OCSC Global · Canada immigration specialists since 1991
Canada Express Entry Occupation List 2026
Every occupation in IRCC’s 2026 category-based draws — all 10 categories with NOC codes and this year’s CRS cut-offs, checked against IRCC and current for 2026.
Quick answer: IRCC has held no general draw in 2026 — outside the high-scoring CEC and PNP rounds, invitations go to category-based draws. If your occupation is on one of the lists below (or you have French at NCLC 7), you can be invited at a CRS as low as 382–477 — scores that would never be picked in a CEC round (507+). That is why checking your occupation is the single most useful thing you can do before planning Canada PR.
Not sure which category your job falls under, or whether your NOC code matches? Tell us your occupation and we’ll check it against the 2026 lists.
Check my occupation on WhatsAppLast verified: 27 August 2026, against IRCC’s category-based selection page (dated 22 June 2026) and IRCC’s official rounds-of-invitations data (draws to 19 August 2026). IRCC can change categories and lists at any time — confirm before you commit to a plan.
The 2026 categories at a glance
IRCC is running 10 categories in 2026 — five of them new this year. Occupation-based categories now require at least 12 months of work experience in a single eligible occupation within the past 3 years (up from 6 months in earlier years). The three “Canadian work experience” categories require that experience in Canada.
| Category | Occupations | 2026 draws so far | 2026 CRS cut-offs |
|---|---|---|---|
| French-language proficiency | No list — language-based (NCLC 7 in all 4 abilities) | 7 draws, ~42,500 ITAs | 382–420 |
| Healthcare and social services | 37 occupations | 2 | 467, 475 |
| Trade occupations | 25 occupations | 1 | 477 |
| STEM occupations | 11 occupations | None yet in 2026 | — |
| Education occupations | 5 occupations | None yet in 2026 | — |
| Transport occupations (new) | 4 occupations | 1 | 470 |
| Physicians — Canadian work experience (new) | 3 occupations | 2 | 169, 223 |
| Senior managers — Canadian work experience (new) | 4 occupations | 2 | 392, 429 |
| Researchers — Canadian work experience (new) | 2 occupations | None yet in 2026 | — |
| Skilled military recruits (new) | 3 occupations (special criteria) | 1 | 368 |
What changed for 2026 (and what didn’t)
New for 2026: five categories were added — Transport occupations (returning after a two-year absence), plus four brand-new ones: Physicians, Senior managers and Researchers with Canadian work experience, and Skilled military recruits. Removed: Agriculture and agri-food has not been a category since 2024. Rule change: the work-experience requirement for occupation categories doubled to 12 months in a single eligible occupation within the past 3 years — it need not be continuous, and can be in Canada or abroad (except the Canadian-experience categories).
What didn’t change: there are still no general all-program draws — IRCC’s 2026 cadence has been PNP → CEC → a category round, cycle after cycle. CEC cut-offs have stayed high (507–523) and PNP rounds are effectively for nominees only (708–805). For anyone applying from Singapore without Canadian work experience, the categories — or French — are the realistic doors in 2026.
The full occupation lists by category
These are IRCC’s official lists, quoted verbatim with NOC 2021 codes. Open a category and find your occupation — then confirm your NOC code on the official tool: your real job duties, not your job title, decide the match.
