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
| Occupation | NOC | 2018 invitations | 2017-2018 difference | 2018 % of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software engineers and designers | 2173 | 6126 | +1253 | 6.8% |
| Information systems analysts and consultants | 2171 | 5429 | +230 | 6.0% |
| Computer programmers and interactive media developers | 2174 | 3450 | +27 | 3.8% |
| Financial auditors and accountants | 1111 | 2483 | +91 | 2.8% |
| Administrative assistants | 1241 | 2335 | +421 | 2.6% |
| Professional occupations in advertising, marketing and public relations | 1123 | 2049 | +162 | 2.3% |
| University professors and lecturers | 4011 | 1942 | +117 | 2.2% |
| Financial and investment analysts | 1112 | 1921 | +161 | 2.1% |
| Professional occupations in business management consulting | 1122 | 1915 | +279 | 2.1% |
| Advertising, marketing and public relations managers | 0124 | 1775 | +274 | 2.0% |
| Other | N/A | 60375 | +763 | 67.2% |
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
| Occupation | NOC | Number with arranged employment |
|---|---|---|
| Software engineers and designers | 2173 | 691 |
| Computer programmers and interactive media developers | 2174 | 575 |
| Information systems analysts and consultants | 2171 | 450 |
| Cooks | 6322 | 440 |
| University professors and lecturers | 4011 | 414 |
| Food service supervisors | 6311 | 412 |
| Graphic designers and illustrators | 5241 | 296 |
| Senior managers - financial, communications and other business services | 0013 | 243 |
| Computer and information systems managers | 0213 | 227 |
| Senior managers - construction, transportation, production and utilities | 0016 | 171 |
| Other | N/A | 4101 |
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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