Canada Could Make Major Express Entry Changes: What Ontario Applicants Should Know
Last Updated: May 2026
What Is Actually Changing With Express Entry Right Now?
Quick Answer
IRCC’s — Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s — public consultation on a proposed Express Entry overhaul is open now and closes May 24, 2026. The proposal would replace the Federal Skilled Worker Program, Canadian Experience Class, and Federal Skilled Trades Program with a single Federal High-Skilled Class, and would significantly restructure how CRS (Comprehensive Ranking System — the points-based ranking used to compare candidates in the pool) points are awarded.
No regulatory changes are in force yet. The current Express Entry system, including all three programs and category-based draws, is still operating normally as of today. Anyone who receives an ITA (Invitation to Apply — IRCC’s official invitation to submit a permanent residence application) before the new class takes effect will be processed under the existing rules.
Ontario applicants should continue preparing under the current rules while monitoring IRCC’s consultation page for draft regulatory text.
Direct Answer
Express Entry — Canada’s main online system for managing permanent residence applications under federal economic immigration programs — is not being cancelled. IRCC has proposed the biggest structural change to Express Entry since the system launched in 2015. However, those changes are at the consultation stage only. The current system, with its three core programs and regular invitation rounds, remains fully operational today.
In Canada, a “forward regulatory plan” is an early-stage government notice that signals what regulatory changes are being considered over the coming 24 months. It is not a law. Changes become law only after being published in the Canada Gazette — Canada’s official government publication for proposed and final regulations — and receiving final regulatory approval. That full process typically takes 12 to 18 months at minimum.
IRCC launched its official public consultation on April 23, 2026. The consultation is open to applicants, employers, immigration professionals, settlement organizations, and members of the general public. It closes on May 24, 2026. Feedback gathered during this period will shape the draft regulations that IRCC develops next.
Why Ontario Applicants Are Watching This Closely
If you are working toward permanent residence in Canada through Express Entry, you are likely managing several timelines at once — a language test result, a work permit validity date, an ECA (Educational Credential Assessment — an evaluation that confirms your foreign credentials meet Canadian standards), and an Express Entry profile that expires after 12 months with no invitation.
Ontario is consistently the most common destination province for Express Entry principal applicants. Any structural change to the federal high-skilled selection framework lands here more than almost anywhere else in Canada.
The concern is understandable. But the urgency right now is not about what has already changed — nothing has changed yet. The urgency is about protecting what you have built under the rules that exist today while staying informed about what may come next.
active today
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deadline, 2026
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Quick Start: Where Do You Stand Right Now?
Find your situation below and follow the action directive that applies to you.
📋 Already in the Express Entry pool
Keep your profile accurate and up to date. Prepare your documents as if an ITA could arrive at any time — because under the current rules, it can.
✍ Qualify but haven't applied yet
There is no strategic benefit to waiting. If you qualify under today’s rules, create your profile now. Waiting for an unknown replacement class puts your documents and timelines at risk.
🏛 Ontario PNP stream linked to Express Entry
Review your federal Express Entry eligibility and your Ontario PNP (Provincial Nominee Program — a provincial pathway that can give you a significant CRS score boost) criteria together. These are connected, and any federal structural change may affect the provincial linkage.
⏱ Already received an ITA
Treat your ITA as live and time-sensitive. You have 60 days to submit your complete permanent residence application. A future regulatory proposal has no effect on your current filing deadline.
🏢 Ontario employer supporting a worker’s PR pathway
Build your plan around today’s rules. Keep detailed documentation of the worker’s NOC (National Occupational Classification — the government’s system for categorizing jobs), language results, status, and relevant timelines.
What Has Happened Since April 8: The Consultation Is Now Live
On April 1 to 8, 2026, IRCC published its Forward Regulatory Plan for 2026 to 2028 under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations. That document formally signalled IRCC’s intention to replace the three existing federal high-skilled immigration classes with a single Federal High-Skilled Class. The announcement triggered significant media attention and, understandably, real concern among applicants across Ontario and Canada.
What was missing from most early coverage: the detailed eligibility criteria and the consultation timeline had not yet been released.
On April 23, 2026, IRCC launched its official public consultation. A detailed briefing was shared with immigration lawyers, revealing proposed eligibility requirements and significant CRS restructuring. The consultation is now open and closes May 24, 2026. If you are directly affected by Express Entry policy, that deadline is real — and close.
