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On February 18, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship (IRCC), announced the 2026 priority categories under the Express Entry system. This allows Canada to invite candidates with the skills and experience needed to fill critical labour gaps in key sectors and occupations.

In addition to a new category for foreign medical doctors with Canadian work experience (NOC/TEER 31102, 31101, 31100), Canada will introduce new categories for

•          researchers and senior managers with Canadian work experience (NOC/TEER 41200, 412001)

•          candidates with work experience in transport occupations, including pilots, aircraft mechanics and inspectors (NOC/TEER 72600, 72410, 72404, 22313)

•          highly skilled foreign military applicants recruited by the Canadian Armed Forces in key roles such as military doctors, nurses and pilots (NOC/TEER 43204, 42102, 40042).

IRCC will continue holding invitation rounds to select candidates with strong French skills and those with work experience in the following categories that were in place in 2025:

•          health care and social services, such as nurse practitioners, dentists, pharmacists, psychologists and chiropractors (37 NOC/TEERs)

•          trades, such as carpenters, plumbers and machinists (25 NOC/TEERs)

More information on the Express Entry categories announcement can be found here: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2026/02/canada-prioritizes-top-talent-in-2026-immigration-express-entry-categories.html

Released as part of Canada's 2026 Budget Plan on November 5, 2025, the new Immigration Levels Plan for the next three years provides some significant changes to the Canadian immigration landscape. The highlights are:

• 380,000 permanent residents to be landed each year for 2026 to 2028
• Up to 33,000 work permit holders to gain permanent residency between 2026 to 2027
• Temporary resident targets have been reduced by 43% from 2025 to 385,000
• International students targets have also been reduced by 49% from 2025 to 155,000
• Temporary foreign worker targets to be reduced by 37% from 2025 to 230,000

This new Levels Plan will maintain permanent resident numbers steady while reducing the number of temporary residents entering for the next three years ending 2028. Additionally, a new pathway will be created to help transition in-Canada work permit holders to permanent residents. 

For more information and a more in-depth summary of the announced Levels Plan can be found here: 

Supplementary Information for the 2026 to 2028 Immigration Level Plan: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/mandate/corporate-initiatives/levels/supplementary-immigration-levels-2026-2028.html 

Canada's Immigration Levels: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/mandate/corporate-initiatives/levels.html

Effective March 25, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will be implementing temporary changes to the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) for both the current candidates in the Express Entry pool and future applicants.

This applies to all candidates who have job offers and can be awarded points as follows:

• 200 points: for job offers in occupations classified under Major Group "OO" of the National Occupation Classification matrix (e.g., senior management positions), or
• 50 points: for job offers in any other skilled occupations.

If your Express Entry profile currently includes a qualifying job offer, the additional CRS points associated with this factor will be removed. Although this change will officially take effect on March 25, 2025, it may take a few days for your CRS points to be updated accordingly in your profile. If you do not currently have a qualifying job offer, please be aware that you will no longer be able to gain additional CRS points for this factor after March 25, 2025.

This change will not affect your eligibility to remain in the pool, and no action is required on your part.

If you have an active Invitation To Apply (ITA), that has not expired or been declined, you are not affected by this change and will remain eligible for that specific round of invitation.

IMPORTANT

Please note that the job offer factor will still be part of the following:

• The selection grid for the Federal Skilled Worker Program;
• Eligibility for the Federal Skilled Trades Program; and
• The Provincial Nominee Program, where provinces or territories can consider a qualifying job offer for eligibility or selection criteria.

It is important to continue including the details of any job offers in your Express Entry profile to ensure you remain eligible for various programs.

IRCC News Release: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2024/12/canada-takes-action-to-reduce-fraud-in-express-entry-system.html