Canada has changed skill immigration policy for 2025, introducing substantial changes to the Express Entry system. In order to be a component of the list, teachers, early childhood educators, and cooks have been included and jobs in STEM and the transport sector have been dropped. The changes in Canada Immigration 2025 contribute to realigning immigration with the developing labour market.
Key Updates to Express Entry in 2025
New Priorities:
- Education sector included – Teachers and educators get new opportunities.
- Transport sector eliminated – No longer a focused category.
- Health and social services expanded – Addition of pharmacists, social workers, and medical technicians.
- STEM category cut – Multiple tech and engineering roles excluded.
- Preference for applicants with Canadian work experience.
Top Categories for 2025:
- French language proficiency
- Health care and social service occupations
- Trades occupations
- Education occupations
In fact, these categories are the ones which will witness draws more frequently so as to cater to the chances of eligible applicants.
Increased Opportunities for Educators
Canada has announced the introduction of the education category with regards to the teacher shortage, which also should be entitled as a priority.
- Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants
- Early childhood educators and assistants
- Instructors for persons with disabilities
- Elementary and kindergarten teachers
- Secondary school teachers
Healthcare and Social Services Expansion
Eight new occupations in the healthcare and social services have been added, including:
- Pharmacists
- Pharmacy technicians
- Social workers
- Social and community service workers
- Dental hygienists and dental therapists
- Medical technologists
- Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians
- Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists
Meanwhile, six occupations have been removed as well:
- Educational counsellors
- Instructors of persons with disabilities
- Kinesiologists and other professional occupations in therapy and assessment
- Other assisting occupations in support of health services
- Other practitioners of natural healing
- Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists
Reduction in STEM and Tech Opportunities
Canada has removed 19 occupations from STEM and Tech sections, including:
- Architects
- Business systems specialists
- Computer and information systems managers
- Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers)
- Computer systems developers and programmers
- Data scientists
- Database analysts and data administrators
- Engineering managers
- Information systems specialists
- Land surveyors
- Landscape architects
- Mathematicians, statisticians, and actuaries
- Metallurgical and materials engineers
- Natural and applied science policy researchers, consultants, and program officers
- Software developers and programmers
- Software engineers and designers
- Urban and land use planners
- Web designers
- Web developers and programmers
Trades Sector Expansion
With a focus on 19 new trades occupations have been added:
- Contractors and supervisors, oil and gas drilling and services
- Floor covering installers
- Painters and decorators (except interior decorators)
- Roofers and shinglers
- Concrete finishers
- Other technical trades and related occupations
- Water well drillers
- Electrical mechanics
- Heavy-duty equipment mechanics
- Bricklayers
- Cabinetmakers
- Gas fitters
- Industrial electricians
- Sheet metal workers
- Machinists and machining and tooling inspectors
- Home building and renovation managers
- Construction managers
- Cooks
- Construction estimators
Four occupations have been removed, including:
- Residential and commercial installers and servicers
- Elevator constructors and mechanics
- Machine fitters
- Contractors and supervisors, other construction trades, installers, repairers, and servicers
Agriculture and Agri-Food Adjustments
Two new occupations have been added to support Canada’s agricultural workforce:
- Contractors and supervisors, landscaping, grounds maintenance, and horticulture services
- Agricultural service contractors and farm supervisors
Transport Sector Removed
In terms of the categorization system, a major change for 2025 is the removal of the transportation category. These following occupations will no longer receive targeted invites under the Express Entry system:
- Truck drivers
- Heavy equipment operators
- Airline pilots
Conclusion
The 2025 immigration priorities in Canada reflect a strategic shift, making education, healthcare, and trades more prominent while reducing the positions in the STEM and transportation sectors.
