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    • May 31, 2023

Express Entry Update – May 31, 2023 - Category-Specific Express Entry Draws

Updated: Feb 20

IRCC has announced that category-specific Express Entry draws will start this summer (Summer 2023). These draws will be in addition to the general rounds of invitations (Canadian Experience Class (CEC), Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSW), and Federal Skilled Trade Program (FSTP)) as well as the program specific rounds of invitations.


In order to be invited to apply in a category-specific draw, an applicant must be in the Express Entry pool, meet the category specific requirements, meet the program specific requirements, and have the minimum number of CRS points required to be invited in that particular draw.


Those selected under a category specific draw will only have 60 days to apply for permanent residence and will still have to prove they meet the requirements of the program they were selected under and that they qualified for the CRS points they were granted in their Express Entry profile.


For 2023, IRCC has chosen the following for category-specific draws:

  1. French-language proficiency

  2. NOC specific draws

    1. Healthcare occupations

    2. Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) occupations

    3. Trade occupations

    4. Transport occupations

    5. Agriculture and agri-food occupations

To be eligible for the French-language proficiency category you must have

· a CLB (NCLC) of at least 7 in all 4 language abilities on an accepted French test.


To be eligible for the

· Healthcare Occupations Category,

· Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Occupations Category,

· Trade Occupations Category

· Transport Occupation Category

· Agriculture and Agri-Food Occupations Category


You must have:

o acquired, in the last 3 years,

o at least 6 months of continuous work experience (780 hours of work experience in Canada or overseas),

o in a single occupation listed in a category specific occupation listed below, and

o meet all of the requirements in the instructions for that round.


IRCC has not provided any information on how frequently they will be conducting category specific draws, or how this will impact the frequency of general all category draws. As the immigration targets have not changed (at the high range 88,000 in 2023, 115,750 in 2024, and 121,000 in 2025), the addition of category specific draws will likely mean that less candidates will be invited to apply in general draws which will increase the minimum CRS score of those being invited to apply in general draws.


Find out more:


Program Delivery Update: Category-based selection rounds of invitation (Express Entry: Assessing an electronic application on section A11.2) *Updated September 8, 2023






Backgrounder: Category-based selection - Health workers *updated June 28, 2023



Healthcare Occupations Category


  1. Audiologists and speech language pathologists - NOC 31112

  2. Chiropractors - NOC 31201

  3. Dentists - NOC 31110

  4. Dieticians and nutritionists - NOC 31121

  5. Education counsellors - NOC 41320

  6. General practitioners and family physicians - NOC 31102

  7. Instructors of persons with disabilities - NOC 42203

  8. Kinesiologists and other professional occupation in therapy and assessment - NOC 31204

  9. Licensed practical nurses - NOC 32101

  10. Massage therapists - NOC 32201

  11. Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations - NOC 33101

  12. Medical laboratory technologists - NOC 32120

  13. Medical radiation technologists - NOC 32121

  14. Medical sonographers - NOC 32122

  15. Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates - NOC 33102

  16. Nurse practitioners - NOC 31302

  17. Nursing co-ordinators and supervisors - NOC 31300

  18. Occupational therapists - NOC 31203

  19. Optometrists - NOC 31111

  20. Other assisting occupations in support of health services - NOC 33109

  21. Other practitioners of natural healing - NOC 32209

  22. Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating - NOC 31209

  23. Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment - NOC 32109

  24. Paramedical occupations - NOC 32102

  25. Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants - NOC 33103

  26. Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals - NOC 31303

  27. Physiotherapists - NOC 31202

  28. Psychologists - NOC 31200

  29. Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses - NOC 31301

  30. Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists - NOC 32103

  31. Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine - NOC 31100

  32. Specialists in surgery - NOC 31101

  33. Therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies - NOC 41301

  34. Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists - NOC 32200

  35. Veterinarians - NOC 31103

Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Occupations Category

  1. Architects - NOC 21200

  2. Architecture and science managers - NOC 20011

  3. Business systems specialists - NOC 21221

  4. Civil Engineers - NOC 21300

  5. Computer and information systems managers - NOC 20012

  6. Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers) - NOC 21311

  7. Computer systems developers and programmers - NOC 21230

  8. Cybersecurity specialists - NOC 21220

  9. Data scientists - NOC 21211

  10. Database analysts and data administrators - NOC 21223

  11. Electrical and electronics engineers - NOC 21310

  12. Engineering managers - NOC 20010

  13. Industrial and manufacturing engineers - NOC 21321

  14. Information systems specialists - NOC 21222

  15. Land surveyors - NOC 21203

  16. Landscape Architects - NOC 21201

  17. Mathematicians, statisticians and actuaries - NOC 21210

  18. Metallurgical and materials engineers - NOC 21322

  19. Natural and applied science policy researchers, consultants and program officers - NOC 41400

  20. Software developers and programmers - NOC 21232

  21. Software engineers and designers - NOC 21231

  22. Urban and land use planners - NOC 21202

  23. Web designers - NOC 21233

  24. Web developers and programmers - NOC 21234


Trade Occupations Category

  1. Residential and commercial installers and servicers - NOC 73200

  2. Elevator constructors and mechanics - NOC 72406

  3. Machine fitters - NOC 72405

  4. Heating, refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics - NOC 72402

  5. Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics - NOC 72400

  6. Carpenters - NOC 72310

  7. Plumbers - NOC 72300

  8. Electricians (except industrial and power system) - NOC 72200

  9. Welders and related machine operators - NOC 72106

  10. Contractors and supervisors, other construction trades, installers, repairers and servicers - NOC 72014


Transport Occupation Category

  1. Aircraft assemblers and aircraft assembly inspectors - NOC 93200

  2. Transport truck drivers - NOC 73300

  3. Railway traffic controllers and marine traffic regulators - NOC 72604

  4. Engineer officers, water transport - NOC 72603

  5. Deck officers, water transport - NOC 72602

  6. Air traffic controllers and related occupations - NOC 72601

  7. Air pilots, flight engineers and flying instructors - NOC 72600

  8. Aircraft mechanics and aircraft inspectors - NOC 72404

  9. Railway carmen/women - NOC 72403

  10. Managers in transportation - NOC 70020


Agriculture and Agri-Food Occupations Category

  1. Contractors and supervisors, landscaping, grounds maintenance and horticulture services - NOC 82031

  2. Agricultural service contractors and farm supervisors - NOC 82030

  3. Butchers- retail and wholesale - NOC 63201



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