Major Changes Announced to Canada’s Express Entry Program
Major Changes Announced to Canada’s Express Entry Program
Immigration Update – March 2025
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has unveiled significant changes to the Express Entry categories for 2025. The announcement, made on February 27, introduces a new category while removing another from the program.
What’s New in 2025?
New Category Added: Education
The Education category joins the Express Entry system with five eligible occupations:
Elementary school and kindergarten teachers
Secondary school teachers
Early childhood educators and assistants
Instructors of persons with disabilities
Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants
Category Removed: Transport
The Transport category has been completely removed from the category-based draws.
Priority Categories for 2025
IRCC has designated four categories that will receive priority for Invitations to Apply (ITAs):
French-language proficiency
Healthcare and Social service occupations
Trades occupations
Education occupations
While the Agriculture/agri-food and STEM categories remain part of the Express Entry system, they will not be prioritized for ITAs in 2025.
Significant Occupation Changes Across Categories
All remaining categories have undergone substantial revisions to their eligible occupations:
| Category | Occupations Added | Occupations Removed |
|---|---|---|
| Healthcare and Social Services | 8 | 6 |
| STEM | 6 | 19 |
| Trades | 19 | 4 |
| Agriculture and Agri-food | 2 | 2 |
Healthcare and Social Services Updates
Notable Additions:
Pharmacists
Social workers
Social and community service workers
Teachers
Dental hygienists and dental therapists
Key Removals:
Educational counsellors
Kinesiologists
Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners
STEM Category Overhaul
The STEM category saw the most significant changes with 19 occupations removed, including software engineers, computer systems managers, and architects. Only 6 new occupations were added, including mechanical engineers and insurance agents/brokers.
Trades Expansion
The Trades category has been substantially expanded with 19 new occupations, including cooks, construction managers, roofers, and various specialized technical trades.
What This Means For Applicants
If you’re considering applying through Express Entry, you’ll want to check if your occupation has been added, removed, or prioritized under these new changes. The shift toward Education and expanded Healthcare and Trades categories signals Canada’s evolving immigration priorities for the coming year.
For a personalized assessment of how these changes affect your immigration prospects, we recommend consulting with an immigration professional.
Please email me at hello@bisonimmigration.com