Canada is launching a new way of inviting candidates for permanent residence through the Express Entry system. Starting from this summer, category-based draws will be held alongside general and program-specific draws. These draws will target candidates who have skills and experience in certain fields that are in high demand in Canada.
In this article, we will explain what category-based draws are, how they work, and what are the job vacancies in Canada for each category.
What are category-based draws?
Category-based draws are rounds of invitations that invite the highest-ranking candidates in the Express Entry pool who meet specific criteria. These criteria include:
- French-language proficiency
- Work experience in one of the following fields:
- Healthcare
- Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)
- Trades
- Transportation
- Agriculture and Agri-food
The categories were chosen based on Canada’s economic goals and labour market needs. They were determined through consultations with provinces and territories, industry members, unions, employers, workers, worker advocacy groups, settlement provider organizations, and immigration researchers and practitioners.
Category-based draws will complement general and program-specific draws, which invite candidates based on their overall ranking or their eligibility for a specific Express Entry program. Category-based draws will allow Canada to target labour shortages and strategic growth industries more precisely.
How do category-based draws work?
To be eligible for an invitation through a category-based draw, you must meet all of the requirements in the instructions for that round. The instructions will include:
- The date and time of the round
- The number of candidates that will get an invitation to apply
- The eligibility criteria for the category
When a category-based round of invitations is held, the Express Entry system will rank candidates in the pool who meet the category requirements and invite the top-ranking candidates to apply for permanent residence.
The categories and their eligibility criteria for 2023 are as follows:
French-language proficiency
To be eligible, you must have French-language test results that show a minimum score of 7 in all 4 language abilities on the Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens.
Healthcare occupations
To be eligible, you must have accumulated, within the past 3 years, at least 6 months of continuous work experience (in Canada or abroad) in a single occupation listed in the table below:
| NOC code | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 3011 | Nursing co-ordinators and supervisors |
| 3012 | Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses |
| 3111 | Specialist physicians |
| 3112 | General practitioners and family physicians |
| 3113 | Dentists |
| 3121 | Optometrists |
| 3122 | Chiropractors |
| 3124 | Allied primary health practitioners |
| 3125 | Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating |
| 3131 | Pharmacists |
| 3132 | Dietitians and nutritionists |
| 3141 | Audiologists and speech-language pathologists |
| 3142 | Physiotherapists |
| 3143 | Occupational therapists |
| 3144 | Other professional occupations in therapy and assessment |
| 3211 | Medical laboratory technologists |
| 3212 | Medical laboratory technicians and pathologists’ assistants |
| 3213 | Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians |
| 3214 | Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists |
| 3215 | Medical radiation technologists |
| 3216 | Medical sonographers |
| 3217 | Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists, n.e.c. |
| 3219 | Other medical technologists and technicians (except dental health) |
| 3221 | Denturists |
| 3222 | Dental hygienists and dental therapists |
STEM occupations
To be eligible, you must have accumulated, within the past 3 years, at least one year of continuous work experience (in Canada or abroad) in a single occupation listed in the table below:
| NOC code | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 0213 | Computer and information systems managers |
| 2147 | Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers) |
| 2171 | Information systems analysts and consultants |
| 2172 | Database analysts and data administrators |
| 2173 | Software engineers and designers |
| 2174 | Computer programmers and interactive media developers |
| 2175 | Web designers and developers |
Trade occupations
To be eligible, you must have accumulated, within the past three years, at least one year of continuous work experience (in Canada or abroad) in a single occupation listed in the table below:
| NOC code | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 7231 | Machinists and machining and tooling inspectors |
| 7232 | Tool and die makers |
| 7233 | Sheet metal workers |
| 7234 | Boilermakers |
| 7235 | Structural metal and platework fabricators and fitters |
| 7236 | Ironworkers |
| 7237 | Welders and related machine operators |
| 7241 | Electricians (except industrial and power system) |
| 7242 | Industrial electricians |
| 7243 | Power system electricians |
| 7244 | Electrical power line and cable workers |
| 7245 | Telecommunications line and cable workers |
| 7246 | Telecommunications installation and repair workers |
| 7247 | Cable television service and maintenance technicians |
| 7251 | Plumbers |
| 7252 | Steamfitters, pipefitters and sprinkler system installers |
| 7253 | Gas fitters |
Transportation occupations
To be eligible, you must have accumulated, within the past three years, at least one year of continuous work experience (in Canada or abroad) in a single occupation listed in the table below:
| NOC code | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 7511 | Transport truck drivers |
| 7512 | Bus drivers, subway operators and other transit operators |
| 7513 | Taxi and limousine drivers and chauffeurs |
| 7514 | Delivery and courier service drivers |
Agriculture and agri-food occupations
To be eligible, you must have accumulated, within the past three years, at least one year of continuous work experience (in Canada or abroad) in a single occupation listed in the table below:
| NOC code | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 0821 | Managers in agriculture |
| 0822 | Managers in horticulture |
| 8252 | Agricultural service contractors, farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers |
What are the job vacancies in Canada for each category?
To understand the Canadian job market for each category, it is useful to look at the data provided by Statistics Canada. The data shows the number of job vacancies, the vacancy rate, and the distribution of vacancies by province for each category in the fourth quarter of 2022.
Healthcare
The healthcare and social assistance category had a total of 143,695 job vacancies, resulting in a vacancy rate of 6%. This category has experienced a significant number of job vacancies, especially in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. To address these vacancies, Canada heavily relies on immigration to fill positions in the healthcare system. At present, a quarter of registered nurses and 36% of physicians working in Canada were born in a different country. In recognition of this, IRCC is implementing measures to facilitate the immigration process for foreign-trained healthcare professionals, including the removal of certain barriers for physicians already in Canada on temporary residency visas.
The distribution of job vacancies by province was as follows:
- Ontario: 64,855 (45.1%)
- Quebec: 28,900 (20.1%)
- British Columbia: 23,505 (16.4%)
- Alberta: 13,050 (9.1%)
- Manitoba: 4,815 (3.4%)
- Saskatchewan: 3,555 (2.5%)
- Nova Scotia: 2,670 (1.9%)
- New Brunswick: 1,295 (0.9%)
- Newfoundland and Labrador: 665 (0.5%)
- Prince Edward Island: 385 (0.3%)
STEM
STEM occupations fall primarily within the professional, scientific, and technical services category. This category had a total of 56,915 job vacancies, resulting in a vacancy rate of 4.6%. This category has also experienced growing demand in Canada. According to a report released by Statistics Canada in November 2022, the combination of high retirement rates and evolving technology has created a skills gap in Canada’s labor force, making STEM professionals increasingly sought after.
The distribution of job vacancies by province was as follows:
- Ontario: 29,590 (52%)
- Quebec: 10,740 (18.9%)
- British Columbia: 8,760 (15.4%)
- Alberta: 5,205 (9.1%)
- Manitoba: 1,010 (1.8%)
- Saskatchewan: 830 (1.5%)
- Nova Scotia: 445 (0.8%)
- New Brunswick: 245 (0.4%)
- Newfoundland and Labrador: 90 (0.2%)
Trades
The trades category encompasses both wholesale trades and retail trades, as per Statistics Canada’s data. Wholesale trades had a total of 30,930 job vacancies, resulting in a vacancy rate of 3.8%. Retail trades had a total of 108,795 job vacancies, resulting in a vacancy rate of 5.1%. The distribution of job vacancies by province was as follows:
- Ontario: 54,900 (38.9%)
- Quebec: 29,235 (20.7%)
- British Columbia: 23,590 (16.7%)
- Alberta: 15,300 (10.8%)
- Manitoba: 4,800 (3.4%)
- Saskatchewan: 4,050 (2.9%)
- Nova Scotia: 2,850 (2%)
- New Brunswick: 2,100 (1.5%)
- Newfoundland and Labrador: 1,500 (1.1%)
- Prince Edward Island: 700 (0.5%)
Transportation
The transportation and warehousing category had a total of 43,700 job vacancies, resulting in a vacancy rate of 5%. This category has seen a decrease in the job vacancy rate compared to the year 2021, when it reached a peak of 6.6% in the second quarter. The distribution of job vacancies by province was as follows:
- Ontario: 19,400 (44.4%)
- Quebec: 9,200 (21.1%)
- British Columbia: 6,500 (14.9%)
- Alberta: 4,600 (10.5%)
- Manitoba: 1,500 (3.4%)
- Saskatchewan: 1,100 (2.5%)
- Nova Scotia: 600 (1.4%)
- New Brunswick: 500 (1.1%)
- Newfoundland and Labrador: 200 (0.5%)
Agriculture and agri-food
The agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting category had a total of 10,535 job vacancies, resulting in a vacancy rate of 3.9%. This category has also seen a decline in the job vacancy rate since 2021, when it reached a high of 7.2% in the second quarter. The distribution of job vacancies by province was as follows:
- Ontario: 3,600 (34.2%)
- Quebec: 2,800 (26.6%)
- British Columbia: 1,800 (17.1%)
- Alberta: 1,000 (9.5%)
- Manitoba: 500 (4.7%)
- Saskatchewan: 400 (3.8%)
- Nova Scotia: 200 (1.9%)
- New Brunswick: 100 (0.9%)
Conclusion
Category-based draws are a new way of inviting candidates for permanent residence through the Express Entry system. They aim to address the labour shortages and economic goals of Canada by targeting candidates who have skills and experience in certain fields that are in high demand in Canada.
To be eligible for an invitation through a category-based draw, you must meet the specific criteria for the category that is chosen for that round.
The categories for 2023 are:
- French-language proficiency
- Healthcare occupations
- STEM occupations
- Trade occupations
- Transportation occupations
- Agriculture and agri-food occupations
The job vacancies in Canada for each category vary by province and by quarter.
If you are interested in applying for permanent residence through the Express Entry system, you should check your eligibility for the different categories and programs and keep an eye on the rounds of invitations that are held throughout the year.