The Canadian government regularly updates its list of targeted occupations for permanent residency to address labour market needs. Each year, Canada updates its list of targeted occupations to prioritize applicants with in-demand skills. Candidates with work experience in targeted occupations or strong French-language proficiency may receive invitations to apply (ITAs) for permanent residence. The six categories for this year are:
- French-Language Proficiency
- Healthcare and Social Services Occupations
- Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Occupations
- Trade Occupations
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Occupations
- Education Occupations
The foundational requirement to be eligible for any Express Entry category-based draws is first qualifying under one of these three federal programs:
- Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
- Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
- Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)
Below is a comprehensive list of occupations eligible under each category:
1. French-Language Proficiency
Candidates must demonstrate advanced French proficiency with:
- You must achieve NCLC 7 in ALL four skills (not an average).
- No specific occupation is required; candidates with strong French skills can qualify.
- Results must be less than 2 years old when applying.
- No minimum English is required, but English tests give bonus points.
French Language Proficiency Express Entry
2. Education Occupations
These are the eligibility requirements for the Education Occupations category under the Canada Express Entry:
Work Experience
- At least 6 months of full-time, continuous work experience (or equivalent part-time)
- Gained within the past 3 years (in Canada or abroad)
- In one of the eligible occupations listed below
| Occupations | 2021 NOC Code |
|---|---|
| Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants | 43100 |
| Instructors of persons with disabilities | 42203 |
| Early childhood educators and assistants | 42202 |
| Elementary school and kindergarten teachers | 41221 |
| Secondary school teachers | 41220 |
3. Trade Occupations
Here are the eligibility criteria for Canada’s Trade Occupations Category under Express Entry:
Work Experience
- A minimum of 6 months of full-time work (or equivalent part-time) must have been gained within the last 3 years.
- The work must have been continuous (no employment gaps).
- It can be from Canada or abroad.
- In one single occupation from the approved list below.
Additional Requirements if applying through the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP):
- Valid job offer (minimum 1 year) OR
- Certificate of Qualification from a Canadian province
| Job Title | NOC TEER Code |
|---|---|
| Contractors and supervisors, oil and gas drilling and services | 82021 |
| Floor covering installers | 73113 |
| Painters and decorators (except interior decorators) | 73112 |
| Roofers and shinglers | 73110 |
| Concrete finishers | 73100 |
| Other technical trades and related occupations | 72999 |
| Water well drillers | 72501 |
| Electrical mechanics | 72422 |
| Heavy-duty equipment mechanics | 72401 |
| Bricklayers | 72320 |
| Cabinetmakers | 72311 |
| Gas fitters | 72302 |
| Industrial electricians | 72201 |
| Sheet metal workers | 72102 |
| Machinists and machining and tooling inspectors | 72100 |
| Home building and renovation managers | 70011 |
| Construction managers | 70010 |
| Cooks | 63200 |
| Construction estimators | 22303 |
| Contractors and supervisors, electrical trades and telecommunications occupations | 72010 |
| Contractors and supervisors, electrical trades and telecommunications occupations | 72011 |
| Contractors and supervisors, pipefitting trades | 72012 |
| Contractors and supervisors, carpentry trades | 72013 |
| Contractors and supervisors, mechanic trades | 72020 |
| Contractors and supervisors, heavy equipment operator crews | 72021 |
| Supervisors, printing and related occupations | 72022 |
| Supervisors, railway transport operations | 72023 |
| Supervisors, motor transport and other ground transit operators | 72024 |
| Supervisors, mail and message distribution occupations | 72025 |
| Machinists and machining and tooling inspectors | 72100 |
| Tool and die makers | 72101 |
| Sheet metal workers | 72102 |
| Boilermakers | 72103 |
| Structural metal and platework fabricators and fitters | 72104 |
| Ironworkers | 72105 |
| Welders and related machine operators | 72106 |
| Electricians (except industrial and power system) | 72200 |
| Industrial electricians | 72201 |
| Power system electricians | 72202 |
| Electrical power line and cable workers | 72203 |
| Telecommunications line and cable installers and repairers | 72204 |
| Telecommunications equipment installation and cable television service technicians | 72205 |
| Plumbers | 72300 |
| Steamfitters, pipefitters and sprinkler system installers | 72301 |
| Gas fitters | 72302 |
| Carpenters | 72310 |
| Cabinetmakers | 72311 |
| Bricklayers | 72320 |
| Insulators | 72321 |
| Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics | 72400 |
| Heavy-duty equipment mechanics | 72401 |
| Heating, refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics | 72402 |
| Railway carmen/women | 72403 |
| Aircraft mechanics and aircraft inspectors | 72404 |
| Automotive service technicians, truck and bus mechanics and mechanical repairers | 72410 |
| Auto body collision, refinishing and glass technicians and damage repair estimators | 72411 |
| Oil and solid fuel heating mechanics | 72420 |
| Appliance servicers and repairers | 72421 |
| Electrical mechanics | 72422 |
| Motorcycle, all-terrain vehicle and other related mechanics | 72423 |
| Other small engine and small equipment repairers | 72429 |
| Crane operators | 72500 |
| Water well drillers | 72501 |
| Other technical trades and related occupations | 72999 |
| Concrete finishers | 73100 |
| Tile setters | 73101 |
| Plasterers, drywall installers and finishers and lathers | 73102 |
| Roofers and shinglers | 73110 |
| Glaziers | 73111 |
| Painters and decorators (except interior decorators) | 73112 |
| Floor covering installers | 73113 |
| General building maintenance workers and building superintendents | 73201 |
| Pest controllers and fumigators | 73202 |
| Other repairers and servicers | 73209 |
