Canada Invites 3,500 Skilled Trades Candidates to Apply for Permanent Residence

By Tahani Elghazaly
Published October 2, 2026

Latest news on WhatsApp أجدد الأخبار على واتساب

Canada invited 3,500 candidates with skilled trades experience to apply for permanent residence in a new Express Entry round held on October 1, 2026, marking the second trades-specific selection round of the year.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada set the minimum Comprehensive Ranking System score at 476, one point below the cut-off in the previous trades round held earlier this year. A tie-breaking rule was applied to candidates at the minimum CRS threshold based on when their Express Entry profiles were submitted.

The draw does not represent a separate immigration program. Candidates must already qualify for one of the immigration programs managed through Express Entry and be in the Express Entry pool, while also meeting the requirements of the Trades Occupations category.

To qualify for the category, candidates must have accumulated at least 12 months of full-time work experience, or an equivalent amount of part-time experience, within the previous three years in a single eligible occupation. The experience may have been gained in Canada or abroad and does not need to be continuous.

Eligible occupations include electricians, plumbers, carpenters, welders, heavy-duty equipment mechanics, heating, refrigeration and air-conditioning mechanics, sheet metal workers, bricklayers and floor covering installers, along with several other construction, industrial and technical trades.

The October draw was the second trades-specific Express Entry round of 2026. On April 2, Canada issued 3,000 invitations with a CRS cut-off of 477. The latest round therefore issued 500 more invitations while lowering the minimum score by one point.

Candidates who receive an Invitation to Apply have 60 days to submit their electronic permanent residence application, supporting documents and required fees before the invitation expires.