· NextMigrate Team
Is Your Job "High-Wage" for Express Entry? The NOC Levels Explained
Imagine you are a nurse from Manila who has worked for 1 year in a Toronto hospital on a work permit. Your friend, a cook in the same city, has worked there just as long. From 3 November 2026, your Express Entry scores will move apart, even if you both earn the same. Why? Because IRCC now rewards some occupations more than others, and the list decides who gets the extra points.
The short answer: From 3 November 2026, IRCC puts occupations into 3 high-wage levels, based on the median wage of everyone in Canada with the same NOC code: at least 2 times, 1.5 times or 1.3 times the average median wage. It is not based on your own salary. If you have at least 12 months of Canadian work in a listed NOC, you get 70, 40 or 20 extra CRS points. A job offer in a listed NOC gets 100, 70 or 50 points instead. Registered nurses (31301) and software developers (21232) are in the 1.5 times level. Cooks are not on the list (IRCC high-wage occupations, as of November 2026).
What "high-wage" means for Express Entry
IRCC's definition is simple. A job is a high-wage occupation if the median wage of all people in Canada working in that NOC is at least 1.3 times the average median wage of the whole Canadian workforce (IRCC).
Two things follow from that:
- It is about your NOC, not you. A nurse earning less than the median still counts as a 1.5 times nurse. A cook earning a high salary still does not count.
- Your NOC must be right. If your duties match a different NOC code, your points change. Check the NOC search tool and compare the main duties, not just the job title.
Think of the list as a map of where Canada's pay is highest. You don't move up the map by earning more. You move up by working in a different occupation.
How IRCC builds the list
IRCC uses 3 years of data from the Job Bank, the Labour Force Survey and the Census. Each NOC gets the highest level its median wage reached in those 3 years. The list that starts on 3 November 2026 is based on data from 2023 to 2025.
The list can change. If it does after you get an invitation to apply (ITA), IRCC keeps using the level that applied on the day you were invited. That holds if your job moves level, leaves the list or joins it (IRCC).
The 3 levels and what each is worth
| High-wage level (NOC median wage vs average median wage) | Extra points for 12+ months of Canadian work | Points for a qualifying job offer |
|---|---|---|
| At least 2 times | 70 | 100 |
| At least 1.5 times, under 2 times | 40 | 70 |
| At least 1.3 times, under 1.5 times | 20 | 50 |
| Not on the list | 0 | 0 |
Source: IRCC changes page, as of November 2026.
You get the work option or the job offer option, whichever is higher, never both. The cap is 150 points if you are single and 140 if your spouse or partner comes with you. We explain the job offer side in Express Entry job offer points: 50, 70 or 100.
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Main NOC codes in each level
IRCC's list has well over 150 codes. Here are the common ones people ask about. Always check your exact code on the official list, because this is a selection.
At least 2 times the average median wage
| NOC | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 10010 | Financial managers |
| 10011 | Human resources managers |
| 20010 | Engineering managers |
| 20012 | Computer and information systems managers |
| 21330 / 21332 | Mining engineers / petroleum engineers |
| 31100 / 31101 | Medical specialists / surgeons |
| 31102 | General practitioners and family physicians |
| 31103 | Veterinarians |
| 31302 | Nurse practitioners |
| 41101 | Lawyers and Quebec notaries |
| 41200 | University professors and lecturers |
| 60010 | Corporate sales managers |
At least 1.5 times
| NOC | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 21211 | Data scientists |
| 21220 | Cybersecurity specialists |
| 21222 | Information systems specialists |
| 21230 | Computer systems developers and programmers |
| 21231 | Software engineers and designers |
| 21232 | Software developers and programmers |
| 21300 / 21301 | Civil engineers / mechanical engineers |
| 21310 | Electrical and electronics engineers |
| 31110 | Dentists |
| 31120 | Pharmacists |
| 31202 / 31203 | Physiotherapists / occupational therapists |
| 31301 | Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses |
| 32111 | Dental hygienists and dental therapists |
| 41220 / 41221 | Secondary school teachers / elementary and kindergarten teachers |
| 70010 | Construction managers |
| 72202 | Power system electricians |
| 72301 | Steamfitters, pipefitters and sprinkler system installers |
| 72600 | Air pilots, flight engineers and flying instructors |
At least 1.3 times
| NOC | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 11100 | Financial auditors and accountants |
| 11101 | Financial and investment analysts |
| 11200 | Human resources professionals |
| 21200 | Architects |
| 21234 | Web developers and programmers |
| 22310 | Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians |
| 32102 | Paramedical occupations |
| 32120 | Medical laboratory technologists |
| 32121 / 32122 | Medical radiation technologists / medical sonographers |
| 41300 | Social workers |
| 72201 | Industrial electricians |
| 72302 | Gas fitters |
| 72401 | Heavy-duty equipment mechanics |
| 72404 | Aircraft mechanics and aircraft inspectors |
| 72500 | Crane operators |
All codes from IRCC's high-wage list, in force from 3 November 2026.