Healthcare and social services: all 37 occupations
| Occupation | NOC 2021 | TEER |
|---|---|---|
| Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine | 31100 | 1 |
| Specialists in surgery | 31101 | 1 |
| General practitioners and family physicians | 31102 | 1 |
| Veterinarians | 31103 | 1 |
| Dentists | 31110 | 1 |
| Optometrists | 31111 | 1 |
| Audiologists and speech-language pathologists | 31112 | 1 |
| Pharmacists | 31120 | 1 |
| Dietitians and nutritionists | 31121 | 1 |
| Psychologists | 31200 | 1 |
| Chiropractors | 31201 | 1 |
| Physiotherapists | 31202 | 1 |
| Occupational therapists | 31203 | 1 |
| Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating | 31209 | 1 |
| Nursing coordinators and supervisors | 31300 | 1 |
| Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses | 31301 | 1 |
| Nurse practitioners | 31302 | 1 |
| Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals | 31303 | 1 |
| Licensed practical nurses | 32101 | 2 |
| Paramedical occupations | 32102 | 2 |
| Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists | 32103 | 2 |
| Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians | 32104 | 2 |
| Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment | 32109 | 2 |
| Dental hygienists and dental therapists | 32111 | 2 |
| Medical laboratory technologists | 32120 | 2 |
| Medical radiation technologists | 32121 | 2 |
| Medical sonographers | 32122 | 2 |
| Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists | 32123 | 2 |
| Pharmacy technicians | 32124 | 2 |
| Other medical technologists and technicians | 32129 | 2 |
| Massage therapists | 32201 | 2 |
| Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations | 33101 | 3 |
| Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates | 33102 | 3 |
| Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants | 33103 | 3 |
| Social workers | 41300 | 1 |
| Therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies | 41301 | 1 |
| Social and community service workers | 42201 | 2 |
Trade occupations: all 25 occupations
| Occupation | NOC 2021 | TEER |
|---|---|---|
| Construction estimators | 22303 | 2 |
| Construction managers | 70010 | 0 |
| Home building and renovation managers | 70011 | 0 |
| Machinists and machining and tooling inspectors | 72100 | 2 |
| Sheet metal workers | 72102 | 2 |
| Welders and related machine operators | 72106 | 2 |
| Electricians (except industrial and power system) | 72200 | 2 |
| Industrial electricians | 72201 | 2 |
| Plumbers | 72300 | 2 |
| Gas fitters | 72302 | 2 |
| Carpenters | 72310 | 2 |
| Cabinetmakers | 72311 | 2 |
| Bricklayers | 72320 | 2 |
| Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics | 72400 | 2 |
| Heavy-duty equipment mechanics | 72401 | 2 |
| Heating, refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics | 72402 | 2 |
| Electrical mechanics | 72422 | 2 |
| Water well drillers | 72501 | 2 |
| Other technical trades and related occupations | 72999 | 2 |
| Concrete finishers | 73100 | 3 |
| Roofers and shinglers | 73110 | 3 |
| Painters and decorators (except interior decorators) | 73112 | 3 |
| Floor covering installers | 73113 | 3 |
| Contractors and supervisors, oil and gas drilling and services | 82021 | 2 |
| Butchers – retail and wholesale | 63201 | 3 |
STEM occupations: all 11 occupations
| Occupation | NOC 2021 | TEER |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture and science managers | 20011 | 0 |
| Cybersecurity specialists | 21220 | 1 |
| Civil engineers | 21300 | 1 |
| Mechanical engineers | 21301 | 1 |
| Electrical and electronics engineers | 21310 | 1 |
| Industrial and manufacturing engineers | 21321 | 1 |
| Geological engineers | 21331 | 1 |
| Civil engineering technologists and technicians | 22300 | 2 |
| Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians | 22301 | 2 |
| Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians | 22310 | 2 |
| Insurance agents and brokers | 63100 | 3 |
Note: software occupations are not on the 2026 STEM list, and yes — insurance agents and brokers (63100) genuinely appear on IRCC’s official STEM table.
Education occupations: all 5 occupations
| Occupation | NOC 2021 | TEER |
|---|---|---|
| Secondary school teachers | 41220 | 1 |
| Elementary school and kindergarten teachers | 41221 | 1 |
| Early childhood educators and assistants | 42202 | 2 |
| Instructors of persons with disabilities | 42203 | 2 |
| Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants | 43100 | 3 |
Transport occupations: all 4 occupations (new for 2026)
| Occupation | NOC 2021 | TEER |
|---|---|---|
| Aircraft mechanics and aircraft inspectors | 72404 | 2 |
| Air pilots, flight engineers and flying instructors | 72600 | 2 |
| Aircraft instrument, electrical and avionics mechanics, technicians and inspectors | 22313 | 2 |
| Automotive service technicians, truck and bus mechanics, and mechanical repairers | 72410 | 2 |
Canadian work experience categories: Physicians, Senior managers, Researchers (9 occupations)
| Occupation | NOC 2021 | TEER | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine | 31100 | 1 | Physicians |
| Specialists in surgery | 31101 | 1 | Physicians |
| General practitioners and family physicians | 31102 | 1 | Physicians |
| Senior managers – financial, communications and other business services | 00012 | 0 | Senior managers |
| Senior managers – health, education, social and community services | 00013 | 0 | Senior managers |
| Senior managers – trade, broadcasting and other services | 00014 | 0 | Senior managers |
| Senior managers – construction, transportation, production and utilities | 00015 | 0 | Senior managers |
| University professors and lecturers | 41200 | 1 | Researchers |
| Post-secondary teaching and research assistants | 41201 | 1 | Researchers |
These three categories require the 12 months of experience to have been in Canada. The Skilled military recruits category (NOCs 40042, 42102, 43204) carries special criteria: 10+ years in a recognized foreign military and an arranged offer from the Canadian Forces Recruiting Group.
