Express Entry High-Wage Occupations List (NOC Checker)

Last updated: October 27, 2026

From November 3, 2026, Express Entry gives extra CRS points for work experience or a job offer in a high-wage occupation. IRCC's list has 186 occupations in three tiers, and it applies to every Express Entry program, including CEC, FSW and FST. Search your job title or NOC code below to see your tier and points.

Your result

Type your job title or NOC code to check it.

Canadian experience (12+ months)up to +70
Qualifying job offerup to 100

Calculate your full CRS score →

CRS points for high-wage occupations

Tier	Occupation's median wage	Occupations	Canadian experience	Job offer
Tier 1	2× the average median wage or more	31	+70	100
Tier 2	1.5× to under 2×	89	+40	70
Tier 3	1.3× to under 1.5×	66	+20	50

Experience points need at least 12 months of Canadian work experience in the occupation in the last 10 years. They come on top of your regular Canadian experience points.
Job offer points need a full-time, non-seasonal offer for at least one year. No LMIA is needed from November 3, 2026.
Together these form a new CRS factor that IRCC calls the labour market integration factor.
If both apply, you get whichever is higher, not both. Full details: CRS changes on November 3, 2026.

What is considered a high-wage occupation in Canada?

It's about your occupation, not your pay cheque. IRCC compares the national median wage of each NOC code with the average median wage of all workers in Canada, using Job Bank, Labour Force Survey and Census data from the last 3 years. The current list uses 2023 to 2025 data, and each occupation gets the highest tier it reached in those years. If the list changes after you receive an invitation, IRCC uses your tier on the invitation date.

Top high-wage occupations in Canada

The 31 tier 1 occupations (2× the average median wage or more) earn the most points: +70 for Canadian experience or 100 for a job offer. They include:

Doctors and health: specialists, family physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and midwives, veterinarians
Engineering and IT management: engineering managers, computer and information systems managers, mining and petroleum engineers
Finance and business: financial managers, banking and investment managers, HR managers, corporate sales managers
Law and government: lawyers, judges, senior government managers, university professors

Data · The 186 high-wage occupations by field

Not just tech: 34 trades and transport jobs made the list

Sciences, engineering and IT45
Trades and transport34
Education, law and government32
Health22
Business and finance18
Arts and culture10
Manufacturing and utilities8
Natural resources7
Senior management6
Sales and service4

Grouped by the first digit of each NOC code (its broad occupational category). The list takes effect on November 3, 2026. Source: IRCC, High-wage occupations and how we assess them.

High-wage tech jobs

Most technology jobs on the list are tier 2 (+40 / 70): software engineers and designers (21231), software developers and programmers (21232), computer systems developers (21230), data scientists (21211), cybersecurity specialists (21220), information systems specialists (21222), database analysts (21223), business systems specialists (21221) and computer engineers (21311). Computer and information systems managers (20012) are tier 1, and web developers (21234) are tier 3.

Is my job a high-wage occupation?

Job	NOC	Result
Software developer / programmer	21232	✓ Tier 2 (+40 / 70)
Software engineer	21231	✓ Tier 2 (+40 / 70)
Web developer	21234	✓ Tier 3 (+20 / 50)
Registered nurse	31301	✓ Tier 2 (+40 / 70)
Family doctor	31102	✓ Tier 1 (+70 / 100)
Accountant / auditor	11100	✓ Tier 3 (+20 / 50)
Civil / mechanical engineer	21300 / 21301	✓ Tier 2 (+40 / 70)
Industrial electrician	72201	✓ Tier 3 (+20 / 50)
Construction electrician	72200	✗ Not on the list
Truck driver	73300	✗ Not on the list
Cook / food service supervisor	63200 / 62020	✗ Not on the list

Full list of high-wage occupations (186)

Showing all 186 occupations, sorted by tier.

