All STEM Occupations Targeted by Express Entry in 2025

(CANADA) Canada’s federal immigration department has tightened its focus on Express Entry category-based draws for STEM workers in 2025, zeroing in on a short list of roles and dropping many IT occupations that dominated earlier rounds. As of October 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is targeting only 11 specific STEM occupations in category-based draws, a sharp change meant to align permanent resident invitations with the most urgent labour needs.

Officials say the shift reflects current labour data, forecasts, and feedback from industry and provinces. The practical result is that engineers and a few technical specialists remain at the front of the line, while many software and data roles that were spotlighted in 2023–2024 no longer receive dedicated STEM invitations.

Eligibility and rules for the 2025 STEM category

Under the 2025 rules, candidates in STEM category-based draws must meet the following:

• Have at least six months of full-time (or equivalent part-time) work experience in one of the listed occupations within the past three years, inside or outside Canada.
• Meet all regular Express Entry requirements (language, education, admissibility, etc.).
• Ensure their NOC code aligns with the listed occupation (job title alone is not decisive).

IRCC runs these targeted rounds alongside general and program-specific draws. In many cases the CRS cutoffs for category-based draws are lower than for general rounds, giving eligible STEM applicants an advantage.

Important: The NOC code is decisive in category-based draws. Job titles can be misleading — duties determine the classification. Carefully review NOC profiles when creating or updating an Express Entry profile.

What changed in February 2025

IRCC’s February 2025 update removed 19 occupations—including key IT and tech roles such as software developers and data scientists—and added six new ones. Analysis by VisaVerge.com suggests this is a labour market recalibration: Ottawa appears to be steering many tech roles to other pathways (employer-driven hiring and provincial nominations), while using category-based draws to prioritize engineering and certain technical skills that are harder to source domestically.

IRCC has said it will report each year to Parliament on the categories chosen, the reasons behind them, and the numbers invited.

2025 STEM category: included occupations (11)

The 2025 STEM category includes the following occupations and NOC codes:

• Architecture and science managers — NOC 20011
• Civil engineering technologists and technicians — NOC 22300
• Civil engineers — NOC 21300
• Cybersecurity specialists — NOC 21220
• Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians — NOC 22310
• Electrical and electronics engineers — NOC 21310
• Geological engineers — NOC 21331
• Industrial and manufacturing engineers — NOC 21321
• Insurance agents and brokers — NOC 63100
• Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians — NOC 22301
• Mechanical engineers — NOC 21301

The inclusion of insurance agents and brokers (NOC 63100) stands out. While not a traditional lab role, Ottawa has placed it in the 2025 STEM group—signaling a practical response to workforce gaps connected to risk analysis, highly regulated products, and the shift toward tech-driven insurance operations.

Sectors prioritized and those deprioritized

• The reductions are most evident in core tech. Many roles once favored—software engineering, data science, web development, and network administration—are no longer targeted through the STEM stream.
• Officials emphasize these applicants are not unwelcome; they may compete in general Express Entry rounds or secure provincial nominations and employer-backed work permits.
• The narrowed STEM list signals a tilt toward:
  • Infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, power systems, cybersecurity, and resource development.
  • Areas where Canada 🇨🇦 continues to invest and where credentials and safety standards are strict.

How the change affects applicant strategy

IRCC’s targeted approach shapes strategy in several ways:

1. Engineers in civil, electrical, mechanical, industrial, and geological fields remain well positioned.
2. Cybersecurity specialists benefit from national priority to protect critical systems.
3. Technologists and technicians in civil, mechanical, and electrical/electronics widen the lane for applicants with TEER 2 experience tied to engineering practice.
4. Applicants in removed IT roles should consider:
   • Competing in general Express Entry draws.
   • Seeking a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) stream.
   • Pursuing employer-backed work permits and later nomination.

Practical steps for candidates:

• Verify your NOC code against the current STEM list — job title alone is not enough.
• Confirm you have six months of recent, continuous, qualifying experience within the last three years.
• Keep language test results (English or French) current and ensure they will be valid on the day you receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA).
• Prepare work experience letters and references that clearly map duties to the NOC description.
• If your job is no longer listed, consider PNPs or employer-specific work permits to boost chances.

Impact on employers

Employers should plan hiring timelines with the new priorities in mind:

• If your company needs civil or electrical engineers for projects with firm start dates, category-based STEM rounds may help recruits reach permanent residence faster.
• If hiring software developers, expect to rely more on work permits and provincial programs rather than a quick STEM invitation.
• Companies in insurance should note NOC 63100’s inclusion, which could ease long-term planning for regulated roles that blend compliance, analytics, and tech.

In many regions, employers can support immediate needs with work permits and later assist with nominations for permanent residence.

Policy context and public goals

The redesign fits a wider 2025 framework that also highlights:

• Healthcare
• Skilled trades
• Education (newly prioritized in 2025 due to urgent shortages)
• French-language proficiency

Specific public policy links to included STEM roles:

• Civil and mechanical engineers: infrastructure, housing, transportation expansions.
• Electrical engineers and technologists: grid upgrades, clean power, electrification of industry and vehicles.
• Industrial and manufacturing engineers: scale domestic production and improve plant efficiency.
• Geological engineers: resource development and minerals supply chain.
• Cybersecurity specialists: protect public systems and private networks.

IRCC has stressed transparency and will continue to publish the rationale for each category and report the number of invitations issued. For official details on the categories and the latest draws, see IRCC’s Express Entry page on category-based selection.

Key takeaway: Ottawa is signaling where permanent immigration will move fastest in 2025 — engineering-heavy fields, cybersecurity, certain technologist roles, and an unexpected inclusion in insurance. IT professionals still have routes to Canada, but often through employer recruitment, provincial streams, or general Express Entry rather than the narrowed STEM category-based draws.

Practical tips and planning checklist

• Match each past job to the correct NOC code and have letters that map duties to NOC descriptions.
• Keep language test results valid and your Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) ready if required.
• Monitor CRS trends and category-based draw announcements — cutoffs can be lower than general rounds.
• Be prepared for mid-year adjustments; Ottawa may tweak categories as labour data changes.
• If pursuing employer-led pathways, discuss timelines for work permits and subsequent nominations with your prospective employer.

This narrower lane for STEM category-based draws means a smoother path for those inside the list — and alternate, employer- or province-led routes for many IT professionals.