Canada continues to streamline immigration through category-based selections under its Express Entry system, making it easier for skilled workers and French-speaking individuals to gain permanent residency (PR). Maple News reports that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has prioritized certain occupations and language profiles, offering lower Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score thresholds for qualifying candidates.
To be considered under a priority occupation category, applicants must have completed at least six months of full-time, continuous work experience in one eligible role within the past three years—whether in Canada or abroad. For the French-language proficiency stream, applicants are required to meet at least a level 7 in all four language skills according to Canada’s Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC).
Current category-based draws include high-demand sectors such as healthcare, technology, trades, agriculture, education, and social services. The full list of current Express Entry categories is as follows:
– French-language proficiency: NCLC level 7
– Healthcare and Social Services: 37 occupations
– Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM): 11 occupations
– Trades: 25 occupations
– Agriculture and Agri-Food: 1 occupation
– Education: 5 occupations
– Physicians with Canadian work experience: 3 occupations (requires one year of Canadian work experience)
The newly introduced physician category is unique. Unlike other occupational streams, it requires candidates to have at least one year of work experience within Canada in an eligible medical profession.
According to Maple News, an easy-to-use online tool is now available to help prospective immigrants determine their eligibility for priority PR categories. The tool is free and accessible via any web browser on desktop or mobile. Users simply need to complete a brief questionnaire about their work history, education, language skills, and whether they have a valid job offer.
Initial assessments can be completed in just 10 minutes, providing a general overview of one’s eligibility under standard Express Entry criteria. To receive in-depth feedback on eligibility for specific category-based draws, users can create a profile to save and monitor their progress over time.
This convenient tool enables candidates to explore new pathways to Canadian permanent residency, helping many discover they may be closer to eligibility than they originally thought.
As Canada continues to refine its Express Entry system, tools like this can offer valuable guidance to international workers navigating the immigration process, especially those aligned with in-demand sectors or fluent in French.