 3 | +20 | 50 |
The experience points sit on top of the points you already get for the length of your Canadian work, up to 80 for five years if you are single. A job offer no longer needs an LMIA from November 3, but an IRCC officer will still check that the employer and the offer are genuine.
Where the skilled trades land on the high-wage occupations list
No hands-on trade reaches Level 1 of the high-wage occupations list. The best-placed trades are in Level 2, and most of the rest that made the cut are in Level 3. Supervisor and contractor codes appear at both levels.
| NOC | Trade | Level | Work / offer points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 72202 | Power system electricians | 2 | +40 / 70 |
| 72203 | Electrical power line and cable workers | 2 | +40 / 70 |
| 72301 | Steamfitters, pipefitters and sprinkler system installers | 2 | +40 / 70 |
| 72103 | Boilermakers | 2 | +40 / 70 |
| 72406 | Elevator constructors and mechanics | 2 | +40 / 70 |
| 22312 | Industrial instrument technicians and mechanics | 2 | +40 / 70 |
| 92100 | Power engineers and power systems operators | 2 | +40 / 70 |
| 72011 | Contractors and supervisors, electrical trades | 2 | +40 / 70 |
| 72012 | Contractors and supervisors, pipefitting trades | 2 | +40 / 70 |
| 72201 | Industrial electricians | 3 | +20 / 50 |
| 72302 | Gas fitters | 3 | +20 / 50 |
| 72102 | Sheet metal workers | 3 | +20 / 50 |
| 72105 | Ironworkers | 3 | +20 / 50 |
| 72320 | Bricklayers | 3 | +20 / 50 |
| 72321 | Insulators | 3 | +20 / 50 |
| 72401 | Heavy-duty equipment mechanics | 3 | +20 / 50 |
| 72404 | Aircraft mechanics and aircraft inspectors | 3 | +20 / 50 |
| 72500 | Crane operators | 3 | +20 / 50 |
| 72013 | Contractors and supervisors, carpentry trades | 3 | +20 / 50 |
| 72020 | Contractors and supervisors, mechanic trades | 3 | +20 / 50 |
Common trades missing from the high-wage occupations list
- Electricians (except industrial and power system), NOC 72200, which covers Ontario’s 309A construction and maintenance electricians
- Plumbers, NOC 72300
- Carpenters, NOC 72310
- Welders and related machine operators, NOC 72106
- Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics, NOC 72400
- Heating, refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics, NOC 72402
- Automotive service technicians, NOC 72410
- Machinists, NOC 72100
Workers in these trades still earn the regular points for length of Canadian work. A job offer in one of them can still make you eligible for the Federal Skilled Trades Program, because program eligibility is not limited to the high-wage list. It just won’t add job offer points to your CRS score.
Trades also have their own category draws. The October 1, 2026 trades draw invited 3,500 candidates with a cut-off of 476. If you hold an Ontario licence, our guide to Canada’s 2026 trade rules covers how work experience is counted.
Where healthcare jobs land on the high-wage occupations list
Healthcare does better than the trades on the high-wage occupations list. Physicians and nurse practitioners are in Level 1, registered nurses and most regulated therapy professions are in Level 2, and several technologist roles are in Level 3.
| NOC | Occupation | Level | Work / offer points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 31100 | Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine | 1 | +70 / 100 |
| 31101 | Specialists in surgery | 1 | +70 / 100 |
| 31102 | General practitioners and family physicians | 1 | +70 / 100 |
| 31302 | Nurse practitioners | 1 | +70 / 100 |
| 31303 | Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals | 1 | +70 / 100 |
| 31103 | Veterinarians | 1 | +70 / 100 |
| 31301 | Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses | 2 | +40 / 70 |
| 31300 | Nursing coordinators and supervisors | 2 | +40 / 70 |
| 31120 | Pharmacists | 2 | +40 / 70 |
| 31110 | Dentists | 2 | +40 / 70 |
| 31202 | Physiotherapists | 2 | +40 / 70 |
| 31203 | Occupational therapists | 2 | +40 / 70 |
| 31200 | Psychologists | 2 | +40 / 70 |
| 31112 | Audiologists and speech-language pathologists | 2 | +40 / 70 |
| 32111 | Dental hygienists and dental therapists | 2 | +40 / 70 |
| 30010 | Managers in health care | 2 | +40 / 70 |
| 32102 | Paramedical occupations | 3 | +20 / 50 |
| 32103 | Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists | 3 | +20 / 50 |
| 32120 | Medical laboratory technologists | 3 | +20 / 50 |
| 32121 | Medical radiation technologists | 3 | +20 / 50 |
| 32122 | Medical sonographers | 3 | +20 / 50 |
| 31121 | Dietitians and nutritionists | 3 | +20 / 50 |
Healthcare roles missing from the high-wage occupations list
- Licensed practical nurses, NOC 32101. In Ontario this is the registered practical nurse (RPN), which is not covered by NOC 31301 (registered psychiatric nurses).
- Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates, NOC 33102, which includes personal support workers (PSWs)
- Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants, NOC 33103
- Pharmacy technicians, NOC 32124
- Medical laboratory assistants, NOC 33101
These workers still earn the regular points for length of Canadian work, and they remain eligible for healthcare category draws where their NOC code is included.
What the list means for four real candidates
These examples show how the high-wage occupations list changes scores for four single applicants. Their work-length points follow IRCC’s scale for candidates without a spouse (40 for one year, 53 for two, 64 for three). They show only the Labour Market Integration points, not the full CRS score.
| Candidate | NOC | Before Nov 3 | From Nov 3 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered nurse in Brampton, 2 years of Canadian work | 31301, Level 2 | 53 | 93 | +40 |
| 309A construction electrician in Mississauga, 3 years of Canadian work | 72200, not listed | 64 | 64 | 0 |
| Steamfitter abroad, no Canadian work, job offer from an Ontario employer | 72301, Level 2 | 0 | 70 | +70 |
| Personal support worker, 1 year of Canadian work | 33102, not listed | 40 | 40 | 0 |
The electrician and the PSW keep the points they had, while candidates in listed occupations move up by 20 to 70. That gap could push cut-offs in general draws higher, so provincial nominee programs and category-based draws matter more for them than before.
If your job is not on the high-wage occupations list
You still have ways to raise your score or reach permanent residence:
- Check that your NOC code matches your real duties. If your work genuinely fits a listed code, your reference letters should describe those duties accurately. Claiming a code that does not match your work can lead to refusal and a misrepresentation finding.
- Retake your language test. Moving from CLB 7 to CLB 9 adds points in several parts of the CRS grid.
- Look at provincial nominee programs. A provincial nomination through Express Entry adds 600 CRS points.
- Watch the trades and healthcare category draws, which have their own cut-offs.
- If you speak French, French-language draws have had the lowest cut-offs of the high-volume categories in 2026.
Already holding an invitation? Read why you shouldn’t wait for November 3 with an Express Entry ITA before you decide anything.
Questions about the high-wage occupations list
My salary is above the threshold. Why don’t I get points?
IRCC looks at the median wage for your whole NOC code across Canada, not your own pay. If your NOC code is not on the high-wage occupations list, your salary does not change that.
Can the high-wage occupations list change?
Yes. IRCC sets each NOC’s level from the highest level its median wage reached in the last three years of data. If the list changes after you receive an ITA, IRCC uses the level that applied on your invitation date.
Do I need an LMIA for job offer points?
Not from November 3, 2026. An officer will still review whether the employer is active, the offer is real and you can do the job.
Can I get experience points and job offer points together?
No. IRCC calculates both and gives you the higher number.
Not sure where your NOC code lands?
Let an Eiffel case worker check it with you
Eiffel Immigration has helped families come to Canada since 2019, and our team works with tradespeople and healthcare workers across the GTA. Book a free 15-minute call and a case worker will check your NOC code against the high-wage occupations list and explain what it means for your score. For a full profile review, ask about our $170 flat-rate consultation.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Confirm details with IRCC or a regulated consultant before you act.
Sources
- IRCC: High-wage occupations and how we assess them (full list)
- IRCC: 2026 changes to points for Canadian work experience and job offers
- IRCC backgrounder: Changes to Express Entry for high-wage occupations (October 16, 2026)
- Latest Express Entry draw results, October 2026
- Express Entry draw expectations for October 2026
