Canada's immigration body, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), has confirmed it is seeking skilled workers across seven professional categories through its Express Entry system for permanent residence. The announcement was made on Thursday, July 23, 2026, via IRCC's official X account and the Government of Canada's website.
Categories Targeted for Permanent Residence
According to IRCC, the categories include healthcare and social services, education, science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), skilled trades, transport occupations, French-language proficiency, and workers with Canadian work experience such as physicians, researchers, and senior managers. Additionally, skilled military recruits are among the groups Canada wants to attract.
IRCC stated: "Canada is seeking skilled professionals through these Express Entry categories." The category-based selection rounds rank eligible candidates in the Express Entry pool and invite top scorers to apply for permanent residency.
How Category-Based Express Entry Works
The Canadian government explained that category-based selection allows it to invite candidates who qualify for a specific category created by the Minister to meet the country's economic needs. Invitations may be based on factors such as a candidate's ability to communicate in an official language, work experience in a particular occupation, and education. The selected categories are announced in advance before invitation rounds take place.
The government said category-based invitation rounds complement general and programme-specific rounds. A category-based round may not be necessary if enough top-ranking candidates in a particular category already receive invitations through regular Express Entry selection.
How Canada Chooses the Categories
The Government of Canada selects categories using labour market information, employment projections, and feedback from provinces, territories, and other stakeholders. It will submit an annual report to Parliament showing the categories selected, the reasons for selection, the instructions used, and the number of invitations issued per category. The report will also be included in the Express Entry Year-End Report.
Eligibility Requirements
IRCC stated that candidates must first meet the minimum requirements for Express Entry, including eligibility under one of the three immigration programmes covered by the system. Applicants must also meet all requirements for the specific category under the invitation round. Candidates who qualify for a category are ranked against others in the pool, and the highest-ranking candidates receive invitations to apply for permanent residence.
"To be eligible for an invitation through a category-based round, you must meet the minimum criteria for Express Entry... and meet all of the requirements in the instructions for that round," the government said.
Canada Invites Skilled Nigerians to Apply
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Canada invited skilled Nigerians and other foreign professionals to explore job opportunities and immigration pathways created to address labour shortages across key sectors. The Canadian government identified healthcare, skilled trades, STEM, education, defence, cybersecurity, and critical minerals as priority sectors for international recruitment. Authorities advised applicants to confirm eligibility, verify professional credentials, and apply only for vacancies open to foreign workers through Canada's official Job Bank.
