Last Updated On 10 April 2026, 3:10 PM EDT (Toronto Time)
More details on the proposed Express Entry overhaul that INC News and other news sites reported on earlier this week are now emerging from Canadian immigration lawyers.
Proposed details shared with the Canadian Bar Association suggest a major shift in how Canada selects high-skilled permanent residents through Express Entry.
The proposals outline two sweeping changes: the merger of all three existing Express Entry programs into a single class with simplified eligibility and a significant recalibration of the Comprehensive Ranking System.
These are proposals only, shared during consultations, and no final changes have been made yet.
The current Express Entry system continues to operate exactly as it does today, and nothing will change until formal regulatory amendments are completed.
Table of Contents
Proposed New Eligibility Under the Single Program
The new federal high-skilled program may have significantly simplified eligibility compared to the current three-program structure.
Here is how the proposed eligibility compares to the current requirements across the Federal Skilled Worker Class, Canadian Experience Class and Federal Skilled Trades Class.
| Requirement | Current (Varies by Program) | Proposed |
| Education | Required for FSW only (with ECA). Not required for CEC and FST. | High school or equivalent with ECA required for all. |
| Language | CLB 7 for FSW. CLB 5 to 7 for CEC. CLB 4 to 5 for FST. | CLB/NCLC 6 for all TEERs and all language areas. |
| Work Experience | 1 year continuous for FSW. 1 year in Canada for CEC. 2 years in trade for FST. | 1 year cumulative in TEER 0 to 3 within the last 3 years. Canadian or foreign. |
| Job Offer | Required for FST. Adaptability points for FSW. Not required for CEC. | Not a minimum eligibility requirement. |
| Points Grid | 67 out of 100 point minimum on FSW grid. | Eliminated entirely. |
The elimination of the 67 point FSW selection grid is one of the most significant proposed changes.
This grid has been a separate assessment layer on top of the CRS for the past decade and has been a source of confusion for many applicants.
The unified language requirement of CLB 6 across all TEERs would be lower than the current FSW requirement of CLB 7, potentially making the system accessible to a broader range of candidates.
The proposal to accept both Canadian and foreign work experience under a single standard of one year within the last three years would eliminate the current distinction where CEC requires Canadian experience, FSW primarily requires foreign experience and FST requires two years in a trade.
Proposed CRS Changes
The second major area of proposed reform involves a significant recalibration of how the CRS assigns points.
Here is the full breakdown of what has been proposed.
| CRS Factor | Current | Proposed Direction |
| Age | Max 110 pts (20 to 29) | No change |
| Education | Max 150 pts (PhD) | No change |
| First Official Language | Max 136 pts (CLB 10+) | No change |
| Second Official Language | Max 24 pts (CLB 9+) | No change |
| Canadian Work Experience | Max 80 pts (5+ years) | CWE + high-wage occupation experience OR job offer |
| Job Offer | Temporarily removed (March 2025) | Reintroduced for high-wage occupations |
| Skills Transferability | Max 100 pts | Enhanced trade qualification. Foreign WE retained. |
| Provincial Nomination | 600 pts | Proposed removal or modification |
| French Proficiency | 25 to 50 pts | Proposed removal or modification |
| Studies in Canada | 15 to 30 pts | Proposed removal or modification |
| Sibling in Canada | 15 pts | Proposed removal or modification |
| Spousal Points | Max 40 pts | Proposed removal |
The most notable additions include points for high-wage job offers, which were removed in March 2025 due to widespread LMIA fraud concerns.
Under the proposal, these points would return but only for high-wage occupations rather than all job offers.
Foreign work experience points would be retained, which is significant for candidates applying from outside Canada.
Enhanced recognition of trade qualifications, including points for trade apprenticeships, is also part of the proposal, which could benefit skilled trades candidates considerably.
What Could Be Removed From the CRS
The proposed removals are arguably the most consequential part of this entire reform.
