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Express Entry 2026: Category-Based Selection Updates

Feb 25, 2026

Express Entry: Category-based selection 2026 

Current categories 

French-language proficiency 
Healthcare and social services occupations 
Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) occupations 
Trade occupations 
Education occupations 
Transport occupations 
Physicians with Canadian work experience 
Senior managers with Canadian work experience 
Researchers with Canadian work experience 
Skilled military recruits 

Category-based rounds are intended to supplement other round types to meet the identified economic goal. 

We may not need a category-based round if there are enough top-ranking candidates eligible for a category being invited to apply through general or program-specific rounds. 

 

Who's eligible for each category 

French-language proficiency 

To be eligible, you must: 

have French-language test results that show a minimum score of 7 in all 4 language abilities on the Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens 
meet all of the requirements in the instructions for that round 

Full details will be included in the instructions for each round. 

 

Healthcare and social services occupations 

To be eligible, you must: 

have accumulated, within the past 3 years, at least 12 months of full-time work experience (or an equal amount of part-time experience) — this experience does not need to be continuous 
in a single occupation listed in the table below (no matter your primary occupation) 
in Canada or abroad 
meet all requirements in the instructions for that round 

 

Occupation 

2021 NOC code 

2021 TEER category 

Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians 

32104 

2 

Audiologists and speech-language pathologists 

31112 

1 

Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists 

32123 

2 

Chiropractors 

31201 

1 

Dental hygienists and dental therapists 

32111 

2 

Dentists 

31110 

1 

Dietitians and nutritionists 

31121 

1 

General practitioners and family physicians 

31102 

1 

Licensed practical nurses 

32101 

2 

Massage therapists 

32201 

2 

Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations 

33101 

3 

Medical laboratory technologists 

32120 

2 

Medical radiation technologists 

32121 

2 

Medical sonographers 

32122 

2 

Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates 

33102 

3 

Nurse practitioners 

31302 

1 

Nursing coordinators and supervisors 

31300 

1 

Occupational therapists 

31203 

1 

Optometrists 

31111 

1 

Other medical technologists and technicians 

32129 

2 

Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating 

31209 

1 

Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment 

32109 

2 

Paramedical occupations 

32102 

2 

Pharmacists 

31120 

1 

Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants 

33103 

3 

Pharmacy technicians 

32124 

2 

Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals 

31303 

1 

Physiotherapists 

31202 

1 

Psychologists 

31200 

1 

Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses 

31301 

1 

Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists 

32103 

2 

Social and community service workers 

42201 

2 

Social workers 

41300 

1 

Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine 

31100 

1 

Specialists in surgery 

31101 

1 

Therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies 

41301 

1 

Veterinarians 

31103 

1 

 

Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) occupations 

To be eligible, you must: 

have accumulated, within the past 3 years, at least 12 months of full-time work experience (or an equal amount of part-time experience) — this experience does not need to be continuous 
in a single occupation listed in the table below (no matter your primary occupation) 
in Canada or abroad 
meet all requirements in the instructions for that round 

Occupation 

2021 NOC code 

2021 TEER category 

Architecture and science managers 

20011 

0 

Civil engineering technologists and technicians 

22300 

2 

Civil Engineers 

21300 

1 

Cybersecurity specialists 

21220 

1 

Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians 

22310 

2 

Electrical and electronics engineers 

21310 

1 

Geological Engineers 

21331 

1 

Industrial and manufacturing engineers 

21321 

1 

Insurance agents and brokers 

63100 

3 

Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians 

22301 

2 

Mechanical Engineers 

21301 

1 

 

Trade occupations 

To be eligible, you must: 

have accumulated, within the past 3 years, at least 12 months of full-time work experience (or an equal amount of part-time experience) — this experience does not need to be continuous 
in a single occupation listed in the table below (no matter your primary occupation) 
in Canada or abroad 
meet all requirements in the instructions for that round 

Occupation 

2021 NOC code 

2021 TEER category 

Contractors and supervisors, oil and gas drilling and services 

82021 

2 

Floor covering installers 

73113 

3 

Painters and decorators (except interior decorators) 

73112 

3 

Roofers and shinglers 

73110 

3 

Concrete finishers  

73100 

3 

Other technical trades and related occupations 

72999 

2 

Water well drillers 

72501 

2 

Electrical mechanics 

72422 

2 

Heating, refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics 

72402 

2 

Heavy-duty equipment mechanics 

72401 

2 

Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics 

72400 

2 

Bricklayers 

72320 

2 

Cabinetmakers 

72311 

2 

Carpenters 

72310 

2 

Gas fitters 

72302 

2 

Plumbers 

72300 

2 

Industrial electricians 

72201 

2 

Electricians (except industrial and power system) 

