Express Entry: Category-based selection

On this page

• What is category-based selection
• Current categories
• How we choose and report on categories
• Who's eligible for each category

What is category-based selection

In category-based rounds of invitations, we invite candidates in the Express Entry pool who are eligible for a specific category established by the Minister to meet an identified economic goal.

We invite candidates to apply for permanent residence based on criteria such as:

• ability to communicate in a specific official language
• work experience in a specific occupation
• education

We’ll announce the chosen categories in advance.

Step-by-step guide to category-based selection

This step-by-step guide shows how category-based selection differs from the current Express Entry process and which steps are the same.

A step-by-step guide to category-based selection in Express Entry (PDF, 2.1 MB)

Text version: A step-by-step guide to category-based selection in Express Entry

1. Show your interest
   Create an online Express Entry profile in your IRCC secure account.
2. We place you in the Express Entry pool
   If you’re eligible for one of the programs under Express Entry (federal skilled worker class, federal skilled trades class or Canadian experience class) we’ll place you in the Express Entry pool.
3. Check your Comprehensive Ranking System score
   While your Express Entry profile is in the pool, we’ll assign you a score based on your points in the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). You can view your score in your IRCC account.
4. We identify candidates eligible for a category
   We identify candidates in the pool, based on their profile, who are eligible for a specific category the Minister established.
5. We rank your Express Entry profile
   We rank eligible candidates based on their CRS score.
6. We run a round of invitations
   In all round types, we invite eligible candidates with the highest CRS scores to apply to an economic immigration program. In category-based rounds, candidates must also be eligible for a given category to be invited.
7. Apply for permanent residence
   If you receive an invitation to apply, you have 60 days to submit an application for a specific program in Express Entry.
8. We make a decision on your application
   We make a decision based on program eligibility, the accuracy of the information in your profile, category eligibility and whether you’re admissible to Canada.

Current categories

1. French-language proficiency
2. Healthcare and social services occupations
3. Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) occupations
4. Trade occupations
5. Agriculture and agri-food occupations
6. Education occupations

Category-based rounds are intended to supplement other round types to meet the identified economic goal.

We may not need a category-based round if there are enough top-ranking candidates eligible for a category being invited to apply through general or program-specific rounds.

How we choose and report on categories

We choose categories based on:

• labour market information and projections
• input we received from our partners, including provinces and territories, and stakeholders across the country

Each year, we’ll report to Parliament on:

• the categories we chose the previous year
• why and how we chose them
• the instructions to establish a category
• the number of invitations we issued for each category

We’ll also:

• include information about category-based selection in the Express Entry Year-End Report
• monitor and assess categories on a regular basis

Who's eligible for each category

To be eligible for an invitation through a category-based round, you must:

• meet the minimum criteria for Express Entry, including being eligible for 1 of the 3 immigration programs it covers, and
• meet all of the requirements in the instructions for that round

When we hold a category-based round of invitations, we’ll:

• rank candidates in the pool who meet the category requirements, and
• invite top-ranking candidates to apply for permanent residence