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More than 6,000 Software engineers and designers were invited to apply for immigration to Canada through the Express Entry system in 2018, the most of any occupation.


(Check out our complete overview of the official 2018 Express Entry Report here.)

Software engineers and designers jumped from second place to first in the overall list of most common occupations among invited candidates, swapping places with Information systems analysts and consultants. Computer programmers and interactive media developers, in third place, ensured a clean sweep of the podium for IT and tech professions.

Other occupations that made it into the top 10 had a heavy business and finance focus, showcasing Canadian employers’ thirst for smart, talented workers who can fit key roles in Canada’s knowledge-based economy.

Most common occupations among Express Entry invitations issued, 2018

OccupationNOC2018 invitations2017-2018 difference2018 % of total
Software engineers and designers21736126+12536.8%
Information systems analysts and consultants21715429+2306.0%
Computer programmers and interactive media developers21743450+273.8%
Financial auditors and accountants11112483+912.8%
Administrative assistants12412335+4212.6%
Professional occupations in advertising, marketing and public relations11232049+1622.3%
University professors and lecturers40111942+1172.2%
Financial and investment analysts11121921+1612.1%
Professional occupations in business management consulting11221915+2792.1%
Advertising, marketing and public relations managers01241775+2742.0%
OtherN/A60375+76367.2%

One thing to note from the latest Express Entry data is that the top 10 most common occupations together represented only one-third of the total number of invitations issued, with the remaining two-thirds distributed among other skilled occupations in Canada’s National Occupational Classification (NOC) system.

So if you are an agricultural worker, an editor, a lawyer, teacher, health care worker or any other skilled occupation type, don’t worry! Canada has been inviting plenty of these types of worker as well.

Arranged employment

Of the nearly 90,000 invitations to apply issued last year, a total of 8,020 were issued to candidates with arranged employment.

Arranged employment means having a valid job offer, which results in either 50 or 200 Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points being added to a candidate’s total CRS score. The number of points received depends on the skill level of the occupation, with Senior Managerial positions receiving 200 points and all other skilled positions receiving 50 points.

Most common occupations among arranged employment points holders upon invitation, 2018

OccupationNOCNumber with arranged employment
Software engineers and designers2173691
Computer programmers and interactive media developers2174575
Information systems analysts and consultants2171450
Cooks6322440
University professors and lecturers4011414
Food service supervisors6311412
Graphic designers and illustrators5241296
Senior managers - financial, communications and other business services0013243
Computer and information systems managers0213227
Senior managers - construction, transportation, production and utilities0016171
OtherN/A4101

As you can see, these top occupations together were responsible for more than half (51%) of all arranged employment points holders upon invitation. The information in this article is from the year-end 2018 Express Entry report, which was published by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) in early July 2019.

See our other summaries from the 2018 Express Entry Year-End Report, including:

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  • Perez McKenzie Immigration

    Led by Jenny Perez (RCIC #423103), Perez McKenzie Immigration is a Canadian immigration consultancy based in British Columbia, with offices in Vancouver and Whistler.

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