Common jobs that are not on the list
Many jobs that Canada recruits for are not high-wage by this rule. On IRCC's list as of November 2026, we could not find: cooks, construction electricians (72200), carpenters, welders, licensed practical nurses (32101), transport truck drivers (73300) or most care and support roles. Look at the nurse and the cook in our story. Same city, same years, different points.
If your job is not on the list, you still get your normal Canadian work points. Other routes may also fit you better, like occupation-based rounds or a provincial nomination. Our guide to base and enhanced PNP explains the nomination route.
How the Canadian work points work
From 3 November 2026, your Canadian work score has two parts (IRCC):
- Work-length points. The same points as before for skilled work (TEER 0 to 3) in Canada: 40 for 1 year, 53 for 2, 64 for 3, 72 for 4 and 80 for 5 or more if you are single. With a spouse: 35, 46, 56, 63 and 70.
- High-wage points. 70, 40 or 20 on top, if you have at least 12 months (1,560 hours) of qualifying Canadian work in one or more listed occupations.
The 12 months can be:
- continuous or not
- full-time, or an equal amount of part-time work
- combined across more than one high-wage job
If you worked two jobs at the same time, IRCC counts hours only up to the equal of full-time work, which is 30 hours a week.
The levels have an order. To get 70, you need 12 months in 2 times occupations. If you don't qualify for 70, IRCC checks for 12 months combined in occupations at 1.5 times or above, for 40. If not, 12 months combined in any listed occupation, for 20.
Skill transferability does not change. IRCC still uses only the length of your Canadian work there, not the high-wage points.
A worked example
Our nurse is 29 and single, with a bachelor's degree, CLB 9 in English and 3 years of nursing back home before Canada. She now has 1 year of work in Canada as a registered nurse.
- Before 3 November 2026: 40 points for 1 year of Canadian work. Her total on the official tables is 482.
- From 3 November 2026: 40 work-length points plus 40 high-wage points, because nurses are in the 1.5 times level. Her total becomes 522.
The Canadian Experience Class round on 15 October 2026 cut off at 519 (IRCC rounds of invitations). Many other people in the pool gain points too, so cut-offs may rise. Points help, but they do not guarantee an invitation.
Try your own profile in our free CRS calculator. It has the new high-wage and job offer questions.
Five checks before you count on the points
Check 1: Your exact NOC code
Read the lead statement and main duties for your code. If your duties fit two codes, the higher-level one only counts if it really describes your work.
Check 2: Your 12 months
Add up hours in listed occupations only. Part-time hours count, but only up to 30 hours a week in total.
Check 3: The work was in Canada and qualifying
The usual Canadian work rules still apply. The work must be paid, in TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3, done in Canada while you were allowed to work, and not while you were studying full-time or self-employed (IRCC, Canadian Experience Class).
Check 4: Your proof
Reference letters should show your job title, duties, hours and dates. They are what an officer will check when you apply.
Check 5: Your level on the day of your ITA
If the list changes, the level on the day IRCC invites you is the one that counts.
When to get licensed help
If your duties sit between two NOC codes, or your work history mixes several jobs, it can be worth paying for a review of your own case. In Canada, only lawyers, Quebec notaries and licensed consultants (RCICs) may give immigration advice for a fee (IRPA s.91). Check any consultant on the CICC public register.
Frequently asked questions
What is a high-wage occupation in Express Entry?
It is an occupation where the median wage of everyone in Canada with that NOC code is at least 1.3 times the average median wage of the whole workforce. IRCC groups these into 3 levels: at least 2 times, 1.5 times and 1.3 times.
Is the high-wage list based on my salary?
No. It is based on the national median wage for your NOC code. Your own salary does not change your level, whether it is higher or lower than the median.
How many points do high-wage occupations give?
For at least 12 months of Canadian work in a listed NOC: 70, 40 or 20 extra points, on top of work-length points. For a qualifying job offer: 100, 70 or 50. You get the work option or the job offer option, whichever is higher.
Are nurses on the Express Entry high-wage list?
Yes. Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses (NOC 31301) are in the 1.5 times level, and nurse practitioners (31302) are in the 2 times level. Licensed practical nurses (32101) were not on the list as of November 2026.
Is software engineering a high-wage occupation?
Yes. Software engineers and designers (21231) and software developers and programmers (21232) are in the 1.5 times level. Web developers and programmers (21234) are in the 1.3 times level.
What happens if my occupation is removed from the list?
If IRCC has already invited you, it keeps the level that applied on the day of your invitation. If not, your points are worked out on the list in force at the time.
Your NOC is now worth points
The high-wage list turns your occupation into points. Find your code today, check its level, and add up your 12 months. If your job is not on the list, that is not the end of the road. It tells you to look harder at French, occupation rounds and provincial programs.
This article is general information, not legal advice, and it is not advice on your own case. IRCC can change the list. Always confirm your NOC and level with IRCC, and for your own situation speak to a licensed consultant (RCIC) or a lawyer before you act.
