Canada: Updates to Express Entry Category-Based Selection for 2026

The situation 

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced updates to the category-based selection process under Canada’s flagship economic immigration program, Express Entry.  

For 2026, IRCC has introduced new priority occupational categories, including senior managers and researchers, and renewed several existing categories. IRCC has also increased the minimum work experience requirement for renewed categories to one year. 

IRCC announced that the first Express Entry draw targeting medical doctors with Canadian work experience will take place on or before February 20, 2026.  

A closer look 

• New priority categories. For 2026, Canada will prioritize the following new occupational categories under Express Entry: 
  • Medical doctors with Canadian work experience
  • Researchers with Canadian work experience
  • Senior managers with Canadian work experience in the following National Occupational Classification (NOC) codes: construction, transportation, production and utilities (NOC 00015); trade, broadcasting and other services (NOC 00014); health, education, social and community services and membership organizations (NOC 00013); and financial, communications and other business services (NOC 00012).
  • Transport occupations
  • Skilled military recruits with a job offer from the Canadian Armed Forces 
• Renewed categories. IRCC has also renewed several existing categories for 2026, which are: 
  • French-language proficiency
  • Health care and social services occupations
  • Education occupations
  • Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) occupations
  • Trade occupations 
• Work experience. Each new and renewed category has its own eligibility criteria, including work experience requirements. In most cases, candidates must have at least 12 months of full-time (or equivalent) experience in an eligible occupation, gained in Canada or abroad (depending on the category). For the renewed categories, IRCC has increased the minimum requirement to one year (up from the previous six months) to better ensure candidates’ labor-market readiness. 
• Retired category. The agriculture and agri-food occupations category, which was included on the 2025 list, is the only category that has been removed from the 2026 list.  

Further details, including the full list of eligible occupations under each category, are available on the government’s website. 

Impact 

• Expanded opportunities in priority sectors. The changes are expected to increase permanent residence opportunities for candidates in newly prioritized sectors, including medical doctors and researchers with Canadian work experience and senior managers across a number of industries. 
• Higher eligibility threshold for renewed categories. Candidates under the renewed categories must now meet a higher work experience requirement. Employers and foreign nationals relying on category-based selection should review eligibility criteria, as individuals who previously qualified with six months of experience may no longer meet the updated threshold.  

Background 

Express Entry is Canada’s flagship economic immigration program. Since introducing category-based selection in 2023, the government has conducted targeted invitation rounds for candidates with specific skills, training, education or language proficiency aligned with established categories focused on sectors experiencing workforce pressures and skills shortages. 

IRCC reviews and adjusts these categories annually to reflect evolving economic priorities. The 2026 updates further refine and expand this framework, reinforcing the government’s continued use of category-based selection to respond to changing labor market and economic needs. 

Looking ahead 

With the first physician-focused draw scheduled on or before February 20, 2026, additional targeted draws in the newly announced categories are expected throughout the year. Employers in prioritized sectors may wish to assess their foreign national workforce and talent pipelines to identify individuals who could benefit from category-based invitations. 

Additional government initiatives to attract international talent are expected, in line with the Federal Budget 2025, which prioritizes drawing global talent to Canada and strengthening the country’s research capacity. 

This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen.