Canada Updates Express Entry Categories for 2025: Key Changes and Impact

Canada’s Express Entry system has undergone its first major update since 2023, with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) introducing significant changes to the eligible Express Entry Categories. These updates reflect Canada’s shifting labour market demands and the government’s long-term immigration goals, particularly in the areas of education, health care, trades, and Francophone immigration.

Key Takeaways from the 2025 Express Entry Categories Update

• New Education Category Added – A dedicated category for teachers, early childhood educators, and disability instructors has been introduced, reflecting Canada’s need for more educators.

• Healthcare Category Adjusted – While most frontline healthcare roles remain, specialists in laboratory medicine, traditional Chinese medicine practitioners, and medical administrative assistants have been removed, signaling a shift toward prioritizing patient-facing medical professionals.

• Trades Category Remains Stable – Skilled trades such as carpenters, plumbers, and electricians continue to be prioritized, reinforcing Canada’s focus on infrastructure development and the housing sector.

• Transportation Category Removed – Occupations such as transport truck drivers and aircraft mechanics are no longer eligible under category-based draws.

• STEM and Agriculture Categories Reduced – IT and data-related professions, such as software engineers and data scientists, have been removed from STEM, while agriculture roles have been cut back significantly, leaving butchers as the only eligible occupation.

• Continued Focus on French-Speaking Candidates – The French-language proficiency category remains a key pathway, supporting Francophone immigration outside Quebec and ensuring bilingual workforce growth.

2023 vs. 2025: What’s Changed?

IRCC first introduced category-based selection in Express Entry in 2023, targeting key industries with labour shortages. However, the 2025 changes represent a more focused approach, eliminating some categories entirely and scaling back others. Below is a breakdown of the most significant changes.

1. Transportation Category Eliminated

One of the most notable removals is the Transportation category, which previously included:

• Transport truck drivers (NOC 73300)

• Aircraft mechanics and inspectors (NOC 72404)

• Railway carmen/women (NOC 72403)

These occupations are no longer prioritized, meaning candidates in these fields will no longer receive category-based invitations through Express Entry.

2. STEM Occupations Reduced

While Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) occupations remain a focus, the number of eligible roles has shrunk considerably. In 2023, the STEM category included a wide range of professions, including:

• Software engineers and designers (NOC 21231)

• Data scientists (NOC 21211)

• Mathematicians, statisticians, and actuaries (NOC 21210)

• Computer systems developers and programmers (NOC 21230)

• Database analysts and data administrators (NOC 21223)

• Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers) (NOC 21311)

• Web designers and developers (NOC 21233)

• Information systems specialists (NOC 21222)

As you can see, the most striking update is the removal of IT and data-related professions from STEM category. This suggests a move away from broad prioritization of tech talent under Express Entry, potentially signaling that Canada intends to address IT labour shortages through employer-driven streams, such as the Global Talent Stream (GTS) or provincial nominee programs (PNPs) designed for tech workers.

Meanwhile, the remaining STEM occupations now focus primarily on engineering, architecture, and manufacturing, reflecting a greater emphasis on infrastructure and industrial development. This shift aligns with Canada’s growing need for professionals in construction, energy, and resource management, rather than purely digital industries.

One notable exception is cybersecurity specialists (NOC 21220), which remains on the list. This inclusion highlights Canada’s ongoing focus on digital security, risk management, and protecting critical infrastructure—areas of increasing importance as cyber threats become more sophisticated.

For IT professionals and data specialists who were previously eligible for Express Entry category-based draws, the new changes mean they will now have to explore alternative immigration pathways. Programs such as the Global Talent Stream, provincial tech-focused streams, and employer-sponsored work permits may now become the primary routes for highly skilled tech workers looking to immigrate to Canada.

3. Agriculture and Agri-Food Occupations Scaled Back

The Agriculture category, which in 2023 included occupations such as general farm workers, agricultural service contractors, and harvesting labourers, has been significantly reduced. For 2025, only butchers (NOC 63201) remain eligible.

This suggests a policy shift away from agricultural labour needs in Express Entry, potentially signaling that these roles will be filled through other immigration streams, such as the Agri-Food Pilot or provincial nominee programs.

3. Healthcare Occupations see a cut as well

The 2023 Healthcare category included a broad range of medical professionals, from physicians and nurses to traditional and alternative medicine practitioners. In 2025, while most core healthcare roles remain, several occupations have been removed, including:

• Specialists in laboratory medicine (NOC 31111)

• Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists (NOC 32200)

• Medical administrative assistants (NOC 13112)

• Other technical occupations in health care (NOC 32199)

The 2025 updates to the healthcare category reflect a refinement rather than a complete overhaul, keeping most frontline medical roles intact while eliminating positions that are either less critical to the immediate healthcare workforce shortages or better addressed through alternative immigration pathways.

One of the most notable removals is specialists in laboratory medicine (NOC 31111), a field that plays a key role in diagnostics and research. The removal of this occupation suggests that Canada is prioritizing direct patient care roles over specialized medical laboratory work, possibly due to ongoing pressures on hospitals, long-term care facilities, and primary healthcare services.

The removal of Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists (NOC 32200) is also significant. While these professionals contribute to Canada’s broader healthcare landscape, they are often seen as complementary or alternative care providers rather than frontline healthcare workers. This decision suggests that Express Entry will now focus exclusively on conventional Western medical professions when selecting candidates in the healthcare field.

