On February 18, the Government of Canada announced that they would be prioritizing ‘top talent‘ in their 2026 immigration Express Entry categories.
“Canada is taking back control to return immigration to sustainable levels, while ensuring it continues to support the economy. As global competition for skilled workers intensifies, Canada’s immigration system is focused on attracting and retaining highly skilled immigrants through the International Talent Attraction Strategy.”
Immigration In Canada
Immigration remains an important component of Canada’s labour force, accounting for “almost 100%” of its growth. The Canadian government notes that these immigrations help address labour shortages in key sectors, such as health-care. The Entry Express System makes immigrating even faster for people so that those gaps can be filled.
Photo: Mina Rad / Unsplash
The Entry Express System is Canada’s “flagship application management system for those seeking to immigrate permanently” through a variety of programs. This includes the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Federal Skilled Trades Program, the Canadian Experience Class and a portion of the Provincial Nominee Program.
The Honourable Lena Metlege Diab, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced on February 18 the 2026 categories under the Express Entry system.
New Categories
The new categories announced were:
- researchers and senior managers with Canadian work experience
- candidates with work experience in transport occupations, including pilots, aircraft mechanics and inspectors
- highly skilled foreign military applicants recruited by the Canadian Armed Forces in key roles such as military doctors, nurses and pilots
In December 2025, the Canadian government also released a new category entirely for foreign medical doctors with Canadian work experience.
“Canada is working to attract and retain the best talent to our country. Today’s announcement builds on important work to strengthen Canada’s economic resilience through targeted measures for medical doctors, graduate students and researchers, as well as Canada’s Defence Industrial Strategy.”
For more information, check out the press release here.