| Transport truck drivers | 73300 |
| Bus drivers, subway operators and other transit operators | 73301 |
| Railway and yard locomotive engineers | 73310 |
| Railway conductors and brakemen/women | 73311 |
| Heavy equipment operators | 73400 |
| Printing press operators | 73401 |
| Drillers and blasters - surface mining, quarrying and construction | 73402 |
| Supervisors, logging and forestry | 82010 |
| Supervisors, mining and quarrying | 82020 |
| Contractors and supervisors, oil and gas drilling and services | 82021 |
| Agricultural service contractors and farm supervisors | 82030 |
| Contractors and supervisors, landscaping, grounds maintenance and horticulture services | 82031 |
| Underground production and development miners | 83100 |
| Oil and gas well drillers, servicers, testers and related workers | 83101 |
| Logging machinery operators | 83110 |
| Fishing masters and officers | 83120 |
| Fishermen/women | 83121 |
| Supervisors, mineral and metal processing | 92010 |
| Supervisors, petroleum, gas and chemical processing and utilities | 92011 |
| Supervisors, food and beverage processing | 92012 |
| Supervisors, plastic and rubber products manufacturing | 92013 |
| Supervisors, forest products processing | 92014 |
| Supervisors, textile, fabric, fur and leather products processing and manufacturing | 92015 |
| Supervisors, motor vehicle assembling | 92020 |
| Supervisors, electronics and electrical products manufacturing | 92021 |
| Supervisors, furniture and fixtures manufacturing | 92022 |
| Supervisors, other mechanical and metal products manufacturing | 92023 |
| Supervisors, other products manufacturing and assembly | 92024 |
| Power engineers and power systems operators | 92100 |
| Water and waste treatment plant operators | 92101 |
| Central control and process operators, mineral and metal processing | 93100 |
| Central control and process operators, petroleum, gas and chemical processing | 93101 |
| Pulping, papermaking and coating control operators | 93102 |
| Cooks | 63200 |
| Butchers - retail and wholesale | 63201 |
| Bakers | 63202 |
| Chefs | - |
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4. Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Occupations
To qualify for STEM category-based draws, you must meet the following STEM category-specific requirements:
Work Experience
- A minimum of 6 months of full-time work (or equivalent part-time) within the last 3 years (in Canada or abroad).
- Experience must be continuous and paid (volunteering/unpaid work doesn’t count).
- In one of the eligible occupations listed below.
| Occupation | 2021 NOC Code |
|---|---|
| Civil engineering technologists and technicians | 22300 |
| Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians | 22310 |
| Geological Engineers | 21331 |
| Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians | 22301 |
| Mechanical Engineers | 21301 |
| Insurance agents and brokers | 63100 |
| Architecture and science managers | 20011 |
| Civil Engineers | 21300 |
| Computer systems developers and programmers | 21230 |
| Cybersecurity specialists | 21220 |
| Electrical and electronics engineers | 21310 |
| Industrial and manufacturing engineers | 21321 |
5. Healthcare and Social Services Occupations
This category was expanded in February 2025 to include social services roles, addressing labour shortages in fields like nursing, mental health, and community support. These are the eligibility requirements for the Healthcare and Social Services Occupations category under the Canada Express Entry:
Work Experience
- 6+ months of full-time work (or equivalent part-time) in an eligible occupation within the last 3 years (in Canada or abroad).
- In one of the eligible occupations listed below
| Occupation | 2021 NOC code |
|---|---|
| Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians | 32104 |
| Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists | 32123 |
| Dental hygienists and dental therapists | 32111 |
| Other medical technologists and technicians | 32129 |
| Pharmacists | 31120 |
| Pharmacy technicians | 32124 |
| Social and community service workers | 42201 |
| Social workers | 41300 |
| Audiologists and speech language pathologists | 31112 |
| Chiropractors | 31201 |
| Dentists | 31110 |
| Dieticians and nutritionists | 31121 |
| General practitioners and family physicians | 31102 |
| Licensed practical nurses | 32101 |
| Massage therapists | 32201 |
| Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations | 33101 |
| Medical laboratory technologists | 32120 |
| Medical radiation technologists | 32121 |
| Medical sonographers | 32122 |
| Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates | 33102 |
| Nurse practitioners | 31302 |
| Nursing co-ordinators and supervisors | 31300 |
| Occupational therapists | 31203 |
| Optometrists | 31111 |
| Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating | 31209 |
| Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment | 32109 |
| Paramedical occupations | 32102 |
| Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants | 33103 |
| Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals | 31303 |
| Physiotherapists | 31202 |
| Psychologists | 31200 |
| Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses | 31301 |
| Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists | 32103 |
| Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine | 31100 |
| Specialists in surgery | 31101 |
| Therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies | 41301 |
| Veterinarians | 31103 |
6. Agriculture and Agri-Food Occupations
These are the eligibility requirements for the Agriculture and Agri-Food Occupations category under the Canada Express Entry:
Work Experience
- 6+ months of full-time work (or equivalent part-time) in an eligible occupation within the last 3 years (in Canada or abroad).
- In one of the eligible occupations listed below
| Occupations | 2021 NOC Code |
|---|---|
| Contractors and supervisors, landscaping and horticulture services | 82031 |
| Agricultural service contractors and farm supervisors | 82030 |
| Contractors and supervisors, landscaping, grounds maintenance and horticulture services | 82031 |
| Agricultural service contractors and farm supervisors | 82030 |
| Butchers- retail and wholesale | 63201 |
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