Found your occupation above — or can’t tell whether your duties match the NOC code? A consultant can confirm your NOC, category fit and realistic CRS in one conversation.
Confirm my NOC with a consultant2026 draw results so far
49 draws and 119,865 invitations from 5 January to 19 August 2026. The pattern that matters: French draws are the biggest door (seven draws, cut-offs 382–420), healthcare and trades draws land in the 460s–470s, and the Canadian-experience categories go extraordinarily low (physicians at 169 and 223). CEC has stayed at 507–523 and PNP rounds at 708–805 — effectively out of reach without a nomination.
View all 49 draws of 2026 (date, type, invitations, cut-off)
| Date | Draw type | ITAs | CRS cut-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-19 | French-language proficiency | 5,000 | 382 |
| 2026-08-18 | Canadian Experience Class | 1,000 | 523 |
| 2026-08-17 | Provincial Nominee Program | 442 | 760 |
| 2026-08-07 | Transport occupations | 300 | 470 |
| 2026-08-06 | French-language proficiency | 5,000 | 391 |
| 2026-08-05 | Canadian Experience Class | 3,000 | 516 |
| 2026-08-04 | Provincial Nominee Program | 507 | 768 |
| 2026-07-23 | Skilled military recruits | 4 | 368 |
| 2026-07-22 | French-language proficiency | 5,000 | 399 |
| 2026-07-21 | Canadian Experience Class | 2,000 | 516 |
| 2026-07-20 | Provincial Nominee Program | 511 | 744 |
| 2026-07-10 | Senior managers (Canadian work exp.) | 500 | 392 |
| 2026-07-09 | French-language proficiency | 5,000 | 420 |
| 2026-07-07 | Canadian Experience Class | 2,000 | 517 |
| 2026-07-06 | Provincial Nominee Program | 534 | 708 |
| 2026-06-25 | Healthcare & social services | 4,000 | 475 |
| 2026-06-24 | Physicians (Canadian work exp.) | 271 | 223 |
| 2026-06-23 | Canadian Experience Class | 4,000 | 516 |
| 2026-06-22 | Provincial Nominee Program | 955 | 730 |
| 2026-05-28 | French-language proficiency | 4,500 | 409 |
| 2026-05-27 | Canadian Experience Class | 3,000 | 518 |
| 2026-05-25 | Provincial Nominee Program | 334 | 805 |
| 2026-05-11 | Provincial Nominee Program | 380 | 798 |
| 2026-04-29 | French-language proficiency | 4,000 | 400 |
| 2026-04-28 | Canadian Experience Class | 2,000 | 514 |
| 2026-04-27 | Provincial Nominee Program | 473 | 795 |
| 2026-04-15 | French-language proficiency | 4,000 | 419 |
| 2026-04-14 | Canadian Experience Class | 2,000 | 515 |
| 2026-04-13 | Provincial Nominee Program | 324 | 786 |
| 2026-04-02 | Trade occupations | 3,000 | 477 |
| 2026-03-31 | Canadian Experience Class | 2,250 | 509 |
| 2026-03-30 | Provincial Nominee Program | 356 | 802 |
| 2026-03-18 | French-language proficiency | 4,000 | 393 |
| 2026-03-17 | Canadian Experience Class | 4,000 | 507 |
| 2026-03-16 | Provincial Nominee Program | 362 | 742 |
| 2026-03-05 | Senior managers (Canadian work exp.) | 250 | 429 |
| 2026-03-04 | French-language proficiency | 5,500 | 397 |
| 2026-03-03 | Canadian Experience Class | 4,000 | 508 |
| 2026-03-02 | Provincial Nominee Program | 264 | 710 |
| 2026-02-20 | Healthcare & social services | 4,000 | 467 |
| 2026-02-19 | Physicians (Canadian work exp.) | 391 | 169 |
| 2026-02-17 | Canadian Experience Class | 6,000 | 508 |
| 2026-02-16 | Provincial Nominee Program | 279 | 789 |
| 2026-02-06 | French-language proficiency | 8,500 | 400 |
| 2026-02-03 | Provincial Nominee Program | 423 | 749 |
| 2026-01-21 | Canadian Experience Class | 6,000 | 509 |
| 2026-01-20 | Provincial Nominee Program | 681 | 746 |
| 2026-01-07 | Canadian Experience Class | 8,000 | 511 |
| 2026-01-05 | Provincial Nominee Program | 574 | 711 |
Do you qualify? The bar in 60 seconds
Being on a category list only helps if you are eligible for Express Entry in the first place. The three programs, briefly:
Federal Skilled Worker (most Singapore applicants): at least 1 year of continuous skilled work (TEER 0–3) in the last 10 years, language at CLB 7+ in all four abilities, an Educational Credential Assessment for your degree, 67+ points on the FSW grid, and settlement funds — currently CAD $15,263 for a single applicant, $19,001 for two, $23,360 for a family of three.
Canadian Experience Class: 1 year of skilled work in Canada within the last 3 years; CLB 7 (TEER 0/1 jobs) or CLB 5 (TEER 2/3); no proof of funds needed. Federal Skilled Trades: 2 years in an eligible trade in the last 5 years plus a Canadian job offer or certificate of qualification; CLB 5 speaking/listening, CLB 4 reading/writing.
On top of program eligibility, the occupation categories need 12 months in that single occupation within the past 3 years, and the French category needs NCLC 7 in all four abilities (TEF or TCF Canada). Accepted English tests: CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training, or PTE Core — results under 2 years old. After an invitation you have 60 days to submit.
Applying from Singapore
Singapore files run on the same centralised IRCC queue as everyone else — there is no Singapore bucket. Two local specifics worth knowing. First, the police certificate: IRCC asks for a Singapore Police Force Certificate of Clearance, and you cannot apply for it pre-emptively — IRCC issues a request letter after you submit your PR application, you apply online with that letter, and SPF sends the COC directly to the Canadian consulate. Second, plan the timeline realistically: Express Entry is processing in about 7 months post-submission, but the Singapore-side preparation (language test, credential assessment, documents) typically makes the true end-to-end journey 12–18 months. Our Canada PR processing time guide breaks that down stage by stage, and the cost breakdown covers what to budget.
Frequently asked questions
My job title isn’t on any list. Am I out? Not necessarily — NOC matching is about your actual duties, not your title. A “systems engineer” may map to an eligible engineering NOC; an “operations manager” may map to a senior-manager code. Check the lead statement and duties on the official NOC tool, or ask us to map it.
My occupation is listed but my CRS is around 450. Is that enough? In 2026, healthcare has invited at 467–475, trades at 477, transport at 470 — so 450 is close but not there on those lists. French at NCLC 7 has invited at 382–420. The honest answer depends on your exact profile and which category you fit.
Is French really worth learning for this? The numbers say it is the single biggest lever in 2026: seven draws, ~42,500 invitations, cut-offs as low as 382. Reaching NCLC 7 takes sustained effort, but it changes which queue you stand in entirely.
Will there be a general draw in 2026? There has not been one all year, and IRCC’s published 2026 pattern is PNP → CEC → category rounds. Planning around a general draw returning is a gamble; planning around a category you already fit is a strategy.
Do the lists change? Yes — categories are reviewed annually (five were added and the experience rule doubled for 2026). We verify this page against IRCC and update the verified date above.
Want to hear when IRCC changes the categories or a new draw lands? Message us on WhatsApp and we will keep you posted on the rounds that matter for your occupation.
Ready to check your eligibility? Message a consultant with your occupation and we’ll tell you which category fits, your realistic CRS, and whether 2026 is your year.
Check my eligibility on WhatsAppThis page is general information, not immigration advice for your personal situation. Category lists, draw results and eligibility figures are IRCC’s, as published on canada.ca (category page dated 22 June 2026; draw data to 19 August 2026), verified 27 August 2026. Requirements change — confirm with IRCC or with us before you apply. OCSC Global Pte Ltd, Shaw Centre, Orchard Road, Singapore. Established 1991.