How to Add a Job Offer to Your Express Entry Profile Before November 3, 2026
If you have a genuine job offer, IRCC asks you to add it to your Express Entry profile before November 3, 2026. Sign in to your IRCC account, open your submitted profile, click Update form on the Work history section and enter the offer. Because the system hasn't caught up with the new rules, answer Yes to the LMIA question and use IRCC's placeholders: LMIA number 00000, issued 2026-01-01, expiring 2029-01-01. Then save and resubmit your profile.
Why update your profile now?
From November 3, 2026, a job offer no longer needs a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) to count in Express Entry. A qualifying offer in a high-wage occupation can earn up to 100 CRS points, and offers still count toward eligibility for the Federal Skilled Worker and Federal Skilled Trades programs.
IRCC will recalculate every profile when the change takes effect. For your offer to be included, it needs to be in your profile. IRCC's instruction is clear: if your job offer isn't in your profile, update it before November 3.
IRCC also recommends including a job offer even if you don't need it for eligibility, so you stay eligible for the programs that require one. Learn more in our guide to the November 3 Express Entry changes.
Step 1: Check that your job offer is valid
Before you touch your profile, make sure your offer meets IRCC's basic requirements. A valid job offer must:
- Be recent and in writing.
- State your pay and deductions, your job duties and your conditions of employment, such as hours.
- Not come from a Canadian embassy, high commission or consulate.
A work permit on its own, including an open work permit, is not a job offer.
Extra requirements if the offer is for program eligibility
| Federal Skilled Worker | Federal Skilled Trades | |
|---|---|---|
| Employers | One employer | Up to two employers |
| Hours | Full-time (at least 30 hours a week), continuous and paid | Full-time (at least 30 hours a week), continuous and paid |
| Length | At least 1 year after you become a permanent resident | At least 1 year |
| Occupation | TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 | Listed skilled trades (TEER 2 or 3) |
| Seasonal work | Not allowed | Not allowed |
The Canadian Experience Class doesn't require a job offer. Provincial programs set their own rules.
Step 2: Find the right NOC code and check its wage level
- Use the Government of Canada's NOC code finder and choose the code that matches the duties in your offer, not just the job title.
- Check whether that NOC is on IRCC's high-wage occupations list. Only high-wage occupations earn job offer points (50, 70 or 100).
An offer in an occupation that isn't high-wage can still matter for program eligibility, so it's still worth adding if it's genuine.
Step 3: Have these details ready
| You'll need | Where to find it |
|---|---|
| Job start date | Your offer letter or contract |
| Employer's name and address | Your offer letter |
| NOC code for the job | Government of Canada NOC code finder |
| LMIA number (only if you actually have one) | Your employer's LMIA confirmation |
Step 4: Update your profile, click by click
- Sign in to your IRCC secure account.
- On your account's main page, go to "View the applications you submitted".
- Click "Check full application status".
- On the "Express Entry profile status" page, open your profile.
- On the "Express Entry profile" page, find the Work history section and click "Update form".
If you only see "View form", your profile wasn't found eligible and you'd need to submit a new profile. - Enter your job offer: start date, employer name and address, and the NOC code.
- When asked "Was a positive LMIA issued for the job offer in Canada?", answer as IRCC instructs (see the table below), even if you don't have an LMIA.
- Click "Save and exit" at the bottom of the page.
- Click "Continue" at the bottom of the page and follow the instructions to submit your updated profile. Your changes aren't final until you resubmit.
IRCC's temporary LMIA entries
IRCC's online system won't reflect the new rules until later, so it has told candidates to use these entries in the meantime:
| Profile field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Was a positive LMIA issued for the job offer in Canada? | Yes |
| LMIA Number | 00000 |
| LMIA Issuance Date | 2026-01-01 |
| LMIA Expiry Date | 2029-01-01 |
If you do have a real LMIA, IRCC's general instructions are to enter your actual LMIA number.
Some fields are greyed out?
Greyed-out fields come from the eligibility questionnaire you completed first. To change them, click "Modify Family Information" at the top of the Express Entry profile page, edit the fields, then click "Update Information".
Step 5: What happens after November 3
- IRCC will recalculate every profile under the new rules. It estimates this could take up to two weeks.
- Invitation rounds are paused during the recalculation.
- Once it's done, check your account for your new CRS score. It should reflect your job offer if it qualifies.
- If you're invited, an officer will assess whether your offer is genuine when you apply for permanent residence, so keep your offer letter and your employer's details ready.
When not to add a job offer
- The offer isn't real or isn't firm. Claiming an offer you can't prove can be treated as misrepresentation, which can lead to a 5-year ban.
- It doesn't meet the basic requirements, for example it's verbal only, part-time or seasonal when full-time is required.
- You already have an invitation (ITA). Your invitation is assessed under the rules on the day you were invited. See what to do after an ITA.
Common mistakes we expect to see
- Saving but not resubmitting. After "Save and exit", you must click "Continue" and submit the updated profile.
- Entering a real-looking LMIA number you don't have. Use IRCC's placeholder 00000 unless you have an actual LMIA.
- Picking a NOC to reach the high-wage list. Your NOC must match the duties in your offer.
- An offer letter missing key details. Pay, deductions, duties and hours should all be in writing.
Every situation is different. Book a consultation with Osaro Ezomo, RCIC, for a review of yours.
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Frequently asked questions
When do I need to add my job offer to my Express Entry profile?
Before November 3, 2026. IRCC will recalculate profiles when the new rules take effect, so the offer needs to be in your profile.
What LMIA number do I enter if I don't have an LMIA?
IRCC's temporary instruction is to answer Yes to the LMIA question and enter 00000 as the LMIA number, 2026-01-01 as the issuance date and 2029-01-01 as the expiry date.
Is an open work permit a job offer?
No. A work permit on its own, including an open work permit, isn't a job offer. You need a written offer from an employer.
What must my job offer letter include?
It must be recent and in writing, and state your pay and deductions, job duties and conditions of employment such as hours. It can't come from a Canadian embassy, high commission or consulate.
Will my CRS score change right away after I update my profile?
Not necessarily. IRCC will recalculate all profiles after November 3, which it estimates could take up to two weeks. Check your account for your new score once that's done.
Fact-checked: Based on IRCC's Express Entry: Job offer page (last modified October 16, 2026), IRCC's 2026 Express Entry changes page, and the IRCC Help Centre answers I already submitted my Express Entry profile. Can I still update it? and Some fields in my Express Entry profile are greyed out. Verified October 29, 2026.
Disclaimer: This article is general information only and is not legal or immigration advice. Immigration rules change often. For advice on your situation, speak with a licensed immigration professional.
Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant, licensed by the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC), licence #R711785. Osaro is the principal consultant at GLC Immigration Consulting in Calgary, Alberta, helping clients with Express Entry, provincial nomination, work and study permits and family sponsorship.
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