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Canada to Prioritize 3 New Occupational Categories for PR Under Express Entry
The federal government has announced significant updates to Canada’s Express Entry system, introducing new priority occupational categories for permanent residence under category-based selection.
Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab made the announcement on February 18, 2026, during a speech at the Canadian Club in Toronto.
The changes introduce new targeted categories for senior managers with Canadian work experience, researchers with Canadian work experience, transport occupations and skilled military recruits.
Increased Work Experience Requirement
The government has raised the minimum work experience requirement for all occupational categories from six months to one year.
The required one year of skilled work experience must have been obtained within the past three years. However, the experience does not need to be continuous.
This change applies across all Express Entry occupational categories.
New and Updated Occupational Categories
Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience
This category includes senior managers in construction, transportation, production, utilities, trade, broadcasting, financial services, health, education, social services and other business sectors.
Researchers with Canadian Work Experience
Eligible occupations include:
- University professors and lecturers
- Post-secondary teaching and research assistants
Transport Occupations
The new transport category includes:
- Air pilots, flight engineers and flying instructors
- Automotive service technicians, truck and bus mechanics
- Aircraft mechanics and inspectors
- Aircraft instrument, electrical and avionics technicians
Notably, this new transport category does not include occupations from the previous transport category, which was retired in February 2025.
Skilled Military Recruits
Eligible occupations include:
- Operations members of the Canadian Armed Forces
- Specialized members
- Commissioned officers
Additional Requirements for Skilled Military Recruits
Beyond the one-year work experience requirement, candidates applying under the military recruits category must:
- Be serving in a recognized foreign military with at least ten years of continuous service
- Have a full-time job offer of at least three years with the Canadian Armed Forces
- Hold a post-secondary credential from a program of at least two years
Physicians Category Draw to Begin
Minister Diab also confirmed that the first draw under the “Physicians with Canadian work experience” category — introduced on December 8, 2025 — will take place this week.
Categories That Remain Prioritized
The government will continue to prioritize candidates under:
- French-language proficiency
- Healthcare and social services
- Trades occupations
The agriculture and agri-food occupations category has been retired.
How Category-Based Selection Works
Under Express Entry’s category-based selection (CBS), Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issues Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to candidates who meet the criteria of a selected occupational category.
Since April 2024, most non-provincial nominee draws have been conducted under the Canadian Experience Class, meaning foreign nationals without Canadian work experience or provincial nominations have primarily been selected through category-based draws.
To qualify for Express Entry, candidates must:
- Intend to reside outside Quebec
- Meet eligibility under one of the three federal programs:
- Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
- Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
- Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)
- Have at least one year of skilled work experience in a TEER 0–3 occupation
- Meet minimum language requirements in English or French
Candidates are ranked using the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), which scores profiles out of 1200 points based on age, education, work experience and language ability. Spousal factors may also contribute to the overall score.
Asylum Reform Comments
During the Q&A session, Diab emphasized that Canada has structured immigration pathways for skilled workers and that the asylum system should be reserved for individuals in genuine need of protection.
Bill C-12, which proposes asylum reforms, has passed third reading in the House of Commons and is currently under review in the Senate. It must pass a third reading in the Senate and receive royal assent to become law.
The minister also stated that foreign nationals visiting Canada for the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be subject to standard entry requirements and should not use asylum claims as an alternative immigration pathway.