Express Entry, 2026
Category-based draws: every eligible NOC code
IRCC invites some Express Entry candidates by occupation. Here are the 10 categories for 2026, the 91 NOC codes on their lists and the work experience each one asks for, taken from IRCC’s own page.
Updated
- IRCC list dated June 22, 2026
- Every code links to its duties
Which NOC codes are eligible for Express Entry category-based draws?
For 2026 IRCC runs 10 categories. 9 of them are lists of NOC 2021 codes: healthcare and social services, STEM, trades, education, transport, physicians with Canadian work experience, senior managers with Canadian work experience, researchers with Canadian work experience and skilled military recruits. The tenth, French-language proficiency, is open to any occupation if you reach NCLC 7 in French. For an occupation category you need at least 12 months of full-time work (or the same amount part-time) in one listed occupation within the past 3 years; physicians, senior managers and researchers need that experience in Canada. Invitations within a category still go to the highest Comprehensive Ranking System scores.
- Categories
- 10
- Listed occupations
- 91 NOC codes
- Work experience
- 12 months in the past 3 years
- IRCC list dated
- June 22, 2026
How category-based selection works
Be in the pool
You need an Express Entry profile that meets the Federal Skilled Worker, Canadian Experience Class or Federal Skilled Trades rules.
Meet a category
Have 12 months of full-time work in one listed occupation within 3 years, or NCLC 7 in French for the French category.
IRCC holds a draw
A category draw invites the highest-ranked candidates who meet that category, often at a lower score than general draws.
Prove it
If invited, your reference letters must show duties that match the NOC lead statement and most of its main duties.
Healthcare and social services occupations
At least 12 months of full-time work (or the same amount part-time) in one listed occupation within the past 3 years, in Canada or abroad.
| NOC code | Occupation | TEER |
|---|---|---|
| 31100 | Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine | 1 |
| 31101 | Specialists in surgery | 1 |
| 31102 | General practitioners and family physicians | 1 |
| 31103 | Veterinarians | 1 |
| 31110 | Dentists | 1 |
| 31111 | Optometrists | 1 |
| 31112 | Audiologists and speech-language pathologists | 1 |
| 31120 | Pharmacists | 1 |
| 31121 | Dietitians and nutritionists | 1 |
| 31200 | Psychologists | 1 |
| 31201 | Chiropractors | 1 |
| 31202 | Physiotherapists | 1 |
| 31203 | Occupational therapists | 1 |
| 31209 | Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating | 1 |
| 31300 | Nursing coordinators and supervisors | 1 |
| 31301 | Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses | 1 |
| 31302 | Nurse practitioners | 1 |
| 31303 | Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals | 1 |
| 32101 | Licensed practical nurses | 2 |
| 32102 | Paramedical occupations | 2 |
| 32103 | Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists | 2 |
| 32104 | Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians | 2 |
| 32109 | Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment | 2 |
| 32111 | Dental hygienists and dental therapists | 2 |
| 32120 | Medical laboratory technologists | 2 |
| 32121 | Medical radiation technologists | 2 |
| 32122 | Medical sonographers | 2 |
| 32123 | Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists | 2 |
| 32124 | Pharmacy technicians | 2 |
| 32129 | Other medical technologists and technicians | 2 |
| 32201 | Massage therapists | 2 |
| 33101 | Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations | 3 |
| 33102 | Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates | 3 |
| 33103 | Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants | 3 |
| 41300 | Social workers | 1 |
| 41301 | Therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies | 1 |
| 42201 | Social and community service workers | 2 |
Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) occupations
At least 12 months of full-time work (or the same amount part-time) in one listed occupation within the past 3 years, in Canada or abroad.
| NOC code | Occupation | TEER |
|---|---|---|
| 20011 | Architecture and science managers | 0 |
| 21220 | Cybersecurity specialists | 1 |
| 21300 | Civil engineers | 1 |
| 21301 | Mechanical engineers | 1 |
| 21310 | Electrical and electronics engineers | 1 |
| 21321 | Industrial and manufacturing engineers | 1 |
| 21331 | Geological engineers | 1 |
| 22300 | Civil engineering technologists and technicians | 2 |
| 22301 | Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians | 2 |
| 22310 | Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians | 2 |
| 63100 | Insurance agents and brokers | 3 |
Trade occupations
At least 12 months of full-time work (or the same amount part-time) in one listed occupation within the past 3 years, in Canada or abroad.
| NOC code | Occupation | TEER |
|---|---|---|
| 22303 | Construction estimators | 2 |
| 70010 | Construction managers | 0 |
| 70011 | Home building and renovation managers | 0 |
| 72100 | Machinists and machining and tooling inspectors | 2 |
| 72102 | Sheet metal workers | 2 |
| 72106 | Welders and related machine operators | 2 |
| 72200 | Electricians (except industrial and power system) | 2 |
| 72201 | Industrial electricians | 2 |
| 72300 | Plumbers | 2 |
| 72302 | Gas fitters | 2 |
| 72310 | Carpenters | 2 |
| 72311 | Cabinetmakers | 2 |
| 72320 | Bricklayers | 2 |
| 72400 | Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics | 2 |
| 72401 | Heavy-duty equipment mechanics | 2 |
| 72402 | Heating, refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics | 2 |
| 72422 | Electrical mechanics | 2 |
| 72501 | Water well drillers | 2 |
| 72999 | Other technical trades and related occupations | 2 |
| 73100 | Concrete finishers | 3 |
| 73110 | Roofers and shinglers | 3 |
| 73112 | Painters and decorators (except interior decorators) | 3 |
| 73113 | Floor covering installers | 3 |
| 82021 | Contractors and supervisors, oil and gas drilling and services | 2 |
| 63201 | Butchers - retail and wholesale | 3 |
Education occupations
At least 12 months of full-time work (or the same amount part-time) in one listed occupation within the past 3 years, in Canada or abroad.
