Canada is reshaping its Express Entry selection strategy once again, and the proposed changes for 2027 could mark a defining shift for skilled workers worldwide.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has opened public consultations to decide which categories will carry forward into next year.
The consultation launched on August 4, 2026, and will remain open until September 1, giving stakeholders a narrow window to influence the outcome.
Several new category proposals centre on attracting high-value international talent rather than simply filling labour shortages across broad occupation lists.
This represents a strategic pivot that could fundamentally alter who receives invitations to apply for permanent residence in 2027 and beyond.
Here is a complete breakdown of every proposed change, the data behind current categories, and what candidates should prepare for.
Table of Contents
Three Economic Priorities Under Consideration For 2027
IRCC is considering maintaining three overarching economic priorities that have guided category-based selection since 2023.
The first priority is addressing long-term labour market shortages in sectors such as healthcare, trades, education, and transportation.
The second priority is attracting and retaining top talent to strengthen Canada’s competitive position in the global economy through initiatives like the accelerated pathway for H-1B visa holders.
The third priority is supporting Francophone immigration outside Quebec to meet official language targets and strengthen minority communities across Canada.
However, IRCC has signalled that 2027 may bring significant refinements to how each of these priorities is implemented through category-based selection.
The department is considering narrowing the number of occupations eligible under labour shortage categories to create a more strategic and targeted approach.
It is also exploring new categories aligned with government talent strategies that go beyond the current Express Entry framework.
Current 2026 Categories Under Review For Renewal
Canada has 10 Express Entry categories in 2026. However, IRCC’s consultation survey asks respondents whether nine of those categories should continue in 2027, excluding the skilled military recruits category from that specific question.
The consultation survey lists each of the following categories and asks respondents to select which ones should carry forward.
2026 Express Entry Categories
| Category | Priority Area |
| French-language proficiency | Francophone immigration |
| Healthcare and social services occupations | Labour shortages |
| STEM occupations | Labour shortages |
| Trade occupations | Labour shortages |
| Education occupations | Labour shortages |
| Transport occupations | Labour shortages |
| Physicians with Canadian work experience | Talent attraction and retention |
| Researchers with Canadian work experience | Talent attraction and retention |
| Senior managers with Canadian work experience | Talent attraction and retention |
A tenth category for skilled military recruits with a Canadian Armed Forces job offer also exists in 2026 but was not listed in the survey question asking about continuation.
The survey also asks respondents to rank their selected categories from most important to least important.
This ranking data will help IRCC assess which categories respondents consider most important for continuation in 2027.
Category-Based Selection Has Dominated Express Entry Since 2023
IRCC released detailed data showing that category-eligible candidates received 87% of all Express Entry invitations issued in 2025, up from 63.5% in 2023.
The growth of category-based selection has fundamentally changed how candidates are chosen for permanent residence through the federal system.
French-language proficiency alone accounted for nearly half of all invitations issued to category-eligible candidates last year.
Invitations Issued To Category-Eligible Candidates (2023 to 2025)
| Category | Year | ITAs Issued | Avg CRS | % In Canada | % of Total EE |
| Healthcare | 2023 | 8,180 | 473 | 50% | 9.7% |
| Healthcare | 2024 | 11,967 | 468 | 56% | 16.0% |
| Healthcare | 2025 | 19,200 | 476 | 57% | 18.6% |
| Trades | 2023 | 2,855 | 447 | 90% | 3.4% |
| Trades | 2024 | 3,884 | 461 | 85% | 5.2% |
| Trades | 2025 | 4,589 | 499 | 78% | 4.4% |
| STEM | 2023 | 24,084 | 498 | 79% | 28.7% |
| STEM | 2024 | 13,749 | 500 | 74% | 18.4% |
| STEM | 2025 | 5,942 | 479 | 50% | 5.8% |
| Transport | 2023 | 2,033 | 468 | 77% | 2.4% |
| Transport | 2024 | 1,340 | 465 | 75% | 1.8% |
| Agriculture | 2023 | 1,092 | 427 | 51% | 1.3% |
| Agriculture | 2024 | 346 | 464 | 36% | 0.5% |
| Agriculture | 2025 | 101 | 498 | 59% | 0.1% |
| Education | 2025 | 9,200 | 459 | 36% | 8.9% |
| French Proficiency | 2023 | 14,944 | 476 | 17% | 17.8% |
| French Proficiency | 2024 | 24,303 | 450 | 19% | 32.5% |
| French Proficiency | 2025 | 50,701 | 449 | 22% | 49.2% |
The total number of category-eligible invitations rose from 49,285 in 2023 to 73,586 in 2025, a 49% increase over two years.
