IRCC Begins Public Consultation on Express Entry Categories for 2027

As part of the consultation, IRCC has published several proposals under consideration. These include expanding categories aimed at attracting top global talent, narrowing some labour shortage categories, and maintaining the focus on Francophone immigration outside Quebec. The consultation also asks broader questions about the role category-based selection should play within Express Entry.

At this stage, these are just proposals. IRCC will review feedback from the public, provinces and territories, and other partners before deciding which categories to establish next year. The consultation on economic priorities for category-based selection in Express Entry is open until September 1, 2026.

Key Takeaways

• IRCC has opened its annual consultation on Express Entry category-based selection for 2027.
• The department is seeking feedback on proposals to refine labour shortage categories, maintain French-language selection, and attract global talent.
• IRCC is also considering expanding category-based selection to attract more global talent, including researchers, AI professionals, and U.S. H-1B visa holders.
• No changes have been finalized. Any 2027 categories will be announced after consultations are complete.

What is Category-Based Selection?

Category-based selection was introduced in 2023 to give IRCC greater flexibility in selecting Express Entry candidates whose skills, work experience or language abilities align with Canada’s economic priorities and address labour market needs. It complements program-specific Express Entry draws.

Unlike program-specific Express Entry draws (lately limited to Canadian Experience Class or CEC), which invite the highest-ranking candidates regardless of occupation, category-based draws target candidates who meet specific criteria, such as work experience in eligible occupations or strong French-language proficiency. Candidates must still qualify for an Express Entry program to enter the pool. Their profiles are then ranked using the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), but CRS cut-offs for category-based draws are typically lower than those for CEC.

Category-Based Selection Outcomes – 2023 to 2026

In 2025, IRCC issued 73,586 ITAs through category-based draws — this amounted to 87 percent of all Express Entry ITAs issued. In 2023 and 2024, category-based draws resulted in nearly 50,000 ITAs each.

In 2026, IRCC expanded category-based selection by adding four new categories, bringing the total number of categories to 10. These categories can be grouped under three broad economic priorities:

• Addressing long-term labour shortages: Education, trades, transport, healthcare and social services, and STEM occupations.
• Attracting and retaining top talent: Physicians, researchers, and senior managers with Canadian work experience, as well as skilled military recruits with a job offer from the Canadian Armed Forces.
• Supporting economic growth through Francophone immigration outside Quebec: French-language proficiency.

By mid-2026, French-language proficiency had emerged as the dominant category, accounting for roughly 72 percent of all category-based invitations issued between January and June. Healthcare and social services candidates had received 8,000 ITAs, and trades candidates had received 2,641. As of August 5, some of the 2026 categories, namely transport, STEM, and researchers with Canadian experience, have still not been used.

IRCC’s Economic Priorities and Categories Proposals for 2027

Similar to 2026, IRCC’s consultation proposal identifies three broad economic priorities for category-based selection in 2027:

• addressing long-term labour shortages;
• attracting and retaining top talent; and
• supporting economic growth through Francophone immigration outside Quebec.

The department is also proposing to expand its approach to attracting highly skilled international talent while narrowing the number or eligibility of categories focused on labour shortages to create a more targeted selection system.

Expanding Categories Focused on Attracting and Retaining Top Talent

One of the biggest proposals in this year’s consultation is expanding category-based selection to better support Canada’s efforts to attract highly skilled international workers.

IRCC says future categories could be informed by several existing federal initiatives, including:

• IRCC’s International Talent Attraction Strategy, which focuses on priority sectors such as emerging technologies, health care and skilled trades;
• The Canada Global Impact+ Research Talent Initiative, which aims to recruit leading international researchers;
• Canada’s National Artificial Intelligence Strategy to attract global AI talent; and
• Budget 2025’s proposed accelerated pathway for U.S. H-1B visa holders to advance innovation and attract workers in STEM, health care, research and other key sectors.

Narrowing Labour Shortage Categories

The consultation also asks whether Express Entry should take a more targeted approach to addressing labour shortages.

Since 2023, category-based selection has focused on sectors including health care, trades, education, STEM and transport. IRCC says these shortages still remain but immigration decisions must also take into account sustainable immigration levels, domestic capacity, and the role of other workforce measures, such as training and retraining Canadians.

Continuing Support for Francophone Immigration

IRCC is also proposing to maintain French-language proficiency as a key category for 2027.

The current Immigration Levels Plan sets targets for French-speaking permanent residents outside Quebec at 9 percent in 2026, 9.5 percent in 2027, and 10.5 percent in 2028, while the federal government has also committed to increasing this share to 12 percent by 2029.

What Happens After the Consultation on Express Entry Categories

The consultation period will run from August 4, 2026, to September 1, 2026. After reviewing feedback from the public and stakeholders, IRCC will also consult federal, provincial and territorial partners and review labour market data before making decisions on Express Entry categories for 2027. Based on previous years, we expect IRCC to announce categories for 2027 in February 2027.

The current consultation process is limited to economic priorities and categories for selection. It does not cover broader Express Entry or Comprehensive Ranking System reforms. Earlier this year, IRCC conducted public consultations on Express Entry reforms. The department is currently reviewing the 17,000 submissions received on the proposed reforms, but no timeline for implementation has been announced yet.