| NOC code | Occupation | TEER |
|---|---|---|
| 41220 | Secondary school teachers | 1 |
| 41221 | Elementary school and kindergarten teachers | 1 |
| 42202 | Early childhood educators and assistants | 2 |
| 42203 | Instructors of persons with disabilities | 2 |
| 43100 | Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants | 3 |
Transport occupations
At least 12 months of full-time work (or the same amount part-time) in one listed occupation within the past 3 years, in Canada or abroad.
| NOC code | Occupation | TEER |
|---|---|---|
| 72404 | Aircraft mechanics and aircraft inspectors | 2 |
| 72600 | Air pilots, flight engineers and flying instructors | 2 |
| 22313 | Aircraft instrument, electrical and avionics mechanics, technicians and inspectors | 2 |
| 72410 | Automotive service technicians, truck and bus mechanics and mechanical repairers | 2 |
Physicians with Canadian work experience
At least 12 months of full-time work (or the same amount part-time) in one listed occupation within the past 3 years, gained in Canada.
| NOC code | Occupation | TEER |
|---|---|---|
| 31100 | Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine | 1 |
| 31101 | Specialists in surgery | 1 |
| 31102 | General practitioners and family physicians | 1 |
Senior managers with Canadian work experience
At least 12 months of full-time work (or the same amount part-time) in one listed occupation within the past 3 years, gained in Canada.
| NOC code | Occupation | TEER |
|---|---|---|
| 00012 | Senior managers - financial, communications and other business services | 0 |
| 00013 | Senior managers - health, education, social and community services and membership organizations | 0 |
| 00014 | Senior managers - trade, broadcasting and other services | 0 |
| 00015 | Senior managers - construction, transportation, production and utilities | 0 |
Researchers with Canadian work experience
At least 12 months of full-time work (or the same amount part-time) in one listed occupation within the past 3 years, gained in Canada.
| NOC code | Occupation | TEER |
|---|---|---|
| 41200 | University professors and lecturers | 1 |
| 41201 | Post-secondary teaching and research assistants | 1 |
Skilled military recruits
At least 10 years of continuous service as a Foreign Skilled Military Applicant.
| NOC code | Occupation | TEER |
|---|---|---|
| 40042 | Commissioned officers of the Canadian Armed Forces | 0 |
| 42102 | Specialized members of the Canadian Armed Forces | 2 |
| 43204 | Operations members of the Canadian Armed Forces | 3 |
French-language proficiency
French test results of at least NCLC 7 in all four abilities (speaking, listening, reading and writing). Any occupation.
This category has no occupation list. What counts is your French test result (TEF Canada or TCF Canada), so a cook, a cashier or an engineer can all qualify, as long as their profile meets an Express Entry program.
Where this list comes from
Every code above is copied from IRCC’s category-based selection page as it stood on June 22, 2026. IRCC reviews the categories each year and can add or remove occupations, so check its page before you rely on a list.
Occupation codes, titles and descriptions are adapted from Statistics Canada, National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 Version 1.0. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.
Frequently asked questions
What are the Express Entry categories for 2026?
French-language proficiency, healthcare and social services, STEM, trades, education, transport, physicians with Canadian work experience, senior managers with Canadian work experience, researchers with Canadian work experience and skilled military recruits.
How much work experience do I need for a category draw?
At least 12 months of full-time work, or the same amount part-time, in one listed occupation within the past 3 years. It does not have to be continuous. For physicians, senior managers and researchers it must be Canadian experience.
Is my NOC code on a category list?
Search for your code in the tables above, or open its page from the full NOC list: every code page says which categories include it.
Do category draws have lower CRS cut-offs?
Often, because fewer candidates compete in each category, but it varies from draw to draw and category to category. IRCC publishes the cut-off for every round.
Can a TEER 4 or 5 job qualify for a category?
Not for the occupation categories, whose lists are TEER 0 to 3 jobs, and your profile must meet an Express Entry program first. With NCLC 7 in French you can qualify for the French category, but your work still has to meet an Express Entry program’s rules. Read about TEER.
On the list? Make your work history easy to read.
Build a Canadian resume from the same duties your reference letters describe, ready for Canadian employers and applicant tracking systems.
More on NOC codes and Canadian resumes
- NOC Code Finder: Describe your duties and get your NOC 2021 code, TEER and Express Entry eligibility. Free.
- NOC Codes Canada: Full List: All 516 NOC 2021 codes with their TEER, duties and wages.
- TEER Categories Explained: What TEER 0 to 5 means, which count for Express Entry, and every job in each one.
- Newcomer Resume Guide: Turn international experience into a resume Canadian employers understand.
- PGWP Resume Guide: Present your Canadian degree and co-op work while your permit clock is running.
- Resume for International Students: Land your first Canadian job or co-op with a resume that fits the market.