Express Entry Categories 2026: Which Jobs Count and What the Cut-Offs Were

Imagine you are a welder in Lagos with 4 years of experience and a CRS score of 470. A friend in Toronto says your score is "too low for Canada". Then you see a trades round cut off at 476. Suddenly 470 does not look so far away. Which round could invite you, and which ones never will?

The short answer: As of November 2026, IRCC has 10 Express Entry categories, from French and healthcare to trades, transport and education. To be eligible for most of them, you need at least 12 months of full-time work in one listed occupation in the past 3 years, in Canada or abroad. In 2026 up to 28 October, IRCC held no general rounds. Category rounds cut off at 467 to 477 for healthcare, trades and transport, and 382 to 435 for French. There were no STEM or education rounds in that time (IRCC category-based selection; IRCC rounds of invitations).

How category rounds work

Express Entry is a pool. Everyone in it has a CRS score. In a normal round, IRCC invites the top scores. In a category round, IRCC first picks only the people who fit one category, then invites the top scores among them (IRCC).

Think of a stadium with one big queue and several side doors. The big queue is long. A side door opens only for people with the right ticket, like a nursing or welding job. The queue at that door is shorter.

You still need to qualify for one of the three Express Entry programs first: Federal Skilled Worker, Federal Skilled Trades or Canadian Experience Class. If you get an invitation, you have 60 days to send a full application.

The 10 categories and what happened in 2026

Sources: categories and rules from IRCC category-based selection; rounds counted from IRCC rounds of invitations, 1 January to 28 October 2026.

For comparison, the program rounds in the same period: 18 Canadian Experience Class rounds (57,750 invitations, cut-offs 507 to 523) and 21 Provincial Nominee Program rounds (10,814 invitations, cut-offs 697 to 805). A nomination adds 600 points, which explains that last range.

Look at the gap. If you have no Canadian work and no French, the side doors are healthcare, trades and transport. Their cut-offs sat in the 470s. That is a real target, not a dream.

Which jobs are in each category

Each category is a list of NOC codes. The work must be in a single listed occupation, not a mix (IRCC). Here are the main ones. Check your exact code on IRCC's page.

Healthcare and social services (37 occupations)

Includes doctors and specialists, dentists, pharmacists, physiotherapists, registered nurses (31301), licensed practical nurses (32101), paramedics (32102), medical laboratory and radiation technologists, pharmacy technicians, nurse aides and patient service associates (33102), social workers (41300) and social and community service workers (42201).

Trade occupations (25 occupations)

Includes construction managers, machinists, welders (72106), electricians (72200), industrial electricians (72201), plumbers (72300), carpenters (72310), bricklayers, heavy-duty equipment mechanics, heating and air conditioning mechanics, concrete finishers, roofers, painters and retail butchers (63201).

Transport occupations (4 occupations)

Aircraft mechanics and inspectors (72404), air pilots and flying instructors (72600), avionics mechanics and technicians (22313), and automotive service technicians, truck and bus mechanics (72410). Truck drivers are not on this list.

STEM occupations (11 occupations)

Architecture and science managers, cybersecurity specialists (21220), civil, mechanical, electrical, industrial and geological engineers, three types of engineering technologists, and insurance agents and brokers (63100). Software developers are not on the current STEM list.

Education occupations (5 occupations)

Secondary school teachers (41220), elementary and kindergarten teachers (41221), early childhood educators and assistants (42202), instructors of persons with disabilities, and teacher assistants.

Categories that need Canadian work

Physicians (31100, 31101, 31102), senior managers (00012 to 00015) and researchers (university professors and lecturers 41200, and post-secondary teaching and research assistants 41201) must have their 12 months in Canada.

What 3 November 2026 changes for category rounds

From 3 November 2026, IRCC adds new CRS points for Canadian work in high-wage occupations and for job offers in high-wage occupations. A qualifying job offer can add 50, 70 or 100 points, and no LMIA is needed (IRCC changes page).

This matters for category rounds because invitations still go to the highest scores inside each category. Registered nurses, pharmacists, civil engineers and pilots are on IRCC's high-wage list. Many trades, like welders and carpenters, are not. So in the trades queue, people with a high-wage job offer or high-wage Canadian work may move ahead. Expect the cut-offs above to move. IRCC also said it would pause rounds for up to two weeks from 3 November while it recalculates every profile.

We explain the new points in Express Entry job offer points: 50, 70 or 100 and the high-wage NOC levels.

How to aim for a category round in 5 steps

Step 1: Find your NOC code

Use IRCC's NOC search tool. Match your real duties, not only your job title. A wrong code can make you ineligible after you are invited.

Step 2: Count your 12 months

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. It does not need to be continuous.

Step 3: Prove it

Your reference letters should show your title, duties, hours, pay and dates. The duties should match the NOC description.

Step 4: Know your score

Use our free CRS calculator. It includes the new 3 November 2026 points. Compare your score with the last cut-off for your category.

Step 5: Add points where you can

Language is often the fastest lever. Read which English test to book and what French really adds. If your score is still short, see what to fix when your CRS is below the cut-off or look at provincial nomination routes.

Mistakes that cost people their invitation

• Mixing occupations. 6 months as a nurse and 6 months as a nurse aide does not make 12 months in one listed job.
• Counting old work. Only the past 3 years counts for category eligibility.
• Claiming a better-looking NOC. If your duties don't match, an officer can refuse your application.
• Waiting for a category that has not run. STEM and education had no rounds in 2026 up to 28 October. Plan for other routes too.
• Paying someone to "get you into a category". Nobody can sell you a category. Only your real work history counts.

When to get licensed help

If your duties sit between two NOC codes, or your work history is complex, a professional can review your own case. In Canada, only lawyers, Quebec notaries and licensed consultants (RCICs) may give immigration advice for a fee (IRPA s.91). Check any consultant on the CICC public register.

Frequently asked questions

What are the Express Entry categories for 2026?

As of November 2026, IRCC lists 10: 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 round?

For the occupation categories, at least 12 months of full-time work (or the same amount part-time) in a single listed occupation within the past 3 years. For healthcare, STEM, trades, education and transport it can be in Canada or abroad. For physicians, senior managers and researchers it must be in Canada.

What was the healthcare category cut-off in 2026?

The three healthcare and social services rounds in 2026, up to 28 October, cut off between 467 and 475. The latest, on 4 September 2026, was 475 with 3,500 invitations.

Were there any STEM draws in 2026?

No. IRCC's rounds page shows no STEM rounds between 1 January and 28 October 2026. The category still exists, so check the rounds page for new rounds.

Is software development in the STEM category?

Not on the current list. The STEM category lists engineers, engineering technologists, cybersecurity specialists, architecture and science managers, and insurance agents and brokers. Software developers can still be invited through other rounds, such as Canadian Experience Class or a provincial nomination.

Can I be in more than one category?

Yes. If you have NCLC 7 in French and 12 months as a registered nurse, you could be eligible for both the French and the healthcare rounds. Each round invites the top scores among the people who fit it.

Find your door, then build your score

The big queue is not the only way in. Find your NOC, check which category it is in, and compare your score with that category's last cut-off. Then work on the points that move you up that shorter queue.

This article is general information, not legal advice, and it is not advice on your own case. Categories and rounds change often. Always confirm the current rules with IRCC, and for your own situation speak to a licensed consultant (RCIC) or a lawyer before you act.