Canada has announced five new priority occupation groups for immigration under its Express Entry system for 2026: doctors, researchers, senior managers, military personnel, and transportation sector staff. This move by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), announced last week, is part of a strategy to attract skilled talent and address labor shortages in key sectors.

Qualified candidates will be invited to apply for permanent residency. They must have worked full-time for at least 12 months within the last three years in occupation codes belonging to these five new priority groups.

Specific requirements vary: for the doctor, researcher, and senior manager occupation groups, candidates need work experience in Canada. Military personnel require a job offer from the Canadian Armed Forces.

Additionally, Canada continues to expedite immigration for several existing priority occupation groups: French-speaking occupations, healthcare and social services, education, STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), and trades.

However, the minimum work experience requirement for these groups has increased from six months to one year, which can be in Canada or abroad within the last three years.

Ms. Lena Metlege Diab, Minister of IRCC, stated that Canada's future depends on a workforce capable of facing economic fluctuations. She added that refining the Express Entry system, focusing on skills truly lacking in society, will strengthen the labor market, support provincial objectives, and ensure immigrants can contribute to the country from day one.

McGill University campus, Canada. *Photo: McGill University Fanpage*

Launched in 2015, the Express Entry system facilitates expedited immigration for foreign workers through three main streams: the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) for candidates working in Canada; the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) for candidates with work experience both abroad and in Canada; and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) for skilled tradespeople.

After submitting their profiles, candidates are ranked based on their Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score, assessed across factors like occupational skills, education, language proficiency, work experience, and other elements. The maximum score is 1,200. A higher score increases the chances of receiving an invitation to apply for permanent residency.

If approved, candidates will receive a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) or a permanent resident (PR) visa.

Additionally, foreign workers can receive an invitation to immigrate through the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). Candidates under this program also receive additional points on the CRS scale and have their applications processed six months faster.

In 2025, Canada issued nearly 114,000 invitations to apply for immigration, divided into 58 rounds, the second highest number in history. The first round of invitations for 2026 occurred in early January, with over 570 candidates.

Khanh Linh