Canada unveils four-pronged approach to re-defining top picks for permanent residence through Express Entry

The federal government has taken the first step in advancing a four-pronged approach to changing which skilled workers get prioritized for Canadian permanent residence (PR) in 2027.

As part of public consultations, the government has published a survey—set to run from August 4–September 1, 2026—which highlights the following four focus areas:

United States H-1B visa holders.
Researchers.
Foreign nationals dovetailing with the immigration department’s International Talent Attraction Strategy (ITAS).
Foreign nationals dovetailing with the Global Talent Stream (GTS) of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP).

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The government identified these four focus areas as informing its in-progress overhaul of category-based selection (CBS), the framework used to prioritize top-pick types of skilled workers, such as those working in healthcare or the skilled trades.

Foreign nationals who qualify for a category under CBS have a higher chance of being invited to apply for permanent residence through Express Entry, Canada’s flagship application management system for skilled workers intending to settle outside Quebec.

According to IRCC's 2026 Express Entry consultations webpage, changes to CBS categories informed by this four-pronged approach are expected to take effect as early as the year 2027, in which Canada plans to admit 122,000 permanent residents through the Express Entry system.

H-1B visa holders

Holders of United States H-1B visas are mentioned as a focus area informing changes under consideration to CBS.

The H-1B visa is a work visa issued by the U.S. government to high-skilled workers.

Although the H-1B includes high-skilled workers across a variety of roles, it is commonly associated with workers in technology and STEM.

In its survey, IRCC asks respondents to weigh in on the degree to which H-1B visa holders should be prioritized under CBS, clarifying that these individuals would be "primarily in STEM occupations.”

While addressing reporters following the 2025 Global Progress Summit in September 2025, Prime Minister Mark Carney made comments about Canada's plans to target tech talent affected by the United States' H-1B visa fee hike.

By November, the federal government announced its upcoming plans for an accelerated pathway targeting H-1B visa holders in Budget 2025, as a strategy to "attract top talent in healthcare, research, advanced industries, and other key sectors."

Researchers

In the 2027 CBS survey, IRCC introduces researchers as a focus area under consideration to inform potential changes to CBS.

No clear definition is provided for researchers, beyond the immigration department noting intended alignment with the Canada Global Impact+ Research Talent Initiative—a suite of programs announced in December 2025 via news release.

According to the news release, the following priority areas may be targeted under the above initiative:

Advanced digital technologies (AI, quantum, cybersecurity);
Health, including biotechnology;
Clean technology and resource value chains;
Environment, climate resilience, and the Arctic;
Food and water security;
Democratic and community resilience;
Manufacturing and advanced materials; and
Defence and dual-use technologies.

The survey on 2027 CBS priorities asks respondents the degree to which it matters that researchers have Canadian work experience or not.

Express Entry currently has an existing category for Researchers with Canadian work experience, who have one year of experience in the following NOCS:

Post-secondary teaching and research assistants (41201); and
University professors and lecturers (41200).

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International Talent Attraction Strategy

IRCC has identified its ITAS as a focus area informing the changes under consideration to CBS.

According to a February 2026 backgrounder, the ITAS appears to refer to page 99 of Budget 2025 wherein the government references a “targeted, one-time initiative to recruit over a thousand highly qualified researchers to Canada.”

Three types of researchers are mentioned in this document:

Research chairs (established professors);
Doctoral students and post-doctoral fellows (early career researchers); and
International assistant professors (generally early career researchers).

According to the 2027 Express Entry categories consultation webpage, changes to CBS informed by ITAS focus area may relate to emerging technologies, healthcare, and/or skilled trades.

As it stands, Express Entry CBS already has in place categories defined for healthcare workers, trades workers, STEM workers, and doctors with Canadian work experience.

Global Talent Stream of the TFWP

The survey identified the Global Talent Stream of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) as a focus area informing changes under consideration to CBS.

The GTS is a fast-track stream for TFWP work permits, exempting employers from usual advertising requirements and allowing for processing in as little as 10 days.

As it stands, a foreign national who qualifies for the GTS must meet the following characteristics:

Their employer has a positive or neutral Labour Market Impact Assessment; and
They meet the eligibility requirements for either category A or B of the stream.
- Category A: works in a “unique and specialized position” making at least $80,000/year at a company focusing on innovation and possesses advanced knowledge of the industry and five years of specialized experience.
- Category B: works in one of the 22 occupations eligible under the stream, the majority of which are in STEM—heavily weighted toward computer science and IT.

The public consultations webpage and survey associate the GTS with highly skilled AI professionals.

As it stands, there is an existing category in place for STEM occupations, which overlaps with category B of the GTS to the tune of four occupations.

In a June 2026 press release, the federal government signalled intentions to establish an expedited work permit pathway under the GTS for AI professionals as part of its National AI Strategy, noting the pathway would be accompanied by additional measures to support transition to PR.

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Changes under consideration

The survey for public consultations asks participants to rank the importance of foreign nationals in relation to each of the identified focus areas, from “Great need” to "Don't know/not sure.”

Respondents can then explain their selection and identify specific occupations, sectors, or types of talent that they believe should be prioritized.

For each focus area, the survey also requests respondents to indicate whether selections should focus more heavily on foreign nationals within or outside Canada, or both equally. Participants can also select “Don’t know/not sure.”

As of the time of writing, the government has not provided an anticipated release date for the results of the consultation.

About category-based selection

Periodically, the federal government invites the highest-ranking Express Entry candidates eligible under a specific category to apply for permanent residence.

To date in 2026, IRCC has conducted 18 category-based Express Entry rounds, through which it has invited a combined total of 58,216 candidates.

Category-based rounds are intended to supplement other round types to meet annual economic priorities. The government notes on the consultations webpage that “in some cases, targets can be reached without category-based invitation rounds being held.”

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What else IRCC is considering

In the survey, IRCC indicated that it is currently considering “narrowing the number or eligibility” of categories in place under CBS for 2027.

According to the government, this course of action would facilitate a more strategic focus for economic immigrant selection and better address evolving labour shortages.

In the survey, respondents are asked to choose between two approaches to addressing labour shortages through CBS: continuing to select skilled workers across all occupations facing shortages, or narrowing the focus to a smaller, more targeted set of occupations.

Of the 10 existing Express Entry categories, all but two have seen draws in 2026: STEM, which hasn’t been used since 2024, and Researchers with Canadian work experience—introduced in February of 2026.

Certain categories have seen fewer draws than others. For example, the Trades, Transport, and Skilled Military Recruits categories have all been drawn once in 2026.

The survey allows the public to weigh in on whether existing categories should continue in 2027 and rank them in order of importance.

Broader Express Entry reforms

Beyond adjustments to category-based selection, IRCC also proposed sweeping changes to the broader Express Entry system in April of this year.

These changes would see the three current Express Entry programs eliminated and replaced with a single streamlined program and bring a significant change in how points are awarded under the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS)—with higher-earning workers to be prioritized.

In the form currently proposed, the new system intends to award three tiers of bonus points to occupations paying at least 2x, 1.5x, and 1.3x the national median wage.

Consultations for Express Entry reforms concluded in May 2026, and input is currently being analyzed.

Although IRCC has set a 12- to 18-month window for the complete rollout of the reforms, officials say some of the most significant changes—including the high-wage occupation factor and updates to the CRS—could be introduced much earlier.

See your eligibility for all Express Entry streams and categories