One more concrete development that has already taken effect: permanent residence application fees increased on April 30, 2026. If you are still preparing your application, the higher fee now applies.
What Would the New Federal High-Skilled Class Actually Require?
Direct Answer — Consultation-Stage Proposal Only
IRCC is proposing to replace the separate eligibility rules of the FSW, CEC, and FST programs with a single streamlined set of requirements: a minimum education equivalent to a Canadian high school diploma (verified by ECA), a minimum language level of CLB 6, and at least one year of skilled work experience in a TEER 0 to 3 occupation. The FSW 67-point grid would be eliminated. These are consultation proposals — no regulatory text has been published in the Canada Gazette and nothing is in force today.
Under the current system, each of the three programs has its own eligibility rules. The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSW) — designed for skilled workers with experience abroad — requires candidates to pass a 67-point eligibility grid that scores age, education, language, experience, and adaptability. The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) — for people who already have skilled work experience inside Canada — carries its own requirements. The Federal Skilled Trades Program (FST) — for those with experience in skilled trades — requires a certificate of qualification or a confirmed job offer, along with specific language thresholds.
Under the proposed Federal High-Skilled Class, IRCC is considering replacing all of that with one unified set of requirements:
- •Education: A minimum equivalent to a Canadian high school diploma, verified through an ECA — an evaluation that confirms foreign credentials meet Canadian educational standards.
- •Language: A minimum of CLB 6 / NCLC 6 — CLB stands for Canadian Language Benchmark, the scale Canada uses to measure English and French proficiency. CLB 6 represents an intermediate level of functional ability.
- •Work experience: At least one cumulative year of skilled work experience in a TEER 0 to 3 occupation. TEER stands for Training, Education, Experience, and Responsibilities — Canada’s occupational classification system. TEER 0 to 3 covers managerial, professional, technical, and many skilled trade roles.
The FSW 67-point grid would be eliminated under this proposal. The FST certificate-of-qualification requirement would also be removed. For trade workers, IRCC has indicated TEER 0 to 3 occupations would still be eligible, so trades are not being excluded — just brought into a single framework.
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Current Programs vs. Proposed Federal High-Skilled Class
Minimum language requirement (CLB) by program — proposed class shown in red. Consultation-stage proposal only.
| Requirement | FSW (Current) | CEC (Current) | FST (Current) | Proposed High-Skilled Class ★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Education | Scored on 67-pt grid | Not a standalone req. | High school + trade cert | High school diploma via ECA |
| Language (CLB) | CLB 7 (first), CLB 5 (second) | CLB 7 | CLB 5 (first language) | CLB 6 minimum (proposed) |
| Work Experience | 1 yr skilled (any country) | 1 yr skilled (Canada only) | 2 yrs in designated trade | 1 yr TEER 0–3 (any country) |
| 67-Point Grid | Required to qualify | N/A | N/A | Eliminated under proposal |
| Job Offer Required | Optional | Optional | Required OR Certificate of Qualification | Not required |
| Job Offer CRS Points | Suspended Mar 2025 | Suspended Mar 2025 | Suspended Mar 2025 | May return for high-wage (proposed) |
★ Proposed values are consultation-stage only and not yet in force. No regulatory text has been published in the Canada Gazette. · Sources: IRCC 2026 Consultation · Express Entry: Who Can Apply — Canada.ca · Nihang Law Professional Corporation · Law Society of Ontario
How Could the CRS Scoring Model Change?
Direct Answer — Consultation-Stage Proposal Only
IRCC is proposing significant changes to the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) — the points-based model that ranks candidates in the Express Entry pool. The most significant proposed addition is a new High Wage Occupation factor tied to earnings above the national median wage. Job offer points may return but only for high-wage occupations. The French proficiency CRS bonus and sibling-in-Canada bonus are both under review. No new CRS scoring model is in force today and no point values have been officially confirmed.
New Factor
High Wage Occupation Factor
This is the most significant proposed addition to the CRS. Candidates with Canadian work experience or a job offer in an occupation that earns above the national median wage would receive extra CRS points. IRCC is proposing a three-tier structure based on how far an occupation’s typical earnings fall above the median. The list of qualifying occupations has not yet been published and would be updated annually. Specific point values for each tier have not been confirmed in official regulatory text.