72200 

2 

Welders and related machine operators 

72106 

2 

Sheet metal workers 

72102 

2 

Machinists and machining and tooling inspectors 

72100 

2 

Home building and renovation managers 

70011 

0 

Construction managers 

70010 

0 

Butchers - retail and wholesale 

63201 

3 

Construction estimators 

22303 

2 

 

Education occupations 

To be eligible, you must: 

have accumulated, within the past 3 years, at least 12 months of full-time work experience (or an equal amount of part-time experience) — this experience does not need to be continuous 
in a single occupation listed in the table below (no matter your primary occupation) 
in Canada or abroad 
meet all of the requirements in the instructions for that round 

Occupation 

2021 NOC code 

2021 TEER category 

Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants 

43100 

3 

Instructors of persons with disabilities 

42203 

2 

Early childhood educators and assistants 

42202 

2 

Elementary school and kindergarten teachers 

41221 

1 

Secondary school teachers 

41220 

1 

 

Transport occupations 

To be eligible, you must: 

have accumulated, within the past 3 years, at least 12 months of full-time work experience (or an equal amount of part-time experience) — this experience does not need to be continuous 
in a single occupation listed in the table below (no matter your primary occupation) 
in Canada or abroad 
meet all requirements in the instructions for that round 

Occupation 

2021 NOC code 

2021 TEER category 

Air pilots, flight engineers and flying instructors 

72600 

2 

Automotive service technicians, truck and bus mechanics, and mechanical repairers 

72410 

2 

Aircraft mechanics and aircraft inspectors 

72404 

2 

Aircraft instrument, electrical and avionics mechanics, technicians and inspectors 

22313 

2 

 

Physicians with Canadian work experience 

To be eligible, you must: 

have accumulated, within the past 3 years, at least 12 months of full-time work experience (or an equal amount of part-time experience) —this experience does not need to be continuous 
in a single occupation listed in the table below (no matter your primary occupation) 
in Canada 

meet all requirements in the instructions for that round 

Occupation 

2021 NOC code 

2021 TEER category 

General practitioners and family physicians 

31102 

1 

Specialists in surgery 

31101 

1 

Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine 

31100 

1 

 

Senior managers with Canadian work experience 

To be eligible, you must: 

have accumulated, within the past 3 years, at least 12 months of full-time work experience (or an equal amount of part-time experience) — this experience does not need to be continuous 
in a single occupation listed in the table below (no matter your primary occupation) 
in Canada 
meet all requirements in the instructions for that round 

Occupation 

2021 NOC code 

2021 TEER category 

Senior managers - construction, transportation, production and utilities 

00015 

0 

Senior managers - trade, broadcasting and other services 

00014 

0 

Senior managers - health, education, social and community services and membership organizations 

00013 

0 

Senior managers - financial, communications and other business services 

00012 

0 

 

Researchers with Canadian work experience 

To be eligible, you must: 

have accumulated, within the past 3 years, at least 12 months of full-time work experience (or an equal amount of part-time experience) — this experience does not need to be continuous 
in a single occupation listed in the table below (no matter your primary occupation) 
in Canada 
meet all requirements in the instructions for that round 

Occupation 

2021 NOC code 

2021 TEER category 

Post-secondary teaching and research assistants 

41201 

1 

University professors and lecturers 

41200 

1 

 

Skilled military recruits 

To be eligible, you must: 

be a Foreign Skilled Military Applicant (FSMA) 
eligible foreign national who is serving in a recognized foreign military 
with a minimum of ten years of continuous service 
has work experience and training aligned with the main duties of one or more of these National Occupational Classification occupations: 
40042 (Commissioned officers of the Canadian Armed Forces) 
42102 (Specialized members of the Canadian Armed Forces) 
43204 (Operations members of the Canadian Armed Forces) 
have an offer of arranged employment with the Canadian Armed Forces that is 
made by the Canadian Forces Recruiting Group for continuous full-time work in Canada lasting at least 3 years 
listed in National Occupational Classification 
40042 (Commissioned officers of the Canadian Armed Forces) 
42102 (Specialized members of the Canadian Armed Forces) 
43204 (Operations members of the Canadian Armed Forces) 
have at least a 2-year post-secondary credential 
If you completed your education outside Canada, you’ll need to get your education credential assessed to show that it’s equal 
meet all requirements in the instructions for that round 

Occupation 

2021 NOC code 

2021 TEER category 

Operations Members of the Canadian Armed Forces 

43204 

3 

Specialized members of the Canadian Armed Forces 

42102 

2 

Commissioned officers of the Canadian Armed Forces 

40042 

0