Another removed occupation, medical administrative assistants (NOC 13112), signals a move away from support roles within healthcare institutions in favour of recruiting more hands-on medical professionals. This suggests that IRCC expects these positions to be filled domestically rather than through economic immigration programs.

Interestingly, nurses, doctors, pharmacists, and mental health professionals remain firmly on the list, reinforcing Canada’s ongoing efforts to address chronic shortages in patient-facing healthcare roles. With an aging population and an overburdened healthcare system, Canada is continuing to prioritize professionals who can immediately contribute to patient care in hospitals, clinics, and long-term care facilities.

For healthcare workers seeking permanent residency, the new list is still highly favorable, particularly for nurses, physicians, and allied health professionals. However, those in specialized laboratory roles, alternative medicine, or administrative positions may now need to explore alternative immigration pathways, such as provincial nominee programs (PNPs) or employer-driven work permits.

4. New Education Category Introduced

A major addition to the 2025 Express Entry categories is the Education category, which prioritizes:

• Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants (NOC 43100)

• Early childhood educators and assistants (NOC 42202)

• Instructors of persons with disabilities (NOC 42203)

• Elementary and kindergarten teachers (NOC 41221)

• Secondary school teachers (NOC 41220)

What This Means for Express Entry Candidates

The 2025 Express Entry changes highlight a strategic shift in Canada’s immigration policy, focusing on sectors with long-term labour shortages while narrowing the scope of category-based selection in other fields. These updates have direct implications for candidates in both high-demand and previously prioritized sectors.

A More Targeted Approach to Labour Market Gaps

The addition of the Education category signals that Canada is now treating teacher shortages as a pressing national issue, alongside healthcare and skilled trades. This change aligns with the increased demand for early childhood educators, secondary school teachers, and special education instructors, particularly as Canada’s population grows and school systems struggle with staffing shortages. Candidates with teaching experience now have a clearer pathway to permanent residence, reflecting Canada’s broader efforts to stabilize its education workforce.

Similarly, health care and skilled trades remain a top priority, reinforcing Canada’s ongoing efforts to attract professionals in sectors where local talent shortages persist. The retention of healthcare occupations, including nurses, doctors, and social workers, is unsurprising given the chronic shortages in Canada’s healthcare system, particularly in rural and underserved areas. Likewise, skilled trades such as plumbers, electricians, and carpenterscontinue to be in demand, as Canada pushes forward with infrastructure development and housing initiatives.

For candidates in these high-demand fields, the changes increase the likelihood of receiving an Express Entry invitation. Those who were previously considering employer-driven pathways, such as Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs) or provincial programs, now have a clearer path to permanent residence through category-based selection.

French-Speaking Candidates Maintain Their Advantage

The continued prioritization of French-speaking candidates highlights Canada’s commitment to Francophone immigration outside Quebec. This strategy supports economic and demographic growth in Francophone minority communities, particularly in provinces like Ontario, Manitoba, and New Brunswick. For candidates with strong French language skills, the Express Entry system remains one of the most competitive pathways to permanent residence, particularly for those with professional experience in a high-demand occupation.

A Tougher Road for IT and Agriculture Workers

While Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) occupations remain on the list, the category has been significantly reduced, signaling a shift away from prioritizing IT professionals and data-driven roles. This reduction suggests that Canada is moving toward a more employer-driven approach to tech immigration, with programs like the Global Talent Stream (GTS) and Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) streams for tech workers likely absorbing demand. IT professionals who previously saw Express Entry as a primary pathway may now need to rely on employer sponsorship or explore alternative provincial immigration streams.

Meanwhile, the Agriculture category has been almost entirely removed, with butchers (NOC 63201) being the only remaining eligible occupation. This indicates that seasonal and lower-wage agricultural work will likely be addressed through temporary work permits rather than permanent immigration pathways. Candidates in this sector may need to explore employer-specific work permits, the Agri-Food Pilot, or provincial programs that still offer permanent residence options for agricultural workers.

Transportation Workers Face Major Setbacks

The complete removal of the Transportation category is one of the most striking changes. This decision affects candidates who previously qualified under NOC codes such as transport truck drivers (NOC 73300) and aircraft mechanics (NOC 72404). This removal suggests that Canada may now prefer to fill transportation labour shortages through temporary foreign worker programs (TFWP) or employer-driven initiatives, rather than Express Entry.

For transportation workers hoping to immigrate to Canada, the lack of a direct Express Entry pathway means they will likely need a job offer and an employer willing to support their work permit application. Provincial nominee programs, particularly in trucking-heavy provinces like Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta, may still provide options, but the removal from Express Entry means fewer independent pathways to permanent residence.

Final Thoughts: A More Selective Express Entry System

These updates reinforce a more selective and policy-driven approach to Express Entry, where Canada is shifting away from broad-based economic selection in favour of targeted invitations in critical sectors.

Candidates in education, health care, and skilled trades now have a stronger advantage, while IT, transportation, and agricultural workers may find it significantly harder to qualify through Express Entry alone. For those affected by these changes, exploring alternative immigration pathways, such as provincial nominee programs or employer-sponsored work permits, will be crucial.

With Express Entry becoming more sector-specific, staying informed and understanding how these changes affect your eligibility is more important than ever. If you are considering applying, consulting an immigration professional can help you assess your best options in this evolving landscape.