IRCC has announced new categories for the 2025 Express Entry draws to address Canada’s evolving labour needs. The focus will be on inviting candidates with Canadian work experience (Canadian Experience Class) and those with strong French language skills or experience in high-demand sectors such as healthcare, trades, and education.

These changes aim to attract skilled professionals to Canada, prioritize Francophone immigration outside Quebec, and help fill critical labour shortages, ensuring long-term economic growth and prosperity.

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Categories for 2025 draws

1. French-language proficiency
2. Healthcare and social services occupations
3. Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) occupations
4. Trade occupations
5. Agriculture and agri-food occupations
6. Education occupations

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Eligibility for Each Category

To be eligible for an invitation through a category-based round, you must:

• Meet the minimum criteria for Express Entry, including eligibility for one of the three immigration programs it covers.
• Fulfill all the requirements outlined in the instructions for that specific round.

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1. French-language proficiency

To be eligible, you must:

• Have French-language test results with a minimum score of 7 in all four language abilities on the Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC).
• Meet all the requirements outlined in the instructions for that specific round.

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2. Healthcare and social services occupations

To be eligible, you must:

• Have at least 6 months of full-time, continuous work experience (or an equal amount of part-time experience) within the past 3 years in a single occupation listed below.
• Have work experience in Canada or abroad.
• Meet all the requirements outlined in the instructions for that specific round.

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List of Eligible 37 Occupations:

• Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians 32104
• Audiologists and speech language pathologists 31112
• Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists 32123
• Chiropractors 31201
• Dental hygienists and dental therapists 32111
• 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 medical technologists and technicians 32129
• Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating 31209
• Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment 32109
• Paramedical occupations 32102
• Pharmacists 31120
• Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants 33103
• Pharmacy technicians 32124
• 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
• Social and community service workers 42201
• Social workers 41300
• Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine 31100
• Specialists in surgery 31101
• Therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies 41301
• Veterinarians 31103

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3. Science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) occupations

To be eligible, you must:

• Have at least 6 months of full-time, continuous work experience (or an equal amount of part-time experience) within the past 3 years in a single occupation listed below.
• Have work experience in Canada or abroad.
• Meet all the requirements outlined in the instructions for that specific round.

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List of Eligible 11 Occupations:

• Architecture and science managers 20011
• Civil engineering technologists and technicians 22300
• Civil Engineers 21300
• Cybersecurity specialists 21220
• Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians 22310
• Electrical and electronics engineers 21310
• Geological Engineers 21331
• Industrial and manufacturing engineers 21321
• Insurance agents and brokers 63100
• Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians 22301
• Mechanical Engineers 21301

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4. Trade occupations

To be eligible, you must:

• Have at least 6 months of full-time, continuous work experience (or an equal amount of part-time experience) within the past 3 years in a single occupation listed below.
• Have work experience in Canada or abroad.
• Meet all the requirements outlined in the instructions for that specific round.

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List of Eligible 25 Occupations:

• 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
• Heating, refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics 72402
• Heavy-duty equipment mechanics 72401
• Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics 72400
• Bricklayers 72320
• Cabinetmakers 72311
• Carpenters 72310
• Gas fitters 72302
• Plumbers 72300
• Industrial electricians 72201
• Electricians (except industrial and power system) 72200
• Welders and related machine operators 72106
• 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

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5. Agriculture and agri-food occupations

To be eligible, you must:

• Have at least 6 months of full-time, continuous work experience (or an equal amount of part-time experience) within the past 3 years in a single occupation listed below.
• Have work experience in Canada or abroad.
• Meet all the requirements outlined in the instructions for that specific round.

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List of Eligible Occupations:

• Butchers - retail and wholesale 63201

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6. Education occupations

To be eligible, you must:

• Have at least 6 months of full-time, continuous work experience (or an equal amount of part-time experience) within the past 3 years in a single occupation listed below.
• Have work experience in Canada or abroad.
• Meet all the requirements outlined in the instructions for that specific round.

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List of Eligible 5 Occupations:

• 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

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