Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has unveiled new categories under the Express Entry system for international workers who want to come and work in the country, a move that could interest many skilled Nigerians seeking opportunities abroad.
According to IRCC Minister Lena Metlege Diab, the announcement of the 2026 Express Entry categories is to allow Canada to invite candidates who have the required skills and experience. She explained that the new categories are Canada’s way of keeping immigration at sustainable levels while continuing to support the economy.
Express Entry is Canada’s flagship application management system for people who want to permanently relocate through the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Federal Skilled Trades Program, the Canadian Experience Class, and part of the Provincial Nominee Program. Canada says its immigration system is designed to attract highly skilled workers who can contribute to national growth.
In Canada’s 2025–2026 Immigration Plans, the government is focusing on the Express Entry class to invite candidates who already have work experience in Canada so they can apply for permanent residence. Authorities also want to keep permanent resident admissions at less than 1% of Canada’s population annually beyond 2027, while still attracting talented international workers from countries such as Nigeria.
The new plan has set overall temporary resident targets of 673,650 for 2025. It has also temporarily set targets of 516,600 for 2026 and 543,600 for 2027 as part of efforts to manage population growth responsibly.
The newly announced Express Entry categories are expected to provide clear pathways for top international talent who want permanent residency. Canada is seeking to invite foreign medical doctors who have Canadian work experience. New categories have also been introduced in the field of research and for senior managers who also have Canadian experience.
Other categories include candidates with experience in aviation, transportation, and foreign military officers. IRCC says it will continue selecting candidates who have strong French language skills and those who have work experience in the area of health care and social services.
In Canada, immigration accounts for almost 100% of labour force growth, helping the country address shortages in key sectors. According to the immigration minister, the government is working to attract and retain the best talent in the country.
She added that the Express Entry announcement will help strengthen Canada’s economic power “through targeted measures for medical doctors, graduate students and researchers, as well as Canada’s Defence Industrial Strategy.”
Under the 2026 Express Entry categories, Canada is seeking top talent including medical doctors, researchers, and senior managers with Canadian work experience, workers with French-language proficiency, health care and social services professionals, tradespersons, educators, professionals in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics occupations, professionals in transport occupations, pilots, aircraft mechanics, and inspectors, as well as highly skilled foreign military applicants recruited by the Canadian Armed Forces for key roles such as military doctors, nurses, and pilots.
For 2025, Canada announced new categories for the Express Entry draw for workers and added to the list of occupations where people can apply to work and obtain permanent residence. At that time, IRCC said the new categories were introduced to address labour skill shortages in Canada’s economy. In that same year, 2025, Canada launched four new permanent residency (PR) pathways even while trying to reduce the country’s annual immigration targets.