NOC	Occupation	Tier	Experience	Job offer
00011	Senior government managers and officials	Tier 1 · 2×	+70	100
00012	Senior managers - financial, communications and other business services	Tier 1 · 2×	+70	100
00013	Senior managers - health, education, social and community services and membership organizations	Tier 1 · 2×	+70	100
10010	Financial managers	Tier 1 · 2×	+70	100
10011	Human resources managers	Tier 1 · 2×	+70	100
10012	Purchasing managers	Tier 1 · 2×	+70	100
10020	Insurance, real estate and financial brokerage managers	Tier 1 · 2×	+70	100
10021	Banking, credit and other investment managers	Tier 1 · 2×	+70	100
20010	Engineering managers	Tier 1 · 2×	+70	100
20011	Architecture and science managers	Tier 1 · 2×	+70	100
20012	Computer and information systems managers	Tier 1 · 2×	+70	100
21330	Mining engineers	Tier 1 · 2×	+70	100
21332	Petroleum engineers	Tier 1 · 2×	+70	100
31100	Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine	Tier 1 · 2×	+70	100
31101	Specialists in surgery	Tier 1 · 2×	+70	100
31102	General practitioners and family physicians	Tier 1 · 2×	+70	100
31103	Veterinarians	Tier 1 · 2×	+70	100
31302	Nurse practitioners	Tier 1 · 2×	+70	100
31303	Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals	Tier 1 · 2×	+70	100
40010	Government managers - health and social policy development and program administration	Tier 1 · 2×	+70	100
40011	Government managers - economic analysis, policy development and program administration	Tier 1 · 2×	+70	100
40012	Government managers - education policy development and program administration	Tier 1 · 2×	+70	100
40019	Other managers in public administration	Tier 1 · 2×	+70	100
40040	Commissioned police officers and related occupations in public protection services	Tier 1 · 2×	+70	100
40041	Fire chiefs and senior firefighting officers	Tier 1 · 2×	+70	100
41100	Judges	Tier 1 · 2×	+70	100
41101	Lawyers and Quebec notaries	Tier 1 · 2×	+70	100
41200	University professors and lecturers	Tier 1 · 2×	+70	100
60010	Corporate sales managers	Tier 1 · 2×	+70	100
80010	Managers in natural resources production and fishing	Tier 1 · 2×	+70	100
90011	Utilities managers	Tier 1 · 2×	+70	100
00014	Senior managers - trade, broadcasting and other services	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
00015	Senior managers - construction, transportation, production and utilities	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
10019	Other administrative services managers	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
10022	Advertising, marketing and public relations managers	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
10029	Other business services managers	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
10030	Telecommunication carriers managers	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
11103	Securities agents, investment dealers and brokers	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
11201	Professional occupations in business management consulting	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
21100	Physicists and astronomers	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
21102	Geoscientists and oceanographers	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
21103	Meteorologists and climatologists	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
21109	Other professional occupations in physical sciences	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
21111	Forestry professionals	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
21120	Public and environmental health and safety professionals	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
21202	Urban and land use planners	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
21210	Mathematicians, statisticians and actuaries	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
21211	Data scientists	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
21220	Cybersecurity specialists	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
21221	Business systems specialists	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
21222	Information systems specialists	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
21223	Database analysts and data administrators	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
21230	Computer systems developers and programmers	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
21231	Software engineers and designers	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
21232	Software developers and programmers	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
21300	Civil engineers	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
21301	Mechanical engineers	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
21310	Electrical and electronics engineers	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
21311	Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers)	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
21320	Chemical engineers	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
21321	Industrial and manufacturing engineers	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
21322	Metallurgical and materials engineers	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
21331	Geological engineers	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
21390	Aerospace engineers	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
21399	Other professional engineers	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
22231	Engineering inspectors and regulatory officers	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
22312	Industrial instrument technicians and mechanics	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
30010	Managers in health care	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
31110	Dentists	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
31112	Audiologists and speech-language pathologists	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
31120	Pharmacists	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
31200	Psychologists	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
31202	Physiotherapists	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
31203	Occupational therapists	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
31300	Nursing coordinators and supervisors	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
31301	Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
32111	Dental hygienists and dental therapists	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
40020	Administrators - post-secondary education and vocational training	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
40021	School principals and administrators of elementary and secondary education	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
40030	Managers in social, community and correctional services	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
40042	Commissioned officers of the Canadian Armed Forces	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
41210	College and other vocational instructors	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
41220	Secondary school teachers	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
41221	Elementary school and kindergarten teachers	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
41310	Police investigators and other investigative occupations	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
41311	Probation and parole officers	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
41320	Educational counsellors	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
41401	Economists and economic policy researchers and analysts	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
41402	Business development officers and market researchers and analysts	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
41404	Health policy researchers, consultants and program officers	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
41407	Program officers unique to government	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
42100	Police officers (except commissioned)	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
42101	Firefighters	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
50010	Library, archive, museum and art gallery managers	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
50011	Managers - publishing, motion pictures, broadcasting and performing arts	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
51100	Librarians	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
70010	Construction managers	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
70012	Facility operation and maintenance managers	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
70020	Managers in transportation	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
70021	Postal and courier services managers	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
72011	Contractors and supervisors, electrical trades and telecommunications occupations	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
72012	Contractors and supervisors, pipefitting trades	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
72023	Supervisors, railway transport operations	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
72103	Boilermakers	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
72202	Power system electricians	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
72203	Electrical power line and cable workers	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
72301	Steamfitters, pipefitters and sprinkler system installers	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
72406	Elevator constructors and mechanics	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
72600	Air pilots, flight engineers and flying instructors	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
72601	Air traffic controllers and related occupations	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
72604	Railway traffic controllers and marine traffic regulators	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
73310	Railway and yard locomotive engineers	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
82020	Supervisors, mining and quarrying	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
82021	Contractors and supervisors, oil and gas drilling and services	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
83101	Oil and gas well drillers, servicers, testers and related workers	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
90010	Manufacturing managers	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
92011	Supervisors, petroleum, gas and chemical processing and utilities	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
92100	Power engineers and power systems operators	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
93100	Central control and process operators, mineral and metal processing	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
93101	Central control and process operators, petroleum, gas and chemical processing	Tier 2 · 1.5×	+40	70
00010	Legislators	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
11100	Financial auditors and accountants	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
11101	Financial and investment analysts	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
11102	Financial advisors	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
11109	Other financial officers	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
11200	Human resources professionals	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
12201	Insurance adjusters and claims examiners	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
12203	Assessors, business valuators and appraisers	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
21101	Chemists	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
21110	Biologists and related scientists	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
21112	Agricultural representatives, consultants and specialists	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
21200	Architects	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
21201	Landscape architects	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
21203	Land surveyors	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
21234	Web developers and programmers	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
22214	Technical occupations in geomatics and meteorology	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
22232	Occupational health and safety specialists	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
22233	Construction inspectors	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
22310	Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
22313	Aircraft instrument, electrical and avionics mechanics, technicians and inspectors	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
31121	Dietitians and nutritionists	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
32102	Paramedical occupations	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
32103	Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
32120	Medical laboratory technologists	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
32121	Medical radiation technologists	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
32122	Medical sonographers	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
41300	Social workers	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
41400	Natural and applied science policy researchers, consultants and program officers	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
41403	Social policy researchers, consultants and program officers	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
41405	Education policy researchers, consultants and program officers	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
41409	Other professional occupations in social science	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
43201	Correctional service officers	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
43203	Border services, customs, and immigration officers	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
50012	Recreation, sports and fitness program and service directors	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
51101	Conservators and curators	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
51102	Archivists	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
51111	Authors and writers (except technical)	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
51112	Technical writers	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
51120	Producers, directors, choreographers and related occupations	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
52112	Broadcast technicians	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
60020	Retail and wholesale trade managers	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
60031	Accommodation service managers	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
60040	Managers in customer and personal services	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
72010	Contractors and supervisors, machining, metal forming, shaping and erecting trades and related occupations	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
72013	Contractors and supervisors, carpentry trades	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
72014	Contractors and supervisors, other construction trades, installers, repairers and servicers	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
72020	Contractors and supervisors, mechanic trades	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
72021	Contractors and supervisors, heavy equipment operator crews	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
72102	Sheet metal workers	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
72105	Ironworkers	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
72201	Industrial electricians	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
72302	Gas fitters	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
72320	Bricklayers	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
72321	Insulators	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
72401	Heavy-duty equipment mechanics	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
72403	Railway carmen/women	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
72404	Aircraft mechanics and aircraft inspectors	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
72500	Crane operators	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
72602	Deck officers, water transport	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
72603	Engineer officers, water transport	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
73311	Railway conductors and brakemen/women	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
82010	Supervisors, logging and forestry	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
83100	Underground production and development miners	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
83120	Fishing masters and officers	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
92010	Supervisors, mineral and metal processing	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50
93102	Pulping, papermaking and coating control operators	Tier 3 · 1.3×	+20	50

