IRCC is asking the public which Express Entry categories should continue into 2027, and is weighing four new talent-focused categories, including one for H-1B visa holders. Survey closes September 1.
IRCC opened a public consultation on August 4, 2026, asking which Express Entry categories should carry into 2027 — and it's weighing four brand-new ones, including a dedicated pathway for H-1B visa holders working in the United States. If you're sitting in the Express Entry pool wondering whether your occupation will still have a lane next year, this consultation is where that gets decided. It closes September 1, 2026.
IRCC launched its "2026 consultations on economic priorities for category-based selection in Express Entry" — a survey open to the public, industry, unions, and provincial and territorial partners, running from August 4 to September 1, 2026. It's a separate process from the broader Express Entry reform consultation that closed in May 2026 and drew more than 17,000 submissions (IRCC says that input is still being analyzed and it isn't taking further feedback on reforms right now).
This year's survey is narrower: it's specifically about which of the nine occupation- and language-based categories active in 2026 should continue into 2027, and whether Canada should add new categories built around specific federal talent strategies.
IRCC's 2026 categories fall into three groups, and the survey asks respondents to rank which should carry forward:
Addressing labour shortages: Healthcare and social services, Trades, STEM, Education, Transport.
Attracting and retaining talent: Physicians with Canadian work experience, Researchers with Canadian work experience, Senior managers with Canadian work experience.
Supporting Francophone immigration: French-language proficiency.
(A tenth category, Skilled Military Recruits, exists in 2026 but wasn't included in the continuation question.)
IRCC's own data, published alongside the consultation, shows how lopsided these categories already are. French-language proficiency accounted for 50,701 ITAs in 2025 — 49.2% of every category-eligible invitation issued that year. STEM, by contrast, cratered from 24,084 ITAs in 2023 to just 5,942 in 2025. Agriculture and agri-food fell to 101 ITAs in 2025 and wasn't renewed for 2026 at all. Transport recorded zero draws in 2025, though it came back in 2026 — see our coverage of the first Transport draw.
| Category | 2023 ITAs | 2024 ITAs | 2025 ITAs |
|---|
| French-language proficiency | 14,944 | 24,303 | 50,701 |
| Healthcare and social services | 8,180 | 11,967 | 19,200 |
| STEM | 24,084 | 13,749 | 5,942 |
| Education | — | — | 9,200 |
| Trades | 2,855 | 3,884 | 4,589 |
| Transport | 2,033 | 1,340 | 0 |
| Agriculture and agri-food | 1,092 | 346 | 101 |
Source: IRCC operational data as of April 7, 2026. Excludes PNP ITAs.
Category-eligible candidates now make up the overwhelming majority of Express Entry selection — 87% of all invitations in 2025, up from 63.5% in 2023. This isn't a side channel anymore; it's most of how Express Entry works.
The more consequential part of the consultation is what could get added. IRCC says it's considering how four federal talent initiatives could translate into new Express Entry categories for 2027:
A Global Talent Stream category, tied to Canada's National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, aimed at AI and technology occupations.
A Global Impact+ Research Talent category, aligned with a federal initiative to recruit leading international researchers in critical fields — a broader version of the existing Researchers category, which IRCC notes hasn't produced a single draw yet in 2026.
An International Talent Attraction Strategy category, covering priority sectors like emerging technologies, healthcare, and skilled trades more broadly.
An H-1B visa holder category — the most concrete of the four. Budget 2025 already committed to an accelerated pathway for H-1B holders working in the US in specialty occupations. Canada tested demand for this once before: a 2023 open work permit program for H-1B holders filled its 10,000-application cap within hours. A standing Express Entry category would replace that one-time intake with a permanent pathway.
If you work in healthcare, trades, education, or transport: IRCC is explicitly asking survey respondents whether it should narrow the list of eligible occupations under these categories rather than keep them as broad as they are now. Don't assume your occupation code will automatically carry over into 2027 — check where your NOC sits relative to the shortage projections IRCC references from Employment and Social Development Canada.
If you have French-language proficiency: the category isn't going anywhere. Canada's committed admission targets for French-speaking permanent residents outside Quebec rise from 9% in 2026 to 9.5% in 2027 and 10.5% in 2028, en route to 12% by 2029. This is the one category IRCC has the least room to walk back.
If you're an H-1B holder in the US, or work in AI, or hold a Global Talent Stream-eligible role: none of these four proposed categories exist yet, and the consultation alone doesn't create one. But if you're weighing a move to Canada in the next year, this is a signal worth tracking — a dedicated H-1B category would be a materially easier path than competing in the general pool.
If you're a stakeholder — employer, settlement organization, industry group: IRCC is legally required under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act to consult before the Minister establishes a new category, and it's explicitly inviting input from provinces, employers, unions, and worker advocacy groups. The survey takes submissions until September 1.
Tip
This consultation won't change anything about 2026 draws, cutoffs, or your current profile's eligibility — IRCC says so directly. But if you're planning a multi-year immigration timeline and your best shot is a category that's shrinking (STEM, Transport, Agriculture), it's worth building a backup plan around CEC or a stronger CRS score rather than betting on category-based selection carrying you through 2027.
IRCC will analyze survey responses alongside separate engagement with provincial, territorial, and federal partners, plus labour market data from ESDC. New or renewed categories for 2027 will be posted once the Minister approves them — typically announced in the first months of the new year, similar to how the 2026 categories were confirmed in February 2026. Expect a similar timeline: don't look for a 2027 category announcement before late this year at the earliest.
Where do you stand under the current categories? CRS Calculator | All Express Entry Draws | Category-Based Draws Explained | Express Entry Categories 2026
Disclaimer: This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute immigration advice. Always verify information with official IRCC sources and consult a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) or licensed immigration lawyer for advice specific to your situation.