Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab used a luncheon address at the Canadian Club Toronto on 18 February 2026 to unveil the occupational categories that will guide Express Entry invitations this year. In addition to continuing 2025’s French-language, healthcare, skilled-trades and transport streams, Ottawa added four fresh groupings: (1) foreign-trained medical doctors with Canadian work experience; (2) researchers and senior managers who have already built Canadian careers; (3) transport occupations such as airline pilots and aircraft mechanics (returning after a one-year hiatus); and (4) highly-skilled foreign military personnel that the Canadian Armed Forces hopes to recruit.
Diab described the changes as “a pivot from simply patching labour shortages to proactively attracting strategic leadership and innovation.” The new lists were shaped by an August 2025 stakeholder consultation that asked employers which skills would best position Canada for long-term competitiveness. Under category-based selection, IRCC can issue invitations at lower Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores than general draws, meaning eligible candidates often leap-frog higher-scoring applicants outside the targeted categories.
![Canada unveils new 2026 Express Entry categories targeting doctors, researchers and senior managers]()
If you need help navigating Express Entry documentation, VisaHQ’s online platform simplifies the process and connects you with experts who can review your profile for accuracy and compliance. Their Canada hub (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) offers step-by-step guidance, handy checklists and real-time support, ensuring that busy professionals and employers submit complete, up-to-date information before the next draw.
For employers, the refreshed menu offers a faster route to permanent residency for in-demand talent that is already in Canada on temporary work permits. Hospitals struggling with physician shortages, start-ups chasing research talent, and airlines coping with pilot attrition are expected to be early beneficiaries. The Armed Forces, meanwhile, gains a bespoke immigration pathway that aligns with its 2030 recruitment strategy.
Candidates should watch the first category-based draws, expected in March, and ensure their Express Entry profiles accurately reflect Canadian work experience, occupation codes and language scores. Those who fall outside the new categories may still receive invitations through provincial nominee or general rounds but should anticipate higher CRS cut-offs.
Diab described the changes as “a pivot from simply patching labour shortages to proactively attracting strategic leadership and innovation.” The new lists were shaped by an August 2025 stakeholder consultation that asked employers which skills would best position Canada for long-term competitiveness. Under category-based selection, IRCC can issue invitations at lower Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores than general draws, meaning eligible candidates often leap-frog higher-scoring applicants outside the targeted categories.
If you need help navigating Express Entry documentation, VisaHQ’s online platform simplifies the process and connects you with experts who can review your profile for accuracy and compliance. Their Canada hub (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) offers step-by-step guidance, handy checklists and real-time support, ensuring that busy professionals and employers submit complete, up-to-date information before the next draw.
For employers, the refreshed menu offers a faster route to permanent residency for in-demand talent that is already in Canada on temporary work permits. Hospitals struggling with physician shortages, start-ups chasing research talent, and airlines coping with pilot attrition are expected to be early beneficiaries. The Armed Forces, meanwhile, gains a bespoke immigration pathway that aligns with its 2030 recruitment strategy.
Candidates should watch the first category-based draws, expected in March, and ensure their Express Entry profiles accurately reflect Canadian work experience, occupation codes and language scores. Those who fall outside the new categories may still receive invitations through provincial nominee or general rounds but should anticipate higher CRS cut-offs.