My occupation isn't on the list. What now?

You still get your normal CRS points for Canadian work experience. You just don't get the extra high-wage points.
Check that your profile uses the right NOC code. Your duties decide the code, not your job title.
Look for other points: see how to increase your CRS score.

FAQ

What is a high-wage occupation for Express Entry?

An occupation (NOC code) whose national median wage is at least 1.3 times the average median wage of all workers in Canada. IRCC groups them into three tiers: at least 2 times, 1.5 times and 1.3 times the average median wage.

Does my own salary decide if I'm in a high-wage occupation?

No. It depends only on your occupation's NOC code and national wage data, not on what you personally earn.

How many CRS points does a high-wage occupation give?

From November 3, 2026, at least 12 months of Canadian work experience in a high-wage occupation adds +70, +40 or +20 points (tier 1, 2 or 3). A qualifying job offer in a high-wage occupation gives 100, 70 or 50 points. You get whichever is higher, not both.

What happens if the list changes after I get an invitation?

IRCC uses the tier your occupation had on the date you were invited to apply, even if the list changes later.

Is a software developer a high-wage occupation?

Yes. Software developers and programmers (NOC 21232) and software engineers and designers (NOC 21231) are tier 2 (1.5 times the median wage): +40 points for Canadian experience or 70 for a job offer. Web developers (NOC 21234) are tier 3.

Is the high-wage occupation list the same as a high-wage LMIA?

No. A high-wage LMIA is part of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program and compares the wage an employer offers with the median hourly wage in that province or territory. The Express Entry list is based on each occupation's national median wage, not the offer. And from November 3, 2026, a qualifying job offer in a high-wage occupation earns CRS points without any LMIA.

How many high-wage occupations are there?

IRCC's list has 186 occupations: 31 in tier 1, 89 in tier 2 and 66 in tier 3, based on 2023 to 2025 wage data.

Does the high-wage occupation factor apply to CEC candidates?

Yes. It applies to every Express Entry candidate, including the Canadian Experience Class, the Federal Skilled Worker Program and the Federal Skilled Trades Program.

Sources

IRCC, High-wage occupations and how we assess them (list effective November 3, 2026)
IRCC, Canada refocusing Express Entry on top talent (news release, October 2026)

This checker is unofficial. Always confirm your NOC code and tier on canada.ca before updating your profile.