Canada Announces Major Updates to Express Entry Categories
2025-03-01 | Abroad Pathway Immigration | Leave a Comment
Canada's Express Entry program has introduced groundbreaking changes. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) showed new categories for 2025 on February 27.
Canada has focus centers on four priority categories to issue Invitations to Apply (ITAs). These categories cover French-language proficiency, Healthcare and Social Service occupations, Trades occupations, and Education occupations. The addition of 19 new occupations in the Trades category shows Canada's steadfast dedication to meet the booming construction sector's needs. The complete updates to the Express Entry system highlight Canada's commitment to fill critical workforce gaps and promote bilingualism and education.
The country's most important immigration pathway now has an Education category, while the Transport stream has been removed. The healthcare sector expansion has eight new roles, and six previous positions have been removed to arrange with current needs.
Important Updates to Canada Express Entry Categories
Canada’s Express Entry program has introduced significant changes for 2025. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced a new Education category, listing five teaching-related occupations. At the same time, the Transport category has been removed from category-based draws.
Additionally, IRCC has expanded the Healthcare category by including social services occupations, addressing gaps in healthcare and community support.
- French-language proficiency
- Healthcare and Social Service occupations (expanded with social services roles)
- Agriculture and Agri-food occupations
- Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) occupations
- Trades occupations (now includes 19 new construction-related roles)
- Education occupations (newly added in 2025)
Priority Categories for 2025 Express Entry Draws
While IRCC retains the above categories, only the following four will be prioritized for Invitations to Apply (ITAs):
- French-language proficiency
- Healthcare and Social Service occupations
- Trades occupations
- Education occupations
Additional changes to Express Entry categories
IRCC Launches Education Category While Removing Transport Stream
Minister Marc Miller has announced a major change to Canada's Express Entry system by adding a dedicated Education category to help with teacher shortages nationwide. The new category now includes five key teaching positions, from elementary school teachers to specialized instructors who work with people with disabilities.
New Education Category Targets Teaching Professionals
Candidates must show at least six months of continuous full-time work experience from the past three years. The positions that qualify are:
- Secondary school teachers (NOC 41220, TEER 1)
- Elementary school and kindergarten teachers (NOC 41221, TEER 1)
- Early childhood educators and assistants (NOC 42202, TEER 2)
- Instructors of persons with disabilities (NOC 42203, TEER 2)
- Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants (NOC 43100, TEER 3)
This strategic addition responds to Canada's growing student population and the rising need for qualified educators. The education sector expects substantial growth, with about 52,000 teaching positions becoming available in the next five years.
Transport Category Discontinuation Impact
Canada's immigration priorities have shifted with the removal of the Transport category. Truck drivers, heavy equipment operators, and airline pilots can no longer receive targeted invitations through the Express Entry system. This change matches Canada's new focus on filling critical workforce gaps in education, healthcare, and construction.
The new arrangement aims to boost economic growth through targeted immigration in priority sectors. This change shows IRCC's dedication to choosing candidates whose skills and training match Canada's current job market needs. All the same, transport sector professionals can still use other immigration options, such as Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) or employer-specific work permits.
Canada's proactive approach to addressing labor shortages in essential services shows in the updated Express Entry categories. The system now gives priority to candidates with Canadian work experience through the Canadian Experience Class, along with those who have strong French language skills and expertise in healthcare, trades, and education. IRCC keeps refining its selection process to ensure economic growth and prosperity through these changes.
Healthcare Category Expands With Social Service Focus
Canada's Express Entry draw brings major changes to the healthcare category by including social service professionals. The eligibility criteria now covers critical gaps in healthcare and community support sectors.
8 New Healthcare Roles Added
The healthcare category welcomes eight more occupations that focus on technical and community support roles:
- Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians (NOC 32104, TEER 2)
- Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists (NOC 32123, TEER 2)
- Dental hygienists and dental therapists (NOC 32111, TEER 2)
- Other medical technologists and technicians (NOC 32129, TEER 2)
- Pharmacists (NOC 31120, TEER 1)
- Pharmacy technicians (NOC 32124, TEER 2)
- Social and community service workers (NOC 42201, TEER 2)
- Social workers (NOC 41300, TEER 1)
6 Traditional Roles Removed
IRCC has taken six occupations off the healthcare category list:
- Educational counselors (NOC 41320, TEER 1)
- Instructors of persons with disabilities (NOC 42203, TEER 2)
- Kinesiologists and other professional occupations in therapy and assessment (NOC 31204, TEER 1)
- Other assisting occupations in support of health services (NOC 33109, TEER 3)
- Other practitioners of natural healing (NOC 32209, TEER 2)
- Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists (NOC 32200, TEER 2)
Strategic Shift in Healthcare Immigration
These changes target Canada's evolving healthcare needs. Social worker positions alone could reach 59,100 openings by 2031. Social workers in many provinces face mounting pressure, especially in Newfoundland and Labrador, where they often work overtime to handle growing workloads.
