OTTAWA — Ottawa is looking at overhauling the express entry system for potential immigrants to make it easier for people with high-paying job offers to apply for permanent residency.
A public consultation survey and discussion paper outline the proposed changes.
The express entry system weighs economic immigration applicants based on a point system that takes factors like age, education and Canadian work experience into account.
Applicants in the express entry pool with the most points are invited to apply for permanent residency.
The government is looking to add a new category that gives additional points to workers that have domestic experience or job offers that are above the national median wage like doctors, engineers and heavy-duty equipment operators.
The government is also considering combining the three express entry streams into one pathway that requires at least a Canadian high school level education, ability to communicate in one official language and one year of skilled work experience.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 20, 2026.
David Baxter, The Canadian Press
