Canada Express Entry 2025: New Categories

February 18, 2026: Canada announced new Express Entry categories for 2026. Click here for more information.

Alex, a dedicated veterinarian from Brazil, dreams of building a new life in Canada. Alex has spent years perfecting skills essential for Canada’s evolving labour market. Fortunately, Canada’s updated Express Entry categories for 2025 offer exciting opportunities for professionals like Alex seeking permanent residency in areas critical to Canada’s economy and communities.

How does category-based selection work?

IRCC identifies specific categories every year. They do so by receiving input from their partners and by reviewing labour market projections and information. Of course, they may continue regular rounds of invitations or provincial or territorial nomination invitations. However, when it comes to a category-based invitation, IRCC invites candidates from the pool of Express Entry according to the following criteria:

• The candidate meets all the requirements for that specific round of invitations.
• They are among the top-ranking candidates under the selected category.

Remember, that categories are for special draws from the pool of Express Entry. You must still qualify for Express Entry and be in the pool.

What’s New in Express Entry for 2025?

IRCC announced the changes on Feb 27, 2025. They introduced a new category focused explicitly on education occupations. The new category targets teachers, early childhood educators, and assistants. Meanwhile, the previous category of transportation occupations has been removed. Furthermore, IRCC has update the eligible NOC codes or other categories. Here are the new categories:

1. French-language proficiency
2. Healthcare and Social Services Occupations
3. STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) Occupations
4. Trade Occupations
5. Agriculture and Agri-food Occupations (only one occupation)
6. Education Occupations

Express Entry 2025 Categories and Occupations

The following list shows the categories and all the associated occupations. Of course, the first category (francophones) disregards the occupation of the application. However, you must still qualify for Express Entry.

French-language proficiency (unchanged):

• Minimum score of 7 in all French-language skills on the Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens.

Healthcare and Social Services Occupations:

• 31100 – Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine
• 31101 – Specialists in surgery
• 31102 – General practitioners and family physicians
• 31103 – Veterinarians
• 31110 – Dentists
• 31111 – Optometrists
• 31112 – Audiologists and speech language pathologists
• 31120 – Pharmacists
• 31121 – Dietitians and nutritionists
• 31200 – Psychologists
• 31201 – Chiropractors
• 31202 – Physiotherapists
• 31203 – Occupational therapists
• 31209 – Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating
• 31300 – Nursing co-ordinators and supervisors
• 31301 – Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses
• 31302 – Nurse practitioners
• 31303 – Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals
• 32101 – Licensed practical nurses
• 32102 – Paramedical occupations
• 32103 – Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists
• 32104 – Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians
• 32109 – Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment
• 32111 – Dental hygienists and dental therapists
• 32120 – Medical laboratory technologists
• 32121 – Medical radiation technologists
• 32122 – Medical sonographers
• 32123 – Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists
• 32124 – Pharmacy technicians
• 32129 – Other medical technologists and technicians
• 32201 – Massage therapists
• 33101 – Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations
• 33102 – Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates
• 33103 – Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants
• 41300 – Social workers
• 41301 – Therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies
• 42201 – Social and community service workers

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) Occupations:

• 20011 – Architecture and science managers
• 21220 – Cybersecurity specialists
• 21300 – Civil engineers
• 21301 – Mechanical engineers
• 21310 – Electrical and electronics engineers
• 21321 – Industrial and manufacturing engineers
• 21331 – Geological engineers
• 22300 – Civil engineering technologists and technicians
• 22301 – Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians
• 22310 – Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians
• 63100 – Insurance agents and brokers

Trade Occupations:

• 22303 – Construction estimators
• 63200 – Cooks
• 70010 – Construction managers
• 70011 – Home building and renovation managers
• 72100 – Machinists and machining and tooling inspectors
• 72102 – Sheet metal workers
• 72106 – Welders and related machine operators
• 72200 – Electricians (except industrial and power system)
• 72201 – Industrial electricians
• 72300 – Plumbers
• 72302 – Gas fitters
• 72310 – Carpenters
• 72311 – Cabinetmakers
• 72320 – Bricklayers
• 72400 – Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics
• 72401 – Heavy-duty equipment mechanics
• 72402 – Heating, refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics
• 72422 – Electrical mechanics
• 72501 – Water well drillers
• 72999 – Other technical trades and related occupations
• 73100 – Concrete finishers
• 73110 – Roofers and shinglers
• 73112 – Painters and decorators (except interior decorators)
• 73113 – Floor covering installers
• 82021 – Contractors and supervisors, oil and gas drilling and services

Agriculture and Agri-food Occupations:

• 63201 – Butchers – retail and wholesale

Education Occupations:

• 41220 – Secondary school teachers
• 41221 – Elementary school and kindergarten teachers
• 42202 – Early childhood educators and assistants
• 42203 – Instructors of persons with disabilities
• 43100 – Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants

Why Were These Changes Made?

Canada updated these Express Entry categories based on labour market assessments, economic needs, and consultations. Adding education addresses shortages arising from expanding early childhood programs nationwide. Removal of transport occupations and a reduction in agriculture occupations reflects stabilized demands or adequate coverage through other immigration streams. Updated NOC codes reflect labour market requirements.

Update on Express Entry Category-Based Selection for 2025

On March 20, 2025, I received an official email from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) regarding the 2025 category-based selection under Express Entry. According to this email, IRCC has confirmed that category-based draws will be conducted for candidates with:

• Strong French-language proficiency
• Work experience in
  • Healthcare and Social Services
  • Trades
  • Education

While STEM and Agriculture & Agri-Food occupations are listed as eligible categories on the IRCC website, the email did not mention them. This suggests that IRCC’s focus may be on the four highlighted categories in 2025.

At this time, we cannot confirm whether draws will take place for the STEM and Agriculture categories this year. However, we will continue to monitor updates from IRCC and provide any new information as it becomes available.

For the latest updates, stay tuned to our website or visit the official IRCC page here.

Let Us Help!

Immigration to Canada in 2025 could be challenging for many. If you are interested, book a consultation session and I’ll explore your options. Alternatively, you may fill out the following form and contact our team. They won’t offer you advice, though.