STEM invitations dropped dramatically from 24,084 in 2023 to just 5,942 in 2025, reflecting a strategic shift away from broad technology selection.
Agriculture and agri-food invitations fell to just 101 in 2025, and this category was not renewed for 2026 after three years of declining volumes.
Transport occupations recorded zero draws in 2025 despite being an active category, and IRCC is now asking whether it should continue.
4 New Talent-Focused Category Proposals For 2027
The most significant development in the 2027 consultation is the introduction of four new potential categories focused on attracting top international talent.
These proposals align with multiple federal strategies, including the International Talent Attraction Strategy outlined in Budget 2025.
Each proposed category targets a distinct talent pipeline, and IRCC is asking respondents whether selection should focus inside Canada, outside Canada, or both equally.
1. Global Talent Stream Candidates
The first proposed category would target candidates in occupations listed under the Global Talent Stream, which primarily covers technology and artificial intelligence roles.
Canada’s National Artificial Intelligence Strategy recognizes AI talent as one of the country’s most important strategic assets.
Canada’s National Artificial Intelligence Strategy includes expanding the temporary worker Global Talent Stream to accelerate the arrival and onboarding of highly skilled AI professionals.
IRCC is now considering whether Express Entry category-based selection should prioritize candidates in Global Talent Stream occupations.
2. Researchers Aligned With Global Impact+ Initiative
The second proposal targets researchers to align with the Canada Global Impact+ Research Talent Initiative, which recruits leading international researchers in critical fields.
This initiative is designed to support Canada’s position at the forefront of scientific innovation and deliver economic and health benefits.
A researchers category already exists in 2026 but has not yet produced a single draw, making its expansion into a broader talent stream a significant policy question.
3. International Talent Strategy Candidates
The third proposed category would select candidates whose profiles align with IRCC’s International Talent Attraction Strategy.
This strategy aims to prioritize, attract, and retain top talent in emerging technologies, healthcare, skilled trades, and other priority sectors.
It also aims to identify clear pathways to permanent residence to retain the skilled workers that Canada needs most.
4. H-1B Visa Holders From The United States
The fourth and potentially most consequential proposal is a dedicated Express Entry category for H-1B visa holders currently working in the United States.
Budget 2025 committed to launching an accelerated pathway for these foreign workers based in specialty occupations across STEM, healthcare, research, and advanced industries.
Canada previously tested its appeal to H-1B holders in 2023 through a special open work permit program that filled its 10,000-application cap within hours.
A permanent Express Entry category would create a standing pathway rather than a one-time intake, significantly expanding Canada’s talent recruitment from the United States.
IRCC May Narrow The List Of Shortage Occupations
One of the most consequential questions in the consultation asks whether category-based selection should focus on fewer occupations than it currently covers.
The survey offers two options: maintaining selection across all occupations identified as facing long-term shortages or focusing on a smaller and more targeted set.
For respondents who favour narrowing the list, the survey asks which factors should guide that decision.
Options include focusing on occupations requiring higher training levels at TEER 0, 1, or 2, aligning with Government of Canada priorities, targeting the most persistent shortages according to ESDC projection data, and prioritizing occupations less served by other pathways.
The Provincial Nominee Program is specifically named as an alternative pathway that already addresses some of these same shortage occupations at the regional level.
This question signals that IRCC is prepared to reduce the scope of occupation-based categories if the consultation feedback supports a more focused approach.
Francophone Immigration Targets Continue To Rise Through 2029
Category-based selection for French-speaking candidates has been the single largest driver of Express Entry invitations since 2023.
The French-language proficiency category accounted for 49.2% of all category-eligible invitations issued in 2025, dwarfing every other individual category.
The 2026 to 2028 Immigration Levels Plan set admission targets for French-speaking permanent residents outside Quebec at 9% in 2026, 9.5% in 2027, and 10.5% in 2028.
Canada has also committed to increasing French-speaking permanent resident admissions to 12% by 2029.
Eligible candidates must achieve a minimum score of 7 in all four language abilities on the Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens.