Proposed Return
Job Offer Points
Job offer points were suspended in March 2025 due to concerns about LMIA (Labour Market Impact Assessment — a document some employers must obtain before hiring a foreign worker) fraud. IRCC has indicated these points may return under the proposed system, but only for candidates with offers in high-wage occupations. Point values and a return date have not been officially confirmed. Candidates should plan their profiles without relying on job offer points until formal regulatory text is published.
Under Review
French Proficiency Bonus and Sibling Bonus
IRCC has identified both the French language CRS scoring bonus (currently 25 to 50 points) and the sibling-in-Canada bonus as factors that are “weaker predictors” of long-term economic outcomes. Both are under review and may be modified or reduced. Importantly, this review applies only to the CRS scoring bonus — IRCC has separately confirmed that French-language category-based draws will continue. The French proficiency bonus has not been removed. It is under review.
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Proposed CRS Changes at a Glance
What could go up, down, or disappear from the Comprehensive Ranking System — current points shown. Bar colour indicates proposed status.
| CRS Factor | Current Points | Proposed Direction ★ | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canadian Work Experience | Up to 80 pts | Restructured — new High Wage Occupation factor layered on top | ↑ Changing |
| High Wage Occupation Factor | Does not exist | NEW — 3 tiers based on earnings above national median wage (occupation list TBD) | ★ New |
| Job Offer Points | 0 pts (suspended Mar 2025) | May return — high-wage occupations only. Point values not confirmed. | ⟳ Under Review |
| French Proficiency Bonus | Up to 50 pts | Under review — may be reduced or removed. French category draws continue separately. | ↓ Under Review |
| Sibling in Canada Bonus | 15 pts | Under review — may be reduced or removed entirely | ↓ Under Review |
| Skills Transferability | Up to 100 pts | Enhanced for trades qualifications + Red Seal recognition proposed | ↑ Enhanced |
| FSW 67-Point Grid | Eligibility gate (not CRS pts) | Eliminated under proposal — no equivalent gate in proposed class | Eliminated |
★ Proposed directions reflect IRCC's April 2026 consultation briefing. No specific point values have been confirmed in regulatory text. Do not use proposed values for profile planning until regulations are published in the Canada Gazette. · Source: IRCC 2026 Express Entry Consultation — Canada.ca · Nihang Law Professional Corporation · Law Society of Ontario
The Current Express Entry System Is Still Running
The three core programs — the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Canadian Experience Class, and the Federal Skilled Trades Program — are all active and available right now. IRCC continues to hold draws and issue invitations under the current structure.
The 2026 Express Entry categories announced by IRCC in February 2026 are operating as scheduled. This year’s category-based rounds include ten categories:
- ►French language proficiency
- ►Healthcare and social services
- ►STEM occupations
- ►Trades
- ►Education
- ►Transport
- ►Physicians with Canadian work experience
- ►Senior managers with Canadian work experience
- ►Researchers with Canadian work experience
- ►Skilled military recruits
Two key filing rules have not changed. If you receive an ITA, you have 60 days to submit your complete permanent residence application. If no invitation arrives within 12 months of creating your profile, your profile expires and is removed from the pool — though IRCC permits you to create a new one afterward.
Draw data from 2024 and 2025 already shows IRCC moving toward more targeted, occupation-focused selection. General draws — which previously invited candidates based on CRS score alone, regardless of occupation or program — ran throughout 2024 but disappeared entirely from the 2025 schedule. That shift pre-dates this proposal and suggests the structural restructuring IRCC is now pursuing reflects a direction that has been building for some time.
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Express Entry Invitations by Draw Type: 2024 vs. 2025
IRCC's selection priorities narrowed sharply in 2025 — before the 2026 restructuring proposal. Several draw types that ran in 2024 issued zero invitations in 2025.
23,000 → 48,000 ITAs
26,500 → 35,850 ITAs
Was 14,445 in 2024
Was 4,500 in 2024
2024 data: IRCC Express Entry Year-End Report 2024. 2025 data: Compiled from IRCC Rounds of Invitations page. Note: Some category labels evolved between years. · Nihang Law Professional Corporation · Law Society of Ontario
When Would These Changes Actually Come Into Force?
Regulatory changes of this scale in Canada follow a formal, multi-step process under the Cabinet Directive on Regulation. Amendments to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR) — the legal instrument that defines program eligibility — must be published in the Canada Gazette and go through a mandatory public comment period before they take effect. This is a different instrument from the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA), which governs the broader legislative framework including category-based selection under sections 10.3 and 10.5.
