First Transport Occupation Express Entry Draw in Over Two Years!

Key Takeaways

Type of draw: Category-based – Transport Occupation

Invitations issued: 300

Minimum CRS score: 470

Tie-breaking rule: October 11, 2025 at 14:55:49 UTC

Prediction for next draw: Provincial Nominee Program on August 17, 2026. Check our dedicated page for information on when we expect the next Express Entry draw.

Our Analysis of this Express Entry Draw

This is only the fourth Express Entry draw specifically targeting Transport occupations since category-based selection was introduced in 2023. Given how infrequently IRCC has targeted this category, there is limited value in trying to identify a longer-term trend from the previous rounds. That said, the size of the draw and its CRS cut-off clearly set it apart from the previous three.

The 300 ITAs issued make this the smallest Transport occupations draw to date, while the CRS cut-off of 470 is comfortably the highest. The three previous Transport draws had CRS cut-offs of either 430 or 435. In September 2023, IRCC issued 1,000 invitations at a CRS cut-off of 435, followed by 670 invitations at the same cut-off in December. The only Transport draw held in 2024 issued 975 invitations at a CRS cut-off of 430.

Smaller draws, but more categories

The relatively small number of invitations follows a broader pattern we have seen from IRCC recently: smaller, more targeted draws spread across a wider variety of categories.

That approach allows IRCC to make use of more of the categories available rather than concentrating a large number of invitations in only a handful of categories.

IRCC currently has 10 category-based selection categories: French-language proficiency, Healthcare and social services, STEM, Trades, Education, Transport, Physicians with Canadian work experience, Senior managers with Canadian work experience, Researchers with Canadian work experience, and Skilled military recruits.

Transport is particularly notable because it is one of the categories brought back or introduced as part of IRCC’s revised priorities for 2026. The 2026 framework added categories for Transport occupations, Physicians with Canadian work experience, Researchers with Canadian work experience, Senior managers with Canadian work experience and Skilled military recruits, alongside renewed categories for French, Healthcare and social services, Education, STEM and Trades.

This means there are still several 2026 categories that could feature in upcoming rounds, including categories that have seen little or no dedicated draw activity so far.

The Unusual History of the Transport Category

Transport has had a more complicated history than most Express Entry categories.

It was one of the original occupation-based categories introduced when IRCC launched category-based selection in 2023. The first Transport occupations draw took place on September 20, 2023, followed by another in December and a third in March 2024.

IRCC then removed the Transport category from its selection priorities for 2025. The government later confirmed that the Transport category used in 2024 had been “sunsetted” for 2025, while Education was introduced as a new category.

That absence lasted only one year. On February 18, 2026, IRCC announced that Transport occupations would return as one of the categories for 2026.

The revived category is also much narrower than the previous version.

Which Occupations are Eligible Under the 2026 Transport Category?

There are currently just four occupations eligible for selection under the Transport occupations category:

• Aircraft mechanics and aircraft inspectors – NOC 72404
• Air pilots, flight engineers and flying instructors – NOC 72600
• Aircraft instrument, electrical and avionics mechanics, technicians and inspectors – NOC 22313
• Automotive service technicians, truck and bus mechanics, and mechanical repairers – NOC 72410

This is a substantial change from the earlier Transport category. The version used in 2023 and 2024 covered a broader range of transportation occupations, including transport truck drivers, managers in transportation, railway workers, air traffic controllers and water transport officers.

In other words, the return of the Transport category in 2026 does not mean all candidates who qualified under the old Transport category remain eligible today.

Who is Eligible for a Transport Occupations Draw?

Being employed in one of the four eligible occupations is not enough on its own to receive an invitation.

To qualify for the 2026 Transport occupations category, a candidate must:

• be eligible for at least one of the three federal immigration programs managed through Express Entry: the Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Worker Program or Federal Skilled Trades Program;
• have at least 12 months of experience in the last 3 years in one of the eligible Transport occupations.

Candidates who meet those requirements are then ranked against other eligible candidates according to their CRS score, with IRCC inviting the highest-ranking candidates in the category during a Transport occupations round.

More Resources for Express Entry Candidates

• Use our  online Express Entry CRS score calculator to see where you stand and how to improve your score.
• Learn more about the latest Express Entry draws. 
• Check the state of the Express Entry pool.