Verdict: confirmed — the Express Entry CRS 1270 November 2026 overhaul took effect November 3, 2026. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada announced it on October 16, 2026 and published the new tables on November 3. This is the biggest structural change to Express Entry scoring since the system launched in 2015, and it changes the math for almost everyone in the pool.
What changed
First, under the Express Entry CRS 1270 November 2026 changes, the maximum is now 1,270 points instead of 1,200. Core points rose from 500 to 570 without a spouse, and from 460 to 530 with one. Second, there is a new factor called Labour Market Integration, worth up to 150 points without a spouse and 140 with one. It rewards Canadian work experience in a high-wage occupation or a qualifying job offer — whichever gives you more; the two are never added together. A qualifying job offer is worth 50, 70 or 100 points by wage tier: 100 if the occupation’s median wage is at least twice the Canadian median, 70 at one and a half times, 50 at 1.3 times. Canadian work experience can reach the full 150. Third, no LMIA is needed for a qualifying job offer to earn these points or meet program eligibility. Job-offer points were removed entirely on March 25, 2025, so this is a narrower, wage-based return — not the old 50 and 200 point values.
What is happening right now
IRCC is recalculating every profile already in the pool under the new points. That can take up to two weeks, and invitation rounds are paused until it is done. The last round before the pause was October 28, 2026 — Transport Occupations, 150 invitations at a CRS cut-off of 477. The earliest the next round could come is around November 17, 2026, but IRCC has not committed to a date.
What you should do this week
Make sure your profile is complete and accurate, and add a qualifying job offer if you have one not already listed. IRCC recalculates the work-experience part automatically. Then wait for your new score to appear. Do not pay an agent who promises to fix your score or guarantee an invitation — more points improve your rank, but they do not guarantee an invitation. Each round has its own cut-off, and cut-offs in 2026 have ranged from the 380s and 390s for French-language draws to the 700s and 800s for provincial nominee draws.
The H-1B question
This change also matters beyond Express Entry. It is part of the same November shift that has H-1B holders looking north — but the old H-1B open work permit closed in 2023, and the accelerated pathway in Canada’s November 4, 2025 budget has no eligibility rules or dates yet. Do not present either route as open until IRCC says so. For the Canada benefits that sit alongside the immigration story, see our Canada Benefit Payment Dates post.
General information only, not legal or immigration advice. Confirm with IRCC or a licensed immigration consultant before acting.
Frequently asked questions about Express Entry CRS 1270 November 2026
What is the CRS maximum now?
1,270 points, up from 1,200, from November 3, 2026.
How many points can a job offer give?
50, 70 or 100 points, depending on the wage tier. Work experience can give up to 150.
Do I need an LMIA for job-offer points now?
No. From November 3, 2026, an LMIA is no longer required for a qualifying job offer.
When will Express Entry draws resume?
IRCC has not set a date. Recalculation may take up to two weeks from November 3, so around November 17 at the earliest.
What is Labour Market Integration?
The new CRS factor, worth up to 150 points, that rewards Canadian work experience in a high-wage occupation or a qualifying job offer.
Sources: IRCC / canada.ca — CRS criteria — checked Nov 5, 2026.
Checked: November 5, 2026.