Here is the realistic timeline based on where this proposal sits today:
-
1
Apr 23 – May 24, 2026 — ACTIVE NOW Phase 1: Public Consultation
IRCC is gathering public feedback. Open to everyone — applicants, employers, consultants, and community organizations. The consultation closes May 24, 2026.
-
2
Late 2026 (estimated) Phase 2: Canada Gazette, Part I
Proposed regulatory text is published for a further public comment period. This is the first time specific legal language would appear.
-
3
Early 2027 (estimated) Phase 3: Review Period
IRCC reviews public comments on the draft regulations and finalizes the regulatory text.
-
4
Mid to Late 2027 (estimated) Phase 4: Canada Gazette, Part II
Final regulations are published and officially take legal effect.
-
5
Q4 2027 to 2028 (earliest estimate) Phase 5: First Invitations Under New Class
No official start date confirmed. IRCC has confirmed that anyone who receives an ITA under the current system will be processed under existing criteria regardless of when the new class takes effect.
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Proposed Regulatory Timeline: From Consultation to First Invitations
Where Canada's Express Entry overhaul stands today — and when changes may realistically arrive. All future dates are estimates based on standard federal regulatory process.
Timeline estimates based on Canada's standard federal regulatory process under the Cabinet Directive on Regulation. Source: IRCC Forward Regulatory Plan 2026–2028 · Nihang Law Professional Corporation · Law Society of Ontario
What Should You Do Right Now Based on Your Situation?
The most effective strategy is to prepare under the law that exists today while building enough flexibility to adapt if and when the rules change. Here is what that looks like in practice.
If you are already in the Express Entry pool
Audit your current eligibility under the CEC, FSW, or FST using the requirements as they stand today. Make sure your profile accurately reflects your NOC, language scores, and work history. Start gathering your ITA-ready documents now — police certificates, employment reference letters, proof of funds, civil-status documents, and passport copies — so you are not scrambling if an invitation arrives.
If you are eligible but have not yet applied
Create your profile under the current rules. Waiting for the new class means risking document expiry, missed draw cycles, and potential gaps in your qualifying work history window. The new class is not expected to launch until 2027 at the earliest.
If you are on a Work Permit while building Canadian experience
Your Canadian work experience timeline matters for current CEC eligibility. A work permit expiry that creates a gap in your qualifying experience could affect your eligibility — and regulatory changes are still years away from implementation. Protect your CEC timeline now, not later. See: Work Permits.
If you are pursuing an Ontario PNP pathway
Ontario’s Express Entry-aligned streams currently depend on federal Express Entry eligibility under one of the three existing programs. Review both your federal and provincial eligibility together. If you are unsure how a future federal restructuring might affect your provincial stream, that is a question worth getting legal input on now rather than after regulatory text is published.
For everyone — including employers and community members
The public consultation closes May 24, 2026. If you are directly affected by Express Entry policy, you can submit your views through IRCC’s official consultations and engagement page at Canada.ca. After that date, this phase of public input closes and IRCC moves into drafting formal regulations.
Common Mistakes Ontario Applicants Are Making Right Now
The most damaging mistakes right now are not the ones people make inside the system. They are the ones made while waiting outside of it.
- Assuming Express Entry or the three core programs have already been abolished. They have not. All three programs are currently active, and IRCC continues to hold regular draws under the existing structure.
- Delaying profile creation to wait for the new class. The Federal High-Skilled Class is not expected until 2027 or 2028 at the earliest. Delaying now means losing months of draw eligibility under a system that is fully operational today.
- Ignoring profile expiry and ITA deadlines while monitoring the news. A profile that expires while you wait for regulatory clarity is gone. An ITA that lapses because you were not document-ready costs far more than the time you thought you were saving.
- Treating proposed CRS scoring tiers as confirmed rules. The High Wage Occupation factor and any revised job offer points structure are consultation-stage proposals. No point values have been published in regulatory text. Making profile or career decisions based on unconfirmed amounts is premature.
- Confusing category-based draw eligibility with program eligibility. Even in 2026, to receive an invitation through a category-based draw, you still need to qualify for at least one of the three existing programs. Category eligibility does not replace program eligibility under the current system.
- Assuming the French proficiency CRS bonus has already been removed. It has not. The bonus is under review and may be modified — it has not been eliminated.
