Does Your Salary Matter for the New Express Entry Job Offer Points

It is easy to see why this is causing confusion. IRCC calls these “high-wage occupations,” which naturally makes applicants think their own salary must meet a certain threshold. This has become a particular sticking point for applicants trying to work out whether their job offer could qualify. 

Your personal salary does not determine your occupation’s high-wage tier. But I would be careful about assuming that it will play no further part in the assessment. So let’s explore this further. 

Your Salary Does Not Determine Your High-Wage Tier  

Under the changes taking effect on November 3, 2026, eligible occupations are grouped into three high-wage tiers. These determine whether a qualifying job offer falls into the 50, 70 or 100-point band. 

IRCC uses national wage data for each National Occupational Classification (NOC) occupation to establish those tiers, rather than your individual salary. It explicitly states: 

“It is not determined based on a person’s specific job position or salary.” 

For example, financial managers, NOC 10010, appear in the highest tier. A lower personal salary does not move that occupation into a lower tier. Equally, a very high salary does not move an occupation from a lower tier into the highest tier. 

You can check your occupation on IRCC’s high-wage occupations here. 

While this article focuses on job offers, the same principle applies when determining the if your Canadian work experience falls within a high-wage occupation. 

Is There a Separate Median Wage Requirement? 

The Government of Canada’s Job Bank lists wage ranges by occupation and location. The median wage is the middle figure: half of workers earn more and half earn less. 

Applicants may be familiar with other immigration pathways, including LMIAs and certain provincial nominee streams, where the offered salary must meet a specified wage requirement. Depending on the program, this may be the median or prevailing wage for the occupation and location. 

By comparison, IRCC’s updated Express Entry guidance following the October 16 announcement does not set out a specific median wage requirement for these job offers. It does confirm that employers must comply with applicable employment and recruitment laws, including minimum wage requirements where applicable. 

But does that mean your salary has no relevance at all? 

While your salary does not determine your high-wage tier, it could still be relevant when an officer assesses the offer itself. Comparing the offered salary with the Job Bank median could raise questions about whether the NOC selected accurately reflects the role. 

That is different from saying the offer must meet the median wage, but important nonetheless. 

What IRCC Will Assess  

IRCC guidance on these new changes confirms that an officer must be satisfied that a qualifying offer is genuine. This includes considering whether:  

• The employer is actively operating the business for which the offer is made.  

• The offer reflects a reasonable employment need.  

• The employer can fulfil the terms.  

• The applicant is qualified, able to do the work and likely to accept and carry out the employment.  

• The employer has complied with applicable employment and recruitment laws.  

What is doesn’t say, is that they will also check whether the role has been classified under the appropriate NOC. This is where salary becomes relevant. 

Does the Salary Fit the Duties and Responsibility  

Imagine a small business offers someone a position as a financial manager. The letter describes responsibility for directing financial operations, overseeing budgets and managing a finance team. 

However, the salary is similar to what a business typically pays a bookkeeper. 

In this hypothetical example, IRCC may question whether the job is accurately described as a financial manager position, or whether the actual duties better reflect a more junior role. 

The salary alone would not settle that question. But it could prompt a closer look at whether the duties and level of responsibility support the NOC being claimed.  

We have discussed how salary can factor into NOC selection in our guide to NOC codes. 

A Lower Salary Does Not Automatically Mean the NOC Is Wrong 

There can be legitimate differences in pay between people working in the same occupation. Educational background, experience and company size can all help explain why one job pays less than another. 

This is the reason IRCC chose to use occupational wages rather than personal salaries. During the reform consultations, IRCC explained this approach avoids complications that could arise from gender and geographic pay disparities. It also avoids rewarding someone simply because they work excessive hours in a lower-paid occupation to achieve a higher annual income. 

This reinforces why salary alone cannot tell us whether a NOC code is appropriate. The starting point is the work itself. When matching your work to a NOC code, IRCC directs applicants to consider the lead statement and main duties. I think of these as the primary indicators for your NOC code. 

Secondary indicators include things like your job title, level of education, work experience, and, yes, salary. 

If your primary indicators do not align, you have likely selected the wrong NOC code and will have a hard time supporting a claim for that particular high-wage occupation. 

But one secondary indicator being out of step does not automatically mean the NOC code is wrong. When multiple secondary indicators do not align with the NOC being claimed, that, for me, is cause for concern. 

What Would I Do if My Salary Was Lower Than the Median?

This is a delicate assessment and almost impossible to advise on in general terms. So much of the advice I give depends on the circumstances unique to each case. If you are concerned that your salary, or any other NOC indicator, does not align with the role being claimed, I highly recommend meeting with an authorized immigration representative who can assess your circumstances and help you work out a plan. That being said, in the interest of keeping you informed, here are a few things I would keep in mind. 

Salary cannot be considered in isolation. It has to be viewed alongside the strength of the primary and secondary indicators. 

If my salary was below the median, but I was confident that the primary indicators and the other secondary indicators strongly supported the NOC for the high-wage occupation, I would be less concerned. I would still consider whether the difference in pay needed explaining. 

However, if the primary indicators were questionable and the secondary indicators also did not support the role being claimed, that is where I would have concerns. 

Applicants need to be honest with themselves here. Have you selected the wrong NOC in an effort to qualify for high-wage occupation points, or does your application need stronger evidence to demonstrate that the code accurately reflects your offered role and that the salary is aligned with what other employees of the company earn? 

Those are different problems, and it is important to understand which one you need to address. 

This is based on the guidance available today. IRCC may provide further clarification or update its guidance on salary requirements in the future. For now, applicants should proceed with caution and consider the full picture, including salary and all other primary and secondary indicators, to make sure the evidence supports the role and NOC being claimed.