Besides general rounds and rounds for a single program, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) holds category-based rounds of invitations. These invite candidates in the Express Entry pool who meet a category set by the Minister to meet a specific economic goal, such as filling shortages in an occupation. IRCC announced the categories for 2026 in February 2026.
How category-based selection works
- To be invited in a category round, you must meet the minimum Express Entry criteria, including being eligible for the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Federal Skilled Trades Program or the Canadian Experience Class.
- You must also meet every requirement in the instructions for that round.
- IRCC ranks the candidates who meet the category’s requirements and invites the top-ranking ones.
- Category rounds supplement other rounds. If enough eligible candidates are already being invited through general or program rounds, IRCC may not hold a round for that category.
The 2026 categories
| Category | What you need | Where the work experience can be |
|---|---|---|
| French-language proficiency | NCLC 7 or higher in all four French abilities | No occupation requirement |
| Healthcare and social services | 12 months in one of 37 listed occupations | Canada or abroad |
| Science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) | 12 months in one of 11 listed occupations | Canada or abroad |
| Trades | 12 months in one of 25 listed occupations | Canada or abroad |
| Education | 12 months in one of 5 listed occupations | Canada or abroad |
| Transport | 12 months in one of 4 listed occupations | Canada or abroad |
| Physicians with Canadian work experience (new) | 12 months in one of 3 physician occupations | Canada only |
| Senior managers with Canadian work experience (new) | 12 months in one of 4 senior management occupations | Canada only |
| Researchers with Canadian work experience (new) | 12 months as a university professor or lecturer, or a post-secondary teaching or research assistant | Canada only |
| Skilled military recruits (new) | A Canadian Armed Forces recruiting offer and 10 or more years of foreign military service | See the rules below |
The work experience rule
For every occupation category except skilled military recruits, IRCC asks for the same kind of experience:
- At least 12 months of full-time work, or an equal amount of part-time work, within the past 3 years.
- All 12 months must be in a single occupation on that category’s list, whatever your primary occupation is.
- The months do not need to be continuous.
- For healthcare and social services, STEM, trades, education and transport, the experience can be in Canada or abroad. For physicians, senior managers and researchers, it must be in Canada.
What is new for 2026
Four categories are new: physicians, senior managers and researchers with Canadian work experience, and skilled military recruits. The other six have run in earlier years, with occupation lists IRCC reviews each year. The agriculture and agri-food category is not part of the 2026 list, so there are no rounds for it this year.
Skilled military recruits
This category is for Foreign Skilled Military Applicants who are serving in a recognized foreign military with at least ten years of continuous service, and whose work and training match a Canadian Armed Forces occupation (NOC 40042, 42102 or 43204). You also need an offer from the Canadian Forces Recruiting Group for at least 3 years of continuous full-time work in Canada in one of those occupations, and at least a 2-year post-secondary credential, with an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) if you studied outside Canada.
Rounds so far in 2026
Category rounds have run unevenly through the year. Between January 1 and October 28, 2026, the last round before the CRS change, IRCC’s rounds feed shows:
| Category | Rounds | Invitations | Lowest cut-off | Highest cut-off |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| French-language proficiency | 12 | 60,500 | 382 | 435 |
| Healthcare and social services | 3 | 11,500 | 467 | 475 |
| Trades | 2 | 6,500 | 476 | 477 |
| Transport | 2 | 450 | 470 | 477 |
| Physicians with Canadian work experience | 3 | 891 | 169 | 223 |
| Senior managers with Canadian work experience | 3 | 1,000 | 389 | 429 |
| Skilled military recruits | 1 | 4 | 368 | 368 |
There were no STEM, education or researchers rounds in that period.
How to check which categories fit you
Categories are decided by NOC code. Enter your 5-digit NOC in the “Your occupation” section of our CRS calculator to see every 2026 category it belongs to and the experience each one needs. A NOC can be in more than one category: family physicians (NOC 31102), for example, are in both the physicians and the healthcare categories. You can also look back at past rounds on the draws page.
Frequently asked questions
Do I apply for a category?
No. You cannot choose or apply for a category. If you are in the pool and meet a category’s rules, IRCC can invite you when it holds a round for that category.
Can I be eligible for more than one category?
Yes. If your experience and language results meet the rules of several categories, a round for any of them can invite you. One invitation is all you need.
Do category rounds always have lower cut-offs?
Often, but not always. In 2026, physician rounds invited scores as low as 169, while healthcare and social services rounds stayed in the 460s and 470s.
Is the French category only for people who work in certain jobs?
No. It has no occupation requirement: it is for candidates with NCLC 7 or higher in all four French abilities. Strong French also adds 25 or 50 additional CRS points.
Does my experience have to be in Canada?
Only for the physicians, senior managers and researchers categories. For healthcare and social services, STEM, trades, education and transport, it can be in Canada or abroad.
You don’t have to face the wait alone.
Thousands of people have shared their real timelines so the next person isn’t left guessing in the dark. Add yours, keep your own application and your family’s together in one place, and see a grounded estimate of how long your decision might take, drawn from people who are walking the same path.
- Share your timeline and help the next applicant find their footing.
- Track your own and your family’s applications together, in one calm place.
- See a realistic estimate of your wait, based on people on the same journey.
It’s free, and what you track stays private to you. Sharing your timeline with the community is always your choice.
Key takeaways
- IRCC’s ten 2026 categories include four new ones: physicians, senior managers, researchers and skilled military recruits.
- Occupation categories need 12 months of work in one listed occupation within the past 3 years; three of them count Canadian work only.
- You never apply for a category: if you qualify and are in the pool, a category round can invite you.
- IRCC: Express Entry category-based selection (opens in a new tab)
- IRCC: Canada prioritizes top talent in 2026 Express Entry categories (February 2026) (opens in a new tab)
- IRCC: Express Entry rounds of invitations (opens in a new tab)
Last reviewed: Nov 4, 2026