IRCC Reshapes Express Entry Trades Category for 2026
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has revised the composition of the Express Entry trades occupations category, removing cooks and chefs while adding butchers. The update, announced on February 18, 2026, is expected to alter the profile of candidates invited for permanent residence under this priority stream.
The change follows internal data showing that cooks dominated previous trades draws, despite the category’s intent to target construction and housing-related skills. The updated selection list forms part of Canada’s 2026 immigration priorities.
- Cooks (NOC 63200) and chefs (NOC 62200) have been removed from the trades occupations category.
- Butchers (NOC 63201) have been added, replacing the former agriculture and agri-food category.
- Median Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores for cooks were higher than other trades candidates, according to IRCC data.
- Only one trades draw was held in 2025, issuing 1,250 invitations, compared with 3,600 in 2024.
- The minimum work experience requirement changed from six continuous months to 12 months within the past three years.
- IRCC has not yet conducted a trades category draw in 2026.
Express Entry Trades Category Update
The Express Entry trade occupations stream, a key pathway for skilled workers in construction and technical trades, has been revised to better align with Canada’s labour priorities. IRCC confirmed that cooks and chefs are no longer eligible under this category as of February 18, 2026.
According to departmental data, if a trade draw had taken place on January 31, 2025, cooks would have represented more than half of the invitations, receiving an estimated 1,121 out of 2,000 invitations to apply (ITAs). In contrast, all other construction-related occupations combined would have received 401 ITAs.
Shift Toward Construction and Industrial Trades
The restructured category realigns the focus toward traditional and hands-on construction trades. Occupations such as carpenters, welders, plumbers, and electricians are expected to represent a larger share of future selections as a result of the updated list.
In 2024, IRCC issued 3,600 ITAs under the trades category, but activity slowed in 2025 when only one draw occurred. The removal of cooks and chefs is expected to diversify the candidate pool moving forward.
Policy Context and Ministerial Announcement
Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab announced the 2026 category revisions during a press conference in Toronto. Alongside the trades category update, she introduced new Express Entry categories targeting skilled military personnel, transport professionals, senior managers with Canadian experience, and researchers.
Healthcare, social services, and French language proficiency were also reaffirmed as priority selection categories for 2026. These adjustments continue IRCC’s annual review process of category-based selection introduced in 2023.
Work Experience Requirement Adjusted
IRCC also updated the experience threshold for all occupational categories. Candidates are now required to demonstrate 12 months of skilled work experience within the past three years, replacing the previous requirement of six months of continuous employment. The change removes the continuity condition, which is particularly relevant for workers in seasonal or project-based trades.
This adjustment is expected to broaden eligibility for tradespeople whose work histories include short-term or contract-based employment, common in construction sectors nationwide, including in Manitoba’s provincial programs such as the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program.
Background on Category-Based Selection
Canada’s Express Entry system manages permanent residence applications for skilled workers under three federal programs: the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Canadian Experience Class, and the Federal Skilled Trades Program. Since 2023, IRCC has used category-based selection to address labour market needs more directly.
Under this approach, draws target candidates with specific occupations or skills, such as healthcare, STEM, or French-language ability. The trades category was introduced to help advance infrastructure and housing development goals outlined in the federal immigration levels plan.
Impact of 2025 Draw Patterns
IRCC data show that median CRS scores for cooks stood at 419, compared with 399 for other trade occupations. The imbalance in the candidate pool led to fewer construction trade invitations during 2025 and may have prompted the category revision ahead of the 2026 draw cycle.
In 2025, only one trade occupations draw was held, issuing 1,250 invitations—roughly one-third of the number issued the year before. No trade category draw had taken place in 2026 as of publication.
Ongoing Category Review
The February 2026 update follows IRCC’s pattern of announcing category adjustments early each year. In February 2025, the department retired the transport occupations category, expanded healthcare to include social services, and introduced an education category.
Such updates are part of IRCC’s efforts to maintain alignment between immigration selection and national workforce priorities. The removal of cooks and chefs and the inclusion of butchers signal a renewed emphasis on construction, manufacturing, and food processing skills.
Federal Processing and Selection Framework
Express Entry candidates must first qualify under one of the federal skilled programs, then create an online profile to enter the candidate pool. Invitations to apply for permanent residence are issued to individuals with the highest CRS scores during draws.
Once an invitation is received, applicants can submit a full permanent residence application, which IRCC aims to process within six months. Category-based draws operate within this same system, prioritizing candidates with skills aligned with Canada’s economic and labour objectives.
Public and Policy Relevance
The 2026 changes represent a recalibration of Canada’s skilled trades immigration strategy. By narrowing eligibility to construction and related occupations, the federal government aims to ensure that immigration selection supports ongoing infrastructure and housing initiatives identified in the 2024–2026 immigration levels plan.
Further updates to the Express Entry system are anticipated as IRCC continues its annual review of category-based selection to respond to evolving labour market conditions.
Readers can explore more immigration category updates and policy coverage through official federal announcements and related program updates.