Economic Class Immigration

Express Entry is Canada’s main management system for three federal economic immigration programs: the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSW), the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FST). You create an online profile, get a score under the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), and sit in a pool. IRCC holds regular draws and invites the top‑scoring profiles to apply for permanent residence.

Whether you’re “in” depends on your CRS score, and CRS cut‑offs move draw by draw. In recent years IRCC has also run category‑based draws targeting specific professions, French speakers, and Canadian work experience, which means a lower overall CRS score can still get you an invitation if you fit the category.

Yes, often more than people realize. Common levers include: retaking your language test (CELPIP or IELTS) to push into a higher band, getting a second language tested (French is huge right now), obtaining a provincial nomination (worth 600 CRS points and able to significantly improve your ranking for a future invitation), getting Canadian work experience, completing a Canadian credential, or having a qualifying sibling in Canada. Even small changes like upgrading a single IELTS band can add 30 to 50 points.

Not all work experience is equal in the eyes of IRCC. For Express Entry, your work experience only counts if it meets all of the following: it’s in a job classified under TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 of the National Occupational Classification (NOC); it’s continuous; it’s paid (volunteer work and unpaid internships don’t count); and it adds up to at least 1 year of full‑time work or the equivalent part‑time hours (1,560 hours total, capped at 30 hours/week).

For the Canadian Experience Class, only experience gained in Canada while legally authorized to work counts, and self‑employment and work done during full‑time studies are excluded. Your duties also have to match what the NOC says. A “software developer” title means nothing to IRCC if the actual duties on your reference letter don’t align.

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) is Ontario’s provincial nominee program. Ontario can nominate you for permanent residence if you meet the criteria of one of its streams, which include Employer Job Offer streams (Foreign Worker, International Student, In‑Demand Skills), Human Capital streams (Ontario’s Express Entry French‑Speaking Skilled Worker, Skilled Trades, Human Capital Priorities), and Entrepreneur streams.

OINP makes sense when: (a) your Express Entry CRS score isn’t high enough on its own, an Ontario nomination can add 600 CRS points and significantly improve your ranking for a future invitation; (b) you have an Ontario job offer from an approved employer; or (c) you studied or already live and work in Ontario.

Category‑based draws are Express Entry rounds that invite candidates who fit a specific labour‑market priority, even if their CRS score is well below what the general pool would require. On February 18, 2026, IRCC confirmed 10 category‑based selection categories for 2026, including some new ones.

Notable categories for 2026 include:

Physicians with Canadian work experience. The first draw on February 19, 2026 set a record‑low CRS cut‑off of 169.

Senior managers with Canadian work experience. The first draw in March 2026 invited candidates at CRS 429.

Researchers with Canadian work experience.

Transport occupations (pilots, aircraft mechanics, and related roles).

Skilled trades, healthcare workers, French‑language proficiency, STEM, and agriculture.

To qualify for category‑based selection in 2026, you generally need at least one year of work experience (up from six months) in an eligible occupation within the previous three years. If your profile fits a category, you can receive an invitation at CRS scores that would never succeed in a general draw.

The Immigration Levels Plan is the federal government’s annual plan setting out how many permanent residents Canada will welcome each year. The 2026 to 2028 plan reflects a significant shift: overall PR targets have been reduced compared to previous plans, with a stronger focus on economic immigration (projected to reach 64% of PR admissions by 2027 and 2028) and candidates already in Canada.

Key signals in the plan:

Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) allocations were increased by roughly 66% (to about 91,500 spots). Provinces now have more say in who gets PR.

A continued focus on French‑speaking candidates outside Quebec.

Targeted support for physicians, graduate students, skilled trades, and researchers.

Reduced temporary resident admissions to bring the TR share below 5%.

Should you be worried? If you’re already in the system with a clear pathway, the plan is a signal to move sooner rather than later, and to consider provincial nomination routes in addition to federal ones. If you’re still choosing your path, expect the bar to be higher than it was two or three years ago, but also expect faster processing for priority categories. Strategy matters more than ever.