Spousal points are proposed for outright removal, meaning married candidates who currently benefit from their spouse’s credentials contributing to their CRS would lose up to 40 points.
The 600 point provincial nomination bonus is proposed for removal or modification, which could fundamentally change how provincial nominations interact with Express Entry.
French proficiency bonus points, Canadian study credits and sibling in Canada points are all proposed for removal or modification.
If the PNP bonus is removed or significantly reduced, it would be one of the most impactful changes to Express Entry since the system launched in 2015.
Provincial nominations have been the primary pathway for candidates with CRS scores below the general draw cutoff, and hundreds of thousands of candidates have built their entire immigration strategy around securing a provincial nomination.
This is expected to be one of the most heavily contested proposals during consultations.
Category-Based Selection Will Continue
An important detail that emerged from the consultations is that category-based selection draws would not be affected by these proposed changes.
IRCC has confirmed that the category-based system introduced in 2023 would continue to operate alongside the new unified program and recalibrated CRS.
This means that targeted draws for healthcare workers, trades occupations, French language speakers, STEM professionals, transport workers and other categories would continue as a separate selection mechanism.
The government views category-based selection as a flexible tool that can address specific labour market needs beyond what the CRS alone can achieve.
This is particularly relevant for candidates concerned about the proposed removal of French proficiency bonus points, as French language draws would continue as a dedicated category.
What This Means Right Now
Nothing changes today.
These proposals were shared during consultations and IRCC has explicitly invited feedback before making any decisions.
The final regulations could look very different from what has been proposed.
No implementation timeline has been announced and the standard regulatory process in Canada means the earliest these changes could take effect is late 2027.
Candidates should continue working on their Express Entry profiles under the current rules.
IRCC has conducted over 20 draws in 2026 so far, issuing nearly 60,000 invitations to apply, and draws will continue as normal.
Public consultations for the broader community are expected to open imminently on the IRCC public consultations and engagement webpage, and anyone affected by Express Entry should participate when they do.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Are these Express Entry changes confirmed?
No, these are proposals only, shared during consultations with the Canadian Bar Association and other stakeholders. Nothing has been finalized and the final regulations could differ significantly from what has been proposed.
Will the 600 point PNP bonus be removed?
It has been proposed for removal or modification. This is expected to face significant pushback during consultations given how central provincial nominations are to the immigration strategies of both provinces and candidates.
When would these changes take effect?
No timeline has been announced. Based on the standard Canadian regulatory process, the earliest possible implementation would be late 2027. The government must complete public consultations, draft regulations, publish them in the Canada Gazette for comment and finalize them before anything takes effect.
Should I delay my Express Entry application?
No, the current system remains fully operational. These proposed changes are at least 18 months away and the final version may differ significantly. Candidates should continue with their applications under the existing rules.
Will candidates who studied in Canada lose their bonus CRS points?
The 15 to 30 bonus points for Canadian studies are proposed for removal or modification. However, this has not been confirmed and could change based on consultation feedback. Even if removed from the CRS, Canadian education would still be valued through the core education points in the ranking system.
What does high-wage occupation mean in the context of the proposed CRS changes?
IRCC has proposed defining high-wage occupations based on whether the occupation earns above the national median wage. The government suggested tiered thresholds such as 1.3 times, 1.5 times or 2 times the national median. This would be based on occupational earnings data for the occupation as a whole rather than an individual candidate’s personal salary.
How will removing spousal points affect married candidates?
If spousal points are removed as proposed, married candidates who currently benefit from their spouse’s education, language or work experience contributing to their CRS score would lose up to 40 points. This could particularly affect candidates whose personal CRS scores are borderline and who rely on spousal factors to remain competitive in the pool.
Fact Checked: All information in this article is based on proposed details shared during stakeholder consultations with the Canadian Bar Association as reported by most immigration lawyers. These proposals have not been finalized by IRCC.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or immigration advice.
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