Canada changed how it holds Express Entry draws in June 2023 by introducing category based Express Entry draws.
In the previous Express Entry draw system, any candidate in the Express Entry pool with a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score above the cut-off for that draw was eligible to receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA).
But there is now a new type of draw where specific categories of people within the Express Entry pool can be targeted.
Read on to find out everything you need to know about this change to Express Entry draws and how this might affect your chances of being selected in an Express Entry draw.
Different types of Express Entry draw
There are now three different types of Express Entry draws that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) can hold.
The three different types of Express Entry draw are:
1. All program draws
This is the classic Express Entry draw which includes all of the immigration programs managed by Express Entry. That’s Federal Skilled Workers (FSW), Canadian Experience Class (CEC), Federal Skilled Trades (FST) and Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).
IRCC sets a CRS minimum score and how many candidates to invite, and anyone with the minimum score or above in the pool is invited to apply.
The date you submitted your Express Entry profile is used as cut-off if multiple people have the same score and the maximum number of candidates has been reached.
So no change for this draw type.
2. Program specific draws
The other classic type of Express Entry draw. But this one targets a specific program managed by Express Entry. Again, that’s either: Federal Skilled Workers (FSW), Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), Canadian Experience Class (CEC) or Federal Skilled Trades (FST).
If past draws are anything to go by, what we’re most likely looking at here are PNP draws. The overwhelming majority of past program specific draws have been PNP draws.
Apart from one random FSW draw in February 2023, the last program specific Express Entry draw that wasn’t PNP was a CEC draw in September 2021. This draw was the last draw in a series of extraordinary draws held in response to COVID-19 which targeted candidates already in Canada due to Canadian entry restrictions.
So again, nothing new for this type of draw.
3. Category based draws
This is the new type of draw.
In category based Express Entry draws IRCC targets specific categories of candidates in the Express Entry pool who meet a defined economic goal.
The three criteria that candidates can be split out on are:
- Work experience. Specifically experience in a defined Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities (TEER) category of the National Occupational Classification (NOC).
- Ability in a specific language.
- Education.
Read on below to find out how category based Express Entry draws will work in practice.
Category based Express Entry draws explained
Category based Express Entry draws target candidates in the Express Entry pool who can help Canada meet specific economic goals.
Essentially Canada wants to be able to target labour shortages and strategic growth industries more precisely, and it thinks category based Express Entry draws will allow it to do this.
Each year IRCC will select the specific categories to be used for category based draws.
For 2024, IRCC have selected the following categories to be used for category based Express Entry draws:
- French-language proficiency
- Healthcare occupations
- Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) occupations
- Trade occupations
- Transport occupations
- Agriculture and agri-food occupations
These are the same categories as IRCC selected for 2023.
Eligibility requirements for each Express Entry category
To be eligible in a category based Express Entry draw you still need to meet all the regular requirements for Express Entry.
But on top of the normal requirements, here are the additional specific requirements you need to meet for each category.
French-language proficient requirements
You must have a minimum score of 7 in all of the 4 language abilities in the Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens French-language test.
The rest of the categories’ requirements are all based on having work experience that matches a particular NOC.
Healthcare occupations requirements
You must have at least 6 months of continuous work experience, within the last 3 years, in a single occupation listed below. The experience can be in Canada or another country.
| Occupation | 2021 NOC code | 2021 TEER category |
|---|---|---|
| Audiologists and speech language pathologists | 31112 | 1 |
| Chiropractors | 31201 | 1 |
| Dentists | 31110 | 1 |
| Dieticians and nutritionists | 31121 | 1 |
| Education counsellors | 41320 | 1 |
| General practitioners and family physicians | 31102 | 1 |
| Instructors of persons with disabilities | 42203 | 2 |
| Kinesiologists and other professional occupation in therapy and assessment | 31204 | 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 co-ordinators and supervisors | 31300 | 1 |
| Occupational therapists | 31203 | 1 |
| Optometrists | 31111 | 1 |
| Other assisting occupations in support of health services | 33109 | 3 |
| Other practitioners of natural healing | 32209 | 2 |
| Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating | 31209 | 1 |
| Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment | 32109 | 2 |
| Paramedical occupations | 32102 | 2 |
| Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants | 33103 | 3 |
| 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 |
| Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine | 31100 | 1 |
| Specialists in surgery | 31101 | 1 |
| Therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies | 41301 | 1 |
| Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists | 32200 | 2 |
| Veterinarians | 31103 | 1 |
Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) occupations requirements
You must have at least 6 months of continuous work experience, within the last 3 years, in a single occupation listed below. The experience can be in Canada or another country.