Canada's healthcare sector currently has 143,695 job vacancies nationwide. IRCC's changes will boost community-based care and social support systems. The updated category focuses on roles in hospitals, mental health institutions, social welfare departments, and community service centers.
Candidates must have at least six months of continuous full-time work experience in the last three years to qualify. The government has set aside INR 7594.24 million to help qualified newcomers gain work experience in their profession.
STEM Sector Faces Major Overhaul
Canada's Express Entry system has made a fundamental change in the STEM sector. The system now reduces technology-focused roles. These new changes show a move toward engineering and technical support positions. This marks a big change in immigration priorities.
19 Tech Roles Eliminated
IRCC removed 19 occupations from the STEM category. Most of these changes affect technology and computer-related positions. The eliminated roles include:
- Software engineers and designers
- Data scientists
- Computer and information systems managers
- Web developers and programmers
- Database analysts and administrators
- Computer systems developers
- Business systems specialists
- Information systems specialists
The removal of these tech positions shows how Canada's workforce needs have changed. Several high-demand positions like architects, engineering managers, and urban planners are affected by this decision. These updates match the government's broader plan to meet current labor market needs instead of following old immigration patterns.
Focus Shifts to Engineering and Technical Support
The updated STEM category now puts more weight on engineering and technical support roles. The positions that remain eligible mainly include:
- Civil Engineers (NOC 21300)
- Mechanical Engineers (NOC 21301)
- Electrical and electronics engineers (NOC 21310)
- Industrial and manufacturing engineers (NOC 21321)
- Engineering technologists and technicians of all disciplines
These changes directly affect how the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores applications. IT workers applying for permanent residency won't get extra CRS points for Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) supported job offers anymore. These offers used to give 50 to 200 bonus points that helped secure Invitations to Apply.
The economic category still makes up the largest share of admissions. It should reach nearly 62% by 2027. Candidates will now be reviewed mainly on core criteria like age, education, and language skills. These updates show Canada's dedication to helping sectors that face immediate worker shortages rather than keeping previous tech immigration patterns.
Trade Workers Get Unprecedented Opportunities
The latest Express Entry draw brings great news to Canada's construction sector. This unprecedented expansion of trade occupations comes at a perfect time. The country faces a severe construction labor shortage with almost 50,000 job openings each month.
19 New Construction and Trade Roles
The Express Entry system has vital trade positions from multiple sectors. The new roles include:
- Construction managers and home building managers (NOC 70010, 70011)
- Industrial electricians and electrical mechanics (NOC 72201, 72422)
- Heavy-duty equipment mechanics (NOC 72401)
- Specialized trades (bricklayers, cabinetmakers, gas fitters)
- Construction specialists (floor covering installers, painters, roofers)
- Technical professionals (water well drillers, concrete finishers)
Priority Status for Trade Applications
Trade workers now get priority through category-based draws under these changes. Construction job vacancies consistently stay above the national industry average. IRCC has made the application process more efficient and gives skilled tradespeople faster paths to permanent residency.
Effect on Labor Market
These changes help address Canada's aging workforce challenges in construction. Skilled trades immigrants show impressive employment rates of 91% to 95% in their first year - higher than other economic immigrants. Male skilled trades immigrants maintain a 6% higher employment rate than other economic immigrants during their first decade in Canada.
Skilled trades immigrants see unique wage patterns despite early advantages. Male skilled trades immigrants earn 13% to 16% more than other economic immigrants at first. Their earnings grow more slowly though - 42% over nine years compared to 91% for other economic immigrants.
Canada's 2025-2027 Immigration Levels Plan recognizes trade occupations as vital components for infrastructure development. The construction industry looks set for continued growth. Experts project residential construction will pick up speed by mid-2025. IRCC's strategic updates create a better immigration process that meets Canada's changing workforce needs.
