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Canada uses category-based Express Entry draws to invite candidates whose profiles match with the country's economic goals.
In category-based Express Entry draws, Canada invites candidates who are eligible for a specific category, which may relate to any of the following factors:
- official language ability
- work experience
- education
Category-based Express Entry rounds are held in addition to general and program-specific draws.
To be eligible for an invitation through a category-based Express Entry draw, you must meet all of the requirements in the instructions for that round.
When Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) holds a category-based round of invitations, it will rank candidates in the pool who meet the category requirements and invite the top candidates to apply for permanent residence.
IRCC will provide full eligibility details in the instructions for each round.
Keep in mind, you must first be eligible for an Express Entry-managed program in order to be invited in a category-based Express Entry draw. That means you must meet all eligibility criteria for the Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Worker Program, or Federal Skilled Trades Program.
How many Express Entry categories are there?
Canada may change the Express Entry categories as the labour market needs fluctuate. In 2023, there are six categories, one for language and five are by occupation.
These are the Express Entry categories for this year. Click to learn more about the eligibility criteria for each:
French-language proficiency
To be eligible for the French-language proficiency category, 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
Express Entry French Draw Table
Draw # | Date | CRS | Invitations |
---|---|---|---|
Draw #266 | Sept 27 | 472 | 500 |
Draw #260 | Aug 2 | 435 | 800 |
Draw #258 | July 12 | 375 | 3,800 |
Draw #256 | July 7, 2023 | 439 | 2,300 |
Healthcare occupations
In conjunction with the work experience requirements for your Express Entry-managed program, you must have accumulated at least 6 months within the past 3 years of continuous work experience (in Canada or abroad) in one of the following occupations:
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 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
In conjunction with the work experience requirements for your Express Entry-managed program, you must have accumulated at least 6 months within the past 3 years of continuous work experience (in Canada or abroad) in one of the following occupations:
Occupation | 2021 NOC code | 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 occupations
In conjunction with the work experience requirements for your Express Entry-managed program, you must have accumulated at least 6 months within the past 3 years of continuous work experience (in Canada or abroad) in one of the following occupations:
Occupation | 2021 NOC code | 2021 TEER category |
---|---|---|
Carpenters | 72310 | 2 |
Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics | 72400 | 2 |
Contractors and supervisors, other construction trades, installers, repairers and servicers | 72014 | 2 |
Electricians (except industrial and power system) | 72200 | 2 |
Elevator constructors and mechanics | 72406 | 2 |
Heating, refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics | 72402 | 2 |
Machine fitters | 72405 | 2 |
Plumbers | 72300 | 2 |
Residential and commercial installers and servicers | 73200 | 3 |
Welders and related machine operators | 72106 | 2 |
Transport occupations
In conjunction with the work experience requirements for your Express Entry-managed program, you must have accumulated at least 6 months within the past 3 years of continuous work experience (in Canada or abroad) in one of the following occupations:
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
In conjunction with the work experience requirements for your Express Entry-managed program, you must have accumulated at least 6 months within the past 3 years of continuous work experience (in Canada or abroad) in one of the following occupations:
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 |

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How Canada chooses categories
IRCC chooses categories for targeted Express Entry draws based on the following factors:
- labour market information and projections
- input we received from our partners, including provinces and territories, and stakeholders across the country
Each year, IRCC reports to Parliament on the categories chosen for the previous year, including why and how they were chosen, the instructions to establish a category, and the number of invitations issued for each.
Canada will also include information about category-based Express Entry draws in the annual Express Entry Year-End Report.
In order to remain flexible to the labour market, IRCC will also monitor and assess categories on a regular basis.
If you’re interested in moving to Canada but not sure which program you may be eligible for, check your eligibility for more than 20 different Canadian immigration programs by taking Moving2Canada’s free Canada Immigration Quiz.
Category-based Express Entry Draw History
The following tables show the draw histories of category-based Express Entry draws.
French
Express Entry French Draw Table
Draw # | Date | CRS | Invitations |
---|---|---|---|
Draw #266 | Sept 27 | 472 | 500 |
Draw #260 | Aug 2 | 435 | 800 |
Draw #258 | July 12 | 375 | 3,800 |
Draw #256 | July 7, 2023 | 439 | 2,300 |
Healthcare
Express Entry Healthcare Draw Table
Draw # | Date | CRS | Invitations |
---|---|---|---|
Draw #255 | July 6 | 463 | 1,500 |
Draw #258 | June 28, 2023 | 476 | 500 |
STEM
Express Entry STEM Draw Table
Draw # | Date | CRS | Invitations |
---|---|---|---|
Draw #254 | July 5, 2023 | 486 | 500 |
Trades
Express Entry Trades Draw Table
Draw # | Date | CRS | Invitations |
---|---|---|---|
Draw #261 | Aug 3, 2023 | 388 | 1,500 |
Transportation
Express Entry Transport Draw Table
Draw # | Date | CRS | Invitations |
---|---|---|---|
Draw #264 | Sept. 20, 2023 | 486 | 500 |
Agriculture and Agrifood
Express Entry Agriculture Draw Table
Draw # | Date | CRS | Invitations |
---|---|---|---|
Draw #267 | Sept 28, 2023 | 354 | 600 |

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