
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced updates to the category-based selection process for Express Entry candidates. Key updates include the introduction of a new Education category, which includes five designated occupations, and the removal of the Transport category. Additionally, IRCC has expanded the Healthcare category to include various social service occupations and reduced the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) category by removing most Information Technology occupations other than cybersecurity specialists. IRCC has chosen the following categories effective February 2025: French-language proficiency; healthcare and social services occupations; STEM occupations; trade occupations; agriculture and agri-food occupations; and education occupations. Access the government’s website for more details, including the list of occupations eligible under each category.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].
Explore more at Fragomen

Media mentions
Partner Cosmina Morariu contributed to Canada’s Semiconductor Council 2025 Talent & Workforce Development report, highlighting immigration’s role in closing talent gaps.

Blog post
Partner Parisa Karaahmet and Associate Mehmet Esat Acar discuss how not being selected in the H-1B lottery is not the end of the road, as other visa options may be available.

Media mentions
Partner Aaron Blumberg explains how visa delays and evolving rules are creating new challenges for international college athletes in the US.

Media mentions
Partner Marius Tollenaere discussed how a digital “Super-Agency” could streamline Germany’s skilled migration.

Blog post
Senior Immigration Program Manager Alexia Prior and Senior Immigration Programme Consultant Julia Daoud discuss the importance of crisis preparedness in the face of geopolitical instability, emphasizing proactive strategies and resilience planning.

Video
In this Mobility Minute, Immigration Consultant Caryn Esther Fisher discusses recent South African citizenship updates.

Awards
Partner F. Joseph Paldino, Senior Associate Clark Cannon and Associate Mallorie Mecham are recognized in Utah Business’s 2025 Legal Elite.

Media mentions
Partner Daniel Pierce discussed how heightened immigration enforcement is causing employers to review work authorization and staffing decisions.

Fragomen news
Fragomen announces it is deepening its capabilities in the Philippines with a new office in Bonifacio Global City, the leading business and lifestyle district in Metro Manila.

Blog post
Associates Ali Ali and Charlotte Roberts discuss how UK employers can sponsor skilled workers using discounted salary rates to meet immigration requirements.

Media mentions
Partner Marius Tollenaere betont, dass die Chancenkarte die Einreise von Fachkräften nach Deutschland erleichtern, bürokratische Hürden abbauen und die Effizienz durch eine bessere digitale Integration und weniger Kontaktpunkte steigern kann.

Media mentions
Partner Abeer Al Husseini emphasises that mobility providers are essential for navigating regulatory frameworks, integrating Saudi nationals into the private sector and ensuring compliance with Saudisation policies, all of which support Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030.

Media mentions
Partner Cosmina Morariu contributed to Canada’s Semiconductor Council 2025 Talent & Workforce Development report, highlighting immigration’s role in closing talent gaps.

Blog post
Partner Parisa Karaahmet and Associate Mehmet Esat Acar discuss how not being selected in the H-1B lottery is not the end of the road, as other visa options may be available.

Media mentions
Partner Aaron Blumberg explains how visa delays and evolving rules are creating new challenges for international college athletes in the US.

Media mentions
Partner Marius Tollenaere discussed how a digital “Super-Agency” could streamline Germany’s skilled migration.

Blog post
Senior Immigration Program Manager Alexia Prior and Senior Immigration Programme Consultant Julia Daoud discuss the importance of crisis preparedness in the face of geopolitical instability, emphasizing proactive strategies and resilience planning.

Video
In this Mobility Minute, Immigration Consultant Caryn Esther Fisher discusses recent South African citizenship updates.

Awards
Partner F. Joseph Paldino, Senior Associate Clark Cannon and Associate Mallorie Mecham are recognized in Utah Business’s 2025 Legal Elite.

Media mentions
Partner Daniel Pierce discussed how heightened immigration enforcement is causing employers to review work authorization and staffing decisions.

Fragomen news
Fragomen announces it is deepening its capabilities in the Philippines with a new office in Bonifacio Global City, the leading business and lifestyle district in Metro Manila.

Blog post
Associates Ali Ali and Charlotte Roberts discuss how UK employers can sponsor skilled workers using discounted salary rates to meet immigration requirements.

Media mentions
Partner Marius Tollenaere betont, dass die Chancenkarte die Einreise von Fachkräften nach Deutschland erleichtern, bürokratische Hürden abbauen und die Effizienz durch eine bessere digitale Integration und weniger Kontaktpunkte steigern kann.

Media mentions
Partner Abeer Al Husseini emphasises that mobility providers are essential for navigating regulatory frameworks, integrating Saudi nationals into the private sector and ensuring compliance with Saudisation policies, all of which support Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030.