- Missing the May 24 consultation deadline. If you want your perspective on the record before IRCC drafts its regulations, the consultation window closes May 24, 2026. That date is not a suggestion.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Express Entry being cancelled in Canada?
The current system remains fully operational. As of May 2026, IRCC continues to hold invitation rounds and issue ITAs under the existing structure.
Are the CEC, FSW, and FST programs still accepting applicants right now?
If you qualify under any of the three programs today, your eligibility is based on the current rules — not on a proposal that has not yet been published in regulatory form.
I already have an Express Entry profile — do I need to do anything because of these changes?
Monitor IRCC’s official announcements for any updates that specifically affect active profiles. Until regulatory text is published, the rules governing your profile have not changed.
What is the new Federal High-Skilled Class and when does it start?
Until draft regulations are published in the Canada Gazette, the detailed eligibility rules, CRS scoring, and transition arrangements for the new class remain unknown.
Will my CRS score go up or down under the proposed new system?
Whether your score changes — and by how much — would depend on your occupation, earnings, language scores, and work history under the final rules, which have not yet been drafted.
I received an ITA — does this proposal affect my application deadline?
Treat your ITA as live, time-sensitive, and governed entirely by today’s rules. Missing a filing deadline is one of the most consequential errors in the Express Entry process.
What happens to my Ontario PNP application if the three current programs are repealed?
This is an inference based on how the current federal-provincial linkage works — not confirmed policy. If you are pursuing an Ontario PNP pathway, review your federal and provincial eligibility together and consider getting legal advice now.
What is the May 24, 2026 consultation deadline and should I submit feedback?
If you are directly affected by Express Entry policy, submitting a response before May 24 puts your perspective on the official record before draft regulations are written. Access the consultation through IRCC’s consultations and engagement page at Canada.ca.
If the FSW 67-point grid is eliminated, does that make it easier to qualify?
Whether that leads to more invitations for any given candidate depends on how CRS cut-off scores shift under the new structure. Broader eligibility means a larger pool, which can affect competition.
When will job offer points come back to Express Entry?
Until formal regulatory text is published, candidates should prepare their profiles without factoring in job offer points. Planning around unconfirmed scoring elements can lead to decisions that do not hold up under the rules that actually take effect.
Immigration Law — Nihang Law Professional Corporation
How Nihang Law Can Help You Navigate This
As of May 2026, the current Express Entry system is fully operational — all three programs are running, draws are being issued, and the rules you are preparing under today remain in effect. The proposed Federal High-Skilled Class is real, but it is years from implementation.
Qasim Ali, Principal Lawyer at Nihang Law, works with Ontario applicants to evaluate Express Entry eligibility, build category-based strategies, and coordinate federal pathways with Ontario PNP options — under the rules that exist today. If you are unsure whether to enter the pool, pursue a category-based route, protect a CEC timeline, or coordinate with Ontario nomination options, we can help.
Book a Consultation →
About the author
Qasim Ali
Principal Lawyer · Nihang Law Professional Corporation · Toronto & Scarborough, Ontario · Law Society of Ontario
Qasim Ali is the Principal Lawyer at Nihang Law Professional Corporation, serving clients across Toronto, Scarborough, and the broader Greater Toronto Area. He provides full-service legal representation across immigration, real estate, family law, criminal law, civil litigation, employment law, wills and estates, and business law.
Nihang Law is particularly recognized for its depth in immigration and real estate law — a combination that serves newcomers and growing families navigating both legal systems simultaneously.
Learn more about Qasim Ali →Sources & References
- IRCC Forward Regulatory Plan 2026–2028: Modernize the Federal High-Skilled Classes
- IRCC Public Consultation: Reforms to Express Entry Federal High-Skilled Programs and CRS (April 23, 2026)
- Immigrate through Express Entry — Canada.ca
- Express Entry: Federal Skilled Worker Program — Canada.ca
- Express Entry: Canadian Experience Class — Canada.ca
- Express Entry: Federal Skilled Trades Program — Canada.ca
- Express Entry: Category-Based Selection — Canada.ca
- Canada Prioritizes Top Talent in 2026 Express Entry Categories — Canada.ca
- Express Entry Year-End Report 2024 — Fact Sheet — Canada.ca
- Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, s. 10.3 — Justice Laws Canada
- Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, s. 10.5 — Justice Laws Canada
- Cabinet Directive on Regulation — Canada.ca
- Provincial Nominee Program: Express Entry Process — Canada.ca
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