November is not a routine month for Express Entry candidates. On November 3, 2026, IRCC will change how the CRS awards points for certain Canadian work experience and job offers. IRCC expects to recalculate existing profiles, a process that may take up to two weeks. Invitation rounds will pause during that time. www.canada.ca
1. Already received an ITA? Follow its deadline
The draw pause does not give applicants more time to respond to an Invitation to Apply. If you have an ITA, check its expiry date in your account. Express Entry applicants generally have 60 days to submit their PR application. Before submitting, recalculate your score if something has changed. IRCC says it may refuse an application if the applicant’s score has fallen below the cutoff for that invitation round. www.canada.ca
2. Still in the pool? Check your job offer before November 3
IRCC says candidates with a valid job offer that is not already in their profile should update the profile before November 3. After that date, IRCC’s online system may still ask whether an LMIA was issued. The current IRCC instructions tell candidates without an LMIA to select “Yes” and enter the specified placeholder information. That instruction is unusual, so use IRCC’s live directions rather than relying on an old screenshot or entering information from memory. canada.ca
3. Check the occupation, not just the salary
The new points depend on whether the NOC occupation appears on IRCC’s high-wage list and which wage tier it is in. Your individual salary does not determine the occupation’s tier. For example, IRCC’s current list places NOC 11201, Professional occupations in business management consulting, and NOC 10022, Advertising, marketing and public relations managers, in the 1.5-times tier. That does not mean everyone with a similar job title qualifies: the job duties must support the NOC, and other CRS requirements still apply. Canada.ca
Practical advice: Use the draw pause to check whether your profile accurately describes your work, job offer, language results and education. If your score depends on a job offer or Canadian work experience, confirm that the documents support the exact claim you made.