IRCC is asking the public whether it should continue prioritizing these candidates to a great, moderate, or small extent for economic growth purposes.
Given the rising targets and the category’s dominance in recent Express Entry draw volumes, French-language selection is widely expected to remain a core priority in 2027.
Express Entry Reforms Could Reshape Category-Based Selection
IRCC conducted separate consultations on potential Express Entry reforms in the spring of 2026, receiving more than 17,000 submissions.
Those reforms aim to refocus the points system on factors most strongly associated with economic success, such as language ability and high-wage Canadian work experience.
The current consultation asks whether these future reforms should change the extent to which category-based selection is used.
Respondents can argue that CBS should continue at current levels, be increased to compensate for a narrower points system, or be decreased as reforms improve baseline selection quality.
Most selected candidates under the reformed system are expected to have stronger language skills, higher education, and at least one year of Canadian work experience in a high-wage occupation.
Category-based selection would continue to offer flexibility beyond earnings potential to meet identified economic goals under the reformed framework.
How To Participate In The 2027 Category Consultation
IRCC’s online survey is open until September 1, 2026, and is accessible through the official consultation page on Canada.ca.
Both individuals and organizations can submit responses, with organizations encouraged to consult colleagues and submit a single unified response.
The survey covers 21 questions spanning respondent demographics, category preferences, occupation targeting, talent strategies, and Francophone priorities.
Individual respondents are asked about their province of residence and immigration status in Canada, while organizations identify their sector and operating provinces.
Organizational respondents can choose whether their submissions are published with full attribution, partial attribution, anonymized, or not published at all.
In addition to public consultations, IRCC will engage federal, provincial, and territorial partners separately and review labour market information alongside past category-based selection results.
What This Means For Express Entry Candidates
Candidates currently in the Express Entry pool should pay close attention to these consultation outcomes because the 2027 categories will determine who gets invited and who waits.
Workers in occupations aligned with the Global Talent Stream, AI, cybersecurity, and critical minerals could gain a new permanent residence pathway that does not exist today.
Candidates with French-language proficiency will likely continue to benefit from the largest category allocation, given the rising federal admission targets through 2029.
Healthcare workers, tradespeople, and educators should expect their categories to continue but potentially with a narrower list of eligible occupations than in previous years.
H-1B visa holders in the United States may soon have a direct Express Entry pathway that eliminates the need for employer-specific nominations or provincial programs.
The September 1 deadline for survey submissions means that the final 2027 categories could be announced as early as late 2026 or the first quarter of 2027.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can I submit the IRCC consultation survey if I live outside Canada?
Yes, the online survey is open to individuals and organizations regardless of location, and the questionnaire includes an “Outside of Canada” option for the province of residence question.
Will the 2027 categories affect Express Entry draws happening right now in 2026?
No, the 2027 category consultations are forward-looking and will not change any draw schedules, CRS cutoffs, or category eligibility for the remainder of 2026.
Do I need to update my Express Entry profile to match the proposed 2027 categories?
No updates are needed at this stage because the proposed categories have not been finalized or approved, and profile eligibility is determined automatically by IRCC based on the information already in your Express Entry profile once categories are officially established.
Could IRCC introduce completely new categories not mentioned in the consultation?
While unlikely, the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act gives the Minister authority to establish any category linked to an identified economic priority, so the final 2027 categories could include additions or modifications beyond what was explicitly proposed in the survey.
How does category-based selection interact with a Provincial Nominee Program nomination?
A provincial nomination adds 600 CRS points and operates through separate PNP Express Entry draws, which are independent of category-based rounds, meaning a candidate can benefit from both a PNP nomination and category eligibility simultaneously.
Fact-Checked: All information in this article has been verified against the official IRCC 2026 consultations on economic priorities for category-based selection in Express Entry page and the accompanying survey questionnaire published by IRCC on August 4, 2026.
Disclaimer: This article is published by Immigration News Canada for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or immigration advice; consult a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant or licensed immigration lawyer for advice specific to your situation.
Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.
You may also like: Canada’s Spousal Open Work Permit Loophole Raises Concerns
New US Visa Early Appointments Now Available Across Canada
New Minimum Wage In 5 Canadian Provinces Coming In October 2026
Trump Pauses These U.S. Immigrant Visas Effective Immediately