Category-Based Draws – Express Entry 2026

Key Takeaways

• Targeted Express Entry categories in 2026 will focus on French speakers, healthcare, trades, and education occupations to meet Canada’s labour market needs.
• Eligibility for category-based draws requires at least 1 year of recent work experience in a targeted occupation or CLB 7 in French.
• IRCC selects categories based on labour market data, provincial input, and national priorities, with updates reported annually to Parliament.
• Applicants not in targeted categories can still enter the Express Entry pool and be selected through general or Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draws.

Express Entry Categories for 2026

These are the selected categories for this year. Click on each category to get more information:

• French-language proficiency: For applicants with a minimum score of 7 in all 4 language abilities on the Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens
• Healthcare and social services occupations: For physicians, nurses, dentists, psychologists and other practitioners, as well as veterinarians and social workers.
• Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) occupations
• Trade occupations: For carpenters, plumbers, contractors, and others
• Education occupations: For teachers, early childhood educators, special needs instructors, and others
• Transport occupations: For truck mechanics, aircraft mechanics, railway traffic controllers, and others
• Physicians with Canadian work experience: General practitioners, family physicians and some specialists who are already working in Canada.
• Senior managers with Canadian work experience: For senior executives working in key leadership roles in Canada who have gained at least one year of Canadian work experience within the last three years.
• Researchers with Canadian work experience: Academic professionals already working in Canada, including post-secondary teaching and research assistants, university professors, and lecturers.
• Skilled military recruits: For individuals with military training and experience who can contribute to Canada’s defence sector.

Your Express Entry Categories FAQs Answered

Can I qualify under more than one category?

Yes, if you meet the criteria for multiple categories, you may be invited under any of them.

What if my occupation was removed in 2026?

You can still be invited through general or program-specific draws if your CRS score is high enough.

How often are category-based draws held?

There is no fixed schedule, but IRCC conducts them regularly based on labour market needs, Usually every 2 weeks.

Who is eligible to receive an ITA through a category-based draw?

Any applicant who has at least  1 year of work experience in the last 3 years in a targeted occupation or those who are able to demonstrate CLB level 7 in French can be selected through a category-based draw.

What should applicants do if their occupation is not targeted in the Categories?

Applicants whose occupation is not currently targeted should still enter the Express Entry pool if they are eligible. Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) continue to select candidates from the pool, and IRCC is still conducting all-program draws.

Additionally, IRCC may update the list of targeted occupations. If your occupation is not targeted now, it could be in the future.

How can you increase your chances of being selected in a category-based draw?

If an applicant has a targeted work experience of the required level of French, to increase their chances of receiving an ITA, they should focus on increasing their CRS score. The CRS cut-off for category-based draws is generally lower than all-program draws however is still very competitive.

Will The Occupations Targeted Change?

Yes, targeted occupations are assessed annually by IRCC, which can add or remove occupations. If an entire category is removed for the year, those occupations will no longer be relevant, and invitations will not be issued.