| Occupation | 2021 NOC code | 2021 TEER category |
|---|---|---|
| Architects | 21200 | 1 |
| Architecture and science managers | 20011 | 0 |
| Business systems specialists | 21221 | 1 |
| Civil Engineers | 21300 | 1 |
| Computer and information systems managers | 20012 | 0 |
| Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers) | 21311 | 1 |
| Computer systems developers and programmers | 21230 | 1 |
| Cybersecurity specialists | 21220 | 1 |
| Data scientists | 21211 | 1 |
| Database analysts and data administrators | 21223 | 1 |
| Electrical and electronics engineers | 21310 | 1 |
| Engineering managers | 20010 | 0 |
| Industrial and manufacturing engineers | 21321 | 1 |
| Information systems specialists | 21222 | 1 |
| Land surveyors | 21203 | 1 |
| Landscape Architects | 21201 | 1 |
| Mathematicians, statisticians and actuaries | 21210 | 1 |
| Metallurgical and materials engineers | 21322 | 1 |
| Natural and applied science policy researchers, consultants and program officers | 41400 | 1 |
| Software developers and programmers | 21232 | 1 |
| Software engineers and designers | 21231 | 1 |
| Urban and land use planners | 21202 | 1 |
| Web designers | 21233 | 1 |
| Web developers and programmers | 21234 | 1 |
Trade occupation requirements
You must have at least 6 months of continuous work experience, within the last 3 years, in a single occupation listed below. The experience can be in Canada or another country.
| Occupation | 2021 NOC code | 2021 TEER category |
|---|---|---|
| Residential and commercial installers and servicers | 73200 | 3 |
| Elevator constructors and mechanics | 72406 | 2 |
| Machine fitters | 72405 | 2 |
| Heating, refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics | 72402 | 2 |
| Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics | 72400 | 2 |
| Carpenters | 72310 | 2 |
| Plumbers | 72300 | 2 |
| Electricians (except industrial and power system) | 72200 | 2 |
| Welders and related machine operators | 72106 | 2 |
| Contractors and supervisors, other construction trades, installers, repairers and servicers | 72014 | 2 |
Transport occupations requirements
You must have at least 6 months of continuous work experience, within the last 3 years, in a single occupation listed below. The experience can be in Canada or another country.
| Occupation | 2021 NOC code | 2021 TEER category |
|---|---|---|
| Aircraft assemblers and aircraft assembly inspectors | 93200 | 3 |
| Transport truck drivers | 73300 | 3 |
| Railway traffic controllers and marine traffic regulators | 72604 | 2 |
| Engineer officers, water transport | 72603 | 2 |
| Deck officers, water transport | 72602 | 2 |
| Air traffic controllers and related occupations | 72601 | 2 |
| Air pilots, flight engineers and flying instructors | 72600 | 2 |
| Aircraft mechanics and aircraft inspectors | 72404 | 2 |
| Railway carmen/women | 72403 | 2 |
| Managers in transportation | 70020 | 0 |
Agriculture and agri-food occupations
You must have at least 6 months of continuous work experience, within the last 3 years, in a single occupation listed below. The experience can be in Canada or another country.
| Occupation | 2021 NOC code | 2021 TEER category |
|---|---|---|
| Contractors and supervisors, landscaping, grounds maintenance and horticulture services | 82031 | 2 |
| Agricultural service contractors and farm supervisors | 82030 | 2 |
| Butchers- retail and wholesale | 63201 | 3 |
When should we expect category based Express Entry Draws?
The first category based Express Entry draw was held on June 28, 2023 and targeted people in healthcare occupations.
Since then, category based draws have been held roughly every two weeks – often in a block of two to three over consecutive days targeting different categories. There has been longer and shorter gaps but broadly they have been two weeks apart.