(CANADA) — Canada’s Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship department pushed the Express Entry Trades Category to the center of its skilled‑worker selection on Friday, setting it up as a primary pathway to permanent residency for foreign workers in construction and infrastructure.
Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, has tied the shift to Canada’s housing buildout, with the department signalling “focused selection” for trades alongside healthcare and education professionals as Ottawa reshapes who gets invited through Express Entry.
“Canada’s Express Entry system is evolving to meet the country’s changing needs. By addressing labour shortages. we are building a more dynamic workforce with workers and professionals from in‑demand fields. Our approach ensures immigration remains a key driver of Canada’s growth, helping businesses thrive while supporting communities across the country,” Miller said in a February 27, 2025 announcement that expanded the trade categories.
2026 targets and the “focused selection” approach
IRCC confirmed that the 2026 target for “Federal High Skilled” (Express Entry) is set at 109,000 admissions, with the department describing a “focused selection” priority meant to deliver a sustainable “structural correction” of the immigration system.
Canada’s overall target for new permanent residents has been slightly reduced to 380,000 for 2026, as the government shifts toward selectivity as part of what it has described as a “coordinated reset” of the immigration system.
The Trades Category has been significantly expanded since 2025 and sits inside the government’s 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan, which aims to address acute labour shortages in construction and infrastructure.
Who the Trades Category targets
The Trades Category targets 25 trade occupations, including:
- Carpenters
- Plumbers
- Electricians
- Industrial mechanics
- Construction managers
The intent is to move workers into jobs that can support home building and related projects.
Eligibility requirements (key points)
- Candidates must have at least 6 months of continuous full‑time work experience, or the equivalent part‑time, in one of the 25 eligible trades within the last 3 years.
- The requirement is designed to widen access beyond four‑year degree pathways and appeal to workers with hands‑on experience.
A persistent reality: trade‑specific draws have historically required significantly lower Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores — often in the 430s — compared with All‑Program draws, which are often 500+.
Provincial and in‑country integration steps
The category’s appeal has also been reinforced by provincial steps to speed integration for newly landed workers.
- Effective January 1, 2026, Ontario’s “As of Right” framework allows workers certified in other provinces to work within 10 business days.
- This change reduces delays between arriving and being able to work in regulated trades, a common friction point for newcomers converting an invitation into stable employment.
IRCC’s approach also aims to shift more temporary residents already in Canada into permanent status. Roughly 33,000 slots are reserved specifically for those with Canadian work experience in 2026 as part of in‑land transitions to permanent residency.
Processing speed has been part of the program’s pitch: trades‑category applicants are described as benefiting from faster processing averaging 6 months, alongside access to high‑paying job opportunities in provinces such as Ontario and British Columbia.
International context: U.S. H‑1B changes and the Canadian pull
While Express Entry is a Canadian initiative, the competitive pull of Canadian permanent residency is landing at a moment of change in the United States.
On December 23, 2025, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced a final rule to overhaul the H‑1B selection process. USCIS spokesperson Matthew Tragesser framed the change as a competitiveness measure:
“The new weighted selection will better serve Congress’ intent for the H‑1B program and strengthen America’s competitiveness by incentivizing American employers to petition for higher‑paid, higher‑skilled foreign workers. With these regulatory changes. we will continue to update the H‑1B program to help American businesses without allowing the abuse that was harming American workers,” Tragesser said.
Key U.S. changes include:
- A new $100,000 H‑1B registration fee implemented in late 2025.
- A move to weighted selection that emphasizes wages and skills.
Those shifts have prompted many skilled workers in the U.S. to look toward Canada’s more accessible Trades Category.
Canada’s on‑ramps for U.S. temporary workers
Canada is preparing a specific on‑ramp for that pool of workers. Skilled workers on H‑1B or other temporary U.S. visas are increasingly using Canada’s “accelerated pathway for U.S. H‑1B holders,” planned for full rollout in 2026, to transition to Canadian permanent residency if they have trade experience.
How the Trades Category changes selection dynamics
The combination of category‑based selection and a high Express Entry admissions target matters because it changes the mix of candidates most likely to receive invitations.
- Trades applicants have often had fewer pathways than candidates in fields where Canadian employers recruit through professional networks and large corporate programs.
- The Trades Category is designed to translate labour‑market needs into invitations by narrowing selection around identified occupations, rather than relying on the overall Express Entry pool and its broad, points‑driven competition.
Miller’s 2025 statement framed the trade expansion as part of a system‑wide evolution, positioning immigration as both an economic tool and a labour‑market fix. The government said the approach would help businesses and support communities.
The policy implementation on January 1, 2026 placed a sharper focus on which skills are prioritized in selection. IRCC’s confirmation of the 109,000 “Federal High Skilled” target and its emphasis on trades, healthcare, and education professionals reflected that narrowing.
At the same time, the reduced overall permanent resident target of 380,000 for 2026 signals a broader effort to calibrate intake even as category draws direct admissions toward certain sectors.
Practical implications for applicants
Applicants trying to position themselves for a Trades Category invitation must:
- Match their work experience to the targeted list of 25 eligible occupations.
- Meet the 6 months continuous full‑time experience (or equivalent part‑time) requirement within the last 3 years.
- Consider whether to aim for a trade‑specific draw (often lower CRS thresholds in the 430s) or to improve scores for All‑Program draws (often 500+).
For many candidates, the trade‑specific CRS reality is central to strategy. The category’s growth in 2025 and the policy direction confirmed for 2026 may make Canada’s points‑based competition less tilted toward academic credentials than in earlier periods, favoring hands‑on experience.
Sources and further reading
- IRCC Express Entry information: IRCC Express Entry (Canada Official)
- Government levels plan and framing: 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan
- U.S. agency announcements on H‑1B changes: USCIS Newsroom (US H‑1B Updates)
For trades workers weighing options between countries, the contrast is emerging: Canada has signalled category‑based selection inside Express Entry, while the United States has moved toward a new weighted selection model for H‑1B and imposed a $100,000 H‑1B registration fee.
In the near term, the policy picture leaves a clear message for candidates whose experience fits the Trades Category: Canada is tying permanent residency selection more tightly to identified labour needs, and it is using Express Entry to do it.
Canada is refocusing its Express Entry system to prioritize tradespeople in construction and infrastructure. By reducing experience requirements to six months and lowering CRS score thresholds, the government aims to admit 109,000 high-skilled workers in 2026. This shift occurs alongside restrictive U.S. H-1B reforms, positioning Canada as a more attractive and accessible destination for skilled foreign workers seeking stable permanent residency